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Our
Services
DAP’s
service encompasses all aspects of the production process in a
self-contained unit capable of handling the entire production
of a publication.
The
following notes detail our current service and capabilities and
also contain our thoughts on the key issues and technological
changes that will impact on our service provision during the foreseeable
future.
Design
and Origination
Design
is as much about understanding the clients needs and intentions
as it is about creativity; the designer should also possess a
thorough understanding of the printing process. The competent
designers an all-rounder able to work closely with the client
to achieve the best results; DAP can offer this service to its
clients. Origination is the ’interface’ between design
and print, and the skilled artworker is adept at interpreting
the designers wishes and producing the film origination ready
for reproduction. Many designers now take full advantage of DTP
software packages with which they can easily and quickly re-design
pages to suit before the final disc is used to create the film.
Supplied
Origination
Some
customers supply us with complete film
for a publication, or require our AppleMac Typesetting facilities
whilst others supply final discs or a combination of formats.
We are used to handling DTP and Word Processing discs in both
PC and AppleMac format.
We
have computerised page make-up and both drum and flat-bed scanners
to scan-in photographs or logos.
ISDN
and modem links enable us to easily send or receive data directly
from any of our UK or internationally based clients.
Disc
Conversion
Whatever
the DTP, PC or AppleMac software format used to originate the
data it must ultimately be converted into PDF format in order
that file can be output. Most common software packages can be
readily converted although compatibility needs to be checked in
advance.
Proofing
Whilst
laser mono or Fuji colour proofs are available to the customer
at different stages of the data manipulation process, matchprint
proofs produced from planned film or wet proofs may also be required.
Customers may ’pass on press’ where the final result
can be assessed taking into account ’all’ production
variables and we encourage this approach where applicable.
Planning
and Platemaking
The
vital pre-press stage of platemaking is a demanding and skilful
operation which involves, in the simplest terms, making film of
a page and transferring its image to a metal or plastic plate.
The quality of the final printed work depends on the expertise
of the camera and plate making department. Technological innovation
now facilitates taking the image direct to plate or to a digital
press however this is only practical where all the pages are in
digital form. We envisage that within the next 18 months our digital
pre-press environment will be large enough to justify the introduction
of a computer-to-plate system thereby obviating the need to output
to final films.
Colour
Separation
The
reproduction of colour photographs or illustrations involves what
is commonly referred to as the ’four-colour’ process.
Basically this means that the original is ’split’ into
three colours of magenta, cyan, and yellow, plus black, with a
plate being produced for each. When the three colour plates are
printed in the appropriate inks the original colours are faithfully
reproduced, and the final printing of black adds depth to the
finished result. With our in-house drum scanning capability we
can totally control this process and dedicate scanning parameters
individualised to each of our printing presses.
Sheet-Fed
Litho
Our
Komori B1 printing presses, four colour and five colour, are capable
of printing eight pages of A4 in one pass. Both presses have computerised
controls enabling quick make ready times. For smaller format work
we have a single colour Heidelberg A2 press.
Bindery
and Finishing
Once
a publication has left the printing press there is still work
to be done to produce the finished job. The various stages include
laminating, UV varnishing, creasing, folding, collating, stitching
and trimming to the finished size. In practice the binding and
finishing process is much more complex, involving a whole range
of special machines and skills. This last stage in the whole production
process is also the final test of quality control - a first class
print job demands a first class finish. After the final trimming
the printed product is ready for delivery.
Delivery
and Mailing Out
The
finished product may be stacked on pallets, boxed or wrapped.
Many customers have neither the resources nor the space to handle
distribution, and rely on the printer to arrange the dispatch
of the publication to its readership. There are a number of ways
in which this can be done, but there is always a significant element
of organisation in order to get the publication on its way at
the right time and to the right place. Mailing direct from the
printer in polythene wrapping with labels supplied on disc by
the customer saves time and delivery costs.
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