System and method of utilizing barcodes

1. A computer-implemented method of monitoring a print manufacturing process comprising:

imaging a printing plate on a printing system based on raster and vector data stored on the printing system;

translating the data on the printing system into translated data having a homogenous messaging format;

generating a two-dimensional barcode on the printing system wherein computer programming is stored on the printing system to enable the generation of the two-dimensional barcode which includes the translated data;

determining an optimal location on the printing plate for the two-dimensional barcode;

affixing the two-dimensional barcode to the printing plate; and

scanning the two-dimensional barcode to monitor the printing plate.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

uploading the data from the two-dimensional barcode to a website.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the messaging format is Job Messaging Format.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

installing the printing plate on a printing press;

importing the data from the two-dimensional barcode to the printing press; and

monitoring the printing plate at the printing press location.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating a proof from the printing plate wherein the proof comprises a two-dimensional barcode.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising scanning the proof's two-dimensional barcode to retrieve data related to the proof and the printing plate used to generate the proof.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising inspecting the plate on the printing system by comparing the translated data in the two-dimensional barcode with the data stored on the printing system.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising imaging replacement printing plates based on the translated data in the two-dimensional barcode.

9. A system for monitoring a print manufacturing process comprising:

a raster image processor including computer programming operative with memory for imaging of a printing press based on raster and vector data and generation of a two-dimensional barcode;

a plate imager for imaging a printing plate based on the data received from the raster image processor wherein the printing plate also comprises a two-dimensional barcode;

a computer-to-plate device for transmitting the data from the raster image processor to the plate imager;

wherein the two-dimensional barcode is utilized to monitor the printing plate during the print manufacturing process.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

a display in communication with the raster image processor for displaying data related to the print manufacturing process.

11. The system of claim 9 further comprising an inspection apparatus for retrieving information from the printing plate and comparing the information with data stored on the raster image processor.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the raster image processor further includes computer programming for translation of the data into a homogenous messaging format.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the messaging format is Job Messaging Format.

14. The system of claim 9 further comprising a proofer for generating a low volume output of a printed product to be generated by the printing plate.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the low volume output comprises a two-dimensional barcode.

16. The system of claim 9 further comprising a printing press for use with the printing plate wherein the printing press includes computer programming to enable the printing press to import data from the two-dimensional barcode.

17. The system of claim 9 wherein the two-dimensional barcode is further utilized to image replacement printing plates.