FAQs

OVERCOMING OBJECTIONS TO AUTOMATION IN WIDE-FORMAT PRINT

With the prospect of huge productivity gains and minimal investment in resources, what arguments does the industry have for ignoring the automation revolution? And can operators be persuaded to reconsider?

Here we assess three of the typical objections to embracing new cloud-based solutions and suggest some compelling reasons for large format print (LFP) businesses to reconsider their dependence on legacy technology.

1. I can’t afford to upgrade

The print world is used to significant equipment costs and narrow margins. Perhaps it’s not surprising that business owners are sensitive to any additional upfront expenditure.

After investing large amounts in existing systems, why would print shops want to replace them? As long as the customer is happy, they argue, there’s little impetus to upgrade.

This is a sound argument. Except it presumes individual print shops operate in a vacuum.

If the technology exists to provide a competitive edge (and it does) it’s only a matter of time before someone capitalizes on it. This is true of all industries, and the wide-format print world is no exception.

And the costs needn’t be prohibitive.

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platforms provide the convenience and financial flexibility of a pay-as-you go model—countering the capex heavy world of print, while offering the advantage of full scalability.

The more forward-thinking operators will reap the rewards earlier, provided they’re prepared to close the knowledge gap and disrupt processes in the short-term in exchange for long-term benefits.

2. Will my data be safe?

Despite widespread adoption, many people still view cloud services with suspicion. There is a feeling of “relinquishing control” that is hard for some to shake. And with it comes anxiety over data protection.

While the industry is still relatively new, providers recognize these concerns and are wholly dedicated to ensuring the security of customer data. Without this commitment, the cloud simply couldn’t operate on the wide scale it does today.

Furthermore, one of the advantages of cloud-based services is resilience—a remote backup all but assures disaster recovery. Conventional backups, meanwhile, are more susceptible to human error and the unexpected (for instance, extreme weather events).

3. How will I implement it?

Colour matching is a complex task. But data-driven solutions can make this process easier to process and perform.

Will there be a backlash from the shop floor? Maybe. But the experts on those teams have already proven their ability to master the far greater challenges that traditional workflows, relying on legacy equipment, present. For starters, they are much more prone to human error.

Uncertainty is always a factor with any new system. A few teething issues are to be expected as the team gets to grips with a slicker way of doing things —but again, it’s about a long-term view to increased productivity. The ability to coordinate multiple printers and ensure complete consistency is too compelling to ignore.

4. Am I ready to embrace automation?

A certain amount of caution is to be expected when investing in any technology, especially for precision obsessed print shops. The fast moving, flexible world of automation may be a little out of the comfort zone for some business owners—but the process advantages and margin opportunities make the much greater uptake of automated workflows only a matter of time.

UNDERSTANDING HOW THE PRINTFACTORY PLATFORM PRESENTS A NEW WAY FORWARD FOR LFP

What is PrintFactory?

Innovative technology for the processing of digital colour information for publishing to any media that requires accurate graphic production, automation and colour output. Central to PrintFactory is its PDF RIP technology, which converts PDF documents into colour correct output for over 1,400 printers.

OK, so what features make PrintFactory different to the competition?

1. Editor

This tool is unlike any other Large Format RIP. It combines all the tools that an LFP pre-press department uses to correct and edit customer’s files for output on bigger printers. It looks like an Adobe Illustrator product and shares all of the required editing tools of Illustrator & Photoshop and takes native files from both. It can live link to Photoshop for image editing and special effect. You can pre-flight and edit PDFs for images and text in the app and also apply cut contours, spot mapping, advanced white or special channel generation using various tools including layers. It also has the most powerful tiling tool in LFP software and a great, easy to use finishing tool for bleed, fold and eyelet placement. In a nutshell the clients that use this tool save on pre-press time and also the expense of highly trained Mac/Adobe operators.

2. RIPing Speed

On like-for-like platforms, Mac or PC, the PrintFactory RIP engine is significantly faster than alternative solutions. It also releases print data as soon as the RIP’ing process starts and unlike similar tools, you can view the dot for dot RIP data prior to printing.

3. Layout Tool

This easy to use graphic imposition tool gives the user all the required functionality to output print ready artwork to LFP. Features such as scaling, cropping, rotating, mirroring, step and repeat, plus advanced nesting, page based cutting paths, all cut marks, registration marks and crop marks, fold and bleed, eyelet placement, white ink generation, labels, tiling marks, advanced layout templates and much more. Customers also receive unlimited concurrent licenses of this tool at no additional cost. It submits the files to the RIP remotely from the user’s own platform.

4. Next Generation Colour

Using industry proven GMG MX and advanced colour technologies, PrintFactory offers a fundamentally forward-thinking approach to colour management. The technology is unparalleled in its accuracy, providing the highest level proofing grade colour management for all driven devices, resulting in maximum colour reliability and predictability. Perfect greys/neutrals, the widest and cleanest Pantone/Spot colour rendition with the most complete spot tables available. Clients can easily re-calibrate printers to such tight tolerances as to be able to load balance jobs across printers of the same model and also re-print “identically” files printed days, weeks or even months prior.

5. Automation

The software has built-in automation via XML or JDF support. A new tool for end users to easily glue this software to front end Web to Print, Automation Workflows and MIS systems, is currently in development and will make the software solution even more attractive. Also included in editor and layout are powerful automation tools and templates that remove the need for repetitive tasks saving lots of pre-print time.

6. Cloud Engine

This new feature on the client’s support dashboard webpage allows a live link with their installation. It automatically backs up the installation including all profiles and custom files, spot tables, templates etc to the cloud. There is also a production live link showing all files in process and printed which can show all info including, preview image, rip and print time, cost per copy for ink and media, usage data exportable for production reports, ink levels and you can even re-print files using this Web Browser tool from anywhere.

7. Easy License

The software requires no USB dongle and therefore is truly hardware independent and able to run across multi-platform Mac and PC environments with all modules automatically discovering each other. It can also be rented just like Adobe CC products, making it even more affordable month to month, and includes all updates and free feature support.

8. Savings

The software comes with ink saving tech built-in, saving an average of around 20% of the client’s digital ink bill. This alone makes investing in the platform a cost neutral or significant money saving feature. Consider too the wastage savings on resource and outputs with assurances of being able to colour correct the first time, every time.