Software - Workflow

Moscow-based print provider, ArtDoza, has been relying on Matan's iPhone application for Barak printers to bring greater efficiencies to its business. 

Print shop owners and managers and are very busy people. On top of being responsible for the smooth operation of the production floor, streamlining print jobs across several machines and various media, managing operator teams, controlling ink supplies, and keeping track of tight deadlines, they also often are the ones to deal with clients and engage in sales activities.  The new Barak iQ iPhone application has been specially designed to alleviate some of this workload.

Mr. Ruslan Bairamov, CEO of ArtDoza, a leading Moscow super-wide format print provider, uses the Barak iPhone app daily, sometimes up to ten times a day. It allows him to control the print queue, wherever he happens to be.  He comments, "It helps me motivate my staff to perform their job and to make sure there is no machine downtime...  Thanks to the Barak app I am always able stay on top of what is going on."

With the application, Barak iQ users can keep track of the printer production status via their iPhone or iPad, anywhere, anytime. The app displays the job queue. Clicking on a job allows previewing the file, viewing details such as size, media, printing mode, estimated duration and more. At any given moment it is possible to view the status of the currently printed job, including print speed, ink consumption, estimated time left to completion time and more. The ink level in the printer status is also available and the app can be configured to issue text alerts in case that ink levels run low. All completed jobs appear in the History View, with all the pertinent info.

A shop that owns several Barak iQ printers can track and check on each of them, allowing for total production control even when away from the production site.

Matan will be demonstrating its print solutions at drupa 2012 in Hall 9, booth A56.  These include superwide format hybrid UV printers as well as specialty printers for a variety of applications including traffic signage and durable graphics.

For more information, please visit www.matanprinters.com

EFI today announced the availability of PrintMe® Mobile 2.1, the company's award-winning enterprise mobile print solution. The latest additions in PrintMe Mobile software provide greater flexibility to integrate with diverse network, security and communications infrastructures and make installation even easier. PrintMe Mobile enables enterprise IT to scale a mobile printing infrastructure to support any mobile device for thousands of users across a heterogeneous printer environment. A full version of EFI PrintMe Mobile software is available for download and a free 45-day trial at www.efi.com/printmemobile.

PrintMe Mobile is a cost-effective, scalable and secure on-premises mobile printing software solution that is easy to use, deploy, support and manage. PrintMe Mobile is the only enterprise software solution that enables direct Wi-Fi printing for iPads, iPhones, and Android devices, to all existing networked printers. IT departments can install PrintMe Mobile and deliver mobile printing on any printer connected to the network in as little as 20 minutes. EFI PrintMe Mobile includes the following new features:

• PrintMe Mobile Link - free add-on software that enables Wi-Fi printing across complex, multi-subnet wireless network configurations.
• Proxy Server Support - provides easy set up for network configurations that require an internet proxy server.
• Microsoft Exchange Server - PrintMe Mobile now supports Microsoft Exchange Server over HTTPS as well as IMAP and POP protocols.
• Mobile Printing Reports - an improved reporting capability allows export for further data analysis. Print management software can now automatically track mobile printing jobs.

Meeting the Unique Requirements of Enterprise Mobile Printing

According to a recent report by Quocirca, the diversity of mobile platforms and printer hardware makes implementing an enterprise mobile print strategy far from simple. Organisations face a complex array of hardware, software and service offerings, which vary both by mobile platform and printer device. Businesses cannot afford to ignore the consumerisation impact on enterprise printing. If they do, consumers will bypass IT and potentially use consumer printer apps which offer IT no real levels of corporate security or control on what is printed.

"The future of enterprise printing will increasingly be shaped by consumer trends. The extent to which organisations and vendors can harness this trend will determine success or failure," said Louella Fernandes, principal consultant at Quocirca. "Organisations must balance a mobile print strategy with security, cost, business process requirements, user needs and delivery models. Quocirca believes that PrintMe Mobile is ideally suited to enterprises that are looking for a flexible solution that provides a universal approach to printing across a mixed device fleet and multiple mobile OS platforms."

Growing Demand across Vertical Markets

PrintMe Mobile uniquely enables all printers on an enterprise network to be capable of AirPrint-like Wi-Fi printing from Apple iPads and iPhones as well as Android devices. This is particularly useful in markets where adoption rates of iPad tablets are growing.

"Zeno Office Solutions is seeing increased demand from our customer base for a mobile print solution that can provide direct Wi-Fi printing from the iPad and which works in a multi-vendor printer environment," said Keith Roher, vice president of sales for Zeno in Tampa, Fla. "We have successfully installed PrintMe Mobile at several customers recently and find EFI's enterprise mobile print software to be an ideal solution because it covers all of our customers' mobile print needs in all of the markets we serve."

"Knowledge workers are adopting tablets for their flexibility and convenience, and are integrating these devices into their daily routines at work. But unlike laptops and PCs, tablets were not built with printing in mind," said John Henze, vice president of Fiery marketing for EFI. "PrintMe Mobile leverages more than a decade of mobile printing innovation to provide a solution that enterprise customers need today. We are removing the barriers to mobile printing, and letting users print when they want to from whatever device they have."

For more information, please visit www.efi.com

SA International has introduced PixelBlaster™ print-to-finish production software - a genuine end-to-end system that covers pre-flight to production. Modular and scalable, the PDF-based software is a single solution delivering a customer-selected suite of workflow applications that drive an operation’s entire large format print hardware line-up.

PixelBlaster has been designed to reduce bottlenecks, streamline workflows and increase profitability, while its capability to standardise printing ensures predictable and consistent print quality and colour.

PixelBlaster offers a complete solution to guide  jobs through every stage of the production process – from file verification, job preparation, colour management, RIP to analogue or digital (CTS to screen), output check and finally printing and automated finishing.

Using a modular approach, PixelBlaster can be easily tailored and scaled to fit users’ needs in mixed Mac or Windows environments.  A key feature is its ability to standardise colours based on industry accepted profiles, including GRACoL, ISO, Euroscale and FOGRA.

The solution is first of its kind to deliver standardised printing to the large format sector. This means that in multi-printing device environments, PixelBlaster ensures each printer automatically generates exactly the same predictable and reproducible output quality and colour – regardless of the brand of hardware, the type of inks or the substrates used.

PixelBlaster’s advanced colour engine allows easy integration of proofing into the production process. By accurately predicting the final output, PixelBlaster offers a cost effective way of eliminating errors and significantly reducing media and ink wastage.

Additionally, PixelBlaster features an easy-to-use Variable Data Printing option to personalise text, graphics and images. Based on a template, users can quickly apply variables and load text and images into placeholders to mass produce customised prints.

“While other RIP’s focus heavily on print preparation, PixelBlaster goes more ‘upstream’ by providing a front-end comprising all job preparation features to drive production,” explains Gudrun Bonte, Product Manager at SAi.

“At the same time, PixelBlaster goes more downstream, providing all job finishing items from the front end and by supplying a separate software to drive the printers. In doing so, we believe that PixelBlaster delivers a wider and more tangible offering  than other RIP solutions, combined with a more improved and complete toolset,” she adds.

In addition to meeting the needs of users in super-wide high volume print production environments, PixelBlaster has also been designed for the increasingly important specialty printing sector, which embraces substrates such as textiles, glass and ceramics. To ensure colour predictability when not using the CMYK process, PixelBlaster includes an N-Color support feature. This enables production of custom ink sets to ensure full spot colour profiling within the gamut provided by the selected inks.

Thanks to the PDF engine, PixelBlaster handles transparencies with ease and has no problem managing multiple file types. Unlike certain RIPs that struggle to faithfully process PDF files, PixelBlaster eradicates such issues. This prevents workflow being impacted by avoiding the need for users to rasterise files before printing to ensure proper translation of information.

PixelBlaster is already being tested by several sign and graphics businesses, including US-based, Signs by Tomorrow. According to Ryan Warner, Press Operator and Design Manager at the York, Pennsylvania, company, PixelBlaster delivers a multitude of benefits, not least of which is its capability of faithful PDF support.

“PixelBlaster basically allows us to RIP and print jobs from PDFs faster and at a higher quality, as well as cut them more accurately, than any other software I’ve used in the past,” he says. “Not only that, PixelBlaster allows us to print the same file from the same computer on either or both printers, all while operating within the same colour space. We can print one portion of a job on our solvent printer and the other on our UV printer and the colours are identical.

“For anyone looking to simplify their work flow, improve their print and cut quality, decrease production time or just make their day easier, Pixel Blaster is the way to go,” he concludes.

PixelBlaster extends SAi’s growing line of comprehensive, professional software solutions, which also include the Flexi and PhotoPrint family of products. Having obtained a license for the software, customers can register at a dedicated on line portal, where they can create and manage their personal profile page, as well as download the software and necessary profiles drivers and user manuals.

For further information on SAi’s new PixelBlaster production software solution, please e-mail Info@SAintl.eu

[photo caption: SAi’s new PDF-based PixelBlasterTM print-to-finish production software delivers a customer-selected suite of workflow applications that drive an operation’s entire large format print hardware line-up]

Clarity Software will premiere its new, 'super-efficient' Clarity Professional v4.1 software at FESPA Digital 2012 in Barcelona.

The company states, "We know more accuracy means more profit, and with v4.1 you experience a whole new level of information flowing through your system, allowing you to make positive and accurate decisions.You naturally go with the flow and find it even easier to choose when to accept or reject a job, thanks to the increased visibility across your data. You deserve to earn the maximum profit from your jobs and v4.1 gives you the tools you need to increase your bottom line."

The new v4.1 enables users to benefit from the re-developed Job Costing and Cost Analysis functionality to understand the true margin on a job, and take advantage of the genuine margin uplift opportunities that could be hiding in their business.

There are new stock management developments in the Goods Handling module to help reduce errors, wastage and stock holding, faster quoting speeds with enhanced costing calculators and new Cost Types for precise cost management of outsourced jobs and resources, such as a press or a cutting machine.

Many companies have mountains of left-over stock after a job has been completed. Being able to optimise material usage is paramount to being competitive and in v4.1 you can plan to utilise your off-cuts and partial rolls for absolute stock efficiency.

Clarity Professional v4.1 dynamically integrates with Clarity Software’s cloud-based e-marketing system Clarity Marketing. It synchronises key customer and prospect information with Clarity Marketing in real time via the internet.

Clarity Professional v4.1 is a fully flowing and tailored MIS software system. It empowers commercial activities from cloud-based e-marketing through to detailed cost calculating and quoting, and escalates shop floor production, delivery and fitting efficiencies to enhance customer service and business profitability.

For more information, please visit www.clarity-software.com

SAi International (SAi), a leading provider of solutions for the professional signmaking, large format digital printing and CAD/CAM for CNC machining industries, has announced that it will officially unveil its new PixelBlaster print production software on its stand (J46) at FESPA Digital 2012 (Barcelona, 21st – 24th February).

As the latest offering from SAi’s growing line of comprehensive, professional software solutions spanning design to production, the modular and scalable PixelBlaster uses standardised printing to ensure predictable and consistent print quality and colour. This means that in print facilities operating a number of different devices, PixelBlaster ensures each machine outputs the exact same colour, regardless of the brand of hardware and the type of inks/substrates being used.

Eliminating the need for multiple software programmes to run production, PixelBlaster has been designed to reduce bottlenecks, streamline workflows and increase profitability. The software offers a complete production solution from file verification, job preparation, colour management, RIP to analogue or digital, and finally output check and production.

PixelBlaster has been specifically introduced to meet the needs of users in super-wide high volume print production environments, as well as the increasingly important specialty printing sector which embraces substrates such as glass and ceramics. Using modular building blocks, PixelBlaster can also be easily tailored and scaled to fit users’ needs in mixed Macintosh or Windows environments. 

Commenting on the launch of PixelBlaster, Gudrun Bonte, Product Manager at SAi, says, “Many print service providers increasingly run a mix of different output devices from different manufacturers. PixelBlaster acts as a nucleus to pull these together and ensure consistent print and colour quality regardless of the equipment or media.”

She adds, “We therefore feel that PixelBlaster offers new tangible performance features, not offered by similar production software options currently available on the market. These solutions typically focus heavily on the print preparation element, whereas PixelBlaster is a genuine start-to-end, modular and scalable solution covering pre-flight to production that can span an operation’s entire print hardware line-up.”

“The company’s collective industry expertise and colour knowledge have given birth to this revolutionary new product,” adds Sarit Tichon, Senior VP Worldwide Sales at SAi. “PixelBlaster is the first solution of its kind to deliver standardised printing to the large format industry. This in itself ensures the software fulfills its aim of addressing and meeting the specific needs of those operating in today’s demanding print environments.”

During FESPA Digital, SAi’s specialist team will showcase all of PixelBlaster’s production tools from file verification, RIP to digital and analogue, proofing, N-Color support, contour cutting, output check and preview, last minute correction tools, easy tiling, to automated finishing options for grommets, Fotoba marks, hems, pockets or sewn-in webbing. 

SAi’s new PixelBlaster production software solution is available now. For further information, please e-mail Info@SAintl.eu or call +32 2 725 52 95

El Corte Inglés, the leading distribution group in Spain and one of the largest in the world, has implemented Enfocus Switch 10 in its graphic design department. Minimising dependency on external service providers and handling prepress tasks in-house were the main reasons the company looked for a solution to automate its processes and increase quality through standardisation.

El Corte Inglés is a distribution group with department stores, hypermarkets and travel agencies. Javier Rayón, who works at El Corte Inglés' production and advertising department, explains the company’s decision to invest in Enfocus Switch 10: “We wanted to improve our production model, as previously we were carrying out work manually and outsourcing to external providers. We publish a large amount of printed materials, such as catalogues, leaflets, magazines, posters, hoardings, etc. We needed an advanced workflow solution that could help us create an integrated set-up. Enfocus Switch 10 has become the heart of our graphic production."

The Enfocus Switch 10 automation solution can also be used in more complex graphic design environments. Enhanced features include more robust automation, greater depth of data security, and the possibility to derive more value from in-house resources and third-party tools.

Enhancing flexibility and productivity

Integrating Enfocus Switch with Enfocus PitStop Server and other third-party applications such as GMG, callas and Apago, enabled El Corte Inglés to automate its graphic material revision, standardisation and distribution. Rayón explains, “One of the reasons we chose Enfocus Switch is because it’s very flexible and easily adapts to our processes. The solution allows us to standardise quality and cut costs by keeping graphic production processes in-house.”

Despite Enfocus Switch 10 being installed only recently, El Corte Inglés is already seeing a return on its investment and savings of up to an estimated 20%. The company is pleased with the installation as results live up to the expectations. “Our decision to partner with Enfocus was largely based on our trust in the company,” adds Rayón. “As well as explaining the benefits of Switch 10 to us, they encouraged us to speak with existing users of the solution so we could find out how it performs in a working environment.”

For El Corte Inglés, this trust was a decisive factor although they indicate that pricing was also an important criteria. Their confidence in the product and in the company's expertise however were considered most important. Working with the Enfocus experts allows them to get the most out of the solution and ensures responsiveness to possible problems.

For El Corte Inglés, it's clear that the improvement of the graphic production department is only the first challenge of many to be faced in the coming years. According to Rayón, the next focus areas will be the staff's technical expertise and process automation such as the implementation of collaborative tools.

The company is very satisfied with Enfocus Switch 10 as the foundation of El Corte Inglés’ workflow. The solution enabled the company to automate a range of processes, including PDF revision according to the ISO PDF/X-4 standard; adapting colours based on the print type following the ISO 12647 standard; generating different products from a master PDF; file routing and electronic distribution. In the future, El Corte Inglés anticipates enjoying even more advantages from Enfocus Switch, especially in web environments.

For more information on Enfocus, please visit www.enfocus.com

For more information on El Corte Inglés, please visit www.elcorteingles.es