Professional printers need to conduct quite a bit of preparatory work before the actual printing of documents; this is referred to as the prepress printing process. This stage of publishing begins when the content of the document is complete and it finishes when the document is finally printed. Most people are not too aware about this aspect of publishing, but prepress work is a vital part of the chain of document production.
What does the process involve?
The actual prepress printing process will vary depending on the technology being used and the type of printing that is required. It may involve preparing plates that will be used to put the actual words, pictures, or graphics onto the paper. If you have ever seen an old movie scene where a newspaper headline is being produced on a spinning press; it is these plates that are adding the print. In recent years there have been many advances in the printing industry but the idea is still the same. Preparing plates involves typesetting; this can now be done digitally or manually.
The Prepress Printing process can also involve printing without plates. Laser printing or electronic printing, such as xerography, are examples of some of the newer ways to produce documents. These methods using new technological innovations are on the increase, but there are still some jobs where using plates is advantageous. Some companies will have a variety of different printing technologies for different jobs. No matter what technology is being used all of them will involve some type of prepress printing.
Some small printing businesses will have staff members who are involved in every aspect of the printing process. Larger companies will have dedicated prepress professionals who only concentrate on this on these procedures; they may be referred to as prepress technicians.
Prepress technicians receive the content that is to be printed and examine it to make sure that it is ready for proceed to the next stage. The technician may deal directly with the customer or be given the data from the customer service team. The technician needs to satisfy themselves that all the specifications are clear and that the necessary documents have been provided. Usually all this data will be in computer files.
Proofreading, editing, and layout are also sometimes considered as part of the preprint process; although many printing companies view these tasks as separate. Proofreading and editing involve checking the actual appropriateness of the text and checking for any spelling or grammar mistakes. It is important that this is all done before the document is printed; otherwise there could be a huge wastage of time and money. Layout involves ensuring that the document is properly aligned with correct spacing and tabs.
The prepress printing process has remained important despite almost constant technological advances in printing. It is important that this stage is taking seriously otherwise it leads to poorly produced documents that look amateurish and unappealing to the eye. Prepress technicians have a huge responsibility for ensuring that the final document is going to turn out as expected. Failure at this stage of the process will mean losses in time and money.
