On the trend of paperless and remote Cosmetic Blind Box proofing system in modern times

May 30, 2023

Leave a message

In the past few years, I have analyzed the demand for proofing in each link of production, and found that users' requirements for proofing have gradually changed from a single simulation of printing results to today's requirements for proofing to achieve a variety of functions. At the same time, I am looking for a more reasonable and efficient proof tool. Here we review the history of printing proofing:

- Before 1970s: Full use of printing presses for proofing

- 1970s: mainstream printing press proofing

- 1990s: The advent of digital proofing

- 2000: The rise of ICC based digital proofing, remote digital proofing was born at the same time, the proof system has been greatly developed.

- 2003: Digital proofing into the mature period. The formation of a variety of proofing methods coexist of comprehensive proofing/proof system. As a more convenient proof tool, paperless proof (screen soft proof) began to be paid attention to.

- 2005: Comprehensive proofing system has been very mature; Paperless remote proofing concept rose, and began to be widely accepted in Europe and the United States developed countries into the production process.

- 2006: Paperless remote proofing developed rapidly in Europe and the United States, becoming an indispensable part of the comprehensive proofing system. China's printing industry has begun to accept paperless remote proofing, and industry organizations have begun to promote the new technology.

Throughout the development history of proofing can be seen: high quality, low cost and efficient and convenient proofing/proof system has been our pursuit of the goal, comprehensive proofing/proof system has gradually become the mainstream of the industry. We can also see that in addition to pursuing the quality and efficiency of proofing, the quality and efficiency of the proof process has also been greatly improved. Paperless proofing and remote proofing respectively provide two sets of solutions, they largely meet the needs of users for high quality, low cost, efficient and convenient.

Paperless proofing

The paperless concept of proofing is relative to the traditional paper medium proofing concept. Generally speaking, paperless proofing refers to the use of high quality computer display to reproduce the proof, the process of proofing, also known as screen proofing, soft proofing or virtual proofing. There are two requirements: first, the display must comply with the printing production color standards, which display manufacturers such as Etzow, SONY and Apple can already provide with high precision; Second, the display of proof to meet the production quality control standards, using ICC feature files, we have been able to very convenient to solve this problem. Compared with traditional paper proofing, the characteristics of paperless proofing can be summarized as follows:

1. High efficiency. Thanks to the use of computer control of high precision display output proof, we can realize the proofing operation in a moment. Its convenience and production efficiency have been greatly improved.

2. The skill of the operator is very low. Compared with the paper medium proofing operators, non-paper proofing operators only need to have basic computer operation ability.

3. It costs "zero" to produce. Paperless proofing is in the form of electronic documents, it does not need paper ink and other consumables, the output of the proof does not need manpower and material transportation, also do not need storage room. Apart from power consumption and equipment depreciation, the production cost of paperless proofing is almost negligible.

However, due to the habitual reliance on the traditional paper proofing medium, users have great doubts about using the display to complete the proofing process. To sum up, there are mainly these aspects of the problem: the display is the light body, and the traditional proof is the reflector; Whether the display can accurately reproduce printed colors after correction; There are individual differences between monitors. At present, paperless proof is mostly used for simple format proof and text proof. The good news is that a few forward-thinking companies have begun to explore this technology and have entered the trial phase.

Remote digital proofing

Remote digital proofing is not a new concept, it is relative to the traditional stand-alone local proofing, currently generally based on paper medium. Simply put, remote proofing solves the problem of proofing the same job in different places, and there are many available solutions. For example, using PDF and high-speed network transmission of nested ICC feature files and high-precision color inkjet output equipment, we have been able to efficiently implement remote proofing output for the same job. Strict color management system and accurate equipment calibration process can ensure a high quality of proof. Remote proofing is an ideal remote proofing output mode, which has several obvious advantages:

1. High efficiency. Using high-speed network transmission of proofing documents, and unified calibration output equipment, remote proofing can realize remote efficient proofing output, save the transportation time.

2. High quality. Modern color management technology and high precision color output equipment are used to ensure the quality and consistency of the proofs exported from other places.

3. Low cost. Compared with local proofing in different places, remote proofing saves transportation costs.

At present, middle and high-end customers and medium and large printing plants have a high degree of recognition for this proofing method. However, based on paper medium remote digital proofing has not been able to achieve the same efficient remote proof function, the cost will be multiplied by the increase in the number of proofs; At the same time, the appearance of different places also makes quality management difficulties, and even contract disputes.

Paperless remote proofing

Simply put, paperless remote proofing refers to the use of paperless proofing technology, including the completion of remote proofing, proof and signature and other functions of the new proofing scheme. Paperless remote proofing system shall have the following conditions:

1. Meet the quality standard of printing and proofing. As a proofing system, the first is to be able to simulate the reproduction of printing results.

2. Paperless proofing. Through the computer color management, the high precision display is used to output the proofs to realize the paperless proofing process.

3. Remote proofing. Through high-speed network transmission of proofing files, to achieve synchronous paperless proofing output of the same job in different places.

4. Remote proof/signature sample. Through high-speed network transmission and proofing file sharing, the process of annotation, reproofing and signing of the same job can be realized in different places.

In addition, since all proofs exist in electronic form, paperless remote digital proof should also have cross-platform (Windows and Mac OS) electronic proof storage management function, the client side of the annotation and sample authorization function and the authorization of the proof upload, download and other functions.

Paperless remote proofing not only integrates the advantages of paperless proofing and remote digital proofing, but also effectively overcomes the shortcomings of these two ways technically. The first is to ensure that the monitor complies with printing color standards: several monitors from brands such as Ezo, SONY and Apple have been certified by SWOP to correctly display the printed color space; Screen correction tool factory commercial provides advanced color correction instruments such as Greenda i1, so that the color difference between the screen and the printing standard is controlled within the human eye can distinguish deltaE2. Secondly, the use of luminescent output proofs is a kind of progress in a way, the proofs are very little affected by environmental light sources, and no longer affected by other environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity. Individual differences in displays are inevitable, just as there are individual differences in other proofing equipment, test data show that the individual error of high-precision displays can be less than that of paper proofing output equipment. Since the same proofing operation is used for output, proof and signature, paperless remote proofing can effectively overcome the trouble caused by the difference of multiple sheets. However, like traditional digital proofing, paperless remote proofing does not perform well in simulating special spot colors (such as metallic colors) and lacks the function of simulating the special process of packaging printing.

Remember a few years ago when digital proofing was introduced in China, users were skeptical of using non-printing methods to simulate printing results. Today it is hard to find a printer that does not accept digital proofing. The comprehensive proofing system has become the mainstream. The progress of science and technology has brought us benefits. Paperless remote proofing in the West has also gone through a process from recognition to acceptance to use, but the time is much shorter. Paperless remote proofing has become a necessary part of the comprehensive proofing system in the United States due to the innovation of proof/annotation-reproofing and the high quality, convenient and low energy consumption of production. Brown Printing Company, a well-known printing company in the United States, which is the printer of Time Magazine, has a similar feeling. One of the biggest benefits of paperless remote proofing is that it is no longer necessary to have several different proofs of the same job in branch printing plants all over the country, but the workshop must print the one that the magazine has never seen before. At the same time, the degree of automation of production (mainly referring to the proof process) has greatly increased.

With the guarantee of advanced screen display technology and color management tools, paperless remote proofing will certainly add to the development of the rapidly developing printing industry in China.