On-demand printing does not mean instant printing

On-demand printing is equivalent to instant printing or fast printing. This misunderstanding is still quite common. Timely instant or fast delivery is of course a kind of on-demand, but in fact the user's requirements for print have already exceeded this minimum requirement. Therefore, although immediate or rapid printing is also on-demand printing, it is the same as "white horse is not a horse," and it is misunderstood to place an equal sign between it and on-demand printing.

First of all, in addition to time, there is a quantitative demand. Short-run color printing has already become a trend in the development of the international printing market. It has long been known. However, "on-demand" needs to further break through the general concept. In the general printing market, it is impossible to undertake as many as several dozen, even a few or one color printing tasks can still bear the competence. This is the "personalized printing" in terms of quantity. In addition, there are changes in the content of personal information, users may print as many as 20 copies, and 20 copies are not exactly the same, and may even change for each copy, which requires "variable information printing." It can be seen that on-demand printing should also include personalized printing and variable information printing, because this is a new service for customers with the development of digital printing technology. And this kind of "on-demand" can be summarized without immediate or rapid printing. In addition, digitizing graphic and digital data in A and B and printing in digitized printing technology in even more places in B are also a kind of “on demand”. This situation will increase with the development of economic globalization and digital networking technology. For example, multinational corporations are required to issue a batch of product samples or operation and maintenance manuals each year. In the past, they were printed according to the requirements reported by various countries or regions, and were then shipped by air or sea. As long as the graphic data is processed well and then transmitted to various localities for printing, this is the new practice of so-called “pre-production (information data) post-printing”. This is also a new customer demand. This type of printing is also “on-demand printing”. "The range has more advantages. Such as:

1. The head office does not need to pre-pad a large sum of money to print;

2. Save on mailing or shipping costs;

3. The branch points can also be downloaded at any time when needed; the head office can also update the latest information into the database at any time, unlike the case in which the past year has caused an obsolete or obsolete sample.

4. For different countries or regions, information content may also be changed according to local characteristics, such as increasing high-tech product information in developed countries, and focusing on mid-range product information for third-world countries. In addition to multinational companies, book distribution companies, higher education institutions, and other education centers can also use reserve databases for readers or students to purchase copies at any time. It can be seen that the connotation of on-demand printing is expanding, and its role and superiority are also increasing.

The on-demand printing infrastructure is of course still the application of digital networking technology in the printing industry. It can be either unversioned, like a computer directly to substrates such as paper or film, or it can be versioned, such as Heidelberger's Speedmaster DI. However, the latter is difficult to achieve changeable print information unless the new generation of NexPress type devices.

Some people often regard the digital printing market as a diversion of the traditional short-run color printing market. This view is the second misunderstanding that I would like to correct. According to the above examples, it can be seen that there are many color prints with as few as 100 copies or even less. In the past, it was not accepted as a short-run color printing job. As variable information printing is not possible, therefore, Some on-demand printing tasks such as these have in fact only flashed in people's minds in the past, but they simply do not exist in the real market, but only because of digital printing. The emergence of on-demand printing is possible. This is a brand-new market demand. How can it be said that it is a diversion of the traditional short-run color printing market? It is precisely because of this that for the digital printing or on-demand printing market we need to do the cultivation and development work, and no ready-made traditional short-run color printing market can rely on or seize. Some manufacturers that have taken the lead in introducing digital printing equipment do not feel that the task is insufficient and the efficiency is not good? To see this is a new market brought about by a new technology, it will inevitably undergo a process of nurturing and pioneering. Printing is a passive processing service industry. It must be market-oriented and follow the market. This is right. However, it cannot always be "heeled". Sometimes it is also necessary to go backwards to create a market. There is a dialectical barrier. In the past, with some new technologies and new equipment, printing companies must timely train technicians and operators in the factory. This also applies to digital printing. However, this is not enough. It is also necessary to increase the training of customers or at least to introduce them to the multiple functions and advantages of on-demand printing. In particular, initiatives should be taken to units that may use such new technologies (including advertisers, conference centers, etc.) Or personally, come to the door or bring them in and explain the demo to them so that it is possible to spread ten, pass ten hundred, and it is possible for the market to roll more and more like a snowball. According to U.S. professional publications, the annual turnover of such markets in the United States is also more than one billion U.S. dollars, and it is still growing. Domestic social habits and needs in China are different from those in the United States. Of course, such a large market is impossible, but after years of cultivation, it will also be expanded.