Software

An innovative customer-focused website from popular multi-platform RIP manufacturer Shiraz Software is now live at www.shiraz-rip.com. The colourful new Internet presence focuses on outlining the range of versatile tools on offer from this powerful Macintosh and Windows family of products and is engineered around the same kind of usability as the company’s software offerings.

Each version of Shiraz is explored with an accessible slideshow, workflow diagram and screenshots, as well as a thorough delineation of the benefits of each package. Visuals of major software panes provide the user with a feel for individual elements within all versions of the program before purchase – including Signature, RIP Server and the more powerful Plus version, plus Focus, which is a dedicated package for the photographic market.

Key to the core of the site is a live support capability for users of Shiraz Software, where clients are connected directly with a specialist engineer who can access their system by arrangement and resolve problems remotely. Visitors can also learn about CoverPlus, an extended technical service agreement unique to Shiraz, which provides a dedicated, priority access to this proposition. The RemoteCover option pairs with free access to major and minor upgrades, remote profiling, colour management consultancy and access to an extended profile library.

Another new feature explains the clearly laid-out resources, consisting primarily of video and PDF guides to usage of all software versions, with free trials also downloadable. “Although the Shiraz family can be easily demonstrated, we recognise that many users would rather compare benefits on a live version in their own time,” says Ramin Shahbazi, Shiraz Software’s business development manager. “The website also provides the necessary software extensions for those with added CoverPlus protection.”

For those seeking examples of Shiraz’s use or versatility, or who are interested in how the team and its software developed, both an online version of the popular user newsletter and a history of the company are also available.

All Shiraz Software products are available for Macintosh and Windows, with compliance for Snow Leopard (Macintosh OS X 10.6.x) and Windows 7. Linux users are also supported, with all three offering identical interfaces for ease of cross-platform use.

Shiraz Software provides software, work-flow management and RIP solutions for all users of wide-format ink-jet printers, with products including its Server options for businesses running multiple printers and Signature, which is designed as an entry-level stand-alone solution. All versions are fully upgradable and are available for Windows, Macintosh and Linux platforms. A low-cost image management and printing option, Shiraz Focus, is also available for professional photographers. All current releases are fully compatible with Windows 7 and Macintosh OSX Snow Leopard (10.6).

Further information is available from Ramin Shahbazi at Shiraz Software, Unit 18 Fulham Studios, 17-21 Wyfold Road, London SW6 6SE, telephone +44 (0)845 680 2484, e-mail ramin@shiraz-rip.com, or visit www.shiraz-rip.com

Print service providers and marketers understand the power and profit that come from personalized marketing campaigns but estimating an expected return on investment (ROI) can be difficult.  New software from Xerox Corporation makes it easy to measure the effectiveness of transpromotional and direct-mail campaigns – before anything is printed.

ProfitQuick Direct Marketing ROI Planner, one of the latest additions to Xerox's ProfitAccelerator portfolio, predicts the effectiveness of a direct-mail campaign and provides an ROI assessment. Information such as the number of mail pieces, cost per piece, and revenue per item or service sold is put into an online calculator. In turn, print providers and marketers receive financial data that can drive new business or convert an existing customer's static campaign into a more targeted, personalized approach.

"I've seen a few ROI calculators, but never one this complete for customized campaigns, or one as easy to use," said Bob Pente, president, Wired Pente Inc., a Toronto-based marketing and advertising firm. "It takes the benefits that marketers have been touting for years and turns them into a quantifiable resource that makes it very easy to tell the story. It's a fantastic tool for marketers."

In addition to ProfitQuick Direct Marketing ROI Planner, two other new tools, the ProfitQuick ezBusiness Planner and the Wide Format Essentials Kit are now available.

ProfitQuick ezBusiness Planner

This software gives print service providers immediate access to a customized five-year business plan, estimated yearly profits and the exact month when profitability is expected. Users plug in basic production data such as average monthly page volume, area coverage and equipment costs, then the planning software generates a range of tailored financial data.

"Costs and revenue are scrutinized more than ever and ProfitQuick ezBusiness Planner asks the hard financial questions and then analyzes the answers," said Peter Muir, president, Bizucate Inc., an education and consulting organization. "The planner sheds light on what kind of profits could be attained with minor or major adjustments to the way print service providers approach their businesses."

Wide Format Essentials Kit

Wide format printing can complement a print service provider's traditional offerings, and this kit provides information to plan, build and implement a profitable large format business.

The kit helps users build a marketing plan, host an open house, identify revenue generating applications and provides high-quality, popular media samples that can be used to showcase new large format options.

Allowing users to explore the full potential of the latex ink-jet ink technology systems released by HP, popular RIP manufacturer Shiraz Software has updated its Server package to support and drive HP's Designjet L65500 and L25500 printers.

The creators of British-based Shiraz have configured the software specifically to work with this new ink type and the machines from HP in which it is incorporated. This includes full support for HP's matched media profiles and complete, accurate colour calibration which is proprietary to latex technology. It is available as part of an upgrade to Shiraz RIP Server v6.6 (build 10054) or later and is the only latex solution which is fully compatible with Windows 7 and the latest version of Mac OS X.

The software achieved full marks across all aspects of HP's Designjet RIP certification scheme, which ensures stability across a number of test parameters. These include print performance and ink usage, vital for multiple and large jobs, plus calibration, support for existing substrate profiles and the ability to add new medial; in each category Shiraz was awarded the top score possible.

The new Shiraz drivers also verify the implementation of HP's Professional Pantone Emulation in the RIP, essential for precise colour when using latex ink technology. Additional features include reliability in status reporting and job management.

"Existing users will benefit from this offering in being able to add HP's latex printing technologies to their equipment line-up straightaway," comments Ramin Shahbazi, business development director for Shiraz Software. "For potential investors in this line of printers, the combination of a specific formulation for this new ink type and Shiraz's existing strengths – such as ease of use, streamlined workflow and support for the most recent Macintosh, Linux and Windows platforms – will prove an unmissable opportunity to get the most out of their RIP and hardware combination."

 

 

Wasatch SoftRIP V6.7 is here - see it first at Sign & Digital 2010

As one of the longest established and leading providers of RIP software to the sign-making and wide-format industries, Wasatch is offering a special SoftRIP promotional price to all its existing users at this year’s Sign & Digital show. Visitors ordering the upgraded program from one of the four authorised resellers at the show will benefit from a 25 percent discount and everyone can see the latest features being demonstrated in daily sessions.

The latest release of Wasatch SoftRIP is v6.7 which incorporates refinements to existing capabilities and adds a new Tracer option and a powerful spot colour matching system. Simplicity is the key as these additional features strengthen the powerful capabilities of the software without making it complicated for the user.

Wasatch Tracer has been designed for swift interactivity and can identify raster and vector graphics to generate accurate contour cutting paths, either by producing them within the program or as imported files created using industry-standard packages such as Adobe Illustrator or CorelDRAW. The foolproof work-flow gives users full control, removing margin for error and streamlining print-and-cut production.

Additionally, Wasatch Tracer is a valuable tool when working with white ink and clear varnish. This innovative option enables underlays, overlays and special paths to be created to accommodate chokes, spreads and automatic generation of white and clear from traced areas.

 

V6.7 makes Tracer cutting available to Zund, Kongsberg and Fotoba users

Wasatch’s colour and RIP technology is legendary within the graphic arts and display industries, being easy to use yet feature rich and cost efficient for businesses of all sizes. The latest version of SoftRIP incorporates refinements to many of the valuable options which makes it stand out from the rest, including quick set-up, sophisticated colour control, variable data printing (VDP), and a suite of sophisticated work-flow tools.

Wasatch SoftRIP Version 6.7 enhances finishing workflows with expanded support for Zund and Esko Kongsberg cutters, improved Fotoba support, and specialised registration tools for supporting label printing and converting lines.

 

Proven Colour Accuracy - on both Process & Spot Colours

The pressing need for accurate colour is now fine-tuned in Wasatch v 6.7 with its Color Atlas Generator that allows for precise matching of spot and special shades, even on tricky media. This new feature enables users to match colours with target materials, making it easy to reproduce exact shades which work in conjunction with imported or custom databases and swatches.

Wasatch’s colour and RIP technology is legendary within the graphic arts and display industries, being easy to use yet feature rich and cost efficient for businesses of all sizes. The latest version of SoftRIP incorporates refinements to many of the valuable options which makes it stand out from the rest, including quick set-up, sophisticated colour control, variable data printing (VDP), and a suite of sophisticated work-flow tools.

Wasatch SoftRIP is available in the UK and Europe from Tech8

 

Pantone LLC, an X-Rite company and the global authority on color and provider of professional colour standards for the design industries, today announced the myPANTONETM

X-Ref iPhone® application and Web tool that let graphic, digital, multimedia, fashion, interior and industrial designers easily cross-reference all PANTONE® Colour Libraries – from the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM® and PANTONE Goe™ to PANTONE FASHION + HOME.

myPANTONE X-Ref makes it easy to match any PANTONE Colour to any other PANTONE Colour Library. X-Ref is available as an iPhone application or Web based tool. The myPANTONE X-Ref iPhone application is a companion product to myPANTONE, an iPhone application released in September 2009 that allows designers to capture, create and share PANTONE Colour Palettes – wherever they go and whenever they find inspiration.

In addition to the new cross-referencing tools, Pantone is reducing the price of PANTONE Goe specification products to make them even more affordable for all designers and printers to incorporate into their workflows.

“In today’s design world where creatives are expected to work across media, myPANTONE X-Ref makes it easier for designers, printers and manufacturers to select the most suitable PANTONE Colours for their project requirements,” said Ron Potesky, senior vice president and general manager of Pantone. “While the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM remains the global design standard for printing, publishing and advertising, there are benefits to adding other PANTONE Colour Libraries to your workflow, such as the Goe System or our FASHION + HOME Color System. We are introducing X-Ref tools as well as reduced Goe pricing to enable designers to use various PANTONE Color Libraries together more effectively.”

While many designers primarily rely on one PANTONE Colour Library for their day-to-day work, they regularly need to repurpose or create content for multiple media. For example:

Fashion designers use the PANTONE FASHION + HOME Colour System to select fabric colors, but when it comes time to create all of the other elements that bring a garment to market, such as advertising campaigns, Web sites and even hang tags, they need to translate the original fabric color for print, packaging and Web. Using either of the X-Ref tools, designers can enter their FASHION + HOME Colours and easily access the solid Goe colour, CMYK, sRGB and HTML values that most closely correspond in PANTONE GoeBridge™, getting all the color information they need to keep their colours accurate across all promotional activities.

Packaging and graphic designers who have traditionally worked with the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM may want to expand their color options with the Goe System’s broader palette of 2,058 spot colors, which are more suitable for aqueous and UV coatings. The new X-Ref tools and reduced pricing for Goe products make it even easier for designers and printers to take advantage of using both PANTONE Colour Libraries.

Cross-referencing PANTONE Colours

Both myPANTONE X-Ref cross-referencing tools allow users to pick a PANTONE Colour, find matches in any other PANTONE Library and display side-by-side color swatches for easy comparison. Additionally, the X-Ref iPhone application allows users to enter RGB or HTML values and find the closest colour in the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM, PANTONE Goe System or PANTONE FASHION + HOME System. It also allows users to enter CMYK values and find the closest PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM or PANTONE Goe Colour.

myPANTONE X-Ref tools include the following PANTONE Colour Libraries:

 

• PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM (coated, uncoated, matte)
• PANTONE COLOR BRIDGE® (coated, uncoated)
• PANTONE Goe (coated, uncoated)
• PANTONE GoeBridge (coated)
• PANTONE FASHION + HOME (paper, cotton)
• PANTONE Goe

 

Pantone developed the Goe System to complement the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM, the most widely used color system for almost 50 years. Goe contains a broad palette of 2,058 spot colours that are chromatically arranged for intuitive color selection. Goe colors are specially formulated with a set of 10 base inks that are readily available worldwide, are suitable for aqueous and UV coatings, and are printed at uniform ink film thicknesses, ensuring accurate colour reproduction in today’s multimedia workflow environments.

PANTONE iPhone/iPod Cases

Personalized PANTONE iPhone and iPod Touch cases are now available in eight eye-catching hues on the Pantone Web site. Free laser engraving is offered on all orders and free logo engraving is available with orders of 10 or more.

Pricing, Availability and System Information

The myPANTONE X-Ref iPhone application is available immediately for U.S. $1.99 for download at the Apple iPhone App Store. The myPANTONE iPhone application is also available for U.S. $9.99.

myPANTONE X-Ref and myPANTONE are compatible with iPhone OS 3.0 or higher, and can be used on the iPhone, iPod Touch® or iPad. Due to the limitations of the displays, PANTONE Colors displayed on the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad may not match PANTONE identified standards. Please use current PANTONE Color publications for accurate colour.

The myPANTONE X-Ref Web based tool is available free-of-charge at www.pantone.com/xref.

 

PANTONE iPhone/iPod cases are available for U.S. $19.99 at www.pantone.com/pages/ipodcase/product.aspx. (iPhone/iPod cases are only available in the U.S. and Canada at this time.)

New prices for the PANTONE Goe System products, available at www.pantone.com, are as follows:

 

• PANTONE GoeGuide coated - $79.00
• PANTONE GoeGuide uncoated - $79.00
• PANTONE GoeGuide coated & uncoated - $129.00
• PANTONE GoeBridge coated - $119.00
• PANTONE GoeSticks coated - $299.00
• PANTONE GoeSticks uncoated - $299.00
• PANTONE Goe System coated - $399.00
• PANTONE Goe System uncoated - $399.00

 

 

 

Following the successful launch of Zünd G3 cutting systems, Zünd is poised to introduce Zund Cut Center, the first-ever software package to carry the Zund name. The new software is tailored specifically for G3 and designed to maximize the productivity of the company's latest generation of multifunctional digital cutting systems.

Zünd Cut Center software dynamically guides the operator through the cutting process by continually offering best choices based on the material to be cut, available tooling, and quality requirements. Because the software basically eliminates the need for operator experience or trial and error, it minimizes set-up times, helps avoid mistakes, and ensures the cutter is running at maximum productivity levels at all times.

With a highly visual and intuitive user interface, Zund Cut Center encompasses all phases of an efficient graphics production workflow—including designing, planning, printing, and cutting. With Zund Cut Center, customers' needs can be met faster, with higher and consistent quality and far less effort.

Cutting a job with Zund Cut Center is as easy as reading a barcode or selecting a job from the integral Cut Queue. Either approach puts an end to the time consuming task of locating a cut file for a new job or for reproducing an existing one. In addition, a new workflow utilizes job-specific details (such as material specifications, order ID, due date, and job priority) to determine when and how a job is cut.

Key features

• Cut Queue for quick file retrieval and access to the production schedule for job prioritization.
• Using the industry's most sophisticated algorithm, "Best-Fit" compensation corrects for even the most non-uniform distortions, such as those seen in printed textiles.
• Cut Editor offers advanced editing functions, including router hatch/island fill used to create pockets in rigid substrates, overcut compensation to eliminate unsightly cuts on inside corners, etc.

"Zund Cut Center is far superior to anything in the marketplace," said Lars Bendixen, the Sign and Graphics Product Manager for Zünd Systemtechnik AG. "In cooperation with leading RIP, ERP, and MIS software manufacturers, we expect to take automated workflow, production planning and reporting to the next level. The possibilities are unlimited."

"Zund Cut Center is a direct result of our close cooperation with Grafitroniks, the developer and supplier of the widely used GTK Cut Pro and Touch & Cut Vision registration software. Their expertise combined with our knowledge of cutting hardware and workflow requirements were essential to the development of this new product," said Oliver Zünd, managing director for Sign & Graphics at Zünd Systemtechnik AG.

Zund Cut Center will be demonstrated for the first time at ISA 2010 Sign Expo in Orlando, FL, and again at Fespa in Munich and Viscom in Frankfurt, Germany.