Prepress
Esko brings innovation and value to its customers with software 20.1 updates and hardware versions
Friday 30. October 2020 - Esko unveiled numerous new and award-winning innovations for its integrated Esko software 20.1 platform, along with new hardware solutions designed to deliver even greater functionality and outstanding value to customers in the packaging, label and wide format industries.
“As a technology company, we want to continuously develop solutions that offer better opportunities for our markets and our customers,” said Jan de Roeck, Esko Director of Marketing, Industry Relations & Strategy. “We are building long-term relationships with our customers and want to ensure that our solutions are always relevant and innovative so that everyone in the packaging value chain can reap the benefits of operational efficiency”.
De Roeck spoke at a presentation event streamed live from the Esko Innovation Hub, the always-on virtual environment that allows users to explore in depth the range of the latest Esko innovations. There he highlighted the innovation hotspots, highlighting the latest features of the Esko software 20.1 version as well as the company’s latest hardware developments.
The updates and new features in Esko Software 20.1 include
WebCenter 20.0 – The latest version of the feature-packed, web-based packaging management solution now includes an improved user experience and plug-ins for WebCenter tasks. The digital transformation can only be successful if the solution is fully customised to the user’s needs, and WebCenter takes that approach by adding a social media-style dashboard and new connectors for Adobe Creative Suite applications.
ArtiosCAD 20.0.1 – The leading packaging structural design tool simplifies the design of multi-part packaging from multiple materials with scalable canvas design templates.
ArtPro+ 20.1 Plate Cut – A new automated feature that detects the optimal individual cut path for each separation and reduces flexo plate assembly preparation time by up to 30 minutes.
ArtPro+ 20.1 Trapping – A new aesthetic trapping algorithm, winner of an InterTech Award, closes register errors and considers individual exceptions – allowing trapping jobs to be completed up to 70% faster.
Print Control Wizard for Corrugated – A version of the award-winning software developed specifically for the corrugated market, offers faster board production, improved graphics performance and reduced costs.
AVT AutoSet – Integration between Esko Automation Engine and AVT’s press inspection system reduces inspection system setup time to virtually zero.
In addition to updates to Esko software- 20, Esko also presented the following hardware innovations:
Kongsberg VariAngle-Tool – An innovative new tool for the Kongsberg range of digital finishing equipment, which allows cutting at any angle from 0o to 60o at high speed, giving complete freedom to design creative 3D displays.
Crystal XPS 4260 – The latest member of the Crystal UV LED exposure unit family for digital flexo plate making is available for the first time in this plate size.
“Digitising the packaging creation process is already important for long-term business success,” explains De Roeck. “But as the global corona virus crisis (COVID-19) brings us a yet unknown ‘new normality’, the importance of improving operational processes, reducing costs and achieving customer loyalty is more important than ever.”
“As a result of the pandemic, we wanted to double our efforts to enable companies to continue their journey of digital transformation to face the challenges we face today head-on. With the November release, we offer a wider range of functionality that streamlines processes and improves productivity for customers”.
“Our innovations illustrate our commitment to our customers. We want to ensure that they can enjoy a better user experience and improved efficiency,” explains De Roeck. “For example, ArtPro+ 20.1 now offers the innovative Esko trapper, which recently won the InterTechTM Award for innovation. It ensures that prepress operators get a consistent, aesthetic trapping result with the right spacing, direction and colour. Similarly, the latest version of our packaging management solution, WebCenter 20.0, makes prepress processes significantly faster, while achieving a 25 per cent increase in performance.
As we will continue to struggle with the effects of the global pandemic, the possibilities for digitalisation, automation and connectivity are very important for companies,” explains De Roeck. “The latest software updates not only provide better accuracy, efficiency and consistency across the entire design and print workflow, but are integral components for converters to take the next steps in their own digital transformation journey”.