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Druckerei Theo Diebold Ltd. Albstadt, Germany PIZ Move, X-Rite EyeOne and automated DC4 track on Heidelberg Speedmaster® 74 and CP2000® console. 
Gutenberg AG Schaan, Liechtenstein Preset and Closed Loop with Techkon SpectroDrive on Heidelberg Speedmaster® 74 and CP2000® console
Grafimedia AG Goldach/Switzerland Process Standard Offset (PSO) certification. It was the InkZone Move Press solution that made all the difference.
Theissen Druck GmbH Mohnheim am Rhein, Germany. Online Preset and Closed Loop. Techkon measurin, Heidelberg sheetfed.
Imprimerie LVRI Corbeil-Essonnes, Paris, France. Online Preset and Closed Loop. X-Rite measuring technology, KBA sheetfed
Stern Druck GmbH Fügen im Zillertal, Austria. Online Preset and Closed Loop. X-Rite/Gretag EyeOne measuring technology and Heidelberg sheetfed.
Druckerei Theo Diebold Ltd.
With the Preproofer 945, Rheintaler Druckerei und Verlag AG is saving money, materials and time. The system produces more than twelve 16-page DIN A4 double-sided imposed proofs per hour - in a single pass, with an excellent register and exceptional print quality.
The Theo Diebold Ltd. print shop in Germany is a small, family-run printing business. They have made a few recent investments in order to improve the capability of their Speedmaster® SM74-5 press and it's associated CP2000® console, and wound up getting more value than owner Wolfram Diebold ever imagined. That's because they have significantly improved their color control process - including presetting of ink keys, closed loop press-side color control, the quality assurance of their recent CtP investment, as well as examination of color proofs - all with one single cost-effective measuring instrument and the incorporation of InkZone from Digital Information.
With the Eye-One® scanner and the InkZone software for visualization and color control, the printing process has been accelerated considerably and the ongoing work is of high qualityThe strength of a family business
Since its foundation in the early nineteen-sixties, Theo Diebold Ltd. in Albstadt (Germany) has successfully stood their ground in a competitive market environment. Their steady prospering can be attributed to a great extent to a shrewd anti-cyclical investment policy. By meeting deadlines without compromise and executing orders efficiently, even on short notice, the Diebolds have gained the trust of their customers who have honored this by remaining loyal to this business and its staff of eight.
Wolfram Diebold, who took over management of the firm from his father, along with his son Andreas don't talk about quality - they build it in to each and every print job. Their customers can easily assure themselves by a large -collection of impressive print samples.
A big color idea starts small
In January 2009, the Diebolds made the changeover from conventional film imagesetting to CtP. Their new platesetting system uses process-less plates where the non-image emulsion is removed directly on press with the first few impressions. As a result, presetting ink key values can no longer be determined by using a plate scanner because the contrast is far too low, making even visual analysis challenging.
That is why Diebold installed the cost-effective DI-Plot software in pre-press. It transforms the same bitmap used to generate CtP plates into a JDF file of ink-coverage information. Unlike a plate scanner, DI-Plot creates first-generation preset data providing more precision and results in superior color reproduction. Additionally, the JDF (CIP4) files generated by DI-Plot contain more than ordinary preset values; they can also include parameters for mulitiple paper types (coated, uncoated, ISO paper classes, etc.), which may require different inking parameters to realize optimum results.
Once created, DI-Plot's JDF file is consumed by Digital Information's InkZone Perfect, which transmits fully-calibrated values for ductor/sweep feed rate and ink keys to the console of the Speedmaster® SM74-5. In the future, Diebold looks forward to the possibility of DI-Plot to also produce 100% content-reliable color-managed proofs using the same the CtP RIP data. All that from a single, reasonable investment.
The German print shop Theo Diebold Ltd. produce a variety of high-quality commercial materials on a six-year-old Speedmaster® SM 74-5. Their press console was recently equipped with Digital Information's InkZone system.Bridging the color workflow gap
With ink presetting solved, the Diebolds were also looking at ways to gain more synergy from their Digital Information investment. They had heard about the concept of closed-loop color control, but assumed these systems were expensive and complicated to add to their six-year-old Speedmaster® SM 74-5 with its CP2000 console®.
"We wanted to take the opportunity to optimize the workflow further by closing the color gap and feed measurement data directly into the system", Wolfram Diebold explains. "We found the ideal, cost-effective solution in Digital Information's InkZone Loop product."
InkZone Loop was installed shortly thereafter. Digital Information's closed-loop system with automatic color bar scanning relies upon X-Rite's economical EyeOne® spectro-photometer. To make the job easier, Diebold opted to add Digital Information's motor-driven, digitally-controlled, four-page-up track system (DC4). Once measured, color values are displayed graphically and numerically on a touch-screen monitor using the choice of density, L*a*b* and dot gain parameters. Target values can be stored in the system by paper type (including Process Standard Offset, ISO 12647-2, G7, etc.) and a color okay sheet can also be saved - from there, deviations are shown in terms of density, dot, Delta-E or gray balance.
Once colors are measured, ink-key settings proposed by the InkZone Loop system can be applied to the press via a symbol on the touch-screen monitor, making the system easy to use while still allowing press operator control.
Operation convincingly simple
After a few weeks of use, Wolfram and Andreas Diebold were convinced they had made a good investment. "With our choice of the cost-effective Eye-One® solution we basically relied on the recommendations of Digital Information and their German distributor Digi-Service Ltd. Our experience so far is that the system works very reliably, and our press operators have a much easier task of delivering quality printed results. In addition, the InkZone solution is a secure investment because it is flexible enough to be used on any new press we acquire, even if it is from another manufacturer" Wolfram Diebold says.
Andreas Diebold, speaking as a former press operator and instructor for one of the leading press manufacturers says "the InkZone interface is so simple and self-explanatory that one of our press operators with limited computer experience easily discovered and started using the system's measurement and control capability. Here, the excellent design of the user interface on the touchscreen helps considerably."
One measuring device for three applications
With the Eye-One® spectrophotometer Theo Diebold Ltd. has access to further usages without any need to invest in additional measuring equipment. Apart from its capability to measure and control the press, the system can also be extended to an overall solution when the software licenses for InkZone Move Plate and InkZone Move Wedge are activated. On the basis of industry-approved color bars, a single, cost-effective measuring instrument allows for color control in the printing process and ongoing quality management of the platesetter as well as the examination of proofs or sheets from the production run. The concept is in full alignment with the long-term, value-based, business practices Theo Diebold Ltd.
® = CP2000 Center and Speedmaster are registered trademarks of the "Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG" company. Eye-One is a registered trademark of the "X-Rite Europe GmbH" company. There are no organizational or commercial links with the "Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG" or the "X-Rite Europe GmbH" company.
Gutenberg AG
The quest for quality certification at Gutenberg Ltd. in Schaan (Principality of Liechtenstein) drove them to upgrade their Heidelberg press which was a state-of-the-art investment they made only five years ago. By integrating Digital Information's InkZone Loop system into their workflow, Gutenberg now enjoy the benefit of a whole range of innovative functions of ink console presetting and closed-loop color control in connection with their Speedmaster® SM74-5P offset press and the console CP2000®. In this case, consultants from Digistuff of Zurich (Switzerland) recommended and installed the InkZone Loop solution along with the Techkon SpectroDrive scanning instrument for color measurement, operated in conjunction with the Expresso analysis and control software.
The Techkon SpectroDrive is a very fast means to measure color bars from the edge of press sheets. It delivers precise results regardless of the print substrate's thickness.AAiming At Confidence and Reliability (or The Quality Chef Gets Hungry)
With their motto of "Printing Performance", Gutenberg in Schaan makes a concise reference to their core business of offset printing. Only recently has the 35-person company placed particular emphasis on their self-imposed commitment by attaining certification according to the Process Standard Offset (PSO). PSO certification assures that Gutenberg will produce repeatable and verifiable quality print jobs by documenting the production flow systematically according to the Swiss Centre of Competence for Media and Printing Technology (UGRA). During September 2008 when Gutenberg was generating the printing tests required to achieve certification on their five-color Speedmaster® SM74-5P offset press, they made use of a hand-scanning Techkon RS400 densitometer for the color measurement work. The experience of the certification process whet Gutenberg's appetite for more day-to-day reliability and predictability in their production process. An upgrade to add an ink control system in a closed loop format was the perfect cuisine for Gutenberg's quality craving.
Amortized Within the Year
After a careful market study of available control solutions, Gutenberg selected Digital Information's InkZone Loop product, which includes the automatic SpectroDrive spectrophotometer from Techkon. "With this product we found a solution with an excellent cost-performance ratio. It will enable us to run the press profitably for years to come" says Fabio Wellenzohn, head of the printing team at Gutenberg. He was actively involved in the decision making as well as the installation of the system. After just a couple of weeks the benefit is obvious to him: "We work with considerably shorter times from the first sheet to the production run, with waste reduced accordingly. Now we can maintain our printing quality reliably. A great advantage is the fact that the print substrate is incorporated in the ink key preset values and the ductor feed rate. Based on the work mix here at Gutenberg, we fully expect our investment in the measuring and control system will be returned within twelve months."
Gutenberg's Speedmaster® SM74 is used to capacity on print runs of one to three work shifts, with jobs of four to five colors in sheet-wise production or with double-sided two-color jobs in sheet-turning production.
InkZone Loop leads to considerable savings in time from the first sheet to the production run. Paper waste is reduced accordingly and the print run is both fully controlled and verifiable.Precise Suggestions For Color Correction
Why was a product from Techkon chosen with respect to color measurement technology? "Both the measuring device and the Expresso measuring and visualization software convinced us", answers Fabio Wellenzohn and states more precisely: "The SpectroDrive measures quickly and provides us with results that are both precise and repeatable. Thanks to the integrated polarization filter the measured density values remain consistent, regardless of the ink's state of drying on the sheet. This is important to us since we use existing okay sheet archives as a color reference for many repeat jobs. In addition, we find that the Expresso software gives our press operators precise suggestions as to what corrections are required in order to reach a particular LAB color value as required by the ISO 12647-2 standard."
Fully-Integrated Solution is Self-Learning
The InkZone system includes several software products for ink-console presetting and closed-loop color control on printing presses of all established manufacturers. Since Drupa in 2008 this system is also available for the press console CP2000® from Heidelberg, as used at Gutenberg.
It all starts with the Digital Information's DI-Plot proofing software. Bitmap files received from the prepress workflow are converted directly to ink coverage values and then forwarded as JDF files (XML) to the InkZone Perfect preset software. Next, press operators can quickly and easily assign the preset values to each printing unit via a drag-and-drop in the software. This feeds the ink zone data into the control center, presetting the ink keys and the ductor rollers.
InkZone Perfect is self-learning, making it easy to get consistently-shorter press start-up time. It compares the corrections being executed during the print run with the initial ink-preset data. This comparison can be made for each printing condition (including paper types), and results in a calibration curve that is continuously corrected and gradually adapted to an optimum. Once the print run has started, the Techkon SpectroDrive scans the entire color bar automatically within a few seconds. The Expresso software package receives measurements via a wireless interface and then displays the measured values on the monitor using a graphical and numeric display.
Expresso simultaneously transmits the measured values using a JDF file format directly to the InkZone Loop software, which can then initiate automated press adjustments. As an alternative, press operators can opt for manual triggering of proposed corrections with the touch of a key.
Success Through Local Service and Support
Digistuff AG in Zurich was in control of the complete system integration, installation, training and ongoing technical support. Their local Swiss service base allows fast response to customer needs, including expertise in, and distribution of, products by Techkon and Digital Information.
® = CP2000 Center and Speedmaster are registered trademarks of the Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG company. There are no organizational or commercial links with the Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG company.
Grafimedia AG
Contented faces after successful PSO certification (from left): Peter Breu, Grafimedia AG; Roland Gisler, Digistuff AG, Andreas Breu, Grafimedia AG, the printing technician Adela Kujovic; Erwin Widmer, UGRA St. Gallen; Martin Breu, Grafimedia AG.The All-In-One Package
In opting for the InkZone solution from Digital Information, Grafimedia AG acquired a complete system for working at a consistent printing quality. The key components of their system are: InkZone Perfect for presetting ink keys prior to press makeready; InkZone Loop - a closed-loop color solution which helps maintain on-press results within the tightest of tolerances; and InkZone Move Press for automatic scanning with the affordable X-Rite EyeOne (i1) spectrophotometer. InkZone Move Press has been approved by UGRA, the Swiss standards institute for the graphics industry, as a solution to obtain certification to ISO 12647-2 (sheetfed offset printing). A color bar developed by UGRA is an official part of the InkZone Move package.
Dreaming About PSO Certification
Grafimedia AG has long been aware of the importance of standards as a means not only for promoting internal efficiency, but also for delivering quality to customers and for differentiating their printing services in the marketplace. Although Grafimedia's working practices have always been organized with standards in mind, they were never officially recognized as such. One reason for this is that PSO certification requires the use of a scanning measuring instrument - and for a company of Grafimedia's size, that's a considerable investment, especially considering the large price tag associated with press manufacturer's solutions.
Unbeatable in price and performance
With the recent introduction of InkZone Move Press to the market, however, the situation at Grafimedia changed. The affordability, quality and adaptability of this new solution from Digital Information makes it ideal for this type of situation.
The measuring system relies upon the EyeOne, a commercially available, open-ended and accurate spectrophotometer. On the price/performance side, this measuring device is unequaled. Grafimedia saw the benefits, equipped their Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 52-6 with InkZone Move Press, and also installed the optional DC2 (Digital Control) electrical drive to ensure ease of use and more reproducible measurement results. With this arrangement, the press operator triggers the fully-automatic measurement sequence via a graphical, touch-screen interface.
An Excellent Foundation in Pre-Media
With products from Digital Information, Grafimedia has always been sure of sound and economical investments. Like thousands of others in the printing industry, they have relied upon DI-Plot software to output imposed proofs prior to making plates for the press, in this case via a Harlequin RIP. In terms of workflow, DI-Plot simply sends the zone coverage values as JDF files to InkZone Perfect, which then converts the data into calibrated values for presetting the ink keys and duct rollers on the six-color Heidelberg. So with only a small capital outlay, the full package including DI-Plot, InkZone Perfect, InkZone Loop and InkZone Move Press brings the sheetfed press at Grafimedia AG up to the very latest specification, while also making their operation more efficient.
Theissen Druck GmbH
Compared with previous systems, for each job, InkZone saves between five and ten minutes between introducing the plate and resuming production.At Theissen Druck GmbH, Process Standard Offset (PSO) is the way of life. An indispensable quality assurance tool for this printing process is the Techkon RS-400 with closed loop color control software. Using InkZone Perfect for presetting the ink keys and InkZone Loop for color control, the life cycle of the printing presses have been extended at a small fraction of the cost of adding new presses. The presses printed well, they just needed an infusion of technology. The result: press operators embraced the system for the benefits the equipment has brought into the pressroom.
Theissen Druck GmbH operates the InkZone Loop control system with Techkon measuring technology.1000 hours saved each year
At Theissen Druck GmbH in Monheim am Rhein, production in 8/up format runs on two Speedmaster SM 102s (with four and six printing units respectively), and in 2/up format on a Speedmaster SM 52. All printing presses are connected online to prepress via InkZone Card and receive the JDF files from the workflow via DI-Plot for precise presetting of the ink zones.
Production is a three-shift operation, with the number of makereadies stated as 6000 to 7000 per year. "Compared with the previous "sneaker-netted" offline presetting system, the InkZone Perfect presetting solution from Digital Information saves us between five and ten additional minutes between introducing the plate information and resuming production", says Thomas Arenz, who as Managing Director is responsible for production. Based on the total number of makereadies, the extra capacity amounts to 1000 hours a year. Theissen Druck receives additional added benefit by being able to modify curves easily at each press for various stocks and inks.
InkZone Loop fills important gaps in the marketplace
"When we decided to make our printing house fit for the PSO certificate, closed loop color control finally became the topic of discussion", says Thomas Arenz. Accordingly, at the end of 2006, Theissen Druck GmbH equipped the CPC consoles on both its approximately eight-year-old printing machines with a Techkon measuring system plus Digital Information's InkZone Loop ink control software. For the measuring procedure, the printer runs the densitometer over the measuring strip manually with the aid of a magnetic rail. A motorized scanning track is also available as an option.
"On the road to more efficient utilisation of capacity and improved quality assurance, InkZone fills an important gap in the marketplace", Thomas Arenz claims. "The really big boost to productivity in the printing process came in the 1990s with automatic plate changes and washers for the blanket and ink fountain/damping rollers and the printing cylinder. Since then, any improvements have tended to be marginal. In contrast, at a comparitively low price, we now have the InkZone solution, which gives a fresh boost to automation and definitely brings us a lot further - from the points of view of efficiency and also achievable stability at a high level of quality."
Thomas Arenz, Managing Director at Theissen Druck GmbH: "Thanks to the InkZone solutions, we are extending the service life of our eight-year-old printing machines by a further three years."Service life extended by three years
Before the installation of InkZone Perfect and InkZone Loop, Theissen Druck GmbH would have been looking at the replacement of a Speedmaster SM 102 by a state-of-the-art printing machine. "Naturally, InkZone presetting and closed loop color control would be part of the overall package with any new investment, but we would have paid an incomparably higher price for it. With the InkZone solutions from Digital Information, we get exactly the same performance, but at a much lower cost", says Thomas Arenz, who points to the efficiency aspect in particular. "Our two Speedmaster SM 102s are now eight years old and have paid for themselves in full. When it comes to printing quality, they are the equal of any new machine. Now, thanks to InkZone Perfect and InkZone Loop, we can run production on the existing technology for at least three more years. Here, we profit from genuine added value."
Imprimerie LVRI
The printers at Imprimerie LVRI rate InkZone Perfect and InkZone Loop as reliable and very easy to use.Imprimerie LVRI has equipped its KBA Rapida 105 with Ink Zone Loop interfaced with the IntelliTrax scanning system from X-Rite to provide closed loop ink control. In addition, ink preset data for each ink zone is delivered to the press by DI-Plot in conjunction with InkZone Perfect ink preset software. According to the customer, the high data quality means that InkZone gives printers maximum security when operating the system.
State-of-the-art technology behind an old facade
"We think the InkZone solution is a winner." With this short statement, Fabrice Houillon expresses his enthusiasm for InkZone Perfect and InkZone Loop. Together with his wife Mathilde, he runs Imprimerie LVRI, based in Corbeil-Essonnes to the south of Paris with some 20 employees. Although housed in an old building, this printing company can point to state-of-the-art equipment throughout. In the press room, there is a Rapida 74 with four printing units plus a KBA varnishing unit, and a four-color Rapida 105.
The X-Rite IntelliTrax is one of the fastest scanning systems. The colour-bar on a 105 cm press-sheet is scanned in just 15 seconds.InkZone exceeds expectations
Imprimerie LVRI has been using X-Rite' ATD scanning technology for color control for the last seven years. Adjustment of the ink keys were not interfaced from the X-Rite ATD directly to the ink console. Make-readies were slower and waste was higher than necessary without the benefit of ink key presetting. The systems installed at LVRI before either lacked the required precision or were unsatisfactory from an operating point of view. Fabrice Houillon eventually found the solution he was looking for in the form of InkZone Perfect for presetting the ink zones and InkZone Loop for closed-loop ink control. When asked about the reasons behind his enthusiasm for this product, Fabrice Houillon's answer is clear and concise: "The InkZone solution from Digital Information is completely reliable and very easy to operate. Immediately after it was installed, we were able to use the software productively". Fabrice Houillon can also confirm that the system is stable, and that so far there's been no need for support.
Reliability brings high security
The data for the ink zone preset is calculated by DI-Plot on the basis of a bitmap generated in the RIP imaging device. It is sent direct to the printing press console via Ethernet. Fabrice Houillon points to the high data quality in particular. "We can depend on the JDF files. The values create the required print-job color profile with above-average precision. Our press operators have become very confident with the system, and feel secure when using it. With reduced doctor/ sweep movement, the ink keys can be opened wide. The result is greater latitude when setting the keys with fine adjustments of the correction options."
Having replaced the ATD with the new IntelliTrax scanner, Imprimerie LVRI also benefits from a high measuring speed. It scans the colour bar on a 105 cm press-sheet in just 15 seconds. InkZone Loop shows the measurement values for each ink unit on the screen's graphic interface. The press operators themselves will decide on the extent to which they should accept the corrections that the system recommends.
Mathilde and Fabrice Houillon are the second generation to run the company, which was founded by father Georges Houillon in 1954.Commitment and quality stay the same
The foundations of Imprimerie LVRI were laid in 1954 by Georges Houillon. His brother and son Fabrice joined the company some twenty years later, which from then on operated under the name LVR (Lithographie des Vignes Rouges). The printing operation experienced strong growth in the following decade, and in 1985 LVR became LVR International (LVRI). In the fifty or so years of its existence, Imprimerie LVRI has kept one thing the same: the fulfilment of high quality demands by a committed and professional team of employees.
Stern Druck GmbH
On the Speedmaster SM 52, presetting the ink zones using Ink Zone Card saves about 15 minutes per job.At Stern Druck GmbH, the complete InkZone solution, with ink zone ink presetting and closed loop color control, is being used on a Speedmaster SM 52. The system configuration uses an X-Rite i1 spectrophotometer as the measuring device, for a low-cost, high-performance solution for press sheets up to 29 inches in width.
15 minutes faster per job
Stern Druck GmbH runs its production on a Roland 706 with varnishing unit and a Speedmaster SM 52-6. This press operates from a CPC console and receives the ink zone preset values from DI-Plot through InkZone Perfect via InkZone Card. The DI-Plot proof software was installed seven years ago for generating proofs from a bitmap created by a Harlequin RIP. Since then, the operation has changed over to the Prinergy workflow system with computer-to-plate. DI-Plot has taken on an additional role in the workflow and now also delivers the JDF files for precision ink zone presetting to the Speedmaster SM 52-6.
"We gain about 15 minutes per job when presetting the ink zones", says printing technician Andreas Pfister. With most print runs varying between 2500 and 10,000 printed sheets, much faster makereadies are going to make all the difference.
With Ink Zone Loop control software, the i1 spectrophotometer from X-Rite is a professional, low-priced solution for use on 2up and 4up format printing machines.Simple operation, high process security
Equipping the press with InkZone Loop was the next logical step. In addition to presetting the ink zones, the closed loop color control software provides press operators practical support and is effective in lightening the load when monitoring quality control thereby improving print reproduction consistency. Connection of the i1 spectrophotometer with the Ink Zone Loop control software results in a professional and low-cost solution, the use of which is fully justified on the Speedmaster SM 52 from the operational efficiency viewpoint.
"InkZone Loop has proven to be a very efficient aid to quality assurance", says Andreas Pfister. "Even with smaller print-runs, we obtain much more stable print results. The user interface is clear and concise. So working with the system is very straightforward. As printers, we get a very secure feeling when monitoring production".
Company founder Jörg Höllwarth (to the right) and his son MichaelCommitment and quality stay the same
Stern Druck GmbH has been based in Fügen (Zillertal, Austria) since its foundation by Jörg Höllwarth in 1980. Today, the family-owned company has 35 employees, with ten working creatively in the company's photographic/graphics studios, or in layout and copywriting. It is a full-blown operation, offering services that extend all the way through to perfect-bound finished products. Last year, some 1400 tons of paper left the premises.
"We see ourselves as part of the upper quality segment", says Jörg Höllwarth, underlining his statement with a cross-section of the printwork that is processed in-house from A to Z. Often, UV and emulsion varnishes are used. Hybrid technology is also a frequent enhancement for Stern Druck's clients. "We do not actively look for orders. For us, advertising is work that's executed both well and on time. No job is too small for us", says Jörg Höllwarth, and points to print-on-demand as a further strength at Stern Druck GmbH.
Lagoprint GmbH
Printing is on a total of ten printing units in formats 70 x 100 and 50 x 70 cm.At Lagoprint GmbH, in Rielasingen, Germany, six ink units on a Heidelberg Speedmaster CD 102 as well as four on a SM 74 are controlled online via InkZone Card. InkZone Card redirects the data transferred from prepress to the separate printing units for precision setting of the ink zones.
Quicker set-up, better quality
Each day, Lagoprint, a specialist in display, packaging and commercial work, is confronted with difficult forms and increasingly short print runs. So, in order to reduce set-up times to a minimum and achieve production-quality printing quickly, a direct connection for online transfer of the ink zone values was extremely welcome. Both the Heidelberg printing machines are connected via Ethernet (TCP/IP) and InkZone Card to the existing Prinergy Workflow. The versatile DI-Plot proof software converts bitmap data into ink zone values that are then accessed directly from the printing machine and transmitted online to the control console. The control software included in the InkZone package automatically accepts the conversion and linearisation of the bitmap calculated by DI-Plot in the specific Heidelberg machine format.
A milestone in networked production
The preset data for the ink zones are transmitted online to the control console of the Heidelberg CD 102 and SM 74 via InkZone Card (below right).According to Metin Sentürk, Managing Director of Lagoprint, InkZone Card is nothing short of a milestone on the road to complete process networking. With the open InkZone concept, software developer Digital Information Ltd. has succeeded where the manufacturers of prepress systems and printing machines have thus far failed: namely, the network-based transfer of data between systems of different origins. "A printing house we know in Switzerland drew our attention to InkZone", says Metin Sentürk. "The online solution promised by Digital Information Ltd. at Drupa 2004 with InkZone Card was exactly what we had in mind to finally replace the so-called sneaker net with modern process networking. A half year later, and both our machines were equipped with InkZone Card."
Ancient House Press Plc.
A year ago, Ancient House Plc invested in an eight-colour KBA Rapida with CIP3 interface to the Agfa output workflow. With immediate recognition of the benefits of CIP3, Ancient House was looking for ways to transfer the ink zone presetting values to an existing Speedmaster 102 with eight printing units (adjustable after the fourth unit).
At the same time, the company became aware of InkZone Box from Digital Information Ltd. A comparison of cost versus performance led the customer to view an existing InkZone system at Drukkerij Schuttersmagazijn BV in the Netherlands. where the ink zones on three Heidelberg machines - two SM 102s and an SM 74 - were being preset on a central InkZone Box. Immediately after the visit, Digital Information received an order to supply and install an InkZone Box with InkZone-Perfect. InkZone-Perfect puts Ancient House Press in a position to assign the values calculated for a job to any printing unit regardless of production type (recto/verso or recto only).
There is also web offset production in the Ipswich printing house. Only a few months after commissioning InkZone Box in the sheet-fed area, the old tape drive on the web-fed press was replaced by the Heidelberg Jobcard. By adding the appropriate format to DI-Plot, at no extra cost the customer acquired the option to select ink zones directly from DI-Plot in web offset, too, and write them to the Jobcard directly via InkZone Box.
Ancient House Press Plc. in Ipswich uses InkZone Box for presetting the ink zones on a recto-verso machine (InkZone-Perfect) and a commercial web press.De Vries Communications Centre
At De Vries Print Work in Zierikzee (The Netherlands) a reduction in make-ready times of 15 minutes per job is achieved with InkZone.A full range of services from creation through to production lie behind the success of the DeVries Communications Centre, founded by Dannie de Vries in 1980. Accordingly, the company is divided into De Vries Advertising and De Vries Print Work.
At De Vries Print Work, production comes off a four-colour KBA-Rapida (Format 52 x 72 cm). In 2002, the company invested in state-of-the-art CtP technology. The digital workflow via direct plate imaging was, however, insufficient; the ink feed profile on the four printing units still had to be set manually at the control consule.
Noting the products on offer from Digital Information Ltd, in January 2003 De Vries Communications Centre decided to fill the gap between the two key prepress and press sectors with DI-Plot and InkZone Box. The company thus scored twice over: with DI-Plot, form proofs can be created from data off an RIP imaging device that is 100% definitive with regard to content and status. At the same time, the imaging data is used to calculate the ink zone values which are then written to a data carrier in the specific KBA format and entered at the control console.
Dannie De Vries: "With DI-Plot and InkZone we reduce the make-ready times on the printing machine by 15 minutes per job. And we also gain from a considerable reduction in paper costs".
The ink zone values converted to the corresponding format in InkZone Box are entered at the control console via data carrier.Conzett+Walter
At Conzett+Walter, InkZone production delivers the zone values for the BST Monigraf ink zone control system on an A52 (pictured) and a GMI Microcolor system on a Müller Martini Concept.Conzett+Walter AG has existed in its present form since 1997. Prepress, printing, finishing and the personalisation of mailings, leaflets, flyers, brochures and forms are accommodated on several floors.
In endless web offset, capacity comprises a total of 23 Müller Martini printing units. A six-colour A52 and an eight-colour Concept use open, PC-based BST Monigraf and GMI Microcolor systems for remote ink control. Up to the spring of this year, calculation of the ink zone presetting values was done on a plate scanner. "We had long been on the lookout for a solution for entering zone values into the control system via CIP3 directly from prepress", says Production Manager and Director Peter Buri. "Thanks to the simple concept and low investment cost, it was the Digital Information solution that finally convinced us."
The connection between the prepress workflow and the two printing machines is formed by a DI-Plot station that calculates the amount of surface coverage from the RIP bitmap and writes the corresponding zone values to a data carrier. The target ink control system (BST Monigraf or GMI Mircocolor) is simply selected from the menu, and the system will then automatically choose the correct format. Peter Buri: "Per job, our machines are now productive an hour earlier compared with the roundabout route with the plate scanner".
Compared to the plate scanner previously used, endless web offset machines are productive one hour sooner for each job.Bruhin AG
Bruhin AG in Freienbach exploit the synergies of DI-Plot and InkZone Box. The bitmap files calculated in the CREO-Impact-Workflow are accepted by DI-Plot and passed on to the InkZone Box as InkZone files via Ethernet. In InkZone Box, the files are converted to the special Heidelberg format and written onto the Job Memory Card. This card is used by the CPC control console of a Heidelberg Speedmaster 102. At the same time, DI-Plot uses the same bitmap data for content- and status-specific formproof output on an HP Designjet 2500 and for the generation of CIP3 files for online presetting of the ink zones on a Komori Lithrone 540.
Schellenberg Druck
At Schellenberg Druck AG InkZone is used as the link between prepress and press on Heidelberg and MAN Roland machines.With over 200 employees, Schellenberg Druck AG with headquarters Pfäffikon is one of the region's key graphic industry companies. Together with various subsidiaries, the company is active in all areas of visual communication.
Printing machines operated in Pfäffikon comprise two-, four-, five- and ten-colour machines by Heidelberg and MAN Roland. For all sheet-fed machines equipped with remote ink control, zone setting values are calculated centrally with a DI-Plot station and InkZone Box.
Last-moment changes from the administrative department do not represent a problem for InkZone Box. InkZone Box is equipped with a number slots that correspond to the different machine data carriers. By simply selecting the machine on the integrated touch screen, the zone values will be converted into the correct format.
InkZone Box (centre) writes the ink zone preset data in all familiar printing machine formats to the corresponding data carriers. To the left of the picture is the user interface to the DI-Plot form proof software; the screen on the right shows a preview of the imposed print form.Acorn Press
InkZone Card has been a time-saver at Acorn Press where three Heidelberg Speedmasters are now up to production speed much quicker.Acorn Press is a mid-sized commercial printer who is striking a profitable balance between servicing their local customers well and investing in new technologies to drive efficiency. Their 100-employee facility in Central Pennsylvania was started in 1956, and today has revenues exceeding $10 million based on their full service capabilities including prepress, digital and offset printing, die cutting, bindery capabilities, mailing and fulfillment.
The workhorses at Acorn Press are their two 6-color Heidelberg SM102 presses. Despite their age, these solid machines are well maintained to deliver quality color results, and recently have been upgraded to deliver increased efficiencies that rival the capabilities of the latest press technology thanks to new InkZone Card systems.
In reviewing the technology landscape, the management team didn't want to take-on the burden of entirely new presses in order to leverage the latest press features like ink-key presetting. Their recent investments focused on expanding prepress capabilities with a Creo CTP installation and the addition of Indigo digital printing capability, so further investment in new sheetfed equipment would have been a stretch. Instead, Acorn Press contacted Digital Information about the InkZone Card, a unique system that leverages their existing prepress investments in CTP to significantly reduce on-press makeready time on their legacy sheetfed printing equipment.
Acorn has taken advantage of existing CTP investment with InkZone Card; it simply plugs in to the job-card reader of their Speedmaster consoles.The performance of InkZone on the 40 inch presses, and the low incremental cost of adding another press, easily justified Acorn Press to add their SM74 6-color into the digital ink preset workflow. Management is now evaluating the addition of Closed Loop Color Control Software using an X-Rite Scanning Densitometer.
Scott Reighard, President Acorn Press admits that the amount of makeready waste depends on the prior print run, but like the seasoned presses at many commercial print shops, those at Acorn now boast makeready times that are up to 25% more efficient, saving thousands in monthly time and materials. Operators are not only getting to color faster on each run, there is also increased consistency between presses and crews, making the entire pressroom more efficient.
Koprint AG: Printing is better double
With Digital Information's Preproofer 740, double-sided formproof production at Koprint AG is efficient and economical. The output process is controlled by the DI-Plot software package. Linked with InkZone Perfect, DI-Plot also delivers JDF files for presetting ink-zones automatically on two printing machines of different manufacture.
Preproofer 740 runs at up to 16 double-sided printed formproofs per hourKoprint AG has been working with DI-Plot from Zurich-based software developer Digital Information Ltd. since 1998. Located in Alpnach Dorf, the family-owned company is one of the early users of this versatile proof software, which can be integrated into any prepress environment. The company continues to work with a delta workflow, with DI-Plot sampling the ripped bitmaps down to the required resolution to produce a formproof that is absolutely accurate as far as layout and content are concerned.
After nearly ten years and with more than 2000 licences granted worldwide, DI-Plot is still holding its own as a future-proofed solution that can keep pace with the latest developments in the different prepress workflow solutions. Which is why Koprint has recently gone over to double-sided proof outputting with a Preproofer 740 from Digital Information. In a further efficiency measure with InkZone Perfect, the company has now made the connection for presetting the ink zones on two offset machines from Komori (52 x 72 cm) and Ryobi (52 x 36 cm), each equipped with five printing units. DI-Plot is used as the data source and control platform for proof outputting on Preproofer 740, and also for InkZone Perfect. For Managing Director Jochen Konrath, who is in charge of operations, the value of the proof software is confirmed over the long term because it can continue in use with Koprint's upcoming investment in a new workflow system.
DI-Plot is the control platform and data source for Preproofer 740 and at the same time calculates the JDF data for ink zone presetting via InkZone Perfect.Lower costs, higher performance
In Alpnach Dorf, the annual consumption of print plates is around 13,200. Then there are 6,500 plates for Gersag Druck AG in Emmenbrücke, which was acquired by Koprint AG in 1989. At Gersag Druck, production runs on a convertible Speedmaster 74 with five printing units.
With the installation of the Preproofer 740 four-page system, Jochen Konrath can confirm that expenditure on proof production is down by almost a half: "Thanks to Digital Information and Preproofer, we achieve clear savings from several points of view. Compared to earlier methods where we could only output single-sided proofs, we now use both sides of the sheet and consume correspondingly less paper. Also, by dispensing with gluing, we are much faster and more accurate. We gain time, make considerable savings in the cost of materials, and attain a very appealing proof quality that comes close to the actual printing result." And that's not all. With the CMS capability of DI-Plot, when it delivers the formproof Koprint is at the same time giving customers an "OK-to-Print" that goes a long way to resembling the final print result from the colour point of view, as well.
Quality with Piezo technology
Preproofer 740 is based on two Epson Stylus Pro 7400 printers - currently the fastest inkjet system on the market. Depending on the chosen resolution, speeds reach up to 16 double-sided proofs per hour, while a new screening method allows excellent reproduction quality down to even the finest details and with low resolutions, too. Micro Piezo technology functions on the drop-on-demand principle and enables precision control of the ink droplets as far as size, shape and positioning on the substrate is concerned. In addition to brilliant printing results, the outputting process can be accelerated while saving on ink consumption by varying the droplet size according to the subject.
Front and back without turning
Double-sided formproofs can be produced in one pass without turning the paper thanks to the offset configuration of the vertically displaced printers. Preproofer works on the roll-sheet print principle where output of the front is off the roll and output of the back is on the cut sheet. For outputting the back, the sheet is moved by gravity alone and scanned for precision register printing by the system before DI-Plot releases the data. With no mechanism required for turning the sheet, the result is reduced maintenance and fewer spare parts.
At Koprint, ink zones on a Komori and a Ryobi are automatically preset using InkZone Perfect.With JDF to the ink-zone preset
Print shop production at Koprint is in a heterogeneous environment. A five-colour from Komori in 52 x 72 cm format, a five-colour from Ryobi in 36 x 52 cm format, plus two A3 Ryobi models, each equipped with two units, add up to a total of 14 printing units.
The installation of InkZone Perfect for online ink-zone presetting on the five-colour machines makes for an economical solution with a high streamlining effect. With InkZone Perfect, both systems can be supplied with presetting data, thus avoiding the need for relatively expensive proprietary CIP3/4 connections for printing machines from two different manufacturers. DI-Plot calculates the JDF files with the zone values from the bitmap data delivered by the imager RIP and then transfers them to InkZone Perfect. The software is not dependent on the type of printing machine and offers functions like linearization to individual printing conditions, the display of ink-zone values, visualisation of the printing job with the separate imposed composite forms, and ductor control. Thanks to a simple drag-and-drop function, the press-man can allocate the individual separations with the preset values for CMYK and special colours to the printing units.
With a simple drag-and-drop function, the press-man assigns the preset values to the separate ink zones on the printing machine."One thing is clear: the preset solution from Digital Information makes things much simpler and speeds up the process", says Jochen Konrath. "Previously, we needed between 30 and 45 minutes per printing job for setting the ink zones manually. Thanks to InZone Perfect, we are ready for the production run after fifteen minutes. Also, the software allows us to adapt the calculated preset data to the effective ink-zone values and thus further optimise set-up times. A further productivity bonus comes from the option to save job data for repeat jobs."
Buoyant growth
The satisfaction shows (from left to right): Gregor Keiser, Manager PrepressJochen Konrath, Managing Director Koprint AG, Michael Haenni, Digital Information Ltd.Koprint AG was founded in 1984 when Austrian Werner Konrath acquired former book printers Ehrli Druck AG in Sarnen. Eleven years later came the move into modern premises in Alpnach Dorf, the present-day location, and the change of name to Koprint AG. Since 1989, Emmenbrücke-based Gersag Druck AG, a company that is well established in the region, has also been owned by Koprint AG. Recently, Kneuss Print AG of Lenzburg was taken over by the service provider, which has now grown to employ more than 40 staff. The customer base is mainly manufacturing companies, banks, insurance organisations and firms in the IT sector. Because Koprint remains largely independent from agencies, the services are not restricted to tasks relating to printwork production but range from the development of graphic design concepts through artwork production and printing to the finished product.