Prepress

Newest Versions of Océ PRISMA Software Bring More Flexibility and Productivity to Graphic Arts and Transactional Printing

Wednesday 23. March 2011 - Expands functionality in automated book production, electronic forms, document preparation, mixed printing environments and more

Océ, an international leader in digital document management and delivery, today announced a new release of Océ PRISMAproduction software (Version 4.04) that enables greater automation in book production, advanced use of electronic forms for high-volume applications, JDF and JMF compliance, and ADF-to-PDF conversion for mainframe documents. The new functions are available as options to Océ PRISMAproduction software.
In addition, with the release of Océ PRISMAprepare Version 5.2, this popular make-ready software continues to evolve in response to customer application needs including the imperative to reduce production costs and increase productivity.
“Software continues to be a differentiator in terms of flexibility and productivity. We see companies becoming more proactive with software to pursue larger opportunities and initiatives, such as automating workflow, increasing efficiency and offering new services. With the expanded capabilities of the Océ PRISMA portfolio, Océ can help customers move ahead with a ‘strategy-based’ software approach,” said Alex Sumarta, Director of InfoTrends’ Production Workflow Solutions and Document Outsourcing Consulting Services.

Benefits for Transaction Printing Environments
“Now Océ PRISMAproduction workflow software brings customers more automation, integration and functionality, resulting in business-impacting benefits in terms of greater flexibility and control. In transactional and commercial markets, this flexibility translates into more business opportunities, while greater control results in tighter productivity. Automation drives cost savings from requiring less work to get the same results and more accurate processes,” said Eric DeGoeijen, Vice President, Product Marketing, Océ North America, Production Printing Systems.
Several of the enhancements to Océ PRISMAproduction software bring specific benefits to transactional environments:
AFP-to-PDF Conversion
As the transaction market deals with the legacy of mainframe applications, transactional printers need better ways to handle, store and reprint mainframe-generated AFP documents. Retrieving a complete AFP document from the mainframe involves resource managers and other applications. The new AFP-to-PDF component converts a mainframe AFP file to a fully composed, highly portable, more compact PDF file that can be easily stored on a local network and retrieved at any time. It streamlines day-to-day operations by using built-in capabilities of Océ PRISMAproduction server instead of adding another layer of third-party software. Users can generate PDF files from AFP data not only for print and reprint purposes, but also for electronic document delivery.
Electronic Forms and Preprinted Forms Replacement
The need to change out paper for every print job adds hours to production schedules and creates opportunities for mistakes. The newest version of Océ PRISMAproduction software helps eliminate inventories of preprinted forms and supports print-on-demand business models. Multiple forms can be stored electronically on the Océ PRISMAproduction platform, populated dynamically with data, and printed as needed on Océ JetStream? or Océ ColorStream? Flex systems using white paper, instead of preprinted stock. Users gain the flexibility to change from form to form on the fly as needed. Multiple jobs using multiple forms can be run on a single roll of paper, providing greater flexibility and continual uptime, again saving time and money. Reduced operator intervention saves hours per day in changeover time. Users also benefit from cost savings through reduction of stored and obsolete inventory, warehouse space, and paper waste.
Executive Workflow Module
High-octane transaction environments thrive on automation to increase productivity, contain costs and avoid errors. Also, when print and business managers have more information about processes and performance, they can make better operational decisions. Océ PRISMAproduction and the Executive Workflow module integrate different phases of print production for more automated communications, connectivity and richer business feedback. Users gain more connectivity to other departments, systems and interfaces, such as order entry, accounting, logistics, inventory, shipping and order processing, Users can tap into a broader range of information about their production workflow and better manage the business based on the additional data. In addition to data stream communication, Océ PRISMAproduction workflow can now use inbound and outbound commands across the connected points. Customers gain centralized control over more stages of their printing workflow and related business processes. Complex workflows, including connectivity to external software, can be defined and managed with the user interface. Examples of how this can be used are determining accurate hourly labor rates, creating cost-per-page models, or calculating consumables costs using data from multiple databases. The new module lets users build automated processes for incoming data and also validate production integration from beginning to end to eliminate errors in advance of printing. This saves time, money, and labor, and promotes smoother workflow across the business.
Benefits for Commercial Graphic Arts Environments
Customers in the Graphic Arts market find advantages in the new electronic forms component and Executive Workflow. These users also benefit from the Océ Professional Book Solution and the new JDF/JMF component.
Automated Book Production
Book publishers want to ensure jobs start and finish on time with minimal waste and down time. The Professional Book Solution automates book production through a highly efficient batch, barcode and scanning process. Users can streamline their workflow from order entry through shipping and delivery using JDF/JMF commands, 2D barcodes, and production management tools. This automation helps reduce production costs while maximizing revenue. With automated book publishing, print providers of all sizes and capabilities are better prepared to enter the digital book printing arena or expand on an existing business. The Océ solution delivers the advantages of automation to run lengths as small as one, opening the door for customers to pursue profitable, on -demand business opportunities at a cost-effective level.
Comprehensive JDF / JMF Workflow Communication
Graphic Arts operations depend on the Job Definition Format (JDF) and the Job Messaging Format (JMF) to maintain job integrity and support automation for end-to-end production workflow. New, enhanced JDF/JMF functionality within Océ PRISMAproduction allows greater connectivity with front-end order entry systems and a variety of print engines, both Océ and non-Océ, and post-processing devices for seamless end-to-end job ticketing. This JDF/JMF integration allows centralized production management, resulting in greater flexibility and efficient automation between print processes and other points in the production workflow. IT, MIS and other users can monitor job status and completion, pages printed, errors, reports, performance, and other information that affects order processing. This business knowledge helps them respond more agilely and effectively, resulting in better job control, cost savings and time management.
New Océ PRISMAprepare Version Drives Productivity
In addition to new Océ PRISMAproduction capabilities, Graphic Arts customers benefit from the latest release of Océ PRISMAprepare software. One of the most important features of Océ PRISMAprepare Version 5.2 software is the ability to drive the Canon imagePRESS C7010 VPS system with the Océ PRISMAsync controller. This promotes a common front-end interface for production efficiency for Canon, Océ and non-Océ devices, and helps customers unify workflow across monochrome and color devices. Document preparation is enhanced through a new automation tool. Users can record preparation steps in a template, which can easily be recalled for other documents. In addition, pre-recorded templates can be called directly from the command line interface without user interaction, significantly reducing costly, non-billable preparation time. Output flexibility has been expanded with cut-and-stack impositioning, which is often needed for books. Users can also add logos and stamps for manuals, sensitive documents and drafts.
Océ PRISMAprepare v5.2 software is available for immediate implementation in the United States and can be viewed at On Demand driving the Canon imagePRESS C7010 VPS and Océ VarioPrint 6320 Ultra systems. Customer implementations of Océ PRISMAproduction Version 4.04 workflow software functionality start in April 2011.