Inkjet & Digital Printing
Xerox Streamlines Paths to Productivity and Profit with Enhanced Digital / Offset Workflows
Wednesday 21. May 2008 - Integrations of Xerox FreeFlow software with Prinect from Heidelberg and FUJIFILM Workflow XMF automate operations and hike efficiency
Xerox Corporation (NYSE: XRX) today announced advances in the integration of Xerox FreeFlow Digital Workflow Collection software with two leading offset workflow systems, Prinect, the Print Shop Workflow from Heidelberg and FUJIFILM Workflow XMF. These integrations enable print providers to leverage their existing offset workflow to serve as a single, familiar point of control for both digital and computer-to-plate offset print work.
Both systems are based on industry-standard PDF print files and JDF (Job Definition Format) platform-independent job tickets, which provide instructions for producing jobs. The longstanding integration of Xerox FreeFlow with Prinect from Heidelberg has been enhanced to enable two-way communications of real-time job status and accounting information via the JMF (Job Messaging Format) standard. The FUJIFILM Workflow XMF integration is newly validated by Xerox and FUJIFILM engineers to provide a seamless workflow for both digital and offset printing.
The systems will be showcased in the Xerox stand at drupa in Düsseldorf, Germany. For print providers, these integrations deliver numerous benefits, including:
Boosting productivity by enabling existing workflows to control a wider range of output devices from a single point of control.
Increasing profitability by easily creating digital printing applications, such as personalized marketing pieces, using a familiar workflow process that requires minimal training.
Proving more services in a “one-stop shop” where customers can use the same PDF files for both digital and offset production.
Building stronger relationships with customers through highly automated Web-to-Print systems.
Presenting new possibilities for greener practices with automated digital print-on-demand processes.
These integrated workflows also enable hybrid offset and digital applications with accurate color matching and image quality, facilitating digital print as a complement to offset. The FreeFlow Collection’s open architecture is the key to supporting a wide variety of customer environments.
Prinect from Heidelberg – Xerox FreeFlow Integration
The JMF-based capabilities in the Prinect integration are enabled by a new release of Prinect Prepress Manager 4.0 (formerly known as Prinect Printready System), which provides automated pre-press functions, such as file conversion to PDF, page imposition and color management. Xerox’s FreeFlow portfolio provides JMF service through several components, providing flexibility and extended capabilities for a more ‘lights-out’ operation.
Prinect is widely used by commercial printers to manage offset prepress and print workflows. Xerox and Heidelberg have been developing workflow integrations of Prinect and FreeFlow since 2004. At drupa, Xerox will run hybrid applications using a Speedmaster SM 52-4+L offset press from Heidelberg and several Xerox digital presses.
Sir Speedy, of Charlotte, N.C., has used the FreeFlow-Prinect integration since last year to manage work for a iGen3 110 Digital Production Press with Xerox FreeFlow DocuSP and two Heidelberg offset presses. “Now we have one path to our presses and one place to track our jobs,” said Patrick Jayne, president. “That’s a huge productivity boost.” He expects the firm soon will upgrade its management information system to take advantage of Prinect’s new two-way communications capability. “This will further automate our operations, making it practical to get the information we need to do job costing better.”
FUJIFILM Workflow XMF – Xerox FreeFlow Integration
The new integration of FUJIFILM Workflow XMF 1.5 with Xerox’s FreeFlow collection delivers a seamless digital and offset workflow for XMF users. XMF provides pre-flighting, native file conversion to PDF, color management, single-click imposition, and job management capabilities. It also enables electronic proofing with a three-dimensional view of the job, permitting the proofer to flip through virtual pages to check flow and alignment as well as color.
At drupa, Xerox and FUJIFILM will demonstrate how digital complements offset by producing a brochure using an integrated workflow and combination of technology. Starting with the same file, offset plates will be created on the FUJIFILM Luxel T-6300CTS, a B-size thermal platesetter – the first step for longer print runs. Shorter runs requiring faster turnarounds will be printed on a Xerox DocuColor 5000 Digital Press driven by the Xerox FreeFlow Print Server. The FreeFlow Print Server provides precise matching of offset color and is a common digital front end to nearly every Xerox press and production printer.
Additional offset workflow systems that are validated for FreeFlow integration to facilitate digital print as a complement to offset include Prinergy, from Creo, Inc., and Trueflow, from Screen (USA).
Availability
Xerox FreeFlow 6.0 components are available worldwide from Xerox direct sales representatives, agents and concessionaires. Heidelberg Prinect Prepress Manager 4.0 is available immediately as part of Heidelberg’s Prinect Print Shop Workflow. FUJIFILM Workflow XMF 1.5 is available from FUJIFILM.