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Book Publishing, Inplants & Digital Printing - 4
November 19, 2007

In our last 3 episodes we discussed traditional, self publishing and DI printing. Today we look back at the history of DI presses.There are many interesting discussions about these presses. These devices go by many names including the formal name with is  DI presses. However,  there are some legal restrictions in using the term DI or digital imaging, other terms such as presses with internal platemaking, or computer to plate on press – presses have emerged. Also noteworthy is that they have rich history surrounding them.

If you go back in history or look back at the “historical record” (AKA old articles), you will see that at one point during the initial buying frenzy, several industry pundits claimed that ALL presses would “have to include” internal platemaking, because of the reduced time for make-ready. Then after the bubble burst, many pundits claimed that the technology was going to become extinct, like the dodo.

Like a lot of our own theories about evolution, these were the result of a rush to judgment. If you talk to enough people you will find that some users rave about on press imaging and others feel that it did not meet their needs. While not the only application, short run books or just and color covers for black and white book blocks is one market niche.

So the pundits were wrong, it did not result in a radical change in offset printing technology and it did not become an extinct part of the fossil record. Like many species and manufacturing technologies, it survived - once it found the right environment or the right niche.

Posted by Howie Fenton on November 19, 2007 | Comments (0)