Variable data printing technology is getting better and better
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With the continuous maturity of digital printing technology, color digital printing has great growth potential. Some forward-thinking traditional printing companies have found that variable data digital printing workflow will be the best choice to enhance the competitiveness of the enterprise market. There are a variety of digital presses on the market that have the ability to perform variable data printing with stability, reliability, and high quality. They effectively combine digital imaging technology with database information, and print out the content of each page. Prints have greatly attracted market attention.
The emergence of variable data printing
The continuous development of market demand and the further advancement of personalized printing have become a trend from the mass market to the mass customization market and the mass market segment. Keep an eye on recent technical developments, we often come into contact with such terms as variable data printing, variable information printing, personalized printing, database printing, one-to-one printing, customizable printing, etc., maybe these will make you confused. However, no matter what the name is, it means that only one type of document layout is designed in a printing process, but each copy of the document has its own unique personality, that is, the text and graphics on each copy of the layout. The content of each part of the image can be different and can be arbitrarily changed to produce an unrestricted, unique and targeted personalized product.
This printing technology has greatly increased the value of printed materials. Industry experts believe that variable data printing will be the most important driving force for digital printing. The reason is that variable data printing brings new value-added effects, and has a good performance in improving customer feedback rate and customer service quality, reducing total cost, reducing sales time, and enhancing production efficiency.
Effective customer feedback rate is 34%; average order volume/order value growth rate is 25%; repeat order rate and order retention rate is 48%; total revenue and profit growth rate is 32%; response time is shortened by 35%.
Variable data printing is a form of on-demand printing, and all products printed by this technology are similar but not identical. Such applications are common in life, such as company annual reports, CI design manuals, product promotion flyers, table cards, transportation vehicle licenses, direct mail advertisements, etc., including the packaging of some products can be personalized labels. In order to achieve the purpose of corporate identity promotion and brand image, in daily life, personalized business cards, calendars, desk calendars, greeting cards, wedding albums, etc. are also unwittingly into the lives of ordinary people. All of this has increased the recognition of variable data printing and laid a good market foundation for it.
Technical background
The specific method of adding variable content in the print: First, design the required page in a standard typesetting software like QuarkXPress or FrameMaker, and input the fixed page content. This page is called the template file, in the template file. It is necessary to reserve the location for the variable content, and to save the file in EPS or PDF format after the page is finished and typeset and designed. In the second step, a database file is created for the variable content, and the database file should include all the information required for variable data printing, and the added items are required to be one-to-one correspondence, and cannot be misplaced. In actual printing, the data stream representing the variable information is from the database file created in the second step, and the variable data is inserted into the reserved position by using software that allows the input of the real content on the fixed page, and is composed together with the fixed content. The full page.
During the design process, designers are often asked the question of how to form a preliminary concept of a variable data page. The answer is to first create a static page, determine what needs to be changed on the page according to different readers, and then determine whether the selected data can support the desired print target. The key issue with this technology is how to design a variable data page and how to determine the variable portion of the page without affecting the overall aesthetics of the page. What is not easy to understand is the type of database technology used to reconcile data and the establishment of corporate rules between customer-provided information and variable data templates.
There are three key techniques to be aware of when building variable data pages:
· Matching variable data with different pages;
· A link to a database report that provides copy information;
· The necessary corporate rules for development.
The implementation of variable data printing requires new processes, technologies, concepts, and requires that these technologies be integrated at one point. This requires a new perspective on where the variable data of a page is, and how complex it is to create a page. All of these are connected to form the basic requirements for creating a variable data page. The professional who handles must take these factors into account and start with some of the most basic tasks before designing a customer-satisfied interface.
PPML/VDX variable data printing exchange standard
A study conducted by the "On-Demand Printing Initiative Alliance" (PODi), a major group of digital printing equipment, shows that the lack of uniform standards is one of the most important reasons that hinder the market from accepting personalized printing. After research, PODi In March 2000, the personalized printed markup language PPML/VDX was released.
PPML/VDX (Personalized Print Markup Language/Variable Data Exchange) means "Personalized Print Markup Language / Variable Data Exchange", which is a standard for variable data printing (VDP) job output/exchange based on PDF and PPML. Based on Adobe PDF and PPML, combining the advantages of PPML and PDF, it aims to establish an open standard for the exchange of variable data. In this way, documents that are to be merged with database information and variable content can be used for variable data printing in other software with only one "Saveas" command.
PPML/VDX has created a comprehensive variable data format that allows designers and manufacturers to exchange final output formats and variable documents in the form of electronic files. The main work based on this standard is to design pages in the design software and design variable information content in the general database software.
Because PPML/VDX combines PPML to encode the content of variable data and the advantages of PDF openness and reliability, its use reduces the frequent communication between designers and printers. It also provides an efficient, reliable exchange for final format data with one or more sources. This standard allows the designer to have complete control over the final shape, content and appearance of each part of the print, even if each page of the print is different, enabling the print producer to focus on the quality of the product without having to be a database The cumbersome procedures such as operation and setting of printing parameters are troublesome.
VDP workflow based on PPML/VDX
Variable data printing workflows typically include concepts, development, approval, consolidation, printing, and completion.
Concept phase: VDP applications usually start with the idea of a peer-to-peer marketing campaign from the marketing department. In order to motivate customers to purchase, the marketing department proposes ideas and provides original materials, including images and text content, and a database. At this stage, customer data needs to be analyzed and the form and appearance of the final printed material determined.
Development phase: Transforming concepts into executable solutions and designs. This process includes art editing by the designer, text editing and database sorting.
Approval stage: The marketing department evaluates the above schemes and adjusts and modifies them according to the marketing objectives. At the same time, it also needs to use the database to test the entire application, check the text content, picture size and so on.
In the merge phase, the variable data print job in the PPML/VDX format generated by the graphic data and database data formed in the previous stage is utilized.
Printing stage: Printing with a digital press supporting PPML/VDX.
Completion stage: post-press processing and service work, such as binding, cutting, mailing, etc.
Variable data printing problems
For companies that want to engage in variable data printing, the first key issue to solve is how to learn to understand various database products. In fact, the understanding of the database does not need to be particularly thorough, just know how to use the data in the database, and use this data to communicate with customers.
Excel can do this. Before production, the printer needs to know the type of database used, the meaning of each field, the relevance between the fields, and the fields to be used in the printing. In order to meet the variable requirements, companies can hire a computer expert to help companies solve various magnetic problems.
Another problem brought about by variable data printing is who is responsible for the accuracy of the database content. In traditional printing, customers can print after signing, and all problems are subject to proof. In the case of variable data printing, the situation is very different. Should the customer be responsible for the contents of the database? Can the printing house print directly without verification? Does the printing house have the responsibility to proofread the database? How to proof the variable data printing job? All of these issues must be effectively and reasonably resolved before printing, otherwise it will greatly affect the operation of this business model.
The key to printing variable data is to decide which template to use and which data content is variable. Solving these two problems is half the battle. In this process, the database drives the switching of text and images, but if the content does not match the space left, it is necessary to add certain logic rules in the production to constrain the conditions for providing content, which allows the printer to The customer provides another value-added service.
Conclusion
The development of variable data printing technology is an inevitable trend of the development of information transmission network. The rapid development of high-tech such as information technology, network technology, digital technology and automation technology will fundamentally transform, broaden and develop printing technology and promote the entire printing. The development of the industry. The close integration of network technology and printing companies will lead to tremendous changes in the printing industry. As the market matures and the concept changes, variable data printing will win more potential markets, and the prospects will become more and more broad.