Software

GMG, a leading developer and supplier of high-end colour management software solutions, has announced that the company’s GMG ColorProof proofing software now fully supports the new Roland VersaUV LEC-540 printers for digital mockup creation and the VersaCAMM printers VS-300, VS-420, VS-540 and VS-640 with integrated contour cutting capability. Besides mockup creation, these printers allow for digital label production on various substrates suitable for solvent ink systems.

The Roland VersaCAMM VS series and GMG colour management offer players in the packaging and labeling market – including printers, design agencies, advertising agencies, repro houses, and brand owners – ground-breaking solutions for prototyping, mockup and small batch production of labeling. Equipped with white and metallic silver ink, the VersaCAMM VS series allows for exceptional image effects and quality. With the capability to print CMYK, Light Cyan, Light Magenta, White and Metallic ink at resolutions up to 1440 dpi, the VersaCAMM VS series allows for unmatched versatility and remarkably rich special effects, offering a whole new metallic color palette. By combining the metallic eco-solvent ink with CMYK, over 500 metallic shades can be created.

The UV printer/cutter Roland VersaUV LEC-540 prints CMYK, white and clear coat on a wide variety of substrates including vinyl, PE, PET, BOPP, self-adhesive PVS, paper, leather and textile. The LEC-540 also features a table for printing on rigid substrates up to 1mm. The new LED curing system enables immediate drying of the ECO-UV inks. The lamps reposition themselves automatically depending on the print modus. This speeds up production compared to the other VersaUV models.

With integrated cutting technology, these printers offer a one-step operation (Print & Cut) which is supported by the GMG Print & Cut Option in GMG ColorProof. This way, mockups already cut into shape can be created, eliminating laborious manual work such as reloading and accurately repositioning the output in a separate cutter.

GMG colour management, providing unrivaled quality and repeatability, enables the VersaUV LEC-540 and the VersaCAMM VS series to achieve a visual match, locally and at remote locations, with print processes such as flexography, offset and gravure printing – even for spot colours. Compared with traditional systems for mockup creation in the packaging and label market, these Roland/GMG solutions deliver highly colour-accurate mockups at a fraction of current costs.

Enfocus is pleased to announce the commercial release of Switch 10. As of June 21, 2011, the fully functional new version of the Enfocus Switch family of automation-enabling software is available for users.

New and enhanced features within Switch 10 will give printers and publishers more robust automation, greater depths of data security, and the ability to extract more value from existing information sources and third-party tools.

Switch 10 is available for users directly from the Enfocus website www.enfocus.com. Also a fully functional (time-limited) trial version is available through the Enfocus website as well as trial versions of all other Enfocus products.

View the original press release including comprehensive details of the new version here: http://www.largeformatreview.com/workflow/1904-enfocus-announces-latest-version-of-switch-workflow-software

Enfocus has now announced the commercial release of PitStop Connect 10.  With immediate effect, the fully functional version is available for users, directly from the Enfocus website www.enfocus.com. In addition, a fully functional (time-limited) trial version can now be downloaded from the Enfocus website.

PitStop Connect 10 connects printers and publishers with their customers, ensuring hassle-free file delivery and PDF quality control.  New to PitStop Connect 10 is automatic updating of Connectors, secure file transfer and personalised service by using intelligent metadata through enhanced Switch 10 support.

Further information about the product can be found in the original news story published on Large Format Review in April 2011: http://www.largeformatreview.com/workflow/1925-enfocus-announces-pitstop-connect-10

 

Printers, publishers and brand owners no longer have to use control strips for quality benchmarking thanks to a new offering from the Flemish Innovation Center for Graphic Communication (VIGC). The organisation has launched its unique image-based Quality Perception Benchmarking Service, which enables users to make objective comparisons of print jobs, such as reprints of books, advertisements in different magazines, different versions of packaging, etc.

The VIGC Quality Perception Benchmark is based on seven parameters that are relevant to visual perception of quality. Measurements are based on images in the print job, which means control strips are not necessary. The VIGC’s methodology marks a significant step forward in benchmarking the quality of print jobs.

"Comparing and assessing the quality of multiple print jobs can be very difficult," says Eddy Hagen, managing director and trend watcher at VIGC. "This is because most quality benchmarking systems are based on control strips, which get cut off in the finishing stage.”

Fons Put, senior consultant at VIGC and responsible for the project, explains how the organisation set about overcoming the challenge: "We had to perform a quality benchmark on finished print jobs, so we couldn't start with the traditional measurements, eg density or the colours of CMYK solids in CIELab. We needed to go for other parameters that are important for image perception, such as dynamic range."

"So we devised a new, unique measuring methodology to get an objective assessment of these visual parameters. Differences in these parameters between multiple samples can always be related to one or more printing parameters, eg density or print contrast."

Benchmark for reprints, advertisements, packaging and more 

The VIGC has tested and refined the methodology over the last two years, in the course of a consulting job for one of its members. The company changed its production based on the VIGC reports.

And now the VIGC has made its Quality Perception Benchmark service available to all companies interested in an objective quality benchmark for printed jobs.

The service will be particularly appealing to companies that make reprints and are confronted by differences between two versions. Another target audience is advertisers that publish in multiple media. Brand owners that print their packaging at multiple sites are also very likely to be interested in the service, as it will provide them with an objective assessment of different versions.

The VIGC Quality Perception Benchmark has already been used to identify and quantify variations within a large production run.

Parameters relate to printing parameters

A crucial factor in the VIGC Quality Perception Benchmark is that all tested parameters relate to printing parameters. In its assessment report, the VIGC does not only show whether samples conform or differ, but also it states what could cause the differences, and which printing parameters are probably different.

Hagen concludes: “Ultimately, the VIGC Quality Perception Benchmark is an instrument that provides users tighter control of their production processes.”

ONYX Graphics, Inc. today announced it now supports HP Scitex LX820 and LX850 printers with select packages of its award-winning RIP software. ONYX RIP software solutions include key features such as native PDF file handling, ONYX Smart 16-Bit™ colour blends and gradients and workflow automation.

The HP Scitex LX850 printer is a 126-inch (3.2 m) latex ink printer that includes dual-roll, roll-to-free fall and roll-to-collector handling and an ink collector. The HP Scitex LX820 printer is a 126-inch (3.2 m) latex ink printer that offers a roll-to-roll configuration.

As an HP Platinum partner, ONYX Graphics collaborated with HP to develop the HP Scitex LX820 and LX850 drivers at top performance capabilities so customers can be highly productive and achieve superb quality. Both drivers include the HP Professional PANTONE Emulation (HP PPE) technology, ensuring customers can take advantage of the HP Scitex LX820 and LX850 printers’ media versatility and print quality. HP Professional PANTONE Emulation technology automates the process of colour matching HP printers to various media combinations.

Both drivers take advantage of the printers’ ability to print very large images where output file size is greater than 4GB. The drivers support the printers’ bi-directional media information connectivity, which makes it easy for users to create new profiles for custom substrates.

The drivers also include 32-bit ONYX ICC profiles for more than 25 media for a variety of print applications including banner, backlit, wall paper, canvas, fabric, film printing, etc. Additional HP and third-party media profiles for ONYX RIP software can be found on the online HP Media Finder at: http://www.hp.com/go/latexmediafinder.

EFI, a world leader in customer-focused digital printing innovation, has announced that MOSAIC has selected a suite of integrated EFI technologies to bring increased efficiency, productivity and profits to this diverse print service provider. MOSAIC recently purchased EFI Pace, EFI Digital StoreFront, EFI Auto-Count, and EFI PrintFlow scheduling to optimize its business.

In operation for more than 60 years in Cheverly, Md., MOSAIC offers conventional, waterless, UV and digital printing to the four vertical markets it serves: the creative market (agencies, designers, marketing & pr firms), the membership market (associations and trade unions), corporations, and government. They provide national direct mail printing and distribution services; training and educational curriculum services; point-of-sale; lenticular; packaging; books and manuals; cross-media campaigns; multimedia program development; website development and hosting; and custom programming.

MOSAIC was using a version of EFI PSI along with spreadsheets and third-party solutions to manage its operations. The company reviewed several options with the goal of finding an integrated workflow solution, and EFI came out on top.

"Our extensive review led us back to EFI, and our recent experience at the Connect users' conference sealed the deal," said Brendan Connors, CEO. "As an industry leader, MOSAIC's passion is to exceed our customers' expectations. The EFI Pace platform, including the Auto-Count and PrintFlow capabilities, will improve our customer experience and help reduce the steps needed to deliver our products and services. MOSAIC selected Pace due to the mobile and web accessibility as well as the focus on workflow optimization."

In addition, the company is moving to the Digital StoreFront (DSF) web-to-print platform, replacing their current system. "DSF will provide us with the tools to create a customer experience full of flexibility, ease of use, and speed to market," continues Connors. Another unique advantage of the EFI suite is integration with SmartLinc Process Shipper, which Connors notes "will provide MOSAIC with an integrated system to add efficiency to our process and up-to-date information to our clients."

"We're excited about our newly expanded relationship with MOSAIC, who understands the powerful advantages of implementing a suite of integrated EFI solutions," said Marc Olin, senior vice president and general manager of APPS, EFI.