What is the focus of proofing today?

Since the beginning of its own printing process, the proofing process has played an integral role in connecting the prepress plate making and printing processes. Since the traditional analog proofing process is a trial printing method, it can truly reproduce the effects of platemaking and printing (such as the hue, saturation, and gray balance of colors), and is given proofs (inspection design, quality of each process of the platemaking), and contracts. Signature (for customers or editors to provide the basis for review can be) and printing samples (based on the reference in the printing process) three major functions.
In recent years, with the rapid development of modern printing technology, technology and equipment, and the expansion of market applications, especially the rapid development and maturity of color digital proofing technology, traditional proofing concepts and applications have also been given new ideas. Industry professionals expect proofing. The qualitative leap in technology can be just as happy as the desktop design production system has swept the traditional platemaking process 6-7 years ago, but the reality of development is not satisfactory. People can not help but ask: What is the focus of the advancement of new technology in promoting sampling? Is the technical environment still immature, or proofing application is not clear positioning, or marketing is not effective.
First, the four functions of proofing were stripped from the traditional plate-making process as the prepress production was peeled off. There have been four different uses of digital proofing in the print quality control process by reclassifying the functional features and cost-effectiveness of digital proofing. In these areas, whether it is the traditional proofing or digital proofing should be able to find a suitable location.
1. Concept proofing is a basis for designers to inspect and evaluate works and can only be qualified by low-cost inkjet printers.
2, the middle proofing as a design work of the finished draft or program effect, should have accurate hue, level and clarity, thermal sublimation and continuous inkjet printing and traditional offset printing can be competent.
3. Contract Proofing As a proof of customer's signature approval and printing reference, it is best to use traditional proofing, or digital printing methods that have adjusted and matched inkjet printing and have actual outlets.
4. Proofing as a "proof proof" of the publication and printing of color newspapers and periodicals is supposed to be the world of large-format color ink printing.
Second, the four applications of proofing In fact, before digital proofing, the traditional analog proofing, especially offset proofing, has been applied in varying degrees in the areas of plastic, concave, soft and silk printing, but for publishing, packaging, decoration and business Printing proofing, which proofing method is the most appropriate to use, is worth further study.
1. Press and Publication Proofing Domestic newspapers and commercial journals have only partially turned to color printing in recent years under the pressure of commercial advertising and market competition. If only from the standpoint of the quality of printed products, papers, pictures, layouts, and printing processes Obviously not yet fully prepared to meet the quality requirements of colorization. The specific performance in the picture is less and the quality is not high, the layout is not a simple color text, is a large number of background and color pile, causing the phenomenon of serious color powder, color effect is unsatisfactory. As a result, the use of value in the traditional proofing process has become the focus of discussion.
According to the technical personage of the largest color newspaper printing company in Beijing, People's Daily Printing Factory, their factory is equipped with a offset proofing machine, which can at any time conduct proofing of offset printing and coated paper for the external color printing business, and generally requires an external film. All must be proofed. The reason why some pages were not proofed was due to time constraints caused by on-site versioning, revisions and other factors. However, when printing, the quality of printing should be controlled by the experience of the printing workers. For digital proofing technology, they are also more concerned, but believe that installing a digital proofing system should be a matter of providing a film-based photocopying center.
"The boutique shopping guide" is one of the forerunners of the Beijing newspaper's colorization. A large number of color regular editions and a small number of deluxe editions each have a deep impression on color accuracy, realism, and high definition. According to Wu Haixiang, the head of the newspaper's photocopying workshop, the plain and deluxe films produced by themselves were printed on the printing press using newsprint and thin copper paper. The proofreading effect and the printing basis were based on the results. Sometimes affected by time and other factors, there are nearly 20% of the version is not proofed. He said that he was interested in digital proofing, and he had used digital proofing with Huakang Technology Co., Ltd. The effect was acceptable, but special printing paper was used.
"Today's Printing" magazine is currently the only full-color printing industry in China, and it is regularly direct... But due to the fact that some of the pictures are not well-documented, and many pictures don't allow too many pages, the main printing paper is offset paper and thin copper. Paper, so there is a big gap between the printing quality and the proofing effect of 157g coated paper, making the proofing is only used for the sample, and the hue and level cannot be guaranteed. According to the experience of color printing in the past few years, for technical color journals with fewer pictures and smaller format and mostly equipment and scene pictures (characters, landscapes, etc.), it is best to use direct plate printing in one step. If it cannot be done temporarily, it is better to use proofs that can be matched with the printing digital proofs for proofreading and printing.
2. Illustrated magazines publish pictures of high-end exquisite pictures that use pictures as information and appreciation subjects, such as fashion, art design, film and television, sports, home, food, and other types of magazine pictures, on the color, level, clarity, etc. of the picture. All of them have very high requirements, and therefore have put forward strict requirements for proofing. At present, it is possible to use traditional and digital proofing methods for quality control.
3, packaging and decoration proofing Packaging and decoration printing products is an area of ​​very strict quality requirements, the difficulty lies mainly in the use of different printing materials, spot colors and special effects, to achieve the predetermined quality requirements. At present, in the aspects of gravure printing, flexo printing, special offset printing, screen printing, etc., traditional proofing basically tests the plate making and printing effects by means of trial printing. Although this guarantees the quality of the sample, it is time-consuming and time-consuming. Sometimes it is often repeated. Can only achieve the desired effect. At present, improvements have been made in this area. This can be seen from the following article on this topic.
4. Commercial Printing Proofing Commercial printing products are one of the most rapidly developed varieties in recent years. They are mainly commercial papers, forms, promotional documents, and cultural paper products. They are characterized by spot colors, anti-counterfeiting, conciseness, and eye-catching. Narrow commercial web presses and small offset presses. Currently. Using traditional offset proofing methods, it should be seen as an area in which digital players are to play a major role.
Third, digital proofing is obvious. It is self-evident that digital proofing is drawing closer to the traditional proofing effect (whether it is color or subjective), but it also attracts some willingness to adopt its own unique advantages. New technology people, but who is most likely to be the first to use it in large quantities? From the current departments that are in need of proofing procedures, such as advertising design companies, export proofing centers, plate making centers, and large and medium-sized printing factories, all of them are possible except large and medium-sized printing factories. Because they all have more or less prepress facilities, higher quality personnel, certain financial strength, and one-stop service features, and who are the first to include short-run color printing in their business areas, they are most likely to adopt it first. Digital "middle proofing" and "contract proofing" systems. We may wish to try it out.
IV. Comparison between traditional analog proofing and digital proofing The comparison between traditional analog proofing and digital proofing is shown in the above table.