Inkjet & Digital Printing

Oce Announces Productivity Enhancements for Oce Client Tools Software

Friday 15. August 2008 - Technology Upgrades Included in Oce Client Tools version 2.1.1 Software Address Workflow, Job Submission Pain Points of Reprographers, CAD Users

Oce, an international leader in digital document management and delivery solutions, today announced immediate availability of Oce Client Tools(TM) v. 2.1.1 software. This upgrade includes extensive integration, workflow and job submission feature updates to the popular Oce Client Tools free collection of batch file processing and printing utilities for architects, engineers, and designers. Oce Client Tools, part of the Oce Repro Desk(R) Server and Professional suite of applications, enables CAD users to simplify printing and avoid costly workflow bottlenecks via batch-processing of multiple file types, digital file previewing from the desktop before printing, and local or remote job submission.

“We listened to our customers in both the reprographic and architecture/engineering/construction (AEC) sectors and looked for ways to help them manage their print job submission tasks more easily and in less time,” said Sal Sheikh, Vice President, Marketing, Wide Format Printing Systems division of Oce North America. “The upgraded Oce Client Tools software maintains its simple-to-use digital job submission interface while the added features, such as remote printing capabilities and support for color files, expand the software to a larger audience of CAD users, making Oce Client Tools software the most adept problem-solving print management solution on the market.”

Key benefits and features of this release include:

— Remote Printing Capabilities — Utilizing Oce’s new Direct Transfer technology, Oce Client Tools v. 2.1.1 software allows users to submit print job orders via the web to reprographers who have implemented Oce Repro Desk Professional software. The HTTP print ordering method eliminates the traditional roadblocks associated with digital print submission, including FTP configuration, firewall challenges, incompatible software and email file size limits. Reprographers can also make changes to the work order, such as delivery or media options, in real-time centrally from their shop, resulting in fewer errors and faster job turnaround time.

— End-to-End Digital Workflow for Color and Monochrome Documents — Oce Client Tools v. 2.1.1 software now supports processing and previewing of 24-bit color file formats, including JPG, BMP and PNG. Utilizing a combination of Oce Client Tools v. 2.1.1 and Oce Repro Desk Professional software, reprographers can now streamline color document management. After receiving a digital color file, reprographers can create “printer groups” in Oce Repro Desk Professional software that automatically route these files to the appropriate monochrome or color printer — including the Oce TCS500 and new Oce ColorWave(TM) 600 color printers, both of which are now supported by Oce Repro Desk Professional software.

— Expanded Utilization for AutoCAD Users — DWG file processing is now supported for AutoCAD(R) 2000-2008 software. This simplifies printing by eliminating the requirement for users to make individual plot files before submitting a print job. DWG files can be combined with other common file formats like DWF, CALS, HPGL and TIFF and automatically batch processed for printing. Using the unique “What You See Is What You Print” functionality enables users to digitally preview exactly what will be output and make the necessary drawing change before the job is printed, helping to reduce costly mistakes.

— Advanced Operation System Support — Oce Client Tools v.2.1.1 software now supports the Microsoft(R) Windows Vista(R) (32-bit) operating system.

— Newforma(R) Project Center Integration — AEC users will benefit from integration with Oce Client Tools v.2.1.1 software and Newforma Project Center project information management solution, Fifth Edition. This integration saves AEC users steps in the wide format printing process by allowing users to select a group of files — as opposed to opening documents one at a time using external applications — to be automatically added to an Oce Client Tools print set. Files can then be processed and submitted locally to a printer that is enabled with Oce Repro Desk Server 1.6 or remotely to a reprographer running Oce Repro Desk Professional software.

Reprographers benefit from their customers’ use of Oce Client Tools software as well. With the high-paced growth of decentralized printing and the volume this can take away from a centralized print strategy, reprographers can still capture the decentralized volume through the use of Oce Client Tools and Oce Repro Desk software at a client’s site and conveniently drive remote printing to a central site using Direct Transfer. In addition, jobs that come into a reprographer’s shop via Oce Client Tools software are print-ready with no missing information, which results in fewer errors and faster job turnaround. Now users can submit color plots and specification books right along with their monochrome drawings.