Discussion on Several Problems of Large-scale Production and Application of CTP System in Newspaper Industry

One of the hot topics in China’s newspaper industry in 2000 was CTP. Following the Yangcheng Evening News and Beijing Daily, which had already been on the CTP system in the previous two years, this year's CTP was followed by newspapers such as Hubei Daily, Wenhui Xinmin and Zhejiang Daily. Although most newspapers still have no action, their attitude towards the CTP system has changed from watching to becoming a serious concern. At least nobody has denied the prospect of CTP in newspaper applications. The Yangcheng Evening News has introduced the CTP system for pilot production since 1998. Since its introduction into productive applications in 1999, the basic configurations of the two sets of CTP systems (a set of flat plates and a set of external drums) have not changed and can adapt. Demand for continuous production in the delivery process. Relatively speaking, the flat panel CTP system has a high speed and a high degree of automation. The outer drum type CTP system has a higher precision but the speed is slower. However, for the traditional laser photocopying system, the advantages of the two types of CTP systems are obvious, but which one is more suitable for newspaper industry needs. From more than two years of application practice, compared to the CTF system (from computer to film, the traditional laser photocopying system), the advantages of the CTP system are mainly reflected in the following aspects:

1. The process is simple and efficient.

Traditional CTFs require large sample files (sometimes no link, such as four open formats), RIP processing, laser image-setters, film, punching, manual inspection, alignment accuracy, artificial imposition, and printing. Eight processes such as punching and bending are required. It takes about 50-60 minutes to produce a set of four films of off-colored version of the film to complete the plate-making process of the PS version. Due to the large number of artificial links, human error is likely to occur and multiple quality control steps are required.

Only the CTP system can form a large sample file, RIP processing laser print out the PS plate automatic punching and bending plate (automatic punching and bending plate can also be handled manually, but one more process) 3 procedures, a set of off color version A total of four PS plates are produced in less than 20 minutes. Can save a lot of manpower, work space and the corresponding supplies.

2. High degree of automation, good plate making quality

Although the CTF system process can improve the level of automation through the use of some technical means, such as the use of automatic drying lines and other systems, but can not cancel the laser phototypesetting, punching, artificial imposition and other processes. Due to the many links of manual operation, quality control is difficult and human error is apt to occur. Basically, remote control and distribution cannot be achieved. The CTP system has a high degree of automation and high system accuracy. The quality of the manufactured PS plate has a good consistency and can be remotely controlled and distributed.

3. Good prospects for development

The CTP system is one of the new technologies widely used in the international printing industry in recent years and has been widely used in commercial printing and newspaper printing. At present, international demands for environmental protection are getting higher and higher. Various laws and regulations are becoming stricter. It objectively provides an environment for the elimination of high-contamination traditional film industries and the introduction of new low-pollution systems and materials. Our country still has a considerable distance from the international advanced level in this respect. The traditional higher polluting industries will still exist or even develop in a certain period of time. However, high-quality laser image-setters and CTP systems cannot be manufactured at present in China, basically relying on imports. This is a reality faced by the domestic printing industry. Upstream equipment and systems have changed, and the back-end materials and corresponding application systems and processes have also changed. Now that the printing industry in the advanced countries in the world has changed from CTF to CTPP, it has become a reality. Regardless of whether we are consciously or unconsciously, we are bound to be affected and affected by this major trend. From the perspective of the technical performance of the system, the use of cost and the development direction of consumables, the development prospects of the CTP system are all relatively optimistic.

The application of CTP system in newspaper industry, especially in the application of domestic newspaper industry, also has some problems. These problems restrict the application of the CTP system to a considerable extent. First of all, the photosensitive PS plate used by the CTP system is more expensive than the conventional PS plate used now, resulting in a higher cost of use, especially during the mixed use of CTP and CTF. Of course, if all CTP systems are used and the CTF system is eliminated naturally, the manpower, work space and film, film rushing, and consumables used in the PS version can be greatly reduced. The overall cost of using the box is not significantly different from the CTF. With the gradual expansion of the application scale of the CTP system in the domestic and international newspaper industry, the corresponding price reduction of the plates and consumables is inevitable. However, we cannot determine the time and magnitude of the price adjustment. We can only consider it a trend. Second, since the traditional laser photocopying system has replaced the typesetting system, all technological advancements and upgrading have not fundamentally changed the typesetting (including news content and advertisements) - generating large sample files - RIP and laser photocopying - - Punching Film - Imposition - Stencil - Punching - Punching & Curving - Printing process on the machine (The process mentioned here includes computer typesetting, and the process described in point 1 above Different, the same below. Only at the different stages of the entire process, replace the aging equipment with a new generation of better performance equipment, or use advanced technology to automate a certain part of the process to save manpower and improve efficiency. Therefore, since the laser photocopying system has replaced typesets, each upgrade is an improvement in the efficiency of the user in terms of specific operations. There is no need to make corresponding adjustments in the process control and process, and there is almost no essentiality in the entire process of newspaper publication. Impact. Of course, there is no way to provide more time for the editing and editing department to postpone the deadline. There is not much room for expansion for enriching the content of the forum and for more advertisements or providing better advertising services. The application of the CTP system has fundamentally changed the traditional flow and turned it into a typesetting (including news content and advertisements) - generating layout sample files - RIP and laser printing - punching and bending version - printing on the machine. Just to understand from the literal process, it seems that the first two links are the same, but the substance is different. From the aspect of typography, there is no change in the processing of news content. If the advertisement layout does not involve advertising film from customers, it is not different from the original process. However, in actual operation, advertisers often send film advertisements. In the traditional process, film advertisements can be directly integrated into the imposition link. The process in the CTP system cannot be done. In this way, in the process of typesetting and generating large format documents, film advertisements must be converted back to electronic documents or advertisers must provide electronic documents. From the perspective of business operations, there are many benefits to requiring customers to provide electronic documents, but there is a gradual promotion process. At this stage, it is unrealistic to require customers to provide electronic documents. Therefore, in the two processes of typesetting and generating layout sample files, there are problems to solve the problem of converting film documents into electronic documents, and corresponding technical means must be available to solve this problem. The current more realistic solution is to convert film documents into electronic files through a scanner with a copy function (COPYDOT). In the application practice of the Yangcheng Evening News for more than two years, the advertisements reported after the film drafts were scanned were printed on newspapers and the customers accepted them. In the following processes, the simplification of the process, the computerization of the system, and the improvement of the degree of automation require the operators to have higher quality. After necessary training, the platemaking workshop in the traditional process cannot be simply transformed into a CTP workshop. The daily operation and maintenance of the equipment must be standardized, and the requirements for workplace temperature, humidity, and air cleanliness are high. The reduction of system operators is based on the premise that the technical requirements of operators are greatly increased. At the same time, changes in the process will have a series of effects on the organization of the entire production process, the configuration of the department structure, and the requirements of the personnel. We cannot expect the original organizational structure to remain intact. Adding a CTP system can produce good results. All units have specific conditions for each unit and must make adjustments based on actual conditions before the system can maximize its effectiveness.

Based on the use of the CTP system for more than two years, the Yangcheng Evening News Group has carefully summarized its experience in use. With the construction of the new printing center, after thorough and careful investigation and investigation, the AGFA PO-LARIS 200/100 series CTP system was selected through bidding. The first phase of the project, combined with the printing capacity of the printing press, was equipped with four sets of CTP systems.

The system includes a CTP machine, a plate processor, an automatic punching and bending machine, a dedicated process management system and a dedicated power supply, etc. It constitutes four fully automatic CTP production lines. All of the new printing centers use the CTP system and no longer use CIF. system. It is expected to be completed by May next year and will become the largest newspaper CTP system in Asia after completion.