Software

EskoArtwork will exhibit on stand F02:90 at Scandinavia’s largest packaging show Scanpack 2009, which is due to take place in Sweden (Goteborg), October 20 till 23. As well as presenting a range of software solutions that have been developed to help with the creation, delivery and efficiency of the packaging production process, EskoArtwork will also participate in the activities at the Design 2009 area as a member of The Packaging Arena.

"EskoArtwork has a strong expertise in the packaging industry for many years and is eager to present its newest solutions for packaging companies, brand owners and packaging design agencies at Scanpack," says David Joelsen, Business Manager Nordic, C&E Europe at EskoArtwork. "A downturn in the global economy is presenting suppliers with a changing set of opportunities as manufacturers and brand owners look for cost effective and creative ways of presenting their products on the shelves. For us, these economical circumstances make the packaging industry an extremely exciting place to be right now and we are therefore looking forward to a high interest at Scanpack 2009.”

 

Packaging solutions for a competitive edge

At their stand, EskoArtwork will demonstrate software solutions for package design, prepress, workflow automation and integration, output control, collaboration and approval. Products presented are: BackStage and WebCenter which maximize productivity and consistency in the workflow through enhanced management, centralization and control of a job and its approval cycle; the latest versions of ArtPro and PackEdge, the leading and productive editors for the pre-production of labels and packaging; DeskPack tools for Adobe® Illustrator®  and Adobe® Photoshop® ; Studio, a tool for  3D packaging design; and Visualizer, which takes graphic information of a label or package, adds information about substrates, special inks and finishes, and delivers a variety of ultra realistic moving, interactive 2D and 3D representations of the final product.

 

From front end to finishing; EskoArtwork delivers the complete package

In addition, EskoArtwork will demonstrate the Kongsberg i-XE10 die-less cutting and creasing table on the stand. The Kongsberg i-XE10 is a small, servo driven, high-speed machine for cutting packaging and sign and display materials and features the i-cut® vision system for perfect cut-to-print alignment.

Visitors will see how the Kongsberg i-XE10 system, when working with EskoArtwork’s ArtiosCAD structural design software, allows the easy transfer of files from the workstation to the Kongsberg table for cutting and creasing.

ArtiosCAD creates structural packaging designs with the ability to create 3D proofs for customers and is the ideal system to design, develop, prototype and manufacture all types of packaging including corrugated, folding carton and POP display applications. The latest version 7.4 also features the creation of designs with curved creases as part of its 3D module.

 

Discovering New Concepts at Scanpack’s Design 2009

The new Design 2009 area at Scanpack is intended to provide packaging professionals with a new meeting place where they can focus specifically on the creative and commercial side of designing packaging and meet up with graphic designers, structural designers, machine specialists, material experts, product developers and  solution providers. Next to demonstrations of products and solutions, visitors to the area will be able to attend free daily presentations to learn more about packaging design and implementation. For EskoArtwork, also a member of The Packaging Arena, Design 2009 is the ideal opportunity to demonstrate its integrated, specialized products and services for brand owners and agencies such as Visualizer, Studio and Dynamic Content.

Switch 08, update 7 includes a configurator fully supporting Adobe InDesign Server. Through this update Enfocus FullSwitch and PowerSwitch unlock the full performance and reliability benefits of the Adobe InDesign Server solution.

“From the beginning we have supported automation of the Adobe Creative Suite Applications, like InDesign and Photoshop in Enfocus Switch,” comments David van Driessche, Director of Enfocus Marketing. “Increasingly our customers are engaged in high-volume, InDesign-based workflows for one-to-one marketing or Web-To-Print and support for the Adobe InDesign Server solution is an incredible advantage for them.”

Adobe InDesign CS4 Server is a robust and scalable engine that offers the ability to automate the design, layout, and typographical capabilities of Adobe InDesign CS4. “A complete range of innovative solutions has been built around the Adobe InDesign CS4 engine,” says Chris Kitchener, senior product manager for Adobe InDesign Server. “The combination of Adobe InDesign CS4 server and Enfocus Switch allows for powerful automation of those solutions, saving our customers hours of time and dramatically increasing their productivity.”

Enfocus Switch allows configuring and automating Adobe InDesign Server into a larger workflow through simple drag-and-drop. Switch features such as organising file reception through FTP, watched folders and email, sorting of files and automatic email notifications to customers enable complex workflows to be built around the Adobe InDesign Server engine.

By combining the InDesign Server and Switch you can now manage documents, newsletters and marketing materials from creation until final delivery through design templates; setup self-service and automated ad creation portals; and extend the versatility and power of Web-To-Print engines.

Caldera Graphics, the French software editor leader in large format imaging and production workflow has announced a strategic partnership with KIP Europe for the supplying of production RIPs with the wide format KIP Color KC80 color laser printer for imaging applications.

With this printer, KIP has the ambition to revolutionize wide format color printing in large quantities, a domain where inkjet technology is a slower and more expensive solution. The KIP Color KC80 and its 4 color laser technology are unique on the market, and targeting not only blue-black poster applications or posters in ppc or glossy coated. Many substrates are being validated which will increase of the range of possible applications of this printer.

“It was important for KIP to rely on a professional RIP like Caldera for better targeting the graphic art potential of the KIP Color 80. This innovative product will revolutionize wide format printing on problems such as client print delays (210m/hour) and printing costs (4 to 5 times less than ink jet)” says Patrick Gomez, Sales and Marketing manager KIP Europe.

The GrandRIP+ software solution from Caldera ensures application oriented added value to Kip Europe clients, which rests on the strong experience of the French editor in the domain of imaging: color management, tiling, layout, spooler management, task automation…. This enables the printer to offer its clients an extended panel of features.

According to Valery De March, OEM Director of Caldera Graphics, “We not only address clients who want to print maps and blueprints, but rather those that want to do color imaging in large quantities. To respond to the technical specifics of the KIP Color KC80and its laser technology, we have developed a specific screening for this machine. The output results and feedback from clients are excellent.”

The Caldera GrandRIP+ - KC80 solution has already been set-up with success at many European digital printers, such as Pixart in Italy, who were searching for a solution which would enable them with one single RIP to manage their production on various types of machines, including solvent and UV technologies, as well as the new KIP Color KC80.

Print software manufacturer Wasatch has announced an unprecedented discount on upgrades for its premium RIP software package, SoftRIP. Users are now able to upgrade from limited versions of its powerful RIP software, with some versions upgradeable to full SoftRIP for as little as £99, and further huge potential savings available right across the board, on software packages with a value of up to £2450.

Restricted, standalone editions of the software are already supplied as standard by several printer manufacturers. The full SoftRIP package features a number of tools to improve productivity and ensure exceptionally loyal colour matching, while being able to control up to four printers simultaneously. Amongst its array of powerful workflow options are real-time queue monitoring, a tiled view for over-sized or overlapping jobs, and the ability to archive printed files complete with colour settings. The cost estimator also gives a realistic end-to-end picture of how much money is spent on each job.

Wasatch, which is one of the largest RIP versions in circulation, engineered its Precision Stochastic Screens (PSS) halftoning specifically for the software to give it a 16-bit deep rendering pipeline that produces perfectly even gradations and greys without stairstepping. This method also increases throughput speeds by up to 30% for variable-dot printers and more than 100% for fixed-dot printers.

Wasatch’s Phil Pirie claims that one of the primary reasons for upgrading is to take advantage of the quality benefits available from the latest generation printing systems. “Upgrading from feature restricted or printer specific Wasatch versions can really release the potential of the latest print hardware, with drivers now available for all current devices, including the recently launched HP Designjet latex printers. In terms of colour quality, with its 16-bit rendering, we firmly believe that SoftRIP now sets the benchmark that all other RIP software will have to be judged against.”

Phil is also enthusiastic about the high value benefits of this upgrade program - specifically its accompanying service agreement. "When users purchase a Wasatch upgrade they’re not only buying a comprehensive product with astounding colour capability but also one of the best support packages on the market,” he explains. “The contract means that leading industry technicians will advise individual users by phone, fax or e-mail, using their experience to walk them through use of the software, device setup, network and computer connectivity, colour management and other printing issues. This deal also includes eligibility for free downloads of SoftRIP updates released during the six month service contract.”

With printers needing to promote a wider range of services than ever before, SoftRIP allows them to broaden their portfolio to incorporate personalisation and versioning via variable data (VDP) simply. Lines of text and individual graphic elements can be added to a background image without slowing down the production process. Data can be incorporated from standard mail merge formats, comma separated values (CSV) and Microsoft Excel. The VDP option makes the manipulation of images and text easy, putting automatic resizing and sequential numbering at the user's fingertips.

Rotating, resizing and mirroring are readily manipulable, and for textile printing, which has become incrementally more popular in the sign and display market, continuous patterns can be engineered with utter simplicity. The user creates a single pattern shape which SoftRIP then multiplies and aligns exactly. Installation of the software is equally painless, with only the printer, profile and connection types needing specification before the RIP is ready to use.

Contour cutting is also made accessible with the Wasatch SoftRIP. Paths can be used from popular design applications, such as Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw, and complex shapes can be nested and duplicated simply within the RIP. The software excels in environments where a separate printer and cutter is used, and can track register marks between multiple devices. Free 30-day trials of the premium Wasatch add-on products are available for users who want to try out a number of advanced modules, including variable data printing, contour cutting, separations printing, and seamless textile repeats.

Wasatch SoftRIP is available in the UK and Europe from Tech8

Premedia specialist rebrands international operation to reflect its success in the global photobook market

Pre-media software specialist, TranseoMedia has announced it is rebranding its rapidly expanding international operation as TAOPIX™ to better reflect the strategic direction of the business, which is now focused on selling its proprietary photobook software, TAOPIX™ to a global marketplace.

Says James Gray, CEO, TAOPIX™: “The rebranding of the international side of our business to TAOPIX™ is part of the company’s long term commercial strategy to move further towards establishing itself as a leader in the global photobook business where our proprietary photobook software, TAOPIX™, has seen extraordinary success over the past 18 months.”

Mr Gray says when TranseoMedia was launched as a premedia specialist two years ago, it had three products to offer the UK market: DirectSmile, iWay, and its own photobook software, MediaAlbum (now TAOPIX™). Since then, the international photobook market has exploded and the company is seeing global demand for its photobook product exceed all expectations and sales projections. “Our key global markets already know us as TAOPIX™,” continues Gray. “So, as a result of this and the huge success of our photobook software, we have made a decision to more closely align the company and product brands at the international level so we are more easily identified as a single brand in all the regional markets we are now working in.”

In the UK, the company will remain trading as TranseoMedia UK, where it will continue to be the exclusive UK distributor of DirectSmile’s image personalisation software and its own TAOPIX™ photobook solution, as well as a reseller for PressSense’s web-to-print system, iWay. Gray adds: “UK customers will see no change in the level of service and support they have received to date. As TranseoMedia UK, we remain committed to the UK
market and to our image personalisation and web-to-print and products.”

In line with the new international positioning, the latest version of the company’s website www.taopix.com will also go live on 30th June 2009. “The new site will host an extensive range of new interactive functions,” continues Gray. “Primarily, we want the site to act as a comprehensive photobook information resource. Customers will be able to use the site to watch tuition videos to further increase their skills and knowledge in this area. There is also a section dedicated to outlining all the commercial opportunities our photobook solution offers.

“Our TAOPIX™ photobook software solution is unique in the market and it has now become by far our best selling product. We also know we are still only touching the edge of this global market, so the scope for the continued growth of this product internationally is enormous. In fact, we will also be announcing the opening of regional offices later in the year to further help us build our presence in key regional markets.” concludes Mr Gray.

As mid-summer arrives, and with over 85,000 students having engaged in PrintIT! over the last four years, more than 200 schools have already pre-registered to take part in the fifth annual PrintIT! competition. This unprecedented number of advanced registrations comes prior to its official launch to teachers and schools, which is set to take place later this year, for completion as part of the curriculum during the Autumn term.

PrintIT! 2009/2010 is set to provide students studying for their GCSEs in Graphic Products and Product Design an even more comprehensive overview of the printing industry, with a new competition focus and the prestigious annual awards ceremony, which will take place during IPEX 2010.

During the fifth year of PrintIT!, students will be challenged to design a print-based promotional campaign to promote Fairtrade products in supermarkets. As well as covering all the traditional print processes, this new focus expands the student’s remit of learning to include wide and large format print processes, allowing scope for a wider variety of end products, from leaflets and shelf wobblers through to posters, mobiles, aisle and storefront banners. In addition, the curriculum-mapped course will also place a greater emphasis on sustainability, giving students an understanding of the environmental issues facing print.

PrintIT! 2009/2010 is also set to showcase the very best of UK print to students at the annual awards ceremony, which will take place at the NEC, Birmingham during IPEX 2010. Finalist students and their teachers will be invited to tour the show floor, visit partner stands, experience the very latest in print technology and talk to industry specialists about careers in print, before attending the annual awards ceremony, which will take place during the exhibition.

Comments George Clarke, managing director of Heidelberg UK, chairman of PrintIT! and president of IPEX 2010, “Each year the entries for Print IT! seem to get better and better and I am sure this year’s emphasis on sustainability will encourage students to combine creativity with practicality. I am looking forward to viewing some interesting and thought-provoking entries. The commitment of these pupils is fantastic and I hope that, inspired by what they will see at the awards ceremony at IPEX, some might be tempted into the printing industry, a sector which offers an exciting range of career opportunities.”

Led by Proskills, PrintIT! is targeting Year 9 and Year 10 students, aged between 14-16 years, which includes the year before GCSE selection, as well as those studying for their GCSEs in Product Design and Graphic Products. Teachers at participating schools receive a detailed Course Book with in depth information and instruction in delivering the course, and every student will receive their own Student Work Book.

Vital to the success of PrintIT! is the Twinning programme, which partners print companies with their local school in order to work with the teachers to deliver the course. Acting as a learning-aid to PrintIT! students, Twinners create a vocational feature for the course by visiting the student’s lessons or providing tours of their own premises to see print in a production environment.

PrintIT! project director Paul Evans said, “With the opportunity to invite finalists and their teachers to experience the world of print at IPEX, we are gearing up for a bumper year in terms of registrations, to add to the 85,000 students and 1,000 schools that have already engaged in PrintIT! to date.” He continued, “As usual, to achieve our goals, we are very much reliant on the continued commitment and goodwill of our industry sponsors and twinning print partners, without whom we could not deliver this initiative, that has received endorsement from Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the Department for Children, Schools and Families in recognition of its engagement between industry and education.”

For information on becoming a sponsor or Twinning partner, contact Paul Evans at Proskills UK on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .