Ripping

What is Ripping

RIP stands for ‘Raster Imaging Processor’.

 Essentially, it is a process for translating an existing file type such as a PDF, postscript,

 or something else into a file type that the printer knows and understands. 

Mostly this alters the file’s resolution, and creates what is known as a bitmap or raster image. 

This means that the file’s contents are mapped to the bits or pixels on the screen. 

The pixels we see on screen are translated to the pattern of ink dots we will see on paper.

Most Images are converted to JPEG’s although some 

Machines do us PNG’s but not often.

What is a Bitmap

Bitmap or BMP images are composed of pixels,

 which means they have a fixed resolution. 

They are well-suited for photographs and images with complex, 

organic shapes, unlike JPEGs, which compress image file data, 

BMPs don’t lose data each time you edit and save them. 

CMYK Break Down

Once the image is Flattened and converted to a Bitmap image. 

It is then separated into CMYK 4 colour print process.

in some cases, such as Litho printing this is 

literally separated into 4 plates one for each colour.

In most modern presses this is done digitally s

o no physical separations are made, only in the ripping software.

  

The colour separations denote the shadows, midtones and highlights

of an image with black (key) acting as the darkest of the shadows to

 pull the image together to make it full colour and the white of the paper 

acting as the specular highlights, with not being able to print white.

Preventions in Ripping

Most issue can be solved by flattering or JPEGing the artwork


Issues

-Complex artwork 

-Missing elements

-Transparencies 

-Overprint

-Active elements

-None embedded fonts