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Digital Printing: The Reference Handbook 3rd Edition

is the expanded and completely updated version of Nonimpact Electronic Printing: The Reference Handbook. It is a thorough guide to electronic printing markets, languages, technologies, and applications. The book provides a historical background on digital printing technologies, how they work, their advantages/disadvantages, applications, and market trends. A detailed analysis of the key parameters and features of nonimpact printers is incorporated along with a discussion of topics such as printer connectivity, black-and-white and color desktop and production printing, as well as bar code and MICR printing. New and emerging challenges to print are explored. (March 2004/550 pages)

Chapter 1: Introduction

• Objectives
  
• Market Overview
  
• Industry Trends

• Electrophotography
  
• Ion Deposition
  
• Electron Beam Imaging
  
• Magnetophotography
  
• Thermal Printing
  - Direct Thermal Printers
  - Thermal Transfer
  - Dye Sublimation Thermal Transfer

• Ink Jet Printing
  - Continuous Ink Jet
  - Drop-On-Demand Ink Jet
  
• Electrostatic Printing
  
• Other Nonimpact Technologies

• Print Engine Components
  
• Print Architecture
  
• The Print Controller
  - Controllers for Desktop B&W Systems
  - Controllers for Desktop Color Lasers
  - Controllers for Color Copier/Printers
  - Controllers for High-Volume B&W Systems
  - Controllers for Color Digital Presses

• Imaging Technology
  
• Printing Speed and Throughput
  
• Reliability Parameters
  
• Memory
  
• Printer Resolution
  
• Compatibility & Interfacing
  
• Fonts
  
• Multifunction Capabilities
  
• Paper Handling & Media
  
• Ergonomic Factors
  
• Operating Environment
  
• Regulatory Conformity
  
• Total Cost of Ownership

• Data Stream Formats
  
• Print Command Languages
  - Serial Impact Printer Protocols
  - Line Matrix Protocols
  - Native Command Language
  - Xerox Print Command Languages
  - Hewlett-Packard PCL
  
• Page Description Languages
  - PostScript
  - Adobe PDF
  - IBM AFP/IPDS
  
• Markup Languages
  
• Other Imaging Models
  
• Other Print Languages
  
• Printer Emulation & Compatibility

• Common Physical Interfaces
  - Parallel Interfaces
  - Serial Interfaces
  - Universal Serial Bus (USB)
  - Small Computer System Interface (SCSI)
  - Printer Direct Video Interface
  - Infrared Data Association (IrDA) Interface
  
• Logical Interfaces
  
• Printer Sharing Devices
  
• Networks
  
• Network Printing
  - Connectivity
  - Network Print Management
  - Device Interoperability
  
• Mobile & Wireless Printing
  - Mobile & Wireless Protocols
  - Wireless & Mobile Printing Solutions
  - Other Developments
  
• High-End Printing Systems

• Overview
  
• Digital Printing in Perspective
  
• Black-and-White Digital Printing Systems
  
• Applications for Black-and-White Digital Printing
  
• Leading Vendors of Black-and-White Digital Production Printing
  - Copiers/printers
  - Cluster Printing Solutions
  - High-Volume Systems

• Introduction
  
• Color Printing Basics
  
• Color Printing Technologies & Markets
  - Low-End Ink Jet Devices
  - Large Format Systems
  - Desktop Color Page Printers & MFPs
  - Color Copier/Printers
  - Color Digital Presses
  - Other Nonimpact Color Technologies
  
• Highlight Color Printing
  
• Specifying & Controlling Color
  - Standards
  - Color Matching Systems
  - Color Management
  - Proofing
  
• Color Printing Applications
  - Business/Office Applications
  - Graphic Arts Applications
  - Industrial Applications
  - Other Applications

• Introduction
  
• History of Bar Codes
  
• Trends in Bar Code Technology
  
• Bar Code Symbologies
  
• Technical Limitations of Bar Code Printing
  
• Common Linear Symbologies & Their Applications
  
• Nonimpact Bar Code Printing
  
• Bar Code Scanning & Verification
  
• Bar Code Software & Fonts
  
• Selecting Label Media

• Background
  
• Approaches to MICR Printing
  
• The MICR Market
  - Check Printing
  - High-End Market Segment
  - Desktop & Midrange Market
  
• MICR Testing & Verification
  
• Security Issuess
  
• MICR Toner
  
• Purchasing a MICR Printer
  
• Implementing a MICR Solution

• Industry Trends
  
• Print and Mail
  - Trends in Mail
  - Inserting Systems
  - Self-Mailers
  
• Roll-Handling Systems
  
• In-Line Versus Off-Line Operation
  
• The Impact of Print-on-Demand
  - Paper Handling
  - Binding & Finishing
  
• Automating Print Production

• The Internet
  
• Electronic Books
  
• Electronic Paper
  
• Electronic Bill Presentment & Payments (EBPP)
  
• Electronic Forms

• In-depth analyses of important trends in the electronic printing industry
  
• Historical perspective of nonimpact printing technologies: how they work, why they were developed, strengths and weaknesses, key applications and players, market trends, and outlook for the future
  
• Thorough exploration of the major components of print engines, including printing architectures and print controllers
  
• Detailed discussion of the parameters and features of all classes of nonimpact printers, including desktop and production models
  
• Critical background on all major print command languages, PDLs, and markup languages, including emerging technologies such as PPML and PDF/x
  
• The basics of interfaces, networks, and printer connectivity, including device interoperability, mobile, and wireless printing
  
• Thorough analyses of the black-and-white nonimpact printing market, including new and emerging applications such as on-demand book production
  
• The fundamentals of color printing, with details and comparisons of current color printing technologies, market trends, and the latest developments in color management and color applications
  
• The history of bar codes, bar code symbologies, and nonimpact bar code printing applications
  
• Background and basic of MICR printing, including MICR printing technologies, applications, market trends, and issues
  
• The latest trends and developments in pre- and post-processing equipment, ranging from desktop applications to high-volume environments
  
• New and emerging challenges to print, including EBPP, the Internet, and the impact of alternative media on the printing market
  
• Expanded and revised Index and Glossary of Terms & Acronyms

• Printer manufacturers, OEMs, Resellers
  - Digital printing systems
  - Conventional printing equipment
  - RIP/connectivity solutions
  - Pre- and post processing/Finishing vendors
  - Software developers
  - Media and supplies
  
• Corporate Users
  - In-plant print shops
  - Centralized reprographic departments (CRDs)
  - MIS/data centers
  - Network operations
  - Purchasing managers
  
• Vendors of media and supplies
  - Pre- and post-processing equipment vendors
  - Software developers
  - Commercial print providers and quick printers
  - Digital service bureaus
  - In-house printing operations, including corporate, government, and education
  - Education organizations
  - Industry trade associations
  - Consultants, analysts, PR firms

• Sales and marketing
  
• Product management
  
• Engineering and product development
  
• Application and technical support
  
• Market research and strategic planning
  
• Sales and technical training
  
• Selection and purchase of printing solutions
  
• Printing and publishing operations
  
• Printer service and maintenance