The PROOFING SYSTEM debate
To find out what Steve Marshall from Spitting Image has to say about Analog and Digital proofing and the pros and cons of each method. Click here

The ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT of PRINTING
Paul Richardson shares some insights into how printers are reducing emission of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). Click here

DIGITAL paper
I recently heard a radio IT news report about two companies currently merging their technologies to produce printable organic transistors. Click here

Cheese! A Digital Camera Review
Aaah!! New technology. Most people run for the hills when a completely new technology arrives in the market place, unless of course you're a teenager. But now it's time to come back down Click here

Golf eGeneration:
Volkswagen is set to launch a new version of its Golf marque, which will be its first mass-produced car to be fitted with Internet access. Click here

The PROOFING SYSTEM debate
by Steve Marshall of Spitting Image

As with any new technology there is always a certain amount of misinformation being bandied about. So let's look at the two options and judge for ourselves. Remembering that the purpose of all proofing systems whether they be digital or analog is to accurately represent the final printed result.

Analog Proofing
So how does it work?
Analog proofs are produced from exposing the separated films from the imagesetter. This is usually through exposure of CMYK light sensitive film which is developed and washed then laminated together in register to form the chemical proof. DuPont chromalin uses UV sensitive membranes and powders to achieve the same result.

Pros
Proofs and printing plates are made from the same films;

Dots on the proofs alert you to potential problems in moire (half tone dots), screen angle and other issues;

Trapping and ink opacity is clearly shown up when using special colours and metallics;

This is a very reliable method.

Cons
Very labour intensive requiring care and expertise in order to produce accurate proofs;

Usually a higher cost (unless they are digital half tones);

A slower process than digital proofing.

Digital Proofing
So how does it work?
Digital proofing is the obvious enabling power to CTP. It's also great for film-based work flow where you are proofing before outputting film. There are many variants on the digital proofing theme. These range from fast improving inkjet systems to halftone dot systems. One of the most important considerations for using this method is data integrity (ie. same file to plate or film) and the other, of course, is colour accuracy.

Pros
Proofs are produced further along the production cycle and therefore less expensive as there are no film or plates before proofs are printed;

Inkjet technology-based proofs are generally less expensive;

It has a faster turnaround.

Cons
Most systems don't show if moire is occurring;

Usually a higher cost if dealing with digital half tones;

Special colours and metallics don't show correctly unless Approval XP or Digital Chromalin systems are being used.

Undoubtedly as better colour management is developed we will see digital proofing become more dominant for both film and CTP. But for now, there will be instances where one system or price point is more appropriate than the other.

The ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT of PRINTING
by Paul Richardson of Lindsay Yates & Partners (Printers)

The printing industry has been progressive in its need to understand and also proactively deal with basic environmental issues. One of these main issues is Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) such as oil, lead, ink and photochemical waste.

Due to the rising land-fill costs and increased documentation and approval for off-site disposal, printers are using several methods to reduce emission of VOC. These include oil and water-based ink, solvents with high flash points and emission control technology.

Environmental reporting requirements are also progressively increasing with the National Pollutant Inventory requiring some printers to report on a range of pollutants that will double in usage by 2002.

Occupational Health & Safety laws in the workplace are also playing an increased role. For instance, chemicals, inks etc. cannot be purchased by the employers for normal factory consumption unless documentation outlining the chemical make-up of the product is made available to the designated employee.

That employee can then either pass the product as suitable, reject it or ask for additional safety needs ie. gloves.

Waterless Printing
Commercial printing companies print with a balanced combination of ink and water to transfer the image onto paper. Once the printing is finished, chemicals are used to clean these presses.

The difference with Waterless Printing, which is still a relatively new printing method, is that a new type of silicon coated printing plate is used which requires ink but no water to transfer the image. The results give a sharper, cleaner print image on the paper with increased colour.

More recently, Waterless Printing has made a further step forward with a totally water-washable ink. This means a reduction of VOCs in the pressroom thanks to no solvents in the cleaning up process. Presses can be virtually cleaned by using soap and water and no chemicals. The ink itself has a very low VOC content that results in very low odour.

The down side is that most companies have stayed with the "traditional method" due to the investments costs. But with this new ink successfully on the scene combined with increased pressure from environmental legislation, it's only a matter of time before commercial offset printing will be hard pressed to move forward.

DIGITAL paper

I recently heard a radio IT news report about two companies currently merging their technologies to produce printable organic transistors. (A transistor is a semi-conductor amplifying device, basically it's the fundamental component of most active electronic circuits, including digital electronics).

Out of curiosity I followed up the story and tracked down the source of thenews report on the web.

Here I read with great interest about E Ink Group and Lucent Technologies' research in creating plastic sheets of "electronic paper". This paper mimics the weight and flexibility of real paper but is capable of displaying text and graphics like a computer monitor.

According to the director of condensed matter research at Lucent Technologies, Lucent and E Ink have all the components to build a prototype.

The key for both companies is to make the manufacturing process more reliable. They are concentrating on its manufacturability and not just making single displays. The work will be much closer to development than research and development. The initial product will not be overly impressive - the first embodiment will not have many pixels, perhaps a hundred or so on a flexible plastic sheet like a slide. But once that is accomplished, scaling up (adding more transistors) will make the problem less complex.

In the end, both companies expect the electronic displays to cost far less to make than today's flat-panel displays. "Much of the cost of today's (flat panel displays) are in building the factories," said Paul Drzaic, director of display technology for E Ink Group, who estimated that a state-of-the-art LCD factory would cost US$1bn to build in the US. "For our technology, we use the equivalent of a high-end printing press, which costs more in the order of hundreds of thousands of dollars (US$) rather than millions.

" The result will be a much cheaper factory that will output a much cheaper product.

Earlier this year, Lucent's Bell Laboratories unveiled a "stamping" process that would allow transistors to be printed on plastics by equipment resembling a printing press more than a silicon chip. Apparently the materials that go into electronic ink are not expensive, moreover, if they print out quantities similar to major publishing houses, the cost could come down to that of paper.

Still, don't expect paper to be obsolete just yet - the digital paper is still possibly 3-5 years away. However, other applications may benefit from the technology along the way. For example rewriteable store-front displays, and wearable computer-printed clothes are all possible future products. The first application could be a high-resolution sign. One funny closing idea is that your car's bumper sticker can change its message to reflect your current social views at the press of a button.

Cheese! A Digital Camera Review

Aaah!!…new technology. Most people run for the hills when a completely new technology arrives in the market place, unless of course you're a teenager. But now it's time to come back down and embrace this relatively new digital medium.

Digital cameras have been around for some years now, varying in size, quality and price. Like most new technology products (digital TV for example) they are initially pricey and inferior to later models.

However these days the cameras have improved in quality and price, ranging from the 'happy snapper' priced in the hundreds, the semi professional camera priced between $1,000 to $2,500 and the totally committed photographer's version for $5,000 and up. And of course, the best thing about digital cameras is there is no film processing need, just download straight to your PC/MAC.

We researched digital cameras for some time, reading up on all features and components of cameras and weighed up the pros and cons. The range we looked at were the semi professional variety which could take photos for web (screen resolution) and were of print quality. Basically comparable to small prints from a traditional camera.

With so many features built into the cameras these days you swear you were buying a computer, and that is pretty much what you are getting. So let us touch on a few features and specs to look for when buying a digital camera.

The cameras of this quality come with a large digital screen at the back of the camera so there is no need to look through the optional view finder. (We never do). All operations are composed on this display, similar to a computer screen with folders, tools and features.

For quality of shot, you can choose from low resolution/quality pixel images (web), whereby the camera can store about 40 photos on the 16-64MB memory card, to medium and advanced resolution/quality which increases the individual file size and therefore allows fewer shots to be stored. This quality though, enables the photos to be used for printing in documents.

For resolution/quality, 3.34 megapixel, high definition CCD (its brain) is the best. This is the basis upon which the image is translated into pixels. Look for a 3x zoom lens feature with a scope equivalent to 35mm - 115mm and a digital zoom of up to 4x magnification.

The camera should have an automatic setting whereby the camera works out the best exposure, shutter speed, flash etc. for point and shoot. The best models in this range also have a manual setting that allows greater control of the result.

The cameras of this quality are so good, you can shoot in macro mode which allows you to take pictures of high quality only 2cm away.

These range of cameras include a 40 second QuickTime movie setting, great for small downloads for a website movie. (NTSC or PAL).

Once the shots are taken and stored on the memory card simply take the camera back to your PC and download via a USB Terminal. An icon should appear on your desktop with the palette of images to view though Photoshop or any other editing/viewing software supplied by the manufacturer.

We have touched on only the main features of a good camera. There are many more features built in, but that would mean writing a manual. Check the shots of our studio on our website and credentials document for a quick taste.

Oh! And what did we purchase? …the Nikon Coolpix 990. It has a cool swivel lens. Get the picture?

Golf eGeneration:

Volkswagen is set to launch a new version of its Golf marque, which will be its first mass-produced car to be fitted with Internet access.

The Golf eGeneration will contain a mini computer that will enable drivers to bank, check the weather, monitor their stocks and shares and even look for directions online. The car will also be fitted with a mobile phone and an MP3 player. It is not yet clear whether drivers will be able to carry out e-commerce transactions.

Wow! The latest internet technology now available in a car. Cool! But before we rush out to order the latest 'Golf.com' maybe some thought should be given to good old practicality. Who really wants to use the internet in a car? Sure, it's the latest way to check your email and impress your friends, but is it really that useful.

New gadgets to help us access the Internet appear on an almost daily basis. Take the latest WAP mobile phones for example. The fact is that using the Internet on these phones is awkward, difficult and definitely not user friendly. Surely this then defeats the whole purpose of the technology.

The Golf eGeneration sets off similar alarm bells. It seems the need to equip the car with the latest 'gizmos' has over ruled the question of whether the gizmos are actually useful or not. The idea that form should follow function still seems to ring true, even in the glitzy world of new media!