The Magazine Issue 4

Transcription

News & opinions from around the world from Dalim Software
JDF
Life-saver for print?
1st to 5.0
VANDOK goes to DALiM TWiST 5.0
Next revolution
JDF preflighting is here
Don’t look back
Reproscan shakes up production
Top billing
Columbia House in the SWiNG
Q3 2004
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Contents
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WELCOME
6
NEWS, NEWS, NEWS
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MAKE IT FIVE
VANDOK upgrades to DALiM TWiST v5.0
THEMAGAZiNE
Issue 3
Q4 2004
14
PORTFOLIO
A-Z of Dalim Software technology
Dalim Software GmbH
Strassburger Strasse 6
D-77694 Kehl
Germany
t: +49 (0) 7851 91 96 0
f: +49 (0) 7851 73 57 6
w: www.dalim.com
20
STEPPING STONES TO JDF
Martin Bailey takes you by the hand
22
THE NEXT REVOLUTION
JDF driven preflighting
DESIGN
Franck Stoll - [email protected]
PRINTING
Our sincere thanks to
Continental Web Press, Itasca IL
24
TOP BILLING
Columbia House gets in the SWiNG!
28
DON’T LOOK BACK
Reproscan shakes up production
30
LOOKING IN THE WRONG PLACE
Gee Ranasinha considers the new world order
| The Magazine | Q3 2004
EDITORIAL
Gee Ranasinha - [email protected]
Anne Baltzer - [email protected]
Ruth Clark - [email protected]
Irv Press - [email protected]
3
FA S T E R P R O D U C T I O N
W O R K F L O W A U T O M AT I O N
S E A M L E S S I N T E G R AT I O N
ASSET MANAGEMENT
MANAGEMENT AND PREPRESS
S E RV E R S O L U T I O N S F O R D I G I TA L A S S E T
I N T E G R AT I O N , A U T O M AT I O N ,
C O L L A B O R AT I O N
FULLPRESS AND ITS COMPANION PRODUCTS, WEBNATIVE AND
WEBNATIVE VENTURE, COMBINE AN OPEN AND INTEGRATED
PRODUCTION INFRASTRUCTURE WITH INTERNET-BASED
COLLABORATION, ASSET MANAGEMENT AND DATABASE
DATABASE DRIVEN
AUTOMATION. THE ENTIRE XINET SOLUTION HAS BEEN
F U L L P R E S S + W E B N AT I V E
®
®
DESIGNED FROM THE GROUND-UP TO LEVERAGE ITS POWERFUL
FEATURES IN A SYSTEM GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS.
F u l l P r e s s v. 1 2
“We use WebNative to generate
Bob Stuart, Jr.
revenue via asset management
President
sales as well as by leveraging its
Vermillion, Inc.
value to close new prepress and
Derry, New Hampshire
printing business.”
$
COMPLETE PDF WORKFLOW
W W W. X I N E T. C O M
P R E P R E S S S E RV E R S O F T WA R E
ONE SOLUTION
The latest release of FullPress delivers a highlyintegrated, server-based PDF workflow. With the
addition of easier queue management and
industry-standard PDF generation, such as
PDF/X-1a and Pass4Press, FullPress provides the
flexibility and precision needed in today’s
today’s
workflows. Also new, Xinet’s Picture Wrangler for
Adobe InDesign CS, is an automatic image
re-linking and updating tool that makes working
with complicated layouts much easier. Picture
Wrangler for Adobe Illustrator CS and Picture
Wrangler for QuarkXPress are also included with
FullPress v. 12.
®
W e b N a t i v e V e n t u r e v. 6
WebNative Venture’s new “triggers and actions”
feature allows exciting database-driven
automation, bringing together the asset
management and the production aspects of a
workflow. Any change to the metadata values
within the database can trigger one or more
actions, such as approval queries, deadline
notification, e-mail announcements, proof
generation, archiving, the movement of a file, or
final output of a job.
®
The Xinet suite of advanced workflow applications
has been leading the industry since its introduction
in 1995. Today, it provides the backbone for
thousands of printing, publishing, advertising and
corporate customers worldwide.
®
XINET
®
© 2004 Xinet,
Inc.
A
message
from Carol Werlé
Welcome to Issue Three of the THEMAGAZiNE, Dalim Software’s own title
designed for both existing and soon-to-be users of Dalim Software solutions.
For those of you who seen THEMAGAZiNE before, you’ll notice that we’ve been
working hard on improving the layout and content to better inform graphic arts
professionals on the industry as a whole. THEMAGAZiNE is meant to be an evolving
title, so if you have any comments or suggestions on how we can improve it, please let
us know at [email protected].
We also feature some interesting thoughts on the type of qualifications print companies
need to look for in interviewing prospective applicants in this internet age, as well as
some interesting customer case studies describing how Dalim Software applications
have brought new levels of efficiencies and increased profits.
Whether you’re a long time user of our products, or looking to see how our systems
could integrate within you own environment, we hope that you’ll be as excited reading
THEMAGAZiNE as we were in creating it.
Best Regards,
Dr. Carol Werlé
Chief Executive Officer, Dalim Software GmbH
Dr. Carol Werlé
This issue deals with a subject attracting a lot of attention right now: JDF. Reading
some of the industry websites and trade magazines, it seems that there is a lot of
misinformation about what exactly JDF, or the Job Definition Format, means to the
average prepress/print company today. Our guest writer for this issue is Martin Bailey
who, as well as being Senior Technical Consultant at Global Graphics Software is also
CEO of the CIP4 organisation. Who better to talk about what JDF means today, rather
than tomorrow?
5
News
DALIM TWiST version 5
Now Shipping
DALiMTWiST Editor Window
Following its launch at DRUPA, the
JDF-enabled DALiM TWiST v5.0 is
now shipping worldwide. This powerful
intelligent automated workflow software
is based on modular tools that can
rapidly be configured into an almost
infinite variety of automatic processing
paths. DALiM TWiST is a total ‘groundup’ rebuild, offering maximum resiliency,
built-in system failover, advanced load
balancing, native PDF 1.4 and PDF 1.5
file support, a totally new and easy to
use graphical user interface,
PDF/X-1a:2003; PDF/X-3: 2003,
Pass4Press(v4) and PDF/X Plus file
output and introduces a raft of innovative
new preflight and colour separation
mapping tools to the industry.
Dalim Software and
Dynagram Offer JDF
Compatibility
6
Dalim Software and Dynagram, an
authority in digital imposition, have
announced JDF compatibility between
Dynagram’s flagship imposition
solution, DynaStrip and Dalim
Software’s print production and process
management applications, DALiM
MiSTRAL and DALiM PRiNTEMPO.
DynaStrip, Dynagram’s flagship
product, is a powerful standalone suite
of digital imposition solutions developed
to meet an entire range of imposition
needs. DynaStrip is quickly become the
norm in the industry because it has an
infinite number of imposition capabilities
and easily integrates into major
workflows such as DALiM MiSTRAL and
DALiM PRiNTEMPO. The solution also
offers JDF for workflows adhering to the
new JDF standard, the latest in the
printing industry.
Moreover, DynaStrip is a flexible native
PDF imposition solution that, combined
with any PDF-RIP, can become a
cost-effective and highly flexible PDF
workflow.
DALiM DiALOGUE Goes
to v3.0 and Gets New
Approval Feature
DALiM DiALOGUE interface
DALiM DiALOGUE’s feature sets
continue to grow apace with the release
of v3.0 of the online softproofing system.
Already an award-winner (a MacWorld
“Best of Show” and a GraphExpo “Worth
A LooK” in 2003), DALiM DiALOGUE’s
combination of powerful ‘real-world’
features, gorgeous user interface and
Mac OS X availability have helped the
software become the most talked-about
softproofing system in the industry.
Version 3.0 adds online file approval
features, increased file rendering speeds
and updated Java compatibility with the
latest operating systems.
i For more information, please contact
your local Dalim Software representative
or contact [email protected]
“Give 5 - Take 5”: Five
decades for w&co
MediaServices MÜNCHEN (w&p) – Half a century
success in Prepress: Munich-based
media services company w&co
MediaServices celebrated its 50th year
of existence under the theme “Give 5
– Take 5” with a lavish birthday party.
The party took place in June 2004,
in Terminal 2 of Munich international
airport, one of the most modern
buildings in Europe. “I associate
innovation, expansion, vision and
flexibility with this place. A perfect
framework to celebrate our Jubilee”
declares CEO Alexander Werk-meister.
On June 17th 1954 – exactly two
weeks after the German football team
won the soccer World Cup - Josef
Werkmeister, Alfred Kreuzer and
Hans Weissen-berger Senior created
the repro company Weissen-ber-ger
GmbH & Co. KG. As the years went
by, numerous technical developments
and an increasing customer-base made
for expansion, with the opening of
Online customer testimonial video
See Alexander Werkmeister give his impressions of
working with Dalim Software applications in a short video.
View/download from http://www.dalim.com/video. (N.B.
German-language only).
New "DOTDRIVE" Interface:
1-bit TIFF Output
Maintaining an open systems approach to its automated
workflow production software tools for the print, publishing
and packaging industries, Dalim Software announces its
new DOTDRiVE interface tool for DALiM TWiST.
The tool allows a workflow operator, either directly within
DALiM TWiST, or through the TWiST WEBLiNK Internet
interface, to output screened 1-bit TIFF files to feed
proofers, platesetters or digital presses. The DOTDRiVE
Interface tool allows the DALiM TWiST server to control
final RIP output parameters directly from within the DALiM
TWiST Workflow Manager.
Plan Now For 2005
DUO Meeting
in Europe and USA
Make sure that your company
is represented at the 2005
Dalim Users Organisation
(“DUO”) Annual Conference.
The European conference will be held in London in
March, while the North American DUO is planned for
mid-April in Orlando, Florida.
DUO meetings attract over well over 100 Dalim
Software distributors and print, prepress, publishing
and packaging customers to discuss Dalim
Software’s latest product developments and
preview its powerful new workflow technologies and
products planned for release in 2005 and beyond.
Repeating the successful formula of previous years
each event will feature a Keynote Presentation by a
well-known industry figure. The meetings will also
include special guest presentations from customers
describing how ‘real world’ implementations of
Dalim Software based production systems have
changed their businesses, bringing new levels of
efficiency.
“The success of DUO can be traced to the aims
of the organisation, which are to increase
member’s knowledge and understanding
of Dalim Software’s products, as well as the
company itself,” says Carol Werlé,
Werlé, Dalim Software
CEO. “We have made a concerted effort to build
a strong user community, and a knowledge base
where members can learn from other customers’
experiences.
One of the key differentiators separating
Dalim Software from other companies is our
commitment to ultimate customer satisfaction
through development of the most flexible, highestproductivity open systems applications possible.”
i Dalim Software users who wish to attend the
European or the US DUO meetings can contact
Dalim Software at [email protected].
[email protected].
additional offices in Hamburg, Berlin and (most recently)
Bulgaria. Most of the company growth can be attributed
to CEO Alexander Werkmeister. Working in his father’s
company since 1980, he became CEO in 1991.
Long time Dalim Software partner, w&co offers technical
consulting and creative services as a complement to their
digital prepress services. A partnership with prepress
company Meyle+Müller AG highlights the company ethic
of collaboration. Along common customer-based projects,
the two companies have already co-developed an internetbased service utilising DALiM TWiST as the central
prepress “engine”.
7
News
This includes settings such as all RIP
interpretation (e.g. knockout/overprint
settings) and screening output.
DALiM TWiST users can also set
these parameters remotely from a
standard web browser via the TWiST
WEBLiNK module. If preferred,
RIP variables can be input into the
DALiM TWiST workflow PPD, allowing
optional RIP control via the Macintosh
desktop when users ‘Print’ files to the
workflow.
RIP and screening settings can be
set dynamically by the software from
production database entries, a unique
feature of the DALiM TWiST workflow.
By using the TWIST DOTDRiVE
Interface all output files can be sent
directly into one RIP queue, rather
than requiring the RIP operator to
create specific RIP queues for each
different set of output parameters.
The TWiST DOTDRiVE interface tool
supports Red Hat Linux-based RIPs
as available from Xitron® Inc. utilizing
the Global Graphics® Harlequin® RIP
interpreter and screening engine.
The Linux version of the Xitron RIP
will be available exclusively through
Authorized Dalim Software Resellers
(ADRs).
Consequently, digital PostScript and
PDF files are automatically checked
on reception by the StingRay FTS
for completeness and printability
and converted to TIF, PostScript or
PDF format as required. If an error
is detected in the file, the file is
automatically returned to the sender
with an error report. The automation of
StingRay FTS combined with DALiM
SWiNG Normaliser is a powerful
partnership. Furthermore, DALiM SWiNG
Normaliser can be managed and
Hermstedt’s StingRay
monitored very easily via a browserbased DALiM WEBLiNK interface.
“Dalim Software is a major supplier of
professional software solution for the
prepress industry” said Jörg Hermstedt,
Managing Director of Hermstedt
AG. “This agreement enables us to
provide added value to our customers
by extending the core benefits of our
professional file transfer server, StingRay
FTS, allowing companies to improve
their workflow integration.”
i For further information on StingRay
Hermstedt and Dalim
Software in Technical
and Commercial Link
8
Hermstedt AG and Dalim Software
have merged their technical skills
in data transfer and workflow and
integrated the DALiM SWiNG
Normaliser software – a workflow for
checking digital printable documents
– into Hermstedt’s StingRay
FileTransfer Server.
FTS and DALiM SWiNG Normaliser
please call Hermstedt on: +49 (0)621
/ 7650-0
THE MAGAZiNE:
Dalim Software practices
what it preaches
In case you were wondering: Yes,
indeed, this issue of THE MAGAZiNE
was produced with Dalim Software
tools. And, it was definitely a global
production, bringing together locations
between Dalim Software’s central
office in Kehl, Germany to its PR
agencies in London and Boston, and
its printer, Continental Web Press, in
Chicago.
DALIM MiSTRAL was used as the
collaborative interface, allowing the
agencies to submit copy, as well as
photos and art, to our art director
at Dalim Software headquarters.
Underlying all of this was the engine,
DALiM TWiST, an automated production
workflow. As the pages were created by
our art director and posted to MiSTRAL,
they were preflighted, proofs made, and
reviewed – yes, like many publications,
there were a number of people with
their hands in this.
The Magazine powered by Dalim Softare
Continental Web Press, a Dalim
Software customer, created and hosted
a redundant, mirror site of our project
on their DALiM MiSTRAL system.
Everything from Germany – complete
pages along with project status history,
was sent via the Internet to Chicago.
As pages were received, they were
automatically preflighted, optimised and
trapped.
When THE MAGAZiNE was completely
approved, Continental Web’s DALiM
TWiST engine did the rest. Pages were
imposed, and production-ready files
were prepared for the platesetter and
RIP. As Ken Field, President and CEO
of Continental Web remarked, ”We handled this job like
all of the others we produce for publishers throughout the
States. When the issue was complete, we just pressed
the ‘Print’ button, Our system did all of the rest.”
Getting bigger down-under!
First Dalim Software distributor in
Australia
As a direct response to growing demand for our industryleading software solutions, Dalim Software is pleased to
announce the appointment of our first Authorised Dalim
Software Reseller (ADR) in Australia and New Zealand
- yet another significant addition to the growing global
network of channel partners.
neXus network, based in Ultimo, Sydney, is a specialist
technology services and consulting company and is
recognised as Australia’s leading independent prepress
and publishing systems integrator assisting companies to
move towards adopting best practice workflows.
prepress companies, as well as mid-size government and
commercial organisations.
neXus network will supply Dalim Software’s powerful
automatic workflow tools to provide customers with
flexible, high-end, but cost-effective, prepress and
publishing digital workflow solutions.
“Dalim Software is considered one of the world’s leading
workflow technology developers and their solutions fit
perfectly with our suite of leading products,” says John
Dobbin, Director, nexus network.
“We are very pleased that neXus network has joined the
team,” says Dalim Software’s Business Development
Manager for the region, Bertin Sorgenfrey. “They are
a highly-respected company throughout Australia with
strong technical expertise and a considerable knowledge
of the graphic arts industry. They haven’t wasted any
time and have already started installing some workflow
systems in the Sydney area.”
www.nexusnet.com.au
Design Your Future
M.A. Degree in Graphic Communications
Management and Technology
Become a leader in the graphic communications industry.
• Learn the latest advances in technological applications,
management practices, and communication theory
• Work and learn in a state-of-the-art digital laboratory
• Study in one of the premier media studies departments
• Evening, weekend, and summer courses
The nexus network team
• Exclusive career networking opportunities
• Scholarships for full- and part-time study
L E A R N M O R E TO DAY !
www.education.nyu.edu/dalim
[email protected] or 212.998.5128
New York
University
The Steinhardt
School of Education
New York University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution.
The company distributes a wide range of hardware and
software and provides a full range of services including
engineering and support, architecture and integration,
training and tuition, state-of-art websites, strategic IT
planning and e-business development. neXus’ client base
of approximately 100 companies includes leading design
studios, advertising agencies, publishers, printing and
9
"flexible"
in more ways than one
Prepress flexo company VANDOK
was one of the very first Dalim
Software users to upgrade to
DALiM TWiST v5.0
10
Based in Zaandam, Netherlands,
VANDOK prides themselves as being
an innovative prepress company
that specialises in the creation and
production of flexographic plates for
the packaging industry.
Since J.J. van Dok created the company in 1954, VANDOK
has grown to become one of the most prominent
packaging production companies in Europe. Keeping at
the leading edge of innovation, the company now offers
client services in all steps of production: from project
management, prepress and proofing to production of
polymer plates for flexo printing.
Apart from allowing unlimited users, offering unrivalled
systems scalability and being available under the Linux
operating system (something that the company’s IT
personnel were already using for file serving and print
spooling), VANDOK ultimately chose DALiM TWiST
for its flexibility. DALiM TWiST’s phenomenal range of
over 160 “Basic Tools” allow users to create automated
production workflows that simply cannot be created using
other means. Thanks to DALiM TWiST, VANDOK offers
a vast range of prepress services to their clients: design
services, artwork creation, proofing, ink-to-substrate
colour optimisation, plate production, etc. All of this helps
VANDOK to product print-ready data for the precise
specifications of the flexo industry – faster and more
consistently.
VANDOK chose DALiM TWiST as their production workflow
engine for a number of reasons. Having compared
several workflows, DALiM TWiST attracted attention for
its systems scalability, which allows users to grow the
system in response to their needs. It makes for a so-called
“future-proof” investment. Even today, DALiM TWiST is
still the only truly scalable automated production system
in the industry, allowing growth either by CPU, by server
cluster - or even by a combination of the two. “All the other
workflows we looked at were either limited in the number
of users, or only work on a single server,” notes Jan-Peter
Van Dok, VANDOK’s CEO. “This would have meant that
the growth of the company itself would have been limited
to what the server could handle, or that major investments
and maintenance costs would rise as the system was
utilised more. That was clearly not an option.”
11
It’s clear that VANDOK were very happy with the way their
DALiM TWiST installation was working. So why were they
so quick to change over to v5.0?
the file itself and converted into a PDF file for automatic
emailing to the client. Viewing the preflight report is quick
and easy as the entire report is linked to the file via the
PDF “Bookmark” feature. The new preflighting process
greatly facilitates VANDOK’s preflight report transmission
to clients. The file can be viewed with the standard
(free to download) version of Adobe Reader 6, and can
be automatically regionalised into a range of different
languages for VANDOK’s growing international client base.
The reason comes down to the rapid changes in the
printing industry. One of the main reasons why VANDOK
moved to v5.0 is the system’s JDF compatibility, enabling
the integration of DALiM TWiST into VANDOK’s “Global
Production Management” project. The aim of the project
is to connect the company’s job administration directly
to a centralised production database. DALiM TWiST
“There was another factor that made us look at moving
will then connect to this database in order to define
to v5.0”, laughs Jan-Peter “and that was the great look of
the required production processes automatically. Each
the new interface!” But the beauty of the DALiM TWiST is
business system – database, management information
far more than skin deep: it has been totally re-engineered
system, prepress workflow engine – will intercommunicate
to make it easier to work with, far faster to use and have
using JDF. Using this system,
a more logical layout. This
VANDOK plans to be able to
has already shown benefits
the beauty of the DALiM TWiST
increase production capacity,
in terms of less training, not
reduce each job’s requirement is far more than skin deep: it has
only for VANDOK operators
of operator “hands-on”
but also for clients who
been totally re-engineered to make submit work from the TWiST
intervention, decrease “per
job” costs and better utilise
WEBLiNK Internet interface.
it easier to work with
their staff – all without requiring
“Creating and modifying
major investment.
workflows has become even
easier – but the benefits of
Part of v5.0’s cutting-edge JDF compatibility includes a
v5.0 are far more than that” enthuses Jan-Peter. “Some of
new type of file preflight report, powered by the world’s
the new features of v5.0 are just awesome and unavailable
first JDF-driven file preflight engine. Up until now, preflight
from anywhere else – such as the automated way of
reports were usually only viewable in a log form, which
recombining separated PDF files into composite ones. If I
required users to have some DALiM TWiST experience in
had to be picky, the only thing that I’d want from v5.0 that I
order to determine what and where the preflight error was
don’t have today is its availability under the Macintosh OS
located – and how to address it.
X operating system.”
With DALiM TWiST v5.0, preflight reporting and error
locating has been considerably simplified thanks to a
new type of preflight report designed to be very visual,
easier to understand and easier to work with. The preflight
report can be integrated with a low-resolution version of
12
With Dalim Software’s recent OS X
announcement, it seems that Jan-Peter’s
wish has been granted.
VANDOK Prepress Packaging Professionals http://www.vandok.com
Jan-Peter van Dok couldn’t be happier with his v5.0 system
A Guide to Dalim Software Production
Solutions
14
Founded almost twenty years ago,
Dalim Software is a leader in the design and development
of innovative and automated workflow and communication
software for the publishing and graphic arts industries.
From our corporate HQ in Kehl, South-Western Germany,
we offer software solutions designed to ease and
automate the processing of files prior to printing in order to
maximise the productivity of our customers.
The Dalim Software products (DALiM TWiST™, DALiM
LiTHO™, DALiM DiALOGUE™, DALiM PRiNTEMPO™,
DALiM MiSTRAL® and DALiM SWiNG™) are based on
open systems and technologies. They enable companies
to implement scalable, internet-capable systems that
provide clients with the highest level of interaction and
efficiency.
Our products can be used independently, in conjunction
with other vendors’ equipment, or as part of an integrated
publishing system. Using standard hardware platforms
and our unique object-oriented approach to software
development, future solutions can be simply and efficiently
incorporated.
15
The
Products
Intelligent and automated digital production
workflow
DALiM TWiST™ is an automated production workflow system for printers,
publishers and prepress organisations requiring best-of-breed performance and indepth production management.
Based on modular tools, the software is fully scalable and can be rapidly configured
into an almost infinite variety of automatic processing paths. The software’s
powerful feature sets (database driven workflows, JDF preflighting & imposition,
web-based job tracking, file submission and administration, advanced automated
trapping, etc) has allowed some of the industry’s leading names to achieve high
throughput, reliability and flexibility in demanding environments, plus gain significant
performance and feature benefits.
DALiM TWiST provides users with an extremely robust, reliable and high-productivity
production workflow. Files generated from applications (such as Quark XPress,
Adobe InDesign and Pagemaker, PostScript, PDF, TIFF/IT, TIFF, EPS, DCS, etc) are
preflighted, normalised and secured as print-predictable, “reference” PDFs which
form the basis for all subsequent processes such as hard/soft proofing, imposition,
distribution and output to film, plate, press and digital archive/asset management
systems. This secure format is designed for both ‘RIP Once, Output Many’ (ROOM)
and ‘Normalise Once, Render Many’ (NORM) production environments where data
integrity and consistency has to be ensured across multiple proofing and output
devices.
DALiM TWiST also benefits from a range of other features including the ability to
generate production-standard PDF files that conform to ISO and ANSI standards
such as PDF/X-1a and PDF/X-3, as well as define and select a range of specific
workflow parameters directly from the Macintosh desktop. Colour management
features include CMYK to CMYK colour space transformation with the option to
protect black text as pure black; and a Colour Protection Transformation feature
which allows users to protect certain colours or colour channels from colour space
transformation. Plus, full integration with Dalim Software’s web-based applications
WEBLiNK and DALiM DiALOGUE provide Internet-based remote management and
soft proofing.
16
The new JDF-enabled Version 5 of DALiM TWiST™ now offers maximum resiliency,
built-in system failover, advanced load balancing, native PDF 1.4 and PDF 1.5 file
support, a totally new and easy to use graphical user interface, PDF/X-1a:2003;
PDF/X-3: 2003, Pass4Press(v4) and PDF/X Plus file output and introduces a raft of
innovative new preflight and colour separation mapping tools to the industry.
Integrated and advanced file editing
DALiM LiTHO provides page editing, assembly and PDF / PostScript
editing tools. The application enables companies to produce layout pages with
full functionality without the usual problem of having to change between a number
of applications. Images can be imported, colour-corrected and retouched, layout
images exchanged for high-end scans, montages and transparencies produced,
and text edited.
The software is based on an open architecture and can import PostScript data,
all known image formats and PDF documents for editing. The software’s highly
developed PDF input feature imports all the information from an original document
as a unit, and provides full editing capabilities, far in excess of those from similar
“PDF Editing” applications, at the same time not being restricted to editing just PDF
files.
DALiM LiTHO also outputs to a range of formats including TIFF, DCS1 or 2.0, PDF,
PDF/X, Hell, Crosfield or Scitex format. The software also supports all popular OPI
solutions, such as Xinet FullPress and Helios Imageserver, making it highly suitable
for all companies with complex requirements in terms of seamless integration with
other systems.
These features offer enormous advantages in improving workflow efficiencies as
composition can be altered directly at the correction stage without having to open
image elements, process them, save them and update them, thereby minimising the
time spent by the operator on achieving final rendering of the background.
A version of DALiM LiTHO is supplied with every copy of DALiM TWiST, considerably
adding to the flexibility of the system.
DALiM LiTHO 64 is the industry’s first 64-bit desktop file editing
application, optimised to open and handle files of practically any size. Containing all
of the same features as DALiM LiTHO, the software is designed to run on the SGI
Octane,
ctane, Octane 2 and Fuel workstations only. Intended for high content applications
where
here individual file sizes regularly exceed 4GB, commonly experienced, for
example,
xample, within the web, security and cartographic printing sectors, LiTHO64
provides
rovides outstanding performance and the ability to work on files of virtually any size
(up
up to 9 million
illion terabytes, which translates as a 300 dpi image at 800m x 800m!).
Consequently,
onsequently,
ntly, large files, such as those generated by 16-page, 24-page, 32-page
firms
ms and mutli-layer map files, can be handled with ease and opened at speed to
allow
low high-resolution
-resolution viewing - and even retouching.
Multi-featured
eatured online softproofing
DALiM DiALOGUE™ Providing users with an on-line facility this stand-
Not an ASP
P service, but a software application that you install and run as any other,
DALiM DiALOGUE
ALOGUE is able to display the most popular file formats, such as PDF
(in
(including
PDF1.5), PDF/X, PostScript, DCS, CT/LW, TIFF, TIFF-IT and TIFF-IT/P1.
While also available for the Red Hat Linux operating system, DALiM DiALOGUE is
While
th first online
the
line softproofing product available for Apple Macintosh OS X.
alone
one application is the only such system available under the Macintosh OS X
operating
perating system, that enables remote and collaborative viewing, softproofing and
job validation
on of high-resolution files (such as PDF, PDF/X, PostScript, CT/LW, TIFF,
etc.) via the
e Internet. Utilising unique data-streaming technology to standard webbrowsers, users such as photographers, ad agencies and designers, can view highresolution files, zoom, navigate, place virtual notes, take densitometer readings,
check production
duction parameters, validate and ‘chat’ in real time, without the need for
client software,
ware, to approve single and imposed pages from any location.
17
Web-based print production monitoring
DALiM PRiNTEMPO™ is a web browser-based JDF-enabled print
production system that can be used by a printer on any client platform, to monitor
and track print production status. DALIM PRiNTEMPO also allows any print
company to offer client services such as online file submission, preflighting, and job
tracking without changing their existing equipment.
Using a single interface, operators can trigger actions such as plate or proof
generation and automate production of imposed pages, giving sheet and web-offset
printers an extremely powerful tool to manage their businesses more efficiently
and more profitably. Being fully compatible with existing hardware solutions and
independent of file format and output devices, DALiM PRiNTEMPO allows prepress
shops to formulate a complete solution, using their preferred imposition software,
RIP, proofer, and output devices. Users may also choose their working file formats
(e.g.ROOM or NORM; vector or bitmap), plus create Job Ticket Definition JDF
templates, and automatically generate complete print signatures.
At any given moment, the production operator has a clear status view of each job,
its pages, and its impositions as either thumbnails or full-page PDF views of each
page. This gives production full, real-time control over production planning and
management. By fixing deadlines for each stage, or by reverse calculating all interim
deadlines from the final job deadline, any job can be controlled and scheduling
difficulties can be detected proactively.
DALiM PRINTEMPO also supports versioning. If a new page version is received, it
is stored and labelled with a different version number. Users can select a preferred
version at any time – even a former version. The signature is automatically assigned
new status for validation or approval. If pagination changes, a simple ‘drag and
drop’ from a “clipboard” allows the operator to correctly edit the page order, and
automatically generate a new imposed form. When a page does not exactly fit
the graphical expectations, some last minute changes, such as page translations,
rotation or scaling can be performed directly in the signature.
Compatible with virtually every output device and RIP available, DALiM PRiNTEMPO
allows printers and prepress companies the latest browser-based and JDF
technologies without large equipment investment.
Web-based production management
DALiM MiSTRAL is a JDF-compliant web-based production
management system that acts as an interface for both common
electronic submission and print production management for tracking, administration,
correction, approval and printing. Built with an open architecture to assimilate
into any prepress or publishing environment utilising open hardware and software
protocols, plus using object-orientated programming and a device-independent
output model users are free to work with an extensive range of both open and
proprietary file formats. No special client-side software is required to interrogate the
system. Users also benefit from JDF compliance features including advanced job
ticketing, imposition and preflighting.
18
The system is much more than a production indicator, but a unique collaborative
technology that sits on top of any workflow and allows all parties involved in the
development of “publishable material” to have a single, common electronic interface
to obtain information on the development of the project in real time and from any
remote location. By integrating the development with a web server and advanced,
open database connectivity, the result is a ‘total solution ’ production management,
scheduling and tracking system that serves as the production backbone to handle
all of a printer’s projects and the communication with their suppliers and clients.
DALiM MiSTRAL features a client independent web-based interface, with a unique
“floating toolbox”, that has a look and feel similar to working directly in a prepress
application. While viewing a flatplan within DALiM MiSTRAL, users can “drag and
drop” new pages from a clipboard directly to where they should be placed. If
another page is already there, the user can move and exchange existing pages,
sending older versions to a clipboard. This versioning capability allows users to
keep as many page versions as desired, allowing the opportunity to restore the
former page if a client changes his mind, or if time constraints demand rebuilding
the project.
ect. The toolbox also allows the creation of new sections by simply dragging
it where new pages need to be created. DALiM MiSTRAL has a considerable
number of new options that are more intuitive, allowing the operator easier access
to often-used
-used commands.
With DALiM
LiM MiSTRAL ODBC/JDBC compliant database data can be shared
between
n the prepress workflow application and business systems on other
computers.
ers. Project status can also be viewed as colour-coded page icons, JPG
thumbnails
ails and PDF full views of completed pages, helping project teams to
create and
nd fine-tune best-practice workflows, resulting in fewer errors, increased
productivity,
vity, exceptional customer service, and more rapid project turnaround.
DALiM
M SWiNG is an entry-level suite of automated workflow solutions and
fits perfectly
ectly into situations where the production bottleneck highlights a particular
prepresss task, such as “optimising” files into a “Print-Predictable” state, automated
trapping and trap editing, automated proofing, etc.
The software
ware offers compatibility and integration with existing industry standard
format and allows integration into mixed system environments. The software offers
a simple to understand user interface controlled by a single tool, which is available
from both the server and Macintosh OSX / Windows workstations.
For printers, DALiM SWiNG can be used for (for example) ensuring error-free page
output regardless of the type of incoming file. In a design environment digital
artwork can be delivered to the exact specifications required by publishers or
printers straight after the client has signed-off the PDF softproof. As a prepress
house or print originator automated workflows can be se up to accept client files
and undertake unattended production.
DALiM SWiNG can be seamlessly upgraded to DALiM TWiST at any time in the
future. Dalim Software’s unique migration policy protects customer investment since
the migration fee is just the difference in price between the two products at the time
of the change.
19
JDF stepping
stones
by Martin Bailey
How do you make the decision about whether to
implement a JDF-based workflow in your company or
not?
Martin Bailey, Senior Technical Consultant, Global
Graphics Software is also CEO of the CIP4
Organisation. Here, Martin gives some tips on the
steps you need to take to transition to JDF smoothly.
A lot has been written about
the potential that JDF has for improving
the efficiency of print workflows, leading
to greater profit through reduced costs
or greater throughput. Assuming that
you’re at least considering making that
decision, you’ll probably have found that
somewhat less information is available
on the next steps to take. How do you
get from where you are now to where
you want to be?
To address a scope this large it
necessarily provides rather general
suggestions. Everything here should be
read in the context of the capabilities of
your company, the suppliers that you
have access to, and the legal framework
that you must work within. The only real
alternative to print automation besides
JDF is to stay with proprietary interfaces,
usually by buying all of your equipment
from a single vendor. Proprietary
interfaces, however, tend to lead to
islands of automation that are often
difficult to link together effectively. Even
if you could buy in all products from a
single vendor, a proprietary interface
18
20
would probably not enable efficient
connectivity to your customers and to
supply chain management in the same
way as JDF.
Where are you now?
Your first step should therefore be to
analyse your current workflows. You’ll
probably find that flow diagrams can
help as you map out current processes.
Start with the route taken by a job of
a typical format, assuming that no
errors occur and that no late changes
are requested by the customer. Map
the workflow out as a flowchart, then
add in the error handling and rework
processing routes. You may wish
to include any jobs that you had to
decline, or to contract out because you
couldn’t quite handle their requirements.
Now mark the steps that you’ve noticed
as being bottlenecks in the process.
Look at where quality control checks
find errors most often. Finally, look at
where equipment has to wait for staff
to perform simple operations that don’t
require a real human decision. One
of the most frequent comments from
people who went through the process
of switching from producing page film
to fully imposed CTP plates is that the
preparation work, including a move to a
fully digital workflow, saved them more
money, for much less outlay, than the
purchase of the CTP device itself. The
same situation may well arise as you
prepare for JDF
Martin Bailey
Where do you want to get to?
So, now you know where you are.
Next, what do you hope to achieve
using JDF? If the answer is that you
just want to use JDF, you should stop
now and reconsider. JDF usage has no
value in and of itself; it’s a key enabling
technology for an efficient workflow and
for flexible selection of components
from one or more vendors, but that’s
it. You must make the decision about
which of these are important to your
business model as you move forward.
It’s often a good idea to select one or
two key benefits and to concentrate on
achieving those rather than trying to do
everything at the same time.
The first business issue that most
people mention is a need to change
the relationship between throughput
and staffing. Many want to increase
the capacity of the plant at the same
staff cost, whilst others want to retain
the same capacity while reducing staff
costs. In a large print company you
may find that increasing automation
increases the need for dedicated IT
staff at the same time as a possible
reduction of staff levels elsewhere, to
ensure that you can gain the maximum
benefit from investment in the necessary
infrastructure. In a small company,
however, it’s likely that increased
automation will have rather little effect
on the requirement for computer
specialists, but will probably allow you to
make the best of your most skilled staff.
Next steps
Having defined your starting point and
where you’re aiming for, the next thing
to do is to figure how to get from one
to the other. It’s definitely not necessary
to try to make the whole journey in
one jump. A good first step is to make
one person within your organization
responsible for a migration towards JDF.
Next, pick a part of your workflow where
the impact will be greatest. Then talk to
your preferred vendors about their JDF-
based solutions. If your normal vendors
can’t supply what you need, however,
look around at what other suppliers can
offer. One of the major advantages of
JDF is in enabling open, multi-vendor
workflows, so it’s perfectly possible
to use new products in the areas of a
workflow where they can fill in the gaps
left by your existing equipment.
If you can assess your current
processes and requirements
and understand what you
need to do to move your
business forward, you’re
already well on your way to a
successful implementation.
More to the point, you’ll also
be several steps ahead of
your competition and have
demonstrated that you’re fit
to survive the evolutionary
struggle as print moves forward
into the 21st century.
Process control
A large part of defining the steps you
need to take is in understanding exactly
what your processes are now, and in
being clear about what you want to
achieve from the transition. The bulk of
work involved in quality management
is in putting good process control into
place. If you try to use automation
without good process control you’ll
just make more waste, faster; it’s one
of the surest ways there is to go out of
business. That’s true for any form of
automation, in any industry.
21
JDF Driven
File Preflighting
The
Many graphic arts
vendors, including
Dalim Software, are
working together
on new and more
efficient ways for
businesses to conduct
business by using
JDF as the common
communications
format.
22v
next
evolution towards
seamless prepress systems
interoperability
The JDF standard is the International
Cooperation for the Integration of Processes in Prepress,
Press and Postpress, otherwise known as CIP4 (www.
cip4.org). With over 220 members, CIP4’s purpose is
the development and promotion of vendor-independent
standards (such as JDF) for the graphic arts industry.
The idea of file ‘Preflighting’, the process of checking a
graphics file to ensure that the file and it’s constituent
elements fall within pre-determined specifications for the
printing process, has been around in various forms since
the mid-eighties.
However, it’s only really since the uptake of CTP in the
prepress and print markets (and the popularity of certain
file formats - especially PDF - that claim to ensure “less
problematic” production workflows) that preflighting
software has really come into its own.
The latest development from Dalim Software has been
in the area of file preflighting. Dalim Software’s new
preflighting engine is not only extremely advanced,
seeking out many possible file-output errors that other
systems may overlook; but the new preflighting engine is
also fully JDF-enabled.
predictable” files of virtually any format that precisely
meet print specifications. JDF Preflighting capabilities are
included at no extra charge with all of the latest versions of
Dalim Software server applications.
JDF-Driven Preflighting: The concept
Receiving a JDF file preflight profile from either a Dalim
Software application - or a number of soon-to-be-shipping
third party applications - the JDF Preflight Engine within
the Dalim Software server application preflights the file.
The preflighting parameters (e.g. colour space, document
size, maximum / minimum ink weights, font info, etc.) are
read from the JDF file and automatically implemented as
the preflight criteria for the Preflight Engine. Based upon
the preflighting result, the JDF Preflight Engine can output
a JDF-based “preflight report”, for subsequent inclusion
into the job’s JDF file if required. The JDF Preflight Report
can also be used as the base input data for parsing
through an XML ‘Style Sheet’ to generate a low-resolution
PDF file of the job. This PDF file contains the complete
JDF Preflight Report both as text information, as well as
hyperlinks within the PDF file. The hyperlink information
can be used to graphically highlight the particular
problematic areas of the file to the user.
The Industry’s first JDF-based
file preflighting engine
Announced at the DRUPA
exhibition in May 2004, Dalim
Software’s unique and powerful
file preflighting engine built-in to
DALiM SWiNG, DALiM TWiST,
DALiM PRiNTEMPO and DALiM
MiSTRAL is JDF-based, allowing
job ticket information to pass
transparently between Dalim
Software servers and third-party
systems.
Clicking on one of the red comments shows the user in a graphical form exactly which file object fails
to conform to the specified preflight criteria. Here, an image of incorrect resolution is highlighted in the
Bookmark list. Clicking on the comment causes the image to highlight in blue.
Sumary:- As the graphic arts industry continues to become more vendor-neutral and more systems interoperable in terms of job production,
initiatives such as the JDF standard will continue to become more important. In the same way as PostScript™ emerged as a ‘de facto’ standard
for the more reliable exchange of data in the graphic arts industry, JDF and XML - probably supplemented by other formats - will form the basis
for the reliable and predictable distribution of most “publishable data” to various print and publishing media. JDF not only delivers greater
accuracy in cost and estimate determination by connecting production and management systems together; but also in more efficient and
effective use of available resources. Users are able to choose a new piece of equipment based purely on its technical and/or commercial merits,
rather than whether it can be integrated with their existing production equipment. We predict that the introduction of JDF-Driven Preflighting to
the industry at DRUPA 2004 will be seen by the industry as yet another piece of the “JDF Puzzle” that has been implemented in Dalim Software
applications to further transparently automate the entire graphic arts process. JDF-Driven File Preflighting will indeed displace the currently
accepted methods of ensuring file output consistency due to it’s vendor-neutrality, systems interoperability and ease-of-use for the customer.
For the first time, premedia and
print companies are freed from
being forced to use vendorspecific, proprietary preflighting
technology to track and manage
files and check their validity
for purpose. Using DALiM
SWiNG, DALiM LiTHO or DALiM
TWiST, operators create “print-
23
top billing
Columbia House gives
to its in-house prepress department
Bringing prepress work in-house can certainly save production
time – and money. However, you have to do it right. Alex
Karinsky, Columbia House Company manager of prepress,
brought his prep work in-house and built a prepress
department utilizing DALiM SWiNG software. In the
process he was able to produce work much faster,
and for a song.
Headquartered in New York City, the Columbia House
Company is the world’s largest direct marketer of music, videos and DVD
home entertainment products. With approximately 8.5 million offline and
online club members in the United States and Canada, the company
provides direct-to-consumer marketing of almost 10,000 music titles and
about 6,000 DVD titles through its entertainment clubs. The company’s
Web site, www.columbiahouse.com is one of the premier e-commerce
brands and consistently ranks among the Web’s top 25 shopping
destinations.
For nearly twelve years, Columbia House was outsourcing its prepress
work. The outsourcing of the prepress workflow took too much time
sending work back and forth, and was costly. If files had to be altered
24
(left to right): Robert Wilkey, Jerome Bush, Alexander Karinsky, Tracey Pridgen, Milan Vlahek
or edited,
d, it could take as many as three or four days. In
order to be more cost efficient and responsive, Columbia
House decided to bring the company’s work in-house.
Alex Karinsky
insky was reassigned from his role as an art
director to manager of prepress responsible for overseeing
the development
elopment of a new department. Alex had
experience
ce installing prepress equipment and assembling
prepresss capabilities for other companies.
Automation
ion – having a tool set that would work without
manual intervention and without failing and crashing
– was extremely
xtremely important. Columbia House began
testing workflow software. One of the early systems
they tried
d did not have a good PDF engine – it always
failed when
hen generating PDF/X-1a files. Another vendor
visited Columbia House with what seemed to be a quite
robust workflow. Unfortunately, when the loaner box
was delivered,
vered, the workflow was unable to create a lowresolution
on multi-page PDF file.
Columbia House also bought a Xinet OPI system that
was linked to DALiM SWiNG with the optional Trap
module, used as the complete front end for every printed
page produced by Columbia House. Columbia House’s
products are sold through print and the web, so they
process all images and pages for the various output
formats. They accept image in various file formats and
sizes, such as TIFF and EPS, working with six different files
sizes and automatic scripts. Ultimately, work is sent by ftp
or NFS mount to Indiana, where Columbia House’s major
web production site is located.
It was at this time that Zenplex, a Dalim Software reseller,
visited Columbia House and installed a test box with
DALiM SWiNG. Testing a file containing realistic graphics
content on all three workflow engines side by side, one
workflow
w created an 18.5 Mb file, the other a 23 Mb
file, while
e DALiM SWiNG created a 7.5 Mb file, that was
also deemed
emed to have the best quality. Columbia House
producess 30,000 pages per year. Saving, at a minimum,
10Mb per
er page is extremely valuable. It means that a lot of
unnecessary
ssary data doesn’t get processed, and Columbia
House gets superior results on press. Alex decided DALiM
SWiNG was the best choice for his group, and installed it
with the help of Zenplex.
25
To assure each page is correct, Columbia House art
directors preflight work on-the-fly with DALiM SWiNG,
which runs as a PostScript checking tool. If there are
errors in the file, such as too high maximum ink density,
low-resolution artwork, or font selection, the art directors
are notified, and the file is corrected. Using Xinet
FullPress, Columbia House developed spoolers that send
files directly to a DALiM SWiNG workflow to create lowresolution PDF files to route internally for content approval
by the marketing
department.
as five or six color jobs. With DALiM SWiNG, Columbia
House can pre-set the functionality of the PPD. “It blew
me away. We can choose to keep spot colors in a job or
decide to convert them to their CMYK equivalents from
the PPD – rather than publishing a different spooler with
different settings or create many more workflows,” remarks
Alex. “We can control everything from each individual Mac
workstation.”
Columbia House is
saving millions a year by
bringing their prepress
operations in-house.
Their department of six
handles all of the work their
prepress vendor handled
with 12-15 employees.
They have turned around
their workflow from 3-4 days to 24 hours. If there is a
critical page, it can be ready within minutes to send to
the marketing department for review or deliver to the print
vendor. “The cooperation between the Xinet and Dalim
Software systems really allows considerable workflow
benefits, reducing our turnaround time and producing the
internal efficiencies we have. Art directors can get to their
art easy enough and can print much faster using our OPI
server. The Xinet server sends a good PostScript file to
DALiM SWiNG, which pumps it through quickly. What blew
me away was how quickly DALiM SWiNG was creating a
PDF file and spitting it back to us,” says Alex.
I like everything about
DALiM SWiNG. It has
never gone down,”
The prepress department
takes the final, approved
Quark file and generates
a high-resolution PDF/
X-1a file and provides
a digital proof. One of
Columbia House’s printers claims the files they receive
from Columbia House are the best they receive. When
the marketing and legal departments approve the proofs,
the prepress department sends a message to the printer
that the files are available to pick up. Initially, most printers
needed TIFF-IT and DCS2 files, but Columbia House
considers PDF/X-1a files the better choice for efficiency.
Using Columbia House’s Xinet Webnative system, most
print vendors ‘dial in’ and collect files rather than using ftp.
That way, Columbia House doesn’t have to worry about
delivery.
While some printers require trapped files, Columbia House
conducts trapping only about 10% of the time – although
it is capable of doing more. The powerful workflow toolset
in DALiM SWiNG allows Columbia House to create DCS,
TIFF-IT, and PDF/X1a trapped files all from one command.
Because printers typically build imposed flats for the
platesetter, they trap the job at the same time. When
dealing with large presses, there are different variances.
Among their 20 print vendors, pretty much all have very
specific press requirements.
The PPD tool that Dalim SWiNG creates from the PS
Check workflow has been particularly helpful for Columbia
House. They run many spot colors –from two to as many
26
“Zenplex has been phenomenal and their response
time has been great. They invite you to find problems,”
comments Alex. “If needed, Zenplex can even write a
script to fix almost any issue.”
“If we were not configured with DALiM SWiNG,
Columbia House would not be efficient
enough to turn around work as quickly as we
do. If we had to rely on another PDF engine,
we’d be in trouble - sitting around waiting
for the processor to create our files. I like
everything about DALiM SWiNG. It has never
gone down,” summarizes
es Alex.
Reproscan hasn’t looked back since it
integrated
its production
processes with those of its publishing clients
across Europe.
Reproscan srl is a progressive Italian repro-house
house
served by Hyphen-Italia, Dalim Software’s authorised
d
integrator and reseller in Italy. With just over 50 employees
oyees
(40 working in full-time production), Reproscan is one
e
of the successful examples of Italian repro-houses that
at
are branching out and making a positive impact on the
e
European market. The Bergamo-based company (Milan
an
area) opened a sales office in France eight years ago to
provide hands-on support for their French customers.
28
This independent company, owned by Ezio Naldi and hiss
partner, and run by the young and enthusiastic Giuliano
Manzoni (Technical Director), was established over
twenty years ago. As a forward thinking graphic arts
company, Reproscan was amongst the first prepress
Italian organizations to gain the prestigious ISO 9001:2000
0
certificate, an all-essential “must-have” for all companies
looking to expand their business and professional services
to the international market.
Over the years, Reproscan has built up an impressive
portfolio of influential customers both in Italy and abroad,
particularly on the French, Swiss and Belgium markets.
The company provides high quality prepress services
for the production of magazines and catalogues such as
3Suisses, Maty (France) and Ackermann (Switzerland),
to name just a few. In the Italian and French markets
Reproscan match quality with large volume production:
24 monthlies and 5 weeklies are produced for the Italian
and French markets alone. The company is also working
closely with Hachette in Paris for the production of art
books. Reproscan offers its services
ces round-the-clock six
days a weekk in order to meet the on-going needs of its
range of customers.
After having considered at least 3 other internationally
renowned software systems, on the occasion of GEC
2003, Milan (international exhibition of technologies for the
graphic arts, publishing, paper and converting industries),
the company management visited Hyphen-Italia’s stand
to receive a complete demonstration of the Hyphen Digital
Workflow. This workflow solution is a powerful combination
of Hyphen’s own Chalco.net suite of online applications,
integrated with the Dalim Software’s full range of products
as well as with the Xinet’s Fullpress server. Reproscan
immediately recognised the possibility of realizing the
comprehensive service solution it was looking for through
the combination of Chalco.net, and the added benefit
of the fully versatile and automated workflow offered by
DALiM TWiST, DALiM LiTHO and DALiM PRiNTEMPO.
In July 2004, Hyphen-Italia began the vices from data
input to printing plates production. The company has
capacity production of over 35 Macintosh G5 workstations,
an impressive colour proofing service consisting of four
Iris 2print inkjet proofers equipped with GMG software,
three Dupont Digital Cromalin systems, five HP DesignJet
printers and one analogue Cromalin. A Creo Trendsetter
VLF and Lotem 800 are deployed as CTP output devices.
Indeed Reproscan prides itself in offering quality,
efficiency, speed, flexibility and diversification of solution.
To meet this large variety of demands, it has decided to
cast a side solutions offered by other prepress market
leaders, opting instead for a steadfast technological
partnership with Hyphen-Italia and Dalim Software.
In 2002, given their rapid rate of growth and success,
Reproscan was looking for the best way to maintain its
high quality standards and further improve its quality
of service and customer response. The company’s
management decided that the best way to do so was to
go beyond the quality and production factors. Reproscan
was originally the Creo test centre for Italy, but over the
last few years, they found that the range of products
offered did not completely satisfy their requirements in
some areas of the prepress services. Reproscan could
not see the opportunity to compete in the future in
the prepress market without a comprehensive service
solution, a solution that would enable Reproscan to
achieve greater market visibility, by allowing the company
to create value-added services that would complete
their traditional products and services offer. Furthermore,
a solution that would enable Reproscan to achieve a
seamless integration of their processes and activities with
those performed by their customer’s organization, thus
enhancing both parties’ efficiency and ability to produce
print communication products.
29
Looking in the
Wrong Place
by Gee Ranasinha
What are the right skills for today’s industry?
Gee Ranasinha considers the new world order and the need for flexibility
and focus if printers want to maximise their service revenues.
30
question of skills shortages came up. “What are we to
do?” cried the CEO of a large prepress/print company.
“The applicants that we get through the door looking for
work haven’t got a clue about the industry.”
I asked him what sort of skills he was looking for in his
ideal applicant. “Oh, nothing that special. Just the usual
mix - understanding color, print processes, ideally a little
HTML or JavaScript experience – that sort of thing.”
He didn’t realize that he’d found the answer to his
question already: the reason why some graduates don’t
fit the bill in today’s print organizations is that while they
know their subject, they don’t know the right subject.
The printing industry, as with virtually all other progressive
manufacturing industries, is continually experiencing
enormous changes in both process and practice. The
current technological and commercial transformations
in our industry - digital print, the implications of the
Internet, etc. – represent the greatest challenge ever to
the way our industry is perceived. Not only are printers
changing their view of the printing industry, but so are
print customers and, more importantly, print customers’
customers.
Many industry observers say that a way for print
companies to survive is to both diversify their product
offering, as well as to streamline the process to become
a model manufacturing process similar to what just about
every other industry has done. And to do that requires
employing personnel with the right skills. But wait – I don’t
mean the “nuts and bolts” technically-based skills of print
process. Those skills are diminishing, and continually
being rolled into technology. Rather, the required skills are
in the practice – the application of the processes.
Advances such as PDF/X and JDF only serve to increase
productivity by using technology to streamline the
production workflow. As a result, the printing process,
as well as the total supply chain itself, becomes more
efficient, more predictable. Print buyers are getting
wind of this, and many large corporations are investing
in machinery themselves, while manufacturers are
increasingly targeting such companies in their marketing
strategy. A perfect illustration of this is the case of the
manufacturers of digital printing machines. The idea is to
make the operation of a digital printing device to be as
user-friendly and “process-transparent” as if the operator
was printing to a common office laser printer. In fact, why
SHOULDN’T a digital print engine be as easy to use as
an office laser printer?
The printer/customer relationship has changed. The
new breed of print buyer simply sees prepress and
print production as “devices” on their networks. They
want to be able to print one hundred thousand 96page magazines as easily as they can print their office
memo on their laser printer. They want to manage their
assets, submit and track jobs and cost out production
to the last penny – but they don’t want the technical
infrastructure or administrational overhead. With today’s
technological innovation, they no longer need to. Is it the
future of our industry? No. This is what forward-thinking
print companies are implementing as services for their
customers right now. Hence their problem in finding the
right staff skills.
Not every printer will be able (or even want)
to make the move. But if print companies
want to become something other than lowcost manufacturers in a diversifying industry,
then something must change – and change
sooner rather than later.
While attending an industry conference, the
31
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The Magazine Issue 4

Transcription

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