By DPS Staff
Software and workflow solutions help streamline production print environments, whether through online job submission, color management, and job management, to campaign reporting and tracking analytics. A variety of hardware and software manufacturers demonstrated solutions to improve quality and productivity across every area of print production.
Aleyant
Aleyant announced it has acquired San Francisco, CA-based Keen’s Web to print (W2P) business. Aleyant’s acquisition includes Keen’s W2P technology platform, W2P customers, and their name, logo, and brand. Current Keen W2P customers will be able to transition to Aleyant’s Pressero W2P platform.
Alwan
Alwan Color Expertise and Xeikon announce an agreement to incorporate Alwan’s color calibration products into Xeikon Color Services consulting and software offering. Xeikon Color Services will now include a package for G7 certification and other color matching services that leverage Alwan’s PrintStandardizer and PrintVerifier software as well as X-Rite i1 Pro 2 and i1iO color measurement, calibration, and profiling solutions.
Canon
Canon U.S.A., Inc. demonstrated its latest PRISMAdirect software. The Web-based workflow solution is designed to streamline the entire production workflow for simplified job acquisition. It includes the core order processing and management dashboard and the optional W2P front end to combine two essential capabilities of job submission and order fulfillment in one end-to-end solution.
EFI
A variety of EFI partners, including Canon, Konica Minolta, MGI, Ricoh, Sharp, and Xerox, develop digital front ends (DFEs) for their newest digital presses utilizing the Fiery platform. Graph Expo marked the trade show debut of the EFI Fiery FS200 Pro Technology.
Part of the Fiery FS200 Pro platform, the EFI Fiery CMYK+ technology, makes its debut in the Fiery server on the new Xerox iGen 5 Press in the Xerox booth. With it, print service providers can achieve accurate color matching of brand colors and specific PANTONE colors.
The company also demonstrated the first look at the EFI Fiery Final Fix software that combines color correction with touch screen image edition capabilities for last minute, pixel-accurate edits to raster files.
For production software, EFI offers its Productivity Suite, which provides certified and integrated workflows including robust, end-to-end systems for mid-size and large commercial printing businesses as label and packaging converters.
The company premiered a new version of the EFI Midmarket Productivity Suite, which offers out-of-the-box productivity with EFI Pace MIS software and an array of optional capabilities for marketing/customer relationship management, eCommerce, and shipping and fulfillment.
EFI DirectSmile Cross Media software, version 7, made its worldwide debut. The EFI Enterprise Print Suite and the new Enterprise Packaging Suite were also displayed.
Enfocus
Enfocus demonstrated version 13 of its Switch solution. The latest version took its place beside Enfocus PitStop Pro 13, PitStop Server 13, and Connect 13. All have recently been upgraded to include numerous new features.
Additionally, Graph Expo attendees saw the HP Indigo EPM Preflight Solution for automated EPM Management, from Enfocus, demonstrated at both the HP and Enfocus booths throughout the show. The HP Indigo EPM Preflight Solution combines Enfocus Switch, Enfocus PitStop, and the HP Indigo EPM Kit. The solution automatically preflights print ready PDFs, and routes them to EPM and non-EPM specific hot folders based on a set of rules.
Also at the show, Enfocus and AccuZIP announced a Connector that links Enfocus Switch and AccuZIP, called the AccuZIP Direct Mail Configurator. The solution enables direct mail and fulfillment services to integrate a complete, end-to-end postal automation workflow with 100 percent visibility of all mail pieces in the mail stream.
Konica Minolta
Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. featured a variety of solutions around custom acquisition and marketing services, job submission and managed IT services, and workflow optimization.
Konica Minolta’s integrated services includes marketing as a service; an online community, PROKOM; business development services; as well as marketing analytics and data mining.
The company also highlighted a recent partnership with ZVerse, a leader in 2D to 3D print software automation, design services, and fulfillment solutions for 3D printed products.
In terms of job submission and managed IT services, the company showcased its W2P and managed IT services.
For workflow optimization, Konica Minolta’s LEAN Workflow Optimization Assessment is available to identify and improve the entire process from job submission to mailing, cutting out non value-add steps and increasing productivity. Additionally, the Solimar Chemistry Dashboard is used to monitor and manage job production lifecycles with complete visibility.
Additionally, the company offers workflow solutions to aid in composition and prepress. EngateIT Variable Data Printing is Konica Minolta’s latest variable data printing solution that provides a complete marketing service focused on one-to-one direct marketing. It is a plug-in to Adobe InDesign Creative Cloud.
Miamki
Mimaki USA previewed the ArtiosCAD Designer Solution (ArtiosCAD DS) software. When teamed with a Mimaki UJF-6042 printer and CFL-605RT cutting plotter, the combination provides the ability to easily and economically create short-run customized goods or produce packaging prototypes.
The ArtiosCAD DS version was developed for Mimaki by Esko. The software will be brought to the North American market as part of Mimaki’s Original Goods Package System (OGPS) that also includes a UJF-6042 UV-LED tabletop printer and a CFL-605RT compact cutting plotter. OGPS is a total solution for on-demand production of original packaging or package prototypes.
ArtiosCAD DS software, as part of the OGPS, is expected to be available for order later this year for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America markets.
Pitney Bowes
In addition to a new inkjet printer debut, Pitney Bowes announced a partnership with GE to develop customized asset performance management applications for Pitney Bowes and its Enterprise Business Solutions customers. All of the services are built on and powered by Predix, GE’s software platform for the Industrial Internet. The partnership will enable Pitney Bowes to analyze data generated from its own production mailing and shipping machines as well as those of its clients to provide client and productivity services and job scheduling capabilities that improve business outcomes.
The company also launched the Relay multi-channel communications suite, an integrated solution offering designed for small and medium businesses to enhance their transactional communications.
Ricoh
Among its lineup of hardware offerings, Ricoh demonstrated several software and workflow solutions. The Ricoh Peripheral Interface Port (RPIP) is a software solution that brings new capabilities for automating commercial, data center, and corporate production tasks more efficiently while enabling more options for inline finishing for increased operational speed and flexibility.
Additionally, the company showcased several its TotalFlow solution. Ricoh TotalFlow BatchBuilder, a new enhanced version of its software solution that simplifies and automates the batching and scheduling of short-run digital work for centralized job control. Enhancements to Ricoh TotalFlow Prep, Ricoh TotalFlow Path, and Ricoh TotalFlow Print and Production Manager are designed to make leveraging the workflow efficiency and simplify the error reduction power of these software solutions. The TotalFlow Print Server is a new software solution designed to help printers in hybrid print environments eliminate extra steps in transitioning jobs meant for offset to digital printers while maintaining quality.
Rochester Software Associates
Rochester Software Associates (RSA) demonstrated automated in-plant print workflow. The company featured live demonstrations of the new releases of WebCRD W2P software, QDirect output manager, and RSA’s new Universal Make Ready tool, ReadyPrint.
Xerox
In addition to new hardware, Xerox showcased the new FreeFlow Core Cloud solution, designed to simplify automation. Without the need to install or maintain hardware or IT support, FreeFlow Core Cloud is developed to remove the obstacles to automation so customers can increase productivity.
XMPie, a Xerox Company, announced the unveiling of its redesigned Marketplace website. The solution supports the creation of graphically rich, personalized communication pieces and features a sleek, user-friendly design with enhanced navigation and search capabilities.
Seamless Production
Workflow tools are essential to digital production environments. The latest software solutions help control and enhance output, optimize production efficiency, and provide tracking and reporting to further improve future operations. dps
Oct2015, DPS Magazine
