The potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the print industry is enormous. AI continues to evolve each day, offering new opportunities for efficiency, creativity, and growth. As a leading book manufacturer, Friesens is exploring how AI can meet the demands of a rapidly changing market and deliver high-quality products to our customers. At a recent webinar hosted by the Digital Imaging Association, industry experts shared their insights on integrating AI into print workflows to address challenges.
One significant challenge in book manufacturing is in prepress. Accessible design tools like Canva encourage more non-designers to create files for print, often resulting in designs missing production necessities like appropriate bleed. Traditionally, prepress operators have employed workarounds like scaling up background images or stretching pixels at the edges of a design to add missing bleed. However, these “solutions” can compromise the integrity of the design and lead to unsightly image patterns at the edge of a trimmed piece.
AI offers a solution to this problem: by analyzing the design and automatically generating the necessary bleed, AI can ensure the final printed product meets professional standards without compromising the design.
Regarding creative workflows, generative AI represents a significant leap forward. Tools like Adobe Firefly enable users to generate entire designs based on text descriptions and prompts. For book printers, managing and processing AI-generated content is crucial for accurate reproduction. Adobe is working to ensure that its AI outputs are print-friendly, with considerations for color accuracy, resolution, and file formats aligning with professional printing standards.
AI is also helping book printers increase operational efficiency, and Friesens is no exception. We continue to explore ways to automate and streamline processes in our business to give our customers the best book possible. One way we have achieved this is by using cobots and robots. By automating tasks such as lifting, stacking, and applying labels, it has allowed our employee-owners to use their skills in more technical positions and handle situations that require human problem-solving.
Without a doubt, AI is transforming the print industry by enhancing creativity, solving prepress challenges, and increasing operational efficiency. As a trade book printer, Friesens is committed to staying ahead of the curve to help you share your best story with the world.
