Editor's Note: This is the third article in a four part series focusing on digital technologies in the flexo workflow. Part one, in October 2014, covered computer to plate (CTP) technology. Part two, in November 2014, covered expanded gamut flexography. And part four, coming in February 2015, will cover digital front ends (DFE). There has been a huge push toward digital printing over the last two years that has us pondering two big questions: Is this trend here to stay, and is this technology fact or fiction? If we believe that digital printing is not going anywhere and the underlying technology is reliable, then a number of other concerns surface: 1. Is inkjet or toner right for our customers? 2. Do we as a company invest a little or a lot? 3. Do we need a digital front end ERP? 4. Last but not least: How do we measure the return on investment? With all of these questions raised, breaking things down into bite sized nuggets is a good place to start to develop an overall understanding. In the future, I believe we will see print shops with several digital print solutions, along with a CTP solution.
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