Postpress will adapt to multi-function digital printing

Post-press processing is different from the past, and it must have changed. The increasingly fierce competition, the increasingly mature technology, and the inevitable expansion of the market

Today, faster, better, and cheaper are the requirements of printing customers, especially magazine printing and catalog printing. Customers want high-speed binding without increasing costs or lower costs. This trend is determined by the fast, personalized and targeted customer requirements. Today is the age of information explosion. Information is calculated in hours, minutes and even seconds. For printers, speed (rather than web format) has become the basis of competition and the key to ensuring the long-term development of the post-press processing industry.

First, the intelligentization of post-press processing equipment

Existing equipment has too many processes. Plug and play doesn't have much value. Intelligent devices are used in smart systems. To make the process smooth, we must eliminate the gap between the processes. In fact, to shorten the cycle, the integration between processes is a must. For example, post-press processing has been extended to the mailing section. Postpress processing is responsible for all mailing information, from the address of inkjet or labeling to sorting and delivery to the postal service. In the past, these delivery-delivery technologies shortened the time the printed product left the press. If the prints are ready to be processed directly, the work cycle will be greatly reduced.

Second, the automation of postpress processing

In recent years, many printers have invested large amounts of money in prepress and printing, and have made great progress and reduced costs. But for companies that have little or no investment in binding, they can only get very small output and prices increase. These companies will find that after 2001 they must pay more attention to the postpress and the binding part, as well as automation technology.

First, automation of postpress processing can save money. Most devices have automatic adjustment functions instead of manual labor. The operator can control cutting, sewing, or folding by simply adjusting a few buttons on the console. Of course, old machines can do well, but new equipment is easier to adjust.

For example, the new folding machine has a zero adjustment function to automatically adjust the bending plate. This feature allows the operator to fine-tune the plate simply by turning the knob, without having to remove the roller as before (at least two talents ). The CNC of the console saves a lot of time. Some manufacturers such as Heidelberg, MBO, Manroland have already put the corresponding products into the market.

Outsourcing is also seen as a good way to save money, but a coherent workflow also serves the same purpose. Current third-party systems, such as a QTI product, allow control of printing on a console including stapling. To improve efficiency, future workflows include all printing processes. CIP3 was born for this.

The CIP3 system is based on international standards. This international standard is called pre-press, printing, and post-press integration. CIP3 means pre-press, printing, and post-press integration. It was initiated by Heidelberg and now 33 manufacturers and one printer support this system. This system combines the various parts of the print to shorten job preparation time. In the prepress and printing area, CIP3 has been applied, such as adjusting ink volume and controlling color. Currently Polar's CompuCut, Stahlfolder's CompuFold and MBO's Navigator all support this system.

CIP4 is the next generation standard. It contains all the features of CIP3 plus ADOBE's standard file format, JDF (Job Definition Format). Currently used electronic files contain only print information, and CIP 4 also contains the entire workflow and feature descriptions on different platforms. Doing so can control process variables and improve quality.

The entire printing industry, especially the post-press processing sector, lacks qualified and skilled workers. The binding part is trying to solve this problem. The first step is to use ergonomically designed equipment. It can increase productivity without too much training for employees. We can see that working hours have been greatly shortened and new equipment has been designed to become more and more perfect.

The cutting machine illustrates the development trend of ergonomics. The cutting system reduces the operating time, the overall efficiency is 200% of the individual cutting machine, reduces the overall cost, and stabilizes the operation. Equipment that adjusts paper, such as stackers, bumpers, and waste collection systems, reduces operating time and improves control accuracy. The goal of the cutting system is to increase efficiency and reduce labor intensity. To point out that Europe is now a popular mobile paper feeder. The paper feeding mechanism can be transferred from the printing press to other processes, such as folding machines. It is not necessary to reload the paper onto the folder.

Third, the diversification of post-press processing

Printers strive to provide consumers with more efficient processes and equipment, as do post-press processors. Over the past few years, many post-press processors have added processes, UV coating, laminating, folding/gluing and even printing operations in post-press processing, which has enhanced the competitiveness of post-press processing.

Rotary bronzing and embossed gravure have opened up new markets. There are two main methods of rotating bronzing: narrow web reel bronzing and sheet-fed hot gilding.

Narrow Web Rotary Gold foil stamping unit used in gravure printing machines. With the development and speed of bronzing technology. Gravure printing presses have been able to produce at low cost and high speed. The market for narrow-web roll bronzing is very broad. Especially for instant printing, such as trademark and cartoon printing. Large quantities of labels can be incorporated into decorative processes in narrow printing, such as bronzing and embossing, which require little additional cost. Hot stamping and embossing are no longer expensive for consumers who need to process high-volume prints. Narrow web reel bronzing opened up the market and attracted more attention. At the same time, it also poses a threat to sheetfed printing (such as the trademark printing of wine), but the development of bronzing and embossing will facilitate the development of the printing market.

Sheet-fed hot stamping is performed using a curved die on the drum. Although it does not print and bronze online like the narrow web bronzing, it is still faster than standard pattern printing. This is good for mass production of cartoons, greeting cards, book cases and other similar items. The more mature and familiar the process is, the faster the business rises and the better the position of post-press processing.

Fourth, on-demand processing

In the new century, new changes have been made to the binding equipment. Personalized direct mailing and variable printing account for an increasing proportion. All the elements, graphics and layouts are personalized. There is still a long way to go. However, some devices have already been personalized. Heidelberg's postpress equipment provides personalized inkjet output. Each printed sheet to be mailed is printed on a different address, or even a different pattern.

Because each print is different, the binder has encountered new difficulties. How to solve the waste of different printed sheets? Manufacturers have tried many methods such as: Marking on printed sheets. There is currently no effective solution. The current solution works well, but it is expensive.

Heidelberg offers the equipment NexPress for personalized printing, a new type of printing machine that can print on a single sheet. Both Poler and Heidelberg's Stack Folding Machines provide solutions for personalized printing to process NexPress products. The on-demand printing market continues to expand.

Fifth, post-press processing will adapt to multi-function digital printing

DEUPA2000 is an exhibition of various digital presses. In 1999, the two-color printing press produced 8.5×11 inch digital prints with 85 billion pieces, mainly news letters, software texts and ISBN (soft cover). How and where to bind these sheets together provides a great binding market.

Print on Demand (POD) emphasizes flexibility, personalization, and short-run printing. Today, POD printers can usually complete the printing of products within 24 hours. E-base can meet the complex requirements and automation issues, and quality control is also very important.

Today, the binding equipment for short black-and-white softcover books is already complicated. Many suppliers offer highly automated on-line or off-line solutions for bookbinding in small-batch paperbacks. This new device is equipped with a book sealer and a new generation of highly automated three-sided cutters. This binding device can be adjusted for different spine thicknesses and adapted to print on demand.

Short-term mailings now have a large market. Many digital printing business program binders produce hardcover books. The complexity of binding equipment, the limitations of limited edition hardcover book decoration, and limited technology and experience have created opportunities for program binders. At the same time, because of the flexibility of short-run printing, many program stitchers have been printing short-run book blocks to meet customer needs.

6. On the level of on-demand printing in the future, industry standards are very important.

In the past three years, the printing industry has been committed to establishing pre-press, printing, and post-press communication standards. Although CIP3 action originated from prepress and ink equipment, it has begun to have a certain impact on India. The multi-function digital printer emphasizes personalization. Today, two-color and multi-color printing require highly consistent information delivery throughout the production process. Sheet-fed integration technology is shifting to the publishing market. At present, several standards have been formed to ensure the accuracy of complex text page codes and the consistency of documents.

color

In the past eight years, the printing industry has accepted two-color multifunction digital presses. However, the success of two-color multifunction digital presses is not simply a replacement for two-color lithography presses. New features of the device include: short version, personalized (key). Reducing paper costs and improving print quality are the future direction of digital presses.

Today, short-lived color work is calculated in as small quantities as 500 sheets. The minimum standard is determined by the cutting machine. Cutting 500 at a time is the most practical and economical. Although we cannot predict the future based on current details, we can see that many color digital printing opportunities reduce the number of short editions to 5 to 10 copies. When printing presses can be printed economically, the sheet-fed color post-printing technology will face challenges that can be cut, folded, and indented without the need for human manipulation. This technology is expected to be achieved in the next few years.

Color and bicolor

Color digital printers cannot print two-color products economically as two-color printers. Therefore, in the next three to five years, two types of printing opportunities will move toward consolidation. The equipment with a collator ensures that the printed sheets are neat. The digital color press of the future will have a revolutionary breakthrough in quality, and at the same time it will increase investment in the on-demand book production market.

In electronic imaging black-and-white and color printing technology, speed, quality, and web flexibility will be enhanced. This will also affect post-press processing. The future of post-press processing equipment will be more powerful, reduce the technical requirements for workers, and enable high-speed, high-quality production. In the next three years, we expect that printing ISBNs on multifunction digital presses will reduce the cost by up to 10%. In addition, more than 60,000 non-printers and publishers also use digital presses. At the same time, this technology provides a choice of business models that can be selected for either discrete or centralized production. Waiting for another two years, we can see that in the bookstore, the printing and binding of paperback books is the case.

Post-press processing is different from the past, and it must have changed. The increasingly fierce competition and the increasingly mature technology are the inevitable result of market expansion, but we must pay attention to gradual and orderly progress.