Software

Four Pees has released PrintFactory and ProofMaster version 4.2. The update for the PrintFactory and ProofMaster product range includes some new features and fixes reported problems. It also updates the PrintFactory GMG Edition and introduces the earlier announced stand-alone version of PrintFactory Go.

PrintFactory and ProofMaster Editor

The major change in version 4.2 is the removal of the “Quick Production” palette and the streamlined integration of the features it offered. Instead it now features a new “Production Bar” at the top of each document. This new Production Bar allows selecting printer, medium and mode directly in the document window and launching the Driver Settings dialog. With the 4.2 version it is now also possible to print multi-page documents on desktop printers.

In PrintFactory Editor, the Production Bar allows you to select the cutting device. And besides the option of printing multi-page documents on desktop printers, you can now also view a coloured wireframe display of cut layers and perform cutter tool selection per layer.

The new PrintFactory and ProofMaster 4.2 RIP makes it possible to create virtual queues for each cutter device so there’s no longer a need to manually create queues. Version 4.2 also offers some major new features with regards to device and driver support.

PrintFactory Go: stand-alone correction and production preparation

The PrintFactory 4.2 release introduces the earlier announced stand-alone version of PrintFactory Go. PrintFactory Go offers the same job preparation and last minute correction tools the PrintFactory suite has to offer, in an easy-to-use stand-alone application. Whether you need to combine and correct multiple jobs, make edits on colour, masks, shapes, scaling, rotation, mirroring, create tiles or place grommets, PrintFactory Go puts all of the tools at your fingertips. Targeted specifically at digital large format print users, it offers a comprehensive collection of pre-production tools saving time and reducing error and waste.

Prices and availability

Version 4.2 is a free update for all existing 4.x users. An upgrade path is available for users of previous ProofMaster and PrintFactory versions. Contact sales@print-factory.net or sales@proofmaster.net for more information.

With the update to version 4.2, ProofMaster and PrintFactory are fully compatible with Mac OS 10.7 – Lion.

 

Graphic Printing Technologies (GPT) has added the Wasatch SoftRIP to its portfolio of software solutions. As an authorised Wasatch Reseller, GPT can now supply, install and fully support the Wasatch SoftRIP range.
 
GPT is also an authorised reseller for Agfa’s range of Anapurna printers, which ship as standard with the Wasatch RIP.  Stuart Cole, General Manager of GPT, comments, “Becoming a reseller for Wasatch makes great sense for us and our customers. We can deliver full support, not just for our Agfa customers, but also for companies using Wasatch on other machines.  New and existing Wasatch customers can benefit from GPT’s extensive experience in technical support and profiling. We can provide a level of customer-focused service that they haven’t really enjoyed in the past.”
 
Wasatch SoftRIP offers simple setup, intuitive workflow and powerful print controls, to help print production companies save time and money while producing excellent quality colour. The software provides a combination of easy operation and sophisticated features that are suitable for new users as well as more experienced printing professionals.
 
Stuart Cole concludes, “We now have a broad range of RIP software that we can offer our customers. This means we can always give them the best solution based on our detailed analysis of their requirements. Wasatch offers a great value product that is both easy to use and very powerful. It fits very well into our product portfolio and strengthens GPT’s overall position as one of the UK’s most comprehensive solution providers to the wide format print market.”

Wasatch has released a powerful new print-and-cut workflow feature for its SoftRIP Contour Cutting Option add-on.  Available for select Summagraphics and Mutoh models, the new workflow allows users to utilise the barcode system of their roll cutter to automate their print-and-cut production process. This workflow saves user time and helps to eliminate costly user errors.

With this workflow, each job, whether it is a single image, a complex layout, or a whole roll of jobs, is printed by SoftRIP with a unique barcode. This barcode corresponds to the cut path that is defined in the print job.

Once the cutter reads the printed barcode, the barcode is sent to SoftRIP and the corresponding cut job is sent to the cutter. After the cutter cuts the contour path, it scans for the next barcode and repeats the process. This innovative feature allows for a whole roll of media to be cut with minimal user intervention.

Increase Productivity

This dynamic print-and-cut workflow allows users to boost productivity because they can quickly load a printed roll and let their cutter's barcode function take over.

By removing steps from their existing print-and-cut production process, SoftRIP helps users save time and resources, making this workflow a less expensive and more functional solution than a traditional print-and-cut method. And, since SoftRIP provides unparalleled support for the industry's most popular printers, users can seamlessly integrate their existing printers into this simplified workflow.

Automate Your Print-and-Cut Workflow

Because the cutter reads the barcodes and processes the contour cut paths automatically, there is no need for users to manually scan barcodes or search the RIP for the correct contour cut path.

The roll can even be mounted on the cutter backwards, directly from the printer, and the barcode recognition system will ensure the cut paths are properly flipped. This allows users to automate their print-and-cut workflow, increase production, and minimise mistakes.

Further information on Wasatch SoftRIP RIP software is available from Distributor Tech8

 

X-Rite has announced a £85/€100 cash back promotion for X-Rite customers who want to upgrade their i1Match, ProfileMaker or MonacoPROFILER software to i1Publish before the end of October 2011.  The new version contains the next generation i1Profiler colour management software - an entirely new, flexible user-defined experience to generate the highest quality ICC profiles for unrivaled colour accuracy.

Fully supporting the new Mac OS X 10.7 Lion operating system, the latest version of i1Publish is a fully-featured ICC profiling solution that includes i1Profiler software, ColorChecker Camera Calibration software, PANTONE Color Manager software and two ColorChecker targets – ColorChecker Classic and ColorChecker Proof. i1Publish quickly and easily creates custom profiles for cameras, monitors, digital projectors, and RGB, CMYK and CMYK+4 printers, ensuring colour accuracy from capture to output. It also features new assurance validation and verification functions using digital standards. 

Users of i1Match, ProfileMaker and MonacoPROFILER users will see improved colour quality thanks to a new engine that creates highly accurate profiles for the truest colour all the way from capture to output. A new user interface features both basic and advanced modes to give users the flexibility they need. It’s easily customised and enables users to save and share workflows or workflow components.

Enhancements include:

• Improved colour quality - new colour engine creates highly accurate profiles for the truest colour from capture to output 
• New user interface – basic and advanced modes provide the ultimate flexibility; easily customise, save and share workflows or workflow components 
• Accurately capture colours every time with included ColorChecker Camera Calibration software and target 
• Accurately view colours every time on your monitors and projectors 
• Accurately print colours every time on RGB, CMYK and CMYK+ printers 
• New Quality Assurance Tools
• Fully compatible with Mac OS X 10.7 Lion operating system

Through October. 31, 2011, X-Rite is offering customers a £85/€100 cash back rebate on the i1Publish Upgrade A or Upgrade B for European customers who have i1XTreme, i1Proof, i1XT, i1Pro OEM, i1Photo Pro, i1Photo LT, i1Photo, i1Photo SG, i1Design LT, i1Basic, i1 Basic Pro, ProfileMaker 5, MonacoPROFILER 4.

For more information about the i1Publish upgrade and rebate, please visit www.xrite.com or www.xritephoto.com.

EFI has launched a high-performance production solution for the complete line-up of EFI VUTEk® superwide format UV inkjet printers - the Fiery® XF proServer.  Fiery XF proServer offers a platform optimised for blazing fast image processing,expanded software options and support and maintenance that provide a full, end-to-end EFI solution.  The Fiery XF proServer is designed for optimal performance of the Fiery XF software to provide unparalleled RIP speed and printer throughput to increase productivity, performance and efficiency on every job.
 
Fiery XF proServer is a scalable system that improves printing, production and colour capabilities with its expanded set of Fiery XF options, high-performance hardware platform and integration with other EFI products such as the Pace management system and Digital StoreFront web-to-print platform.  EFI installs and configures the Fiery XF proServer with a VUTEk printer to ensure the whole solution works seamlessly.  An added benefit to customers is a complimentary 13-month support and maintenance plan on software and hardware, including free software upgrades and hardware replacement if needed. The customer now enjoys the benefits of having all pieces of the production workflow from one source - EFI.
 
Toby Weiss, general manager of the Fiery business unit and senior vice president of EFI, comments, "Our VUTEk customers operate in high volume, demanding environments. With speeds up to six times faster than our competitors, Fiery XF proServer maximises throughput and minimises processing time so customers can increase productivity and ultimately profits. Every minute of a performance gain reduces the VUTEk printer's idle time, which improves efficiency and lowers overhead costs by increasing the usage of existing equipment and resources. The payback of a Fiery XF proServer investment can be as little as several jobs or three hours of reduced printer idle time."
 
The Fiery XF proServer comes with an extended version of Fiery XF, an industry-leading inkjet production RIP solution. The complimentary second driver option supports an additional inkjet proofer, or smaller production printer, so users can proof one job on a smaller device while printing other jobs on the VUTEk printer simultaneously. This option saves money and time by eliminating non-revenue generating prints on the VUTEk printer, and cuts out unnecessary changes of media for creating a press proof.
 
Included with the Fiery XF proServer is the Color Verifier Option to ensure colour correct output on both production and proofing devices, by verifying a standard colour control strip or EFI's unique Dynamic Wedge against an industry or custom standard. Job-based, colorimetric correction is possible to ensure customer satisfaction, and reduce expensive trial and error reprints.
 
The Fiery XF proServer also integrates with other EFI products, such as Pace and EFI Digital StoreFront, to create an end-to-end, automated workflow that eliminates touch points, while improving speed and accuracy. Using JDF technology, bi-directional communication between Fiery XF proServer and select VUTEk printers allows direct job submission, reducing the risk of errors. Pace MIS software can provide important audit information, such as printing time, media and ink usage on VUTEk printers, so customers can manage costs more precisely.
 
The Fiery XF proServer is available now from EFI and its channel partners.

EFI today has announced that its Pace management system is one of the first in the industry to receive JDF certification for digital printing from Printing Industries of America. Through integration with Fiery controllers, EFI Pace offers end-to-end print shop and production management for mid-sized commercial and speciality printers. Fiery technology and Pace are on display now in GRAPH EXPO booth 2000 (through Sept. 14th, McCormick Place).
 
With integration of Fiery servers to the Pace MIS via JDF technology, print service providers can take advantage of a seamless workflow, with two-way information exchange.
 
The Integrated Digital Printing ICS document certification is EFI's fourth certification for Pace, and the tenth across its MIS portfolio. Pace also holds the MIS to Prepress, MIS to Finishing, and MIS to Conventional Printing Sheetfed certifications from Printing Industries of America, the official certification body for CIP4 (the International Cooperation for the Integration of the Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress). With this most recent certification, EFI was a beta participant in the programme for Printing Industries of America, helping them build test cases and resolve issues within the testing process.
 
"With Fiery technology, EFI has a long tradition in digital printing innovation and we areproud to receive the digital printing JDF certification for our popular Pace management system, and to continue to the lead the industry in JDF commitment and actual product integration," said Jay Farr, general manager of EFI Pace. "These certifications are welcome news for our customers, especially those with Fiery servers, who can now increase their productivity with automated workflows, eliminate errors derived from manual keying and improve communication throughout the digital production cycle."
 
The JDF certification process involves a series of tests - ranging from attribute value tests to full blown JDF job ticket conformance - over several days conducted in the Printing Industries of America's state-of-the-art facility. EFI Pace passed all the rigorous standards of JDF product certification for digital printing and is now certified to create and accept updated job details as the job is running via JMF (Job Messaging Format). The system has efficient two way communication and is able to drive automation in a JDF-enabled digital environment.
 
"EFI has been committed to JDF from its early days, and we're very pleased to award EFI Pace this latest certification, giving print providers assurance of a smooth JDF workflow throughout their digital operations," said Dr. Mark Bohan, vice president of technology and research at Printing Industries of America.
 
EFI Pace includes software modules for estimating, scheduling, production, accounting, sales management, and e-commerce, and uses an appliance model that allows for installation and training in a fraction of the time required by other solutions. This advanced, secure system architecture is customisable, XML driven, JDF and ODBC compliant and allows browser-based access from Mac and PC platforms to better leverage emerging technologies that are defining the digital workflow process.
 
For more information, please visit www.efi.com