RIP
A processor that prepares data from the prepress stage for the production of printing plates.
A hardware device or program that calculates the printing instructions for the bitmapped image of text and graphics and then converts the instructions into dot patterns that can be understood by the output device.
Its most important function is to create screens for printing images and other graphic elements.
As a rule, an RIP is a separate computer, but it can also come in the form of software.