Variable Data Printing

Variable data printing has become a hot spot in the industry and a focus of attention. Articles on variable data printing in professional newspapers, magazines, and websites abound.

Variable data printing (also known as personalized printing), English name Variable Data Printing, referred to as VDP, this name is relative to the traditional printing. Traditional Printing Regardless of the printing method used, offset printing, embossing, gravure printing, flexo printing, and silk screen printing always have the concept of printing plates. The content (data) of each printing plate (printing surface) is always fixed. Variable data printing means that some or all of the content (data) of each printing surface (printing surface) is variable.

Variable data printing is not so far away. In fact, the bill industry has always had variable data printing. Printing numbers on tickets, each ticket number is required to be continuously variable, this number printing is variable data printing, of course, this is the most simple variable data printing. Because a certain amount of printing above the traditional printing cost is far lower than digital printing, especially color printing. Therefore, a large part of the variable data print is still using traditional printing preprinted fixed content, and then digital printing and printing of variable data.

Variable data printing is divided into three major categories based on its different application areas.

First, simple variable data printing - ticket printing and label printing

Before the advent of digital printing, the bill industry printed variable numbers and bar codes on the bills. With the maturity of digital printing technology, bills and label printing plants have begun to introduce digital printing equipment. In the case of ticket printing and label printing, most of the fixed content is printed using the traditional printing method, and then mechanical or digital printing equipment is connected online, or after processing, variable number, barcode, and simple text and graphic information are printed. Such variable data printing methods, on-line printing speed, simple operation, low cost of variable data printing, widely used in the bills, label printing industry, such as the value of notes, billing vouchers, express orders, security labels, and so on. The most recent typical application is the "scratch-type award-winning invoice" that is popular among tax authorities. Based on the original fixed-rate invoice, digitally-printed variable number and prize information. The companies that produce machine type numbers and bar code printing equipment include: Laibinge, Zeiser, Lesa, Shangyu, and Leopardchi.

Digital printing equipment includes: Kodak Versamark (original angels) DH5300, DH6240, Genesis BK700-B, Apollo 760, ATLANTIC ZEISER ALPHA166, NIPSON VARYPRESS, 550, 700, 800, Inject and Oumai high digital inkjet systems. Most digital printing devices use random software for variable data processing, such as Coda's Random Print Software MPC4 and Genesis Random Software Compose IQ. A considerable part of the data processing and control software is based on the Windows 2000 operating platform and supports Chinese. Such variable data processing software is easy to operate and comes with a bar code generation module, which basically can realize the needs of variable number, bar code, simple text and graphic information processing. This type of digital printing device has a fast print speed and can keep pace with the press at a speed of 100 m/min or more. However, digital ink jet printing has a low resolution. A single inkjet head has a small print size (1 inch, 1.5 inch) and requires large graphic and text information (especially barcodes). When using stitching technology, it is not easy to adjust and is prone to problems ( Bar code could not be read).

Second, the general variable data printing - digital fast printing and on-demand printing

Variable data printing is developed with digital printing. Variable data printing is most suitable for digital printing, and digital printing enables the most complex variable data printing.

The digital quick printing and on-demand printing market is vast. There are a wide variety of digital printing equipments and relatively low investment in the industry. The entire industry currently has the fastest development and the most fierce competition. In some large and medium-sized cities, companies can often find words such as digital quick printing, short-run printing, and engineering drawing output.

According to the market division, there are mainly the following categories: · Architectural design, engineering drawing output, large-scale inkjet, etc.;

· Government agencies, exhibitions, large-scale meetings, corporate document printing;

· Digital quick printing transformed from traditional short-run printing;

On-demand printing business, company manuals, documents, tenders, contracts, training materials, product specifications, on-demand printing books, etc.;

Personalized printing, tickets, invitations, recipes, certificates, posters, posters, etc.

Most digital fast printing companies have the above-mentioned business at the same time. At present, there have been some large-scale fast-printing chains in China, such as SirSpeed, Founder Yinjie, and Albe Express.

The digital printing equipment in this field has the most functions and the most complete types. It can print black and white or color, and various specifications and sizes can be used for various printing materials. Some large companies have relatively complete products, such as Fuji Xerox, Kodak Wanyin, and Founder Yinjie, which can provide complete solutions such as digital printing, software processing, and even the entire digital printing process management. Major equipment suppliers include Fuji Xerox, IBM, Kodak Wanyin, Hewlett-Packard, Océ, Saikang, Nipsen, Canon, Ricoh, Konica Minolta, Epson, OKI, and Founder Injet.

Most random software in digital printing equipment in this field pays more attention to color management, print imposition and other functions. Random variable data processing software mainly includes Fuji Xerox F ree F low, IB MInfoprint Manager for Windows, etc. Frequently-used third-party software mainly includes: Apple Computer-based QuarkXPress with E xtension plug-in, EF IF ree F orm, A dob eI Ndesign, Codesoft, Fire, and M erge 4 P rint.

Third, professional application - direct mail

Direct marketing (D irec t M ailing) is a relatively mature foreign market. It is called the fifth media other than television, radio, Internet, and newspapers and magazines. It is a company that carries out marketing, promotion, and communication with customers. The important channel is the most fully-fledged market for personalized use and variable data printing.

In the United States, Japan, and other developed countries, each family receives a thick stack of letters every month in the mail box. There are fixed bills for public utilities, bills for communications companies, banks, insurance companies, and fund companies, tax bills for tax authorities. There are also a large number of direct marketing companies, retailers, stores, bookstores, and travel companies that advertise direct mailings.

Direct mail (referred to as a business letter in the country) started in the 1990s and began to accelerate after 2000. However, compared to foreign markets, the domestic market is still at a preliminary stage. Now China is in line with the world, and it is also facing market competition. The government imposes mandatory regulations on domestic telecommunications, banking, insurance, funds, securities and other large companies to provide billing services for customers, such as Shanghai, Guangzhou, and other public utilities such as electricity, water, and water. Fees also began to pay bills. Recently, the State Administration of Taxation has also requested proof of personal income tax payment (which has already begun to be provided in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangdong). Marketing through the direct mail channel has also slowly been accepted by merchants and customers.

In the direct mail business, there are currently four major types of enterprises: post offices, including their affiliates, occupying most of the business correspondence and commercial print advertising markets; a large number of small businesses, mainly based on commercial letter advertising; a considerable part of the company out of data Security, confidentiality, and management need to set up a bill printing and production center or outsourced printing equipment vendors on its own designated site; there are also a few professional outsourcing service providers for business letter production, especially providing printing designs for envelopes, bills, and advertising materials. To the data processing, billing, package integration services professional company.

For traditional printing companies, the provision of bill printing, envelope production services extended to the bill printing, letter packaging business, and ultimately provide integrated business letter billing services, can greatly increase customer loyalty and product added value. However, the direct mail service is a completely different field, with large investment in equipment and high maintenance costs. It requires professional and technical personnel in all fields to meet customers' data security and confidentiality, strictly limiting production time, and “zero error” product quality, and strong personalization. The requirements for high-quality services and the like, as well as the competition of postal and other companies, it is not easy for new entrants to succeed in the direct mail industry.

Large and medium-sized business letter production centers generally use industrial production printing equipment. The main equipment suppliers are Fuji Xerox, Océ, IBM, Nipsen, Kodak and India. Professional variable data processing software: PrintNet T Triple, Dialogue, PrintSoft, Doc1suite, Isis Papyrus and others. This kind of software is powerful, able to process texts, databases, XML and other format data, can collate data, excavate data, eliminate invalid data, merge different data, and can realize true personalized document production. Any elements, texts, barcodes, icons, and pictures in the file can be changed according to customer requirements. The print document output engine supports massive data processing (several million or even tens of millions, hundreds of millions) and supports various print data streams. Strictly speaking, some software has surpassed the concept of variable data processing. If Dialogue software is used, the document can be communicated with customers through multiple information transmission channels such as print mail, E-mail, fax, call center, and mobile phone short message. The software can generate personalized documents based on customer feedback and continue to track feedback results. , make the dialogue veritable. Doc1 suite can also pay online.