Workflow
- Digital Film Evaluation Checklist
- A checklist created by Binary Graphics in Seattle that
documents the things to check when evaluating film output.
- Digital Mechanical
- An industry standard term standing for the combination of
three things: Laser hardcopy representing a press ready layout. A
disk containing all layout and graphic files used to create that
hardcopy as well as all necessary fonts. A disk transmittal form
that provides information about the job.
- Digital Mechanical Check-in
- An activity that takes place in the prepress department of a
commercial printing plant where a digital mechanical is checked
for missing elements and loaded onto the computer network.
- Digital Mechanical Makeready
- An activity that takes place in the prepress department of a
commercial printing plant where a digital mechanical is prepared
for film output. This activity includes checking the file
preparation methods and general state of the files. It also
includes the digital stripping of images, trapping, and
imposition.
- Digital Mechanical Quality Control Checklist
- A checklist created by Binary Graphics in Seattle that details
the elements of a digital mechanical that should be confirmed
before the digital mechanical is sent away for film output.
- Hardcopy Mark-up
- The act of writing necessary information onto the surface of
the laser hardcopy before handing a digital mechanical over to the
output vendor.
- Hardcopy Mark-up Checklist
- A checklist created by Binary Graphics in Seattle that
documents the things that need to be written on the laser hardcopy
that is part of a digital mechanical. The elements on this
checklist are drawn from industry standard guidelines.
- Pre-design Production Planner
- A pre-planning aid created by Binary Graphics in Seattle that
helps gather necessary production information before files are
created.
- Pre-planning
- The act of planning the production steps and determining
responsibilities before creating the computer files that will make
up the digital mechanical. Pre-planning is generally said to save
time and money.
- Shared Responsibility
- An important term relating to the relationship between the
organization that creates a digital mechanical and the
organization that outputs it. Usually a matter of negotiation, it
is in the best interest of all concerned to work this out in
advance and create a plan to account for errors and problems to
include such unfortunate events as software bugs that prevent
deadlines from being met.
- Vendor Coordination
- An important thing for a print buyer to do when involved in
the pre-planning and creation of a digital mechanical. It is
important to coordinate the capabilities and efforts of the design
staffs with the prepress production organization. Proper division
of responsibility must be negotiated between the two groups and
proper file preparation methods should be followed.
- Workflow
- A term used to describe the steps taken in the execution of a
task such as creating and outputting a digital mechanical. Proper
workflow is determined based on the specific project being
undertaken, the skills and desires of the file creators, and the
capabilities and policies of the firm that will create the
high-resolution film output.
- Workflow Test Files
- A term used for a test made in the early stages of digital
mechanical creation. Workflow test files are designed to confirm
the compatibility of the software being used as well as confirming
the particular production techniques being used.