Digital workflow introduction

● Digital workflow
As a whole concept of contact pre-press processing, printing and post-press processing, “digital workflow” integrates the above three sub-processes into an inseparable system based on digital production control information, making digitalized graphic information complete and accurate. Transfer, and finally processed into a printed product.
The generalized digital workflow includes two parts: graphic information flow and control information flow. Graphic information flow solves the problem of "doing"; and controlling information flow solves the problems of "how to do" and "what to do." The various control information in the process of prepress processing, printing, and postpress processing are incorporated into computer management, and the entire printing production process is linked using digital control information flow. This is the basic tenet of the “digital workflow”.
In the field of prepress processing, “Desktop Publishing Technology (DTP)” is a period of revolutionary change in the digitization of graphic and text information and the extensive application of computer information processing in prepress processing. After its baptism, the information flow has been basically digitized.
In the field of printing, with the emergence of the "Direct Imaging (DI) Press" in 1991, the flow of graphic and text information broke through the limitations of the prepress field and was passed on to printing presses for plate making and printing, demonstrating the prevalence of all-digital informationization. At this stage, the printer also achieved full computer digital control.
In the field of postpress, starting with the realization of digital folding, automatic collation, folding, staples, gluing, attaching pages, three-sided cutting, automatic creeping, sales, and transportation have basically realized the digital management of computers... ...
With the extension of the digital chain and the ever-increasing degree of information digitization, the intermediate products of printing production exist, communicate and circulate in a more digital manner. The physical form is decreasing or even disappears completely. The digitization of production control information flow is gradually realized. . Currently, "integrated integration" of graphic information flow and production control information flow has been realized.
When this digital printing technology and network technology are combined, the warehousing and transportation necessary for the traditional printing production process will also be reduced to a minimum or even unnecessary. The digital pages needed to produce the final prints/publications have been presented and circulated on the network in a digital mode, and the production and business operations (electronic commerce) necessary to generate these digital pages are also conducted via the Internet. The "print/publication" exists and circulates completely digitally (digital page) before meeting with the customer.

<Related concepts>

●CIP3\CIP4
In 1995, 26 prepress, printing, and postpress companies in the world jointly established the International Cooperation for Integration of Prepress (Press and Postpress), an international cooperation organization dedicated to the implementation of integrated computer control of prepress, printing, and postpress processing. ), meaning "prepress, printing, post-press integration international cooperation." The main purpose of the organization is to study and formulate a number of standard formats and to improve the quality of printed products, reduce costs and increase production efficiency with the concept of data-based process flow.
Before printing, CIP3 can implement document color management, trapping, fonts, documents, image management, imposition and ICC Profile generation and digital proofing machine proofing. In printing, CIP3 controls the amount of ink (ink expansion and conversion curve), register control, and color quality control (color color and density measurement) on the press. After printing, cutting and stapling control and bookbinding control are achieved by transmitting the parameters and information of cutting and stapling.
In 2000, the JDF Union and the original CIP3 alliance reached an agreement to join CIP3 and join the word "Process." CIP3 has now been changed to CIP4 (International Cooperation for Integration of Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress). The emergence of the JDF format is a new force that has prompted CIP3 to transition to CIP4. More specifically, the scope of "integration" has been expanded to prepress, print, and postpress.

● PDF
PDF is the abbreviation of Portable Document Format, translated into a portable file format. Is a general electronic document format developed by Adobe (http://www.adobe.com) that can encapsulate information such as text, fonts, formatting, colors, graphic images, hypertext links, sounds, and moving images in a single file. The application and platform used to create this document.
The image mode of the Adobe system as a global standard, PDF is a recording format developed by Adobe Corporation for reliable, consistent graphics, image, and text mixing technology.