Printing and platemaking process flow

Printing and plate making process flow

Collecting data? Scanning pictures? Text entry? Image design? Layout programming? Outputting film? Proofing? Comparing? Finished product

Scanner technical indicators

The main technical indicators of the scanner are: original type, input resolution, scanning density range, effective input gray level, input speed, input data format, interface standard, input format and Enter the reduction ratio.

The input resolution is expressed in pixels per inch, measured in DPI. The higher the input resolution, the higher the clarity. The maximum input resolution for reflexive originals is usually 600DPI-2400 DPI, and the maximum input resolution for transmissive originals is usually 300 DPI-8000 DPI.

Selection of computer creative software

At present, many computer art designers in China use IBMPC and its compatible computers on the microcomputer platform for three-dimensional and three-dimensional renderings and animation production. Video production. The Macintosh machine has had a graphical interface from the beginning. Mostly used for graphic design and pre-press processing. But

It can also do flat screens, and MAC machines can also do video. Recently, IBM, APPLE, and MOTOROLA have jointly launched POWER PC. The incompatibility between PC and MAC software has become a thing of the past. From a software perspective, the Windows 3.1 operating system has also implemented a complete graphical user interface. Most desktop publishing software that previously only ran on MAC machines also has Windows versions. For example, Photoshop software also has a MAC version. and PC version, can be used on both models.

Currently, the computer creative software that is relatively mature and put into use (mainly refers to computer creative software commonly used in desktop systems) mainly includes the following categories:

1. Graphics and painting software

The more popular graphics processing software are:

(1) Adobe ILLUSTRATOR

It has text input and the design and production of icons, title words, word pictures and various charts. And superior features such as editing are commonly used by computer designers.

(2) Aldus Freehand

It is a widely used computer graphics design software launched by the American Aldus company, especially in the production of advertisements in newspapers and magazines and the production of statistical graphics. popular.

(3) CorelDRAW:

A software with very powerful drawing functions launched by Corel, and it also has graphics drawing, image processing, table making and drawing production, etc. Many features.

2. Image editing software

The more popular image editing software are:

(1) Adobe photoshop:

Yes Developed and launched by Dobe Corporation of the United States, it is the most influential image processing software in the world for art creativity and professional printing. It is the most powerful and widely used auditorium communication computer software, used for black and white, Color image correction, revision, image special effects production and color separation. It is very popular among painters, photographers, designers, film and television artists and print editors.

(2) Adobe Dimensiona:

Professional software for three-dimensional pattern design.

(3) Aldus Photostyler:

Photosrtyle of the American Aldus Company is a color image processing software.

3. Typesetting software

Currently, the more popular color typesetting software are:

(1) Founder Wits and Founder Fit (Fit) typesetting Software:

Wits is suitable for color typesetting in Chinese printing and publishing industries such as books, magazines, and advertising design.

Fit is a powerful integrated layout system with great potential.

(2) PageMaker:

PageMaker of Aldus Company in the United States is the most popular typesetting software for desktop publishing in the United States. It was developed earlier with more complete functions and strong processing compatibility. The combination of articles is flexible.

Back-end output device

Printer

The technical development of color printers has made it from professional to ordinary, and has become the object of choice for computer art design proofing. Currently, the color printers on the market mainly include five types: color inkjet, hot wax, thermal transfer printing, dye sublimation and laser.

Imagesetter

As far as printing design is concerned, once the color sample is approved, the next step is to output the film for printing. This is to use the laser image typesetting (ImageSetter). The picture shows the appearance of an image typesetting machine. It can directly output files sent from the computer through DPI (raster processor) to generate C, M, Y, K With four color separation sheets, the color separation sheets can be sent directly to the printing factory for printing. As far as the current domestic level is concerned, an imagesetter with a resolution of 3000 DPI can meet general requirements.

Imagesetters are very expensive and are equipment that large and powerful companies would consider buying. Generally, small and medium-sized companies can get their computer creative design files to a color output service center and they will output four-color film.

1. What is the development trend of color desktop publishing technology?

1. Powerful functions replace traditional manual work. In terms of input methods, the input methods can be diversified through keyboard, disk, TV, etc. From now on, the division of labor between pre-press and post-press will become increasingly detailed.

2. Desktop system software will continue to move closer to the Windows environment, and PostScript page description reviews will continue to be popular.

3. Open and modular design thinking will be further developed.

4. Due to the use of electronic image processing technology, screen image proofing will be increasingly used.

5. Networking of color desktop publishing systems.

6. Port the typesetting software to the PC and develop the software for use on the PC.

7. System sales and after-sales service. From desktop printing to computer direct printing. Develop towards electronic and online publishing. Pre-press data is networked, multi-color printing is more efficient, post-press is exquisitely automated, and printing machinery is serialized.

2. The input devices mainly include:

1. Digitizer 2. Color scanner (platform type and drum type) 3. Electronic color separation machine

4. Video cameras, video recorders and television receivers 5. Electronic digital cameras

3. What are the differences and connections between DPI and LPI

DPI is the number of dots per inch, used to express image processing The processing accuracy of the system is one of the units for measuring image resolution. Generally, more than 2*2 pixels correspond to 1 dot, that is, the number of LPI screening lines per inch, which is about one-half of the DPI number; scanning The light spot constitutes one dot, that is, the DPI number must be 10 to 20 times greater than the LPI number.

4. What is a pixel? Resolution?

Pixel is the smallest unit that describes an image using a dot matrix. Although pixel is the smallest unit to describe a bitmap image and has a fixed shape, it does not have a fixed size. Resolution refers to image processing equipment to indicate the fineness of images and printed matter.

5. What is color independent of device?

The image color data result processed by a certain image processing device should be able to be restored accordingly on another processing device.

6. What is computer direct imaging printing?

Direct imaging printing is a new technology of computer typesetting and printing. This new technology does not require the traditional printing process of outputting film and then making PS version from the film. Instead, it uses a color desktop publishing system to edit graphics. , photos, text, and text and pictures are processed into one, and the image is directly presented on the printing plate of the printing machine for printing. This printing method can produce high-quality color prints with a resolution of 1016DPI and a screen line count of up to 175 lines per inch.

7. What is an open system?

It can accept input files from any Chinese system and can be output to any English software for processing. The processed results can be sent to any output device such as: electronic color separation machine, laser printing Computers, laser imagesetters, computer colorigraph machines, computer plotters, etc. can also be output into PS files, and can be taken to any output center in the world to output four-color CMYK color separation films. This is a completely open concept. The Postscript language is the foundation.

8. The workflow of the color publishing system is

1) Text entry: Enter the text into the computer.

2) Scan the image: Digitally process the image and then input it into the computer.

3) Copying: After further editing and modification of the text and images on the computer, the images and texts are combined and combined, and the results are printed out as proofs for proofreading.

4) Color separation exposure: After converting the page description language description of the layout into a dot matrix image through a raster image processor, the dot matrix image is sent to the laser imagesetter to control the film's sensitivity.

5) Development: After the film is exposed to light, a processor (developer) is used to develop four-color film from the color separation film.

6) Printing and proofing: Provide proofs and proofs for printing reference.

7) Complete color pre-press processing.

9. What items are generally included in product quality inspection before output?

10. What is a vector image and what is a bitmap?

Images are represented by mathematical formulas.

Bitmaps are represented by pixels

Production requirements: (based on actual film printing)

Determine the size of the finished product and the size of the blank areas on the top, bottom, left and right of the finished product: < /p>

If the above size determination is wrong, after investing a lot of time and energy to complete the work, you will have to face the fate of completely starting over and redoing it, because the workload of modification may be far greater than the workload of redoing;

Picture format:

Pictures refer to images and graphics. Various pictures in computers are divided into two categories:

Images (also called Raster image, bitmap, pixel image): refers to a picture composed of pixels. The most common one is a scanned photo. The image must be processed with special image processing software, such as PHOTOSHOP.

Graphics (also called vector graphics): are composed of mathematical descriptions of diameters and curves. They do not exist in themselves and can only be created through specialized graphics processing software, such as FREEHAND, COREDRAW, Graphics created by drawing software such as ILLUSTRATOR are all vector graphics.

The above two types of pictures are essentially different, so please understand the distinction. The correct image format should meet the following conditions: no loss of file information, small electronic file size, high efficiency when color separation is produced on film, and good versatility (acceptable by most output centers and application software). For images composed of pixels, the most common format is TIFF; for graphics, the most common format is EPS.

Size and color of graphics:

The size of graphics should be determined according to the size of the final printed matter. Do not enlarge or reduce after placing it in the typesetting software (this will increase the time for phototypesetting output) ), the color of the graphics is generally marked with C M Y K color (so that the real color after printing can be predicted).

Text:

If the text does not require special effects, it cannot be typed out with image software such as PHOTO SHOP, and then inserted into the typesetting software as an image (in this way, the edges of the printed words are (virtual); text should generally be typed in typesetting software, or typed in graphics software. When graphics containing text are output to EPS format, select the option to convert text into graphics.