Digital Printing and Prepress (5cr)

Objective

The aim of the course is to provide basic information about the requirements and technical processes of printed products, to go through the preceding stages of production (prepress), and to get acquainted with the principles of digital printing. The course provides a good overall understanding of the production of printed items and products, the use of programs commonly used in the industry, and an understanding of the very stages critical to the printing process. The lectures will introduce you to the various requirements and backgrounds of the process and learn to understand their impact on production. The aim is that after the course the student will understand the stages and requirements of the prepress process and be able to apply these according to the instructions to production. The student • understands data management requirements of the printing process • understands the various printing process phases preceding actual printing • understands more deeply the fundamentals of the digital printing • has an overview of software used in media as well as in packaging industry • perceives the importance of prepress stages as a premise to print production

Content

The course is built out of these nine subthemes Digital original and preparation of the material intended to be printed Colors in digital environment and print production Production of printed images and image adjustment Color management and color measurement Typical material problems and material review Workflow, RIP and automation The most common digital printing technologies (electrophotography and inkjet printing) Post-processing and finishing Special features of large format production

Qualifications

The are no mandatory preceding courses but the strongly recommended study course is Printing methods, materials and visuality 5 ECTS or comparable know-how.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

The student has achieved the objectives of the course sufficiently. The student identifies and can partially define the central concepts and models of the subject area of the course. The student can use the most common programs and tools with the help of instructions. The student understands the prerequisites and principles of developing expertise.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

The student has achieved the objectives of the course well, although there is still room for improvement in some areas of knowledge and skills. The student has mastered the concepts and models of the course topic and can justify the solutions he or she has made. The student is able to apply what he or she has learned in new situations. The student understands the production process as a whole and can determine which areas need development.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

The student has achieved the objectives of the course commendably. The student has a commendable command of the concepts, models and tools of the course subject. The student can analyze the flow of the process and is well prepared to apply what he has learned in new situations. The student has a commendable understanding of the main principles and technical requirements of pre-printing production. The student has internalized the meaning of the stages of the production process and is able to continue developing his technical competence in the way he chooses.

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

The student has achieved the objectives of the course sufficiently. The student identifies and can partially define the central concepts and models of the subject area of the course. The student can use the most common programs and tools with the help of instructions. The student understands the prerequisites and principles of developing expertise.

Further information

Digital printing and prepress 5 ECTS is a web-based study course to be conducted independently in Metropolia’s Moodle Learning Platform (course management system moodle.metropolia.fi). This study course is only in Finnish language can be carried out individually as such. It is, though, one component of print media technologies minor called Modern Applications of Printing Technics and Printed Products (30 ECTS), which is a free-choice study unit for all interested Metropolia students.