Software - Workflow

Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced the next release of Acrobat.com, which includes several major updates designed to make working together across organizations even easier than before. Incorporating over 35 customer-suggested features, this release simplifies the way people work when communicating and collaborating over the Web. In addition, Acrobat.com has added smartphone access, enabling people to get their work done from anywhere.

Built on the Adobe Flash Platform, Acrobat.com has an easy-to-use online file organizer that allows users to store, share and organize files, create PDF files, launch online office applications, and initiate Web meetings. With this set of applications, users can:

- Easily share files: Users can work together across organizations without the hassle of using ftp servers or worrying about e-mailing large files.
- Access work from anywhere: Any Internet-connected computer or supported smartphone gives users real-time access to all of their files on Acrobat.com.
- Collaborate in real-time: Users can easily conduct Web meetings from Macs or PCs with Adobe ConnectNow.
- Improve productivity: With applications such as Adobe Buzzword, users can easily work together to co-author and obtain feedback on documents, without the need for multiple versions.

Mobile access:
The Acrobat.com mobile application by scanR allows users to upload document images from a supported mobile phone and have them automatically stored as searchable PDF files in Acrobat.com. In addition, users can read their files stored in Acrobat.com, share files with others and fax documents from their Acrobat.com organizer or directly from their smartphone. Users of the free service will be able to send two outbound faxes and upload up to five documents from a mobile phone. An upgrade is available for users that need to fax or upload more documents.
Additional key updates:
Also new in this release are enhancements to Buzzword, as well as Presentations and Tables, which were formerly on Acrobat.com Labs and now in beta. Key updates include:

- Import and export/publishing options: Presentations now includes support for importing PPT/PPTX files, and users can export their tables to PDF, XLS or CSV for sharing data in whatever format is best suited for the situation. Buzzword also now enables export to EPUB, the electronic book publishing format for eBook readers such as Stanza on the iPhone, Sony Reader, and others.
- Web image integration: Users can browse Flickr and Google images, preview pictures and easily import them into presentations.
- Adobe Kuler integration: Users can browse color sets in Kuler and apply them to presentations to create a unique look.

DiMS! organizing print awarded 5th certification and another first in the industry- MIS to Finishing

Lichtenvoorde, November 12, 2009-- DiMS! organizing print, the world leader in MIS systems for the printing and packaging industries, announced today, their 5th certification from the Printing Industries of America- the testing body of the CIP4, in MIS to Finishing Interoperability Conformance Specification (ICS). With this recent certification, DiMS.NET! is the first and only MIS software to be certified in MIS to WebPress, and also the only one certified in MIS to Finishing. To date, DiMS.NET! is the only MIS software being certified for 5 different JDF interfaces. DiMS.NET! has been awarded the following certifications:

•    MIS to Prepress ICS
•    MIS to Conventional Printing ICS (Sheetfed)
•    Layout Creator to Imposition ICS and Base ICS
•    MIS to WebPress ICS (Commercial Web)
•    MIS to Finishing ICS

DiMS! organizing print is also actively promoting more partnership interfacings, since the control and efficiency these relationships create can be crucial for DiMS! customers’ growth in the industry. This new certification, and the further development of vendor interfaces, demonstrates that DiMS! organizing print is serious about their commitment to JDF integration and enhancing the technology level of which their customers will truly benefit from.

Strict Printing Industries of America testing procedures

In order to achieve all ICS levels of certification, the DiMS.NET! system was required to pass the stringent Job Definition Format (JDF) testing process provided by Printing Industries of America. The DiMS.NET! system is now certified, not only because it creates and accepts job details while running via JMF (Job Messaging Format), but also because it includes within the job ticket all the information and details regarding the job, and then relays this via JDF interfacing to the pre-press and press systems. These systems then interpret and respectively re-build the layout, establish impositions, or send the necessary information to the press. DiMS.NET! improves workflow, is more compliant of two-way communications between capable devices, and increases the ability to communicate correctly to all printing systems.

“We are extremely proud that our efforts have lead to this level of certification”, commented Tonnie Marneth, CTO DiMS! organizing print. “We are keen supporters of the Printing Industries of America, CIP4, and the progress JDF is making in our industry. We have proven to the graphic arts industry that our products operate with the latest technologies available, and we will continue to create opportunities for our customers to further enhance their business performance.”

"DiMS! organizing print is setting new standards for JDF certification in the industry", said Dr. Mark Bohan, Vice President, Technology and Research, Printing Industries of America. “Their dedication to the advancement of JDF for the industry is commendable.”

The convenience of automating the scheduling and collation of versioned jobs is now seamless on Inca Digital wide format printers with the launch of the Inca Print Run Controller (PRC) software module.  With high speed printing rates making digital production more versatile and profitable, PRC allows users to schedule the print order and produce print jobs quickly and simply to prevent RIP and workflow bottle-necks, streamline production, reduce operator error, reduce post-print collation requirements and enhance customer service.

Inca has developed PRC to assist in the production of an individual order incorporating different elements or images, sizes or languages. It is also applicable when a large number of images need to be output in varying quantities with variable elements to a large number of recipients.  PRC's ability to streamline the overall production process allows digital output on medium - longer run lengths to compete with screen printing and offset litho technologies.

"The introduction of PRC is another change in the capabilities of wide-format digital print by shortening turn around times and reducing the margin for error", says Linda Bell, Inca CEO.  "The software module is ideal for users of Inca Onset, S20 and Spyder machines where speed no longer has to be sacrificed when variable images and versioning are incorporated into a print run."

PRC's ability to RIP once/output once or RIP once/output many, depending on run lengths, cuts job changeover times considerably.  Users now have the opportunity, for example, to pre-define print jobs by geographical location and delivery priority.  This has the potential to significantly reduce shipping and collation costs, whilst at the same time maximizing the time customers have to produce the job.

Another benefit is that PRC allows job scheduling to be managed in the studio before it enters the pressurized environment of the shop floor.  Printer operators can focus on the task of printing to improve efficiency and productivity still further.

PRC is fully compliant with PPML 2.10 (Personalised Print Markup Language) and works with a user's RIP to transform image files into a format which can be output as normal.  The ability to work with industry-standard PDFs and conform to preflight parameters also ensures that colour integrity and other workflow criteria are maintained throughout.

There are versions for a range of Inca machines and the software is available from Q4 2009 from Inca Digital or its exclusive distributor Fujifilm Sericol.

From Left to right: James Harvey (CIP4), Mark Wilton (Wilton & Partners), Carsten Knudsen (President and CEO of EskoArtwork) and Peter Dhondt (Business Development Manager at CERM)

 

EskoArtwork and CERM customer 5Sept Etiquette wins 2009 CIPPI Award for Small Business Process Automation Implementation of the Year

Judges applaud proactive approach, collaboration among vendors and exceptional documentation of realistic ROI and savings

EskoArtwork (www.esko.com) is proud to have supported 5Sept Etiquette to win the first place of the 2009 CIP4 International Print Production Innovation (CIPPI) Award in the category "Small Business Process Automation Implementation of the Year". 5Sept Etiquette, based in Courthézon near Avignon in the south of France, specializes in printing labels for the food, wine and healthcare industries.

EskoArtwork and CERM (www.cerm.be) jointly developed a prepress automated workflow featuring an intelligent JDF connection between EskoArtwork BackStage workflow server and the CERM MIS system for the label industry. This joint solution was first installed at 5Sept Etiquette.

 “The 5Sept Etiquette application is unique in that this is the first time we have seen this level of JDF automation being utilized in a label converting operation,” says James Harvey, Executive Director of CIP4 and the Review Panel Chair for the awards. “It was the first web-fed label printer to present an application running on JDF and it was a terrific demonstration of teamwork among two different vendors and a printer. The automation eliminated waste and enabled this company to produce an additional 9,500 jobs per year.”

The CIP4 International Print Production Innovation (CIPPI) Awards (www.cip4.org) were established in order to recognize leading printers, publishers or prepress services that have demonstrated uncommon leadership in their pursuit of process automation technology. Annually, a panel of expert judges reviews entries in a variety of categories to weigh the relative merits of each application before casting their votes.

Added value through MIS integration using JDF

5Sept Etiquette works with EskoArtwork and CERM to eliminate duplicate information entries in its separate CERM MIS and EskoArtwork BackStage production systems using a structured JDF integration. "EskoArtwork and CERM worked closely with our IT staff to define the right specifications and implement a working solution,” says Patrick Wack, President of 5Sept Etiquette. “Beyond our main focus of eliminating duplicate entries, we also wanted to make it possible to automatically create the imposition for the plates or clichés and for the die-cut. Plus we wanted to set up an automated production planning tool, capable of following production in real time."

Within six months, the JDF interface provided by EskoArtwork and CERM was functional and being used in production. 5Sept Etiquette’s production team noted an immediate and significant increase in quality and reliability. "In practical terms, we now feel like we’re using a single unified system, rather than two interconnected systems,” says Wack. “Reliability has taken a huge leap forward – incidents caused by insufficient or inaccurate job preparation have totally disappeared." 5Sept Etiquette has also noticed a dramatic reduction in paper waste and a general increase in productivity, allowing for the shorter turnaround times demanded by today’s quality-driven customers.“ As a result, even in a troubled economy, we’re actually growing our business in the high-end market," concludes Wack.

“This was a remarkable transition,” concludes Harvey. “The operation went from a somewhat chaotic and labor intensive paper-based management system to fully automated MIS/production integration, a very remarkable achievement that shows the value of JDF integration beyond commercial printing into the label converting market.”

Enfocus releases PitStop Pro 09 and PitStop Server 09. As off September 16, 2009, the fully functional new versions of Enfocus’ industry-leading and indispensable tools for editing, checking and fixing PDF files are available for users.

PitStop Pro 09 and PitStop Server 09 include significant enhancements that streamline desktop and server-based processing of PDF files in fast-paced printing and publishing environments.

Enfocus PitStop Pro 09 is the essential Adobe Acrobat plug-in to check and fix PDF files in professional publishing environments. An extensive array of editing tools makes it easy to do last-minute corrections, both for individual objects and globally throughout the complete PDF document. The tools in PitStop Pro are completely production oriented and allow users to tackle those problems they actually experience in their workflows. The industry-standard preflight engine in PitStop Pro checks all aspects of their PDF files and pinpoints exactly where the problems are. Embedded Certified PDF technology digitally signs PDF files to ensure their quality.


Availability
   
PitStop Pro 09 is available as off September 16, 2009 in English (other languages will be available in October). Fully functional (time-limited) trial versions of PitStop Pro can be downloaded from the Enfocus website (www.enfocus.com). PitStop Pro is sold through an extensive distribution network and directly from the Enfocus website. To find a preferred reseller, go to the “Buy” section on the website.


Enfocus PitStop Pro 09 - Main New Features

Even more efficiency
Less and less time is available to check and fix incoming PDF files. PitStop Pro 09 is faster than ever before and has a user interface optimized to help you be as efficient as possible. Toolbars, menu items and panels have been streamlined and work together more smoothly as before. They can be hidden from view completely if you are working with other Adobe Acrobat functionality and re-appear in your completely customized workspace at the click of a button.

Apply document-wide changes in seconds
With PitStop Pro 09, making document-wide changes is easier and faster than ever before. The redesigned, enhanced global change engine offers many additional benefits: effortlessly save different versions of global changes with predefined settings and keep shortcuts to your favorite global changes at the top of the global change panel. Additionally: a configured global change can be run in one simple click!

The range of global changes that can be implemented throughout the document has also been dramatically extended. Even more changes are possible: tasks such as applying stamps, inserting cover pages, renumbering pages, converting all colors, fixing office generated PDF files… all done in just seconds.

Quickly and efficiently check and correct design layouts
Receiving PDF documents with incorrect page sizes, without proper trim and bleed settings or with text set in safety margins is a frequent problem. PitStop Pro 09 includes powerful design layout tools that can quickly visualize existing page boxes and safety zones. Design layouts including proper page boxes and printer marks can instantly be applied as well.

Customized workspace
PitStop Pro has grown into a powerful application with many tools, menu items, settings and panels. PitStop Pro consolidates some of these tools to focus more on how you use them in your daily work, and additionally it offers support for workspaces. Each workspace lets you configure exactly those tools and panels you want to see. Hide all PitStop user interfaces? Automatically open documents neatly aligned next to the preflight or global change panel? All these customizations are possible with the new workspaces feature.

Manage settings more consistently
PitStop Pro 09 includes a brand new preset manager that manages all presets (preflight profiles, Action Lists, global changes, workspaces, design layouts…) in the same manner. Default settings, your local presets and company wide settings on a server can now all be easily and efficiently managed. Additionally, use favorites to link to frequently used presets and quickly filter the list using a search field.

Certified PDF 2 compatibility
PitStop Pro 09 is fully compatible with the Certified PDF 2 technology that allows checking a document and embedding the preflight results in the XMP metadata for the actual file. Standard and secure digital signatures are used to enable tracking of who checked and who edited the document.

Certified PDF 2 is an Enfocus maintained, public standard that is compatible with the Ghent PDF Workgroup’s Proof of Preflight specification.

The latest version of the online job submission, remote proofing and approval solution for Trueflow SE gives users a raft of new features and improvements

Screen Europe has announced version 4.02 of Riteapprove SE, its online job submission, remote proofing and approval solution for the Trueflow SE workflow. The new version gives even greater integration with Trueflow than ever before.

Its improved job automation eliminates the need for manual intervention at key check points, allowing smoother transition of files through the workflow. Approval takes place at page level to make it easier for the user and there is a visual indication in Trueflow when a page is approved. The thumbnails of the pages now display the proofing status.

A comment feature has been added with a range of drawing tools that can be used to mark corrections. To complete the proofing process, an email notification alerts the user if the preflight check fails. There is a host of other improvements in v4.02, from extending the area image view to multi-language support.

Riteapprove SE is ideal for Trueflow users who want to add online job submission, proofing and approval to their web-to-print operations. It automates the overall production cycle, shortens the time from prepress to press and improves customer satisfaction. The system enables collaborative working, last-minute correcting and final approval of production files before they are imaged on to the plate or output to a digital press.

Unlike the conventional FTP upload method, the Riteapprove SE transfer client automatically monitors and corrects transmission errors, ensuring proper file delivery. The customer can drop files into the file transfer GUI, connect to the Riteapprove SE server, select the job, fill out a custom online form and upload. The process is very simple.

A prepress operator can easily send a request for approval with just a few clicks of the mouse from a web browser. All participants in the approval process can view the output online, add comments and approve or reject the document. This automated process frees up the production operator to work on other jobs while waiting for final approval. Riteapprove SE automatically sends approval status to Trueflow SE.