Art-ology

In the printing profession there is a new process called CTP, which stands for computer to plate. It is part of the prepress process and makes use of the prepress equipment called an imagesetter. The previous technology was called CTF, or computer to film. In the computer to film process, the print job goes from the bits and bytes in the computer onto photographic film. The image then goes from the film to the photographic plate so that the results can be printed. The computer to plate process removes the central step and transfers the image created in the desktop publishing program directly onto the printing plate. It is easy to see that, when an entire step is eliminated, efficiency goes up and costs go down.

But what is required to switch from CTF to CTP? It takes an upgraded infrastructure and a redesigned workflow. In designing this new workflow, the central focus needs to be on preventing bottlenecks in the process and keep the process moving smoothly. But the computer network is just as important. Remembering back to when you first acquired your computer system, you may expect that purchasing a new system will break your bank. However, this may may be false. Nowadays, the costs of new desktop computers have dropped significantly, making this purchase more in line with what you can afford. In addition, the greater speed of new computers will raise the efficiency of your shop measurably. As time passes, the new computers will seem to pay for themselves as you are able to increase throughput. In retrospect, you will see your old system for what it was: a large, heavy paperweight, weighing it down.

But let’s go back to the workflow issue. How can CTP technology improve your workflow? Here are some ways:

First comes job acceptance and preflighting. This step involves checking the customer’s files to make sure that the fonts and graphics are structured according to the customer’s requirements.

Next consider image acquisition. Are any scanning or digital photography operations required? This work may include color correction, file format conversion, and other image manipulation.

Next comes the phase of prepress operations. This phase involves preparing the work so that it is compatible with your specific press type.

Electronic imposition is the heart of the prepress operation. It involves collecting the actual page files and imposing them onto the printing flats and sending them to the raster image processor.

As you near the end of the process, you need to be able to create proofs. The proofing step is essential because it ensures the accuracy of the final product.

The final step is a sort of a finishing-up process that takes care of the files and the databases to ensure that everything is archived correctly.

This may seem like a complicated process, but you must remember that that big middle step has been eliminated. If you streamline your printing process and convert to CTP, you won’t see just a return on your investment (ROI). You will see your ability to remain in business (RIB).