Outstanding problems in the hottest digital printi

Prominent problems in the digital printing market

digital printing refers to the replication process of using data files to control corresponding equipment and directly transfer colorants/Colorants (such as inks) to the substrate. Digital printing is a new printing technology that uses prepress system to transmit graphic information directly to digital printing machine through network to print color prints

2. The principle of digital printing

the digital printing system is mainly composed of a prepress system and a digital printing machine. In this way, the fixture must be installed in the concave convex temperature box, and some systems are also equipped with binding and cutting equipment. Its working principle is: the operator outputs the original (graphic digital information), or the digital information of digital media, or the digital file received from the network system to the computer, carries out creativity on the computer, modifies and arranges it into the digital information satisfactory to the customer, and becomes the corresponding monochrome pixel digital signal after rip processing, which is transmitted to the laser controller, emits the corresponding laser beam, and scans the printing drum. The printing cylinder (no printing plate) made of photosensitive materials forms pictures and texts that can absorb ink or toner after photosensitization, and then transfers them to substrates such as paper

3. Characteristics of digital printing

digital printing is a new thing in the development of digital and networking printing technology, and it is also a focus of the development of printing technology. Digital printing has the following typical characteristics:

(1) the printing method is fully digital. The process of digital printing is the process from computer to paper/print, that is, the process of directly converting digital files and pages into printed matter. This is a fully digital production process. There is no need for film and printing plate between processes, and there is no cumbersome process of traditional printing process

(2) remote printing can be realized. Long distance printing can be carried out through interconnection

(3) variable information printing. The information of digital printed matter is 100% variable information, that is, two adjacent printed matters can be completely different

from this feature, we can see that some people regard the on-line direct plate making equipment as a digital printing machine, and it is wrong to classify this method as digital printing, because it requires the traditional printing method and does not have the function of variable information, which is not in line with the characteristics of digital printing

second, the development advantages of digital printing

according to the statistics of authoritative institutions, by 2010, digital printing will surpass traditional offset printing and occupy a dominant position in the commercial image printing industry. From 2010 to 2015, the market share of traditional offset printing will drop to 30%, and digital printing will rise to 32%. It can be said that digital printing has broad market prospects and development space. First of all, let's take a look at the advantages of digital printing compared with traditional printing

1. Technical advantages

compared with traditional printing machines, digital printing machines have the following advantages:

(1) short cycle

digital printing does not require film, automated prepress preparation, and the printing machine directly provides proofing, eliminating the traditional printing plate and film, simplifying the plate making process, and omitting a series of traditional printing processes such as plate loading positioning, water and ink balance. Comparison between digital printing and traditional offset printing process:

(2) the unit price cost of digital printing has nothing to do with the number of prints, which is generally in copies

(3) the speed and flexibility of digital printing cannot be achieved by traditional printing

because the printing plate or photosensitive drum in the digital printing machine can generate images in real time, even if the file is modified before printing, it will not cause or cause losses

electronic printing plate or photosensitive drum enables you to change the image or text of each page while printing

(4) convenient for digital connection with customers

printing operations are made into electronic documents. All documents are transmitted through high-speed long-distance communication, including Internet, which organically connects customers and printing services, which has never been seen before

2 Market advantage

(1) on demand printing market

pod means on-demand printing, which is called printon demand in English. Publications that are frequently revised and need to be updated, such as user manuals, documents and policy brochures, can be easily completed through the system. Moreover, it is especially suitable for printing publications with many pictures, such as scientific and technological publications including charts, photos and software, and screen display. When the printing quantity is less than 5000 copies, it is customarily called short edition printing. The digital printing machine led by Xerox docutech has occupied 85% of the live parts produced on the previous small printing machines and copiers in the United States. This trend is beginning to shift to color printing machines

(2) variable data input printing

in digital printing, the image or text on each page can change continuously in one printing, which is called personal printing. This demand cannot be solved in traditional printing

(3) distribution and printing

digital printing technology ensures that the effect of reprinted printed matter is the same as that of the first edition, so there is no reason to require a document to be printed at the same place at the same time. Every company hopes to minimize the cost of storage and transportation. For example, a company can make a new product catalogue at its headquarters, and then send the documents to local branches for printing

III. Market Application of digital printing

1 Overview of foreign markets

(1) general overview of the world market

in foreign countries, digital printing is widely used to print statements, customer catalogs, enterprise brochures, business printing and small volumes of books and periodicals, such as postcards, business cards, covers, brochures and CD covers. Long glass and carbon fiber reinforced materials are combined by using the mixed method of plasticomp; Packaging, such as small packaging of drugs, health products and gifts; It can be used for proofing, promotion, testing and distribution purposes; It can also print wallpaper, waistline and lace paper. In the world, from document content generation to printing production to distribution, the global market turnover of digital printing is as high as US $120million. According to the statistics of Pira in the UK, the digital printing industry has accounted for 9% of the printing market at present, and it is expected that this figure will rise to 20% - 25% by 2010

authoritative reports show that in the world of digital printing, the annual growth rate of on-demand printing will reach 12% in 2008; Variable information printing will account for 20% of the printing market by 2008; By 2010, 20% of users will require a delivery period of less than 24 hours, while at present, 78% of color printing jobs are less than 5000

(2) digital printing market in North America and the United States

the number of installed color digital printing systems in North America is expected to reach 18700 in 2008, and the printing volume of color digital printing systems in North America is expected to reach 45billion prints in 2008. The proportion of variable digital printing in the volume of color digital printing will increase from 16% in 2003 to 30% in 2008. According to the survey of the U.S. market conducted by relevant professional institutions (gatf/pia Association), by 2008, multi version and personalized printing movable parts will account for 33% of the commercial printing market, while 78% of the printed movable parts will have a batch of no more than 5000 copies, and the annual growth rate of on-demand printing will reach 14%

according to the survey and research results of the United States, by 2010, digital printing methods (including the following digital and desktop technology printing methods) will account for about 200% of the 4 (1) 0 market share in the printing field

2. Domestic market overview

the output value of China's printing industry is about 200billion yuan, of which 5% is suitable for digital printing business, that is, 10billion yuan. The market has great potential for development. At present, the development speed of China's digital printing market is accelerating, but there is still a certain gap compared with the world's development level. According to statistics, the total amount of China's digital printing market is about 10billion yuan, accounting for about 5% - 7% of the total national printing market. The total sales volume of digital printing market in developed countries is much higher than that in China. Last year, the retail sales volume of digital printing in the United States was nearly $48billion, equivalent to about 40 times the total volume of China's digital printing market

in China, various bills in the digital printing market begin to show a stronger and stronger personalized tendency. The personalized printing markets such as telecommunications, postal services, banking, securities, insurance and so on have great potential. In Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou and other places, there are fast printing shops of all sizes on the streets, which is enough to prove that digital printing has indeed entered our daily life. The development of digital printing in China has also bred a number of excellent digital printing enterprises. Digital printing companies with various systems, such as speed win, Tongkun digital, Kangwei digital, Shilang, etc., are developing rapidly in the field of digital printing in China

IV. outstanding problems in the digital printing market

in recent years, China's digital printing has made a breakthrough. All digital printers have achieved unprecedented sales performance, and there are obvious changes in the number and regional distribution of customers. At the same time, we also see that there are the following outstanding problems in China's digital printing Market:

1 The regional development of digital printing is uneven

the development of digital printing in China is uneven among regions. At present, the rapid development of digital printing is in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou and other places, among which Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and other key cities, digital printing is playing a big role. These cities are transforming into international metropolises, with many large and medium-sized companies at home and abroad. People have newer ideas, and it is easier to accept new things. The demand for personalized printing and on-demand printing is growing rapidly. However, the development of northeast and northwest regions is relatively slow, and some regions are even blank

2. The development of digital printing industry is uneven

the user group of digital printing can be divided into working type and business type. Users in banking, telecommunications, postal systems and other industries who use digital printers to complete heavy printing tasks in their daily work are all working users; For business users, digital printing equipment is a tool for making a living and development, such as graphic center, business printing center, etc. this market has just started and needs to be standardized

3. The development level of digital printing is relatively backward

the level of prepress processing technology is not high, the quality of employees is not high, and there are few professionals. At the same time, variable data software, database technology and post press processing technology and equipment supporting digital printing can not fully meet the needs of digital printing, especially post press processing, most of which are semi-automatic manual operations, so that it is difficult to produce high-quality products. With the continuous improvement of technology, this gap is gradually narrowing