The bigger picture for smart operators

Print shops that use Prinect S reap impressive rewards. For example, the operating cockpit enables them to follow prepress and pressroom processes live, thereby ensuring they know exactly how each order is progressing. But they can also cut down on time-consuming operations, as Prinect S can automatically adopt order numbers and customer data from a compatible system for use in order processing. In short, the electronic job ticket has arrived. This offers very practical benefits. The operator sees the customer name and knows immediately whether any specific customer requirements apply, such as how skin tones ought to be adjusted. "Prinect S helps print shops to organize all their print jobs on an order-oriented basis. This makes it easier to get a clearer overview and prevents errors. Processes are also streamlined because employees can work through the jobs faster without having to first clarify a whole series of issues or search for notes with the relevant information," explains Product Manager Klaus-Detlef Freyer.

Added convenience for traditionalists, too
The operator controls the entire production process via the Prinect Cockpit - at the click of a mouse. This also applies to print shops that, at least initially, want to continue processing print data without creating the electronic job ticket required for the workflow. All the operator needs to do in such circumstances is save the PDFs that have been generated in a hot folder. Prinect S then creates the job number.

Optimum prepress adjustments
Prinect S coordinates and automates order processing. The workflow solution automatically checks PDF documents provided by the customer for errors in the preflight stage. The print shop then has two choices - it can either choose this point in the workflow to adapt the PDF to the particular printing process using the two optional functions of color management and trapping, or it can leave Prinect S to perform these optimizations as "in-RIP" functions during the final stage before plate imaging. In the second scenario, the original PDF is left unchanged. "With cross-media publishing, it makes more sense to leave the PDF document as it is and add in adjustments as parameters for the RIP process. This is because completely different adjustments would need to be made for the purposes of digital printing or for publishing the document online, for example," emphasizes Freyer. The necessary hard-copy proofs can be created using the "ColorProof Pro" option.

From page to sheet in next to no time
Impositioning is also largely automated. With just a few mouse clicks, prepress personnel can create reusable impositioning templates via the tried-and-tested Prinect Signa Station - which can be integrated into Prinect S - or Prinect Imposition Editor, which has been designed for simple tasks.

Special effects made simple
The integrated Prinect Renderer, which was first unveiled to the world at IPEX 2010, makes it easy to implement special effects such as transparencies in the RIP. The Renderer can handle the tried-and-tested screening methods supported by the MetaDimension RIP. It also uses Adobe's PDF Print Engine, which ensures consistent results for output to proof and plate.

Free choice for fault-free integration
Print shops can also rely on Prinect S when it comes to creating presetting data for the press. The Renderer creates the required preview of the print sheet on demand, then the integrated Pressroom Manager calculates the ink pick-up for each print zone and transmits the values directly to the press.

"Prinect S is a low-cost and compact entry-level solution for an automated print shop workflow. It simplifies and speeds up a whole range of processes, thereby freeing up print shop operators to focus on the tasks that really matter," points out Freyer. Attractive options and upgrade packages make it easy to gradually scale up to fully integrated print shop operation.