Raster Image Processor

A Raster Image Processor (RIP ) ( German raster graphics processor) is a special hardware or a combination of hardware and software, the specific data of a higher page description language such as PostScript, PDF ( also VPS, AFP ) or PCL converts into a raster graphic, usually to make this quickly output to a printer. In prepress, the data is sent after adaptation to a CTP ( Computer to Plate) system for a printing plate according to the template to produce directly. For sending the data to the RIP server programs like ApogeeX or Celebrant be used.

A raster image processor implements two main functions:

Explicitly common is the term raster image processor only in prepress and in reproduction technology, where it refers to a specific component in the printing process that takes more tasks in addition to the above features:

  • Color Management
  • OPI image replacement
  • Separation
  • Trapping

The RIP is next to the press itself the most important and most error-prone component in the printing process. Commercial RIPs differ significantly with respect to the implemented functions, their compatibility with certain PostScript versions and its PDF support. The trend is that many of the prepress tasks are increasingly being taken over by the RIP component.

Furthermore, any PostScript printer or any PCL laser printer has an internal RIP in its firmware. The free GNU Ghostscript, which allows the direct mapping of PostScript files, forms a pure software RIP.

If we abstract from these specific RIPs, so come "raster image processors " in all applications where image data for output or to display on the monitor in raster graphics must be converted. Thus, each operating system or (graphic ) program has a kind of "raster image processor". For example, sets the simple display of text, which is predominantly in vectorized form, preceded by an RIP component. For the screen display is referred to these processors usually as a video display controller or as a modern graphics processing unit.

  • Description Language
  • Hardware
  • Digital printing
  • Pressure grid
Advanced Function Presentation Trap (printing) Printer Command Language GNU Project
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