China’s 12th Five-Year Printing Plan Puts Digital Workflows and Digital Printing Equipment in Focus

ppzhan reports:

During the 12th Five-Year Plan, R&D on digital workflows was assigned several core tasks: creating workflows and interface technologies aligned with mainstream standards, advancing digitalization across printing processes, and strengthening automation in multi-color printing equipment. By 2015, selected products were expected to reach the advanced level of that time.

Digital Printing and Printing Digitalization Equipment

(1) Digital Printing Presses: Inkjet Models in Focus

Today, digital presses are broadly divided into electrostatic imaging and inkjet categories. The mainstream equipment among Chinese digital printing companies remains electrostatic imaging presses, yet inkjet presses offer advantages in format size and substrates, giving them greater potential. China is still unable to manufacture electrostatic imaging digital presses and relies on imports for all major products. R&D on inkjet digital presses has already begun on a relatively solid base, and firms such as Peking University Founder Group can produce them. In 2009, inkjet digital presses represented 10.77% of China's total printing equipment import value, ranking second among equipment categories. During the 12th Five-Year Plan, the printing equipment manufacturing sector was called on to increase R&D investment in digital presses, especially inkjet models.

The main objectives included developing a series of inkjet digital presses with independent intellectual property rights and lifting mainstream equipment to today's advanced level by 2015; achieving breakthroughs in key components such as printheads to end the monopoly of imported products; reaching a 35% domestic market share by 2015 and reducing heavy dependence on imports. In parallel, R&D on electrostatic imaging digital presses was to be actively advanced.

(2) CTP Direct Platemaking Systems

Some domestic companies can already make CTP direct platemaking machines, but overall the key core technologies remain controlled by a small number of overseas firms. Domestically produced CTP direct platemaking machines account for only 23% of China's total CTP installations. In 2009, import value for CTP equipment rose by 41.05%, placing sixth in the import rankings.

During the 12th Five-Year Plan, the R&D and production tasks for domestic CTP direct platemaking machines were to keep improving technical standards and equipment quality, strive to master key core technologies, and bring major products to today's advanced level by 2015; to further expand market share, aiming for more than 45% domestic share by 2015; and to significantly increase exports and secure a position in the market.

(3) Digital Workflows and Digital Technologies in Multi-Color Press Applications

Research and development of key press control technologies should be advanced so that domestic presses can interface with integrated digital printing workflows. Examples include high-performance automatic ink volume control devices, automatic ink-water balance control for presses, and high-speed, high-precision sheet control systems. Prepress, press and postpress operations should be integrated into one system, creating a digital workflow-based printing environment and achieving seamless linkage between production and management. At present, China's digital workflow R&D is still at an early stage, with only a few companies engaged in related technology development and problem-solving. In software-hardware integration and interface technologies, there remains a considerable gap with advanced levels, and major technical products continue to rely on imports.

— Source: China Packaging Network (pack.cn); original article: http://news.pack.cn/show-362165.html