Front End Material

Hints of increased attention to linking upstream to back-end finishing seem to be the order of the day for drupa. Agfa notes that its newest :Apogee workflow includes utilities that help plan and guide finishing (see p. 34). KBA's QualiTronic marks copies that deviate from an okayed sheet so subsequent finishing devices can read the mark and eject them. Polar-Mohr takes orders from upstream packaging programs to automate the finishing and conversion of sheet stock into stacks of labels for packaging lines.

No doubt some of this stems from the movement into packaging by new players. This includes premedia systems suppliers, a number of whom also offer digital print engines that handle packaging stocks.

Heidelberg's foray into packaging is leading it to offer integrated workflow from prepress through printing and diecutting. Kodak's movement into automating packaging workflow brings it to direct-to-flexo platemaking, all with a mind to holding tight register to offset as well.

Along these lines, EskoArtwork is presenting its first fully integrated, end-to-end JDF workflow solution for packaging production, working with a SAP integrator, MAN Roland and Bobst It covers all steps in folding carton production, from idea through to delivery. EskoArtwork says it will offer upstream (e.g CRM and order entry) and downstream (e.g. ERP and palletization) solutions, too.

For smaller firms, Xanté is unveiling OpenRIP Symphony 3.0 PDF workflow at drupa. Designed to give small and mid-sized printers the ability to compete for higher-end business, it imposes mixed page sizes and orientations on a press sheet. Its Freeform Ganging saves time and media. It also has linearization and dot-gain enhancements. Xanté also integrated Pantone and Pantone Goe System Color Library support, including CMYK, RGB and L*a*b color space definitions. Expanded color support provides better representation of overprint inks and traps for soft proofing and inkjet proofs.

More drupa products are covered through p36.