And since then, somehow (who knows how my mind works), the idea of speed, visible or hidden, and how it relates to function, has stuck with me. I’ve been thinking about the differences between prepress and postpress with those subjects in mind.
Prepress. Recent changes in prepress processes have, of course, been radical and never-ending. That’s not about to change. Anyone who reads Printing Journal or plays a role in the printing industry is all too aware of how direct-to-plate technology—to mention only one example—has affected the prepress departments of most printers.
Computers are becoming increasingly expensive, while software is constantly either updated or rendered obsolete. Everything still works, but it’s quickly not the best, the latest, the of-the-moment must-have.
But look at what this whirlwind of change has gained us. Jobs are processed more quickly, more efficiently. True customization inches toward the commonplace. Think of the Quickmaster DI, the Indigo or Xeikon, among others. These direct imaging or variable imaging presses demand not only a new way of looking at the business, but also open us up to whole new opportunities for that business. It’s mind-boggling, actually.
And it makes me imagine venerable members of the printing trades walking through a printshop after years of absence. Would they recognize what’s going on? Would the process itself be immediately understandable? Probably not in prepress.
Postpress. But in a postpress house, it would. For as presses and prepress equipment continue to rocket forward through each advancement, postpress machinery and processes creep along, the jobs completed in much the same manner they’ve been performed for years.
And, frankly, I’m fine with this. The constant evolution seen in most prepress departments is a headache I don’t miss.
But why the difference in two areas of the same industry? I think the obvious answer is that bindery work is still primarily a mechanical process. When you’re handling the information that goes onto the paper, a computer can control the process. But computers haven’t proven talented at actually working with (folding, stitching, gluing, etc.) the paper itself. While makeready has taken quantum leaps with digital efficiencies, bindery operations remain the domain of skilled labor. We haven’t turned our shops over to robots. Not yet.
It’s interesting to note that automakers, who once went the way of the robot, have backed off them to some degree for tasks that seem roughly comparable to those a postpress house performs. The reason? Often, it’s customization.
But mechanics isn’t the whole answer. There are other issues as well. Whereas technological advances have proven cost effective for printers (some might flinch at that), a similar argument can’t be easily advanced for postpress houses. A stitcher under the control of a skilled operator is hard to beat; computer-controlled stitchers are out of most reasonable price ranges considering the return on investment.
Culture plays a part in the differences, too. A postpress house is often a dust-laden, particle-filled place, which computers don’t love. And traditional bindery operators are accustomed to replacing broken parts easily, making new ones if they must. That’s not really an option for most prepress technicians.
Service. So is this difference a bad thing, a sign that prepress is advanced, while postpress lags? I don’t think so. Instead, I believe we’re both getting where we need to be, but working in the ways we know best.
After all, the bottom line is service, and it’s becoming increasingly clear that our customers these days require true customization as part of that service. For printers, that might require a new Quickmaster DI or a new prepress system. But for binderies, it likely means utilization of inkjetting technology, more custom handwork, and jury rigging equipment to meet special job requirements.
So, we do what we must. We both have the same goal in mind. We simply get there in
different ways.
Milt Vine is president of Seattle
Bindery, a postpress house specializing in custom tabs and presentation folders; folding
and stitching; foil stamping, embossing and diecutting; plastic spiral, Wire-O® and
perfect binding. You can reach Milt at 206/682-2558. For more information about Seattle
Bindery, check out their web site at www.seattlebindery.com. ©1998, Seattle Bindery.
© 1999, Seattle Bindery. Reprinted from Printing Journal, January 1999.