2003 GATF's InterTech Awards Announced
PITTSBURGH—The Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (GATF) has announced the 13 recipients of the 2003 GATF InterTech Technology Awards.
"This year's awards showcase the industry's growing attention to flexographic printing, ink-jet and soft proofing on a contract basis, and digital in-line finishing," says GATF Research Director John Lind. He also observed that automation combined with productivity and ROI continues to be a strong trend among the InterTech nominations.
GATF has sponsored the InterTech Technology Awards as a service to the graphic communications industry since 1978. The 2003 award recipients are:
Plate Cell Patterning, part of Artwork Systems' Nexus product family, is a software application that places anilox cell patterns on flexographic plates to improve ink transfer during printing. The cells are "patterned" into the job during imaging on an imagesetter or a direct-to-plate unit. The cell patterning roughens the plate surface, which, in turn, improves the quality of printed solids, reduces ink consumption, reduces halos around type, and produces more open reverses and finer positive images.
ORIS Color Tuner 5.0 color management software from CGS Publishing Technologies International is designed to produce contract-quality proofs on ink-jet output devices. The system uses ICC-based color management combined with fine tuning for difficult color reproduction.
Creo's HyperFlex screening solution aids in the exposure of small dots or graphic elements on a photopolymer plate. It reduces the relief depth between dots and expands the base of the shoulder so the dots are better formed and capable of resisting the wear and tear of normal use. HyperFlex preserves the size of the dot and the intended tonality, yet allows printers to work with smaller highlight dots.
Epson's SWOP-certified combination of ink-jet printer, inks and output media for contract-level proofing delivers accurate proofs with a wide color gamut that closely simulates colors produced on the printing press. The proofing solution includes the Epson Stylus Pro 7600/9600 with UltraChrome Ink and Epson Professional Media Line.
Esko-Graphics' FastVariants is a suite of software tools and technologies for outputting the same file in multiple versions. It can resolve or detect specific problems that make a file unsuitable for double-burn production. All of the tools run in batch mode.
Goss International's digitally controlled ink metering system eliminates the need for fountain blades. It can be mounted on new newspaper and commercial web offset presses, or retrofitted to older presses, even non-Goss units.
Magnapak, Heidelberg's high-speed, multi-function newspaper insert packaging system, can be configured as an inserter, collator/polywrapper system, or as a combination of both. It delivers output speeds up to 30,000 cycles per hour, per delivery.
Heidelberg's Stitchmaster ST 400 saddle stitcher features computer-driven, independent servo motors, mobile feeders and other enhancements to provide more productive and efficient operation. Its presets, automation and other productivity features have been shown to reduce makeready times by as much as 50 percent.
The Remote Director system from Integrated Color Solutions was the first display-based, contract proofing solution to be SWOP certified. Using proprietary color science and software technology, the system enables and verifies accurate, consistent viewing of color images on computer monitors in different locations from the same source file.
Kodak Polychrome Graphics' Matchprint Virtual Proofing System uses color science and specialized color transformations to provide accurate, consistent viewing of CMYK color reproduction via RGB displays. The system consists of high-end, customized CRT monitors, proprietary color management technologies and a suite of Web-based image viewing and collaboration tools from RealTimeImage.
The Komori Lithrone S40 sheetfed press provides a systems approach to printing by incorporating press automation and open systems architecture. The press comes equipped with Komori's Color Connection software suite.
RealTimeImage offers a platform for high-resolution, Internet-based streaming of images in graphic arts applications. It enables color-managed, Web-based proofing, approval and collaboration workflows.
Designed for digital finishing applications, the Xerox Booklet Maker produces a square-fold edge on saddle stitched booklets. Based on technology designed by Plockmatic International AB, the machine provides the look and feel of a perfect bound book, including preprinted color covers with text on the spine, at a fraction of the cost of perfect binding.
