Special Report: Printing, Production and Paper
Achieve a Better Production Workflow
Hint: Expect more from your printer
Consider the relationship you have with your catalog printer. Besides the quality of what it prints for you, how would you classify its workflow processes? Is it easy for you to submit jobs? Are you confident you’re saving as much as you can on prepress costs? Do you think you’re getting the best possible level of customer service?
In tough environments such as this one — when paper and postage costs are on the rise, for instance — you must not be conservative in the expectations you set for your print partners.
Now that computer-to-plate (CTP) and digital workflow have become the standard in catalog printing, printers are looking for new ways to improve their processes — and ensure that their customers stay happy and loyal.
Of course, there’s still plenty of room for improvement to the digital workflow. For example, there’s still a need to ensure that the content a cataloger supplies to a printer will seamlessly process through the prepress workflow and, ultimately, reproduce well on press. Moreover, there remains a need for standardization of the content you submit to your printer, and there’s still opportunity to automate data exchange — not just of the print job, but all the shared data about the job.
The good news: Several key software developers catering primarily to commercial, catalog and publication printers have unveiled cutting-edge solutions that printers are using to improve workflow hazard zones. If your printers aren’t using them and making them available to you, perhaps it’s a good time to ask, “Why not?”
A Commitment to Customer Service
David Motheral, chief technology officer at Fort Worth, Texas-based Motheral Printing oversees all technological implementation for this catalog, publication and commercial printer. “Submitting jobs to us has never been easier,” he notes. He’s referring to the printer’s recent adoption of the Synapse InSite and Synapse Prepare tools from Creo. Synapse Prepare addresses the workflow gap between a cataloger and its printer. It allows a cataloger to take a digital file (e.g., a PostScript file), feed it to Synapse Prepare (through a hot folder or print-to function) and, in return, get an optimized PDF file that’s been expertly manicured according to the exact prepress specifications assigned by the printer.
That’s when Synapse InSite intervenes. The final PDF file then automatically is sent to the printer’s prepress system, where it can trigger a soft proof, a hard-copy proof or platemaking, depending on what you’ve designated for the job.
“If [the PDF] doesn’t pass inspection,” Motheral says, “a PDF file isn’t sent, and an error report is generated, giving the customer the details about the problems. That way, they can address any of these problems … before the final PDF is sent to us.”
As well as enabling content exchange, Synapse InSite doubles as a good communications tool. “[It] collects data that becomes our internal documentation path,” Motheral adds. “Every keystroke, notation or report is available to our customers, as well.”
Motheral estimates that 90 of his customers now use Synapse Prepare for PDF creation and access its Synapse InSite portal to submit jobs, collaborate on soft proofs and monitor the status of their jobs. Motheral supplies the Synapse Prepare software, as well as training, and customers access Synapse InSite for free via a standard Web browser.
While the software may be free to customers in this case (note: not all printers give it away for free), there still may be some capital investment required of you — particularly if you plan to review soft proofs for contract-level sign-off. Then, an investment in color calibration and management tools, desktop viewing stations, and viewing conditions becomes important.
Build the Optimal Workflow
In addition to Creo, other workflow solution providers include:
DALiM Software (http://www.dalim.com) offers DALiM SWiNG, which is implemented by printers, prepress suppliers or those in high-volume content creation/publishing environments. Its Manager feature allows users to automate file processing, taking a native application file and converting it into a more print-friendly format, for example.
Meanwhile, DALiM’s MiSTRAL is a Web-enabled module to DALiM’s workflow, a JDF-based (or Job Definition Format) communication tool that enables planning, staffing, scheduling and tracking of printing projects. It also gathers job metadata that provides statistical analysis of the print project’s costs at the customer, job or page level.
Agfa’s (http://www.agfa.com) ApogeeX Create Pro automates the process of converting PostScript or EPS files into optimized PDF files. Resulting PDF files are configured according to the printer’s wishes, which may be a PDF file or some accredited standard such as PDF/X-1a. The solution’s user interface allows catalogers to monitor file processing status, automate trapping or change the priority status of jobs in the queue.
Ask the Right Questions
Here are a few good questions to ask yourself and your printer:
1. What’s your ideal workflow? How do you want to do business with your printer? Don’t be conservative in your requirements.
2. What is an ideal workflow for your printer? What does it want from you, and how can you comply with its needs without incurring additional catalog production and prepress costs?
3. Where are the trouble spots in the communication path, and are there tools that will strengthen your relationship?
Gretchen Peck is a freelance writer and consultant specializing in the graphic arts and printing industries. She welcomes comments at gpeck1225@msn.com.
