Agfa Graphics

IT HAS taken almost a decade, but the adoption of soft—or virtual—proofing now seems to be on a trajectory similar to the one for computer-to-plate production. Critical color and press-side applications still could be considered in the early adopter stage, but the number of users is growing and a much larger group is becoming open to the possibility. The product category also continues to expand, both in terms of the solutions offered and the applications they support. In just about a year, the number of vendors offering SWOP (Specifications for Web Offset Publications) certified systems has gone from two to five, for example.

MEETING DELIVERY dates can be a challenge for any type of printing operation, but there’s nothing quite like the deadline pressures of producing a daily newspaper. Pages need to be kept open as long as possible for competitive reasons, but the printed paper absolutely must be available to readers with their morning coffee. All elements of the newspaper production workflow have to be up to the challenge, and platemaking is a critical link in the chain. More plates typically are output in the final 15 minutes before the presses start to roll than during any other block of time. In recent years, digital technology

Landmark 500th CTP Device Installed ROCHESTER, NY—Morris Communications has purchased a thermal CTP newspaper solution from Kodak for its flagship newspaper, The Augusta Chronicle. The transaction marks the 500th Kodak Trendsetter News thermal CTP platesetter device sold. The Kodak solution being installed at The Augusta Chronicle includes two Kodak Trendsetter News devices, NewsManager workflow software, a Prinergy Evo PDF processor and Staccato screening software. Essex Products Group (EPG), a manufacturer of integrated color control systems, reports that Helga Kollegger has been named sales administrator. Kollegger is now the first contact for both current customers and sales inquiries. Punch Graphix plc regrets to announce the death

Heidelberg Puts Accent on Education KENNESAW, GA—The calendar said December, but the menu at Heidelberg's recent "Brats & Dots" customer event gave it the feel of an Oktoberfest, minus the beer. This open house at the company's Print Media Demonstration Center (PMDC) was followed by two days of classes for printers in its Print Media Academy and a briefing for industry editors. On the first day, printers were able to witness live demonstrations of Heidelberg's prepress, press, direct imaging and postpress solution in the 33,000-square-foot PMDC facility. The clear stars of the show were its new 40˝ Speedmaster XL 105 sheetfed press platform and

arizona SCOTTSDALE—Armed with a new Kodak Nexpress 2100 digital press and Kodak Nexglosser glossing unit, Sir Speedy Printing Scottsdale now can meet growing demand for short turnaround color printing and glossing. Since the installation a few months ago, the company reports it has gained new business from customers it previously could not service. illinois HARVEY—Andrews Printing has installed a four-color Printmaster PM 52 from Heidelberg. It replaces the shop's Printmaster GTO 52-2, which previously handled the shop's four-color jobs in two runs. Schiller ParK—The Business Press, now in its 26th year in business, has replaced its four-color Heidelberg GTO with a new five-color Printmaster

Award Winners Honored in China SHANGHAI, CHINA—Jonathan Leslie, CEO of Sappi Limited, and Ronee Hagen, CEO of Sappi Fine Paper North America, presented Bob Coppinger of Kirkwood Printing, Wilmington, MA, with an International Printer of the Year award. Sappi Limited presented awards to nine printers out of 6,000 entries at a gala event held here recently to recognize excellence in print craftsmanship. The only winner from the U.S., Kirkwood Printing took top honors in the annual reports category. Mitsubishi Lithographic Presses (MLP U.S.A.) has joined The Print Council, an industry coalition dedicated to building the market for print. Jeff Pieper has been promoted to senior vice president

BY MARK SMITH Technology Editor "Workflow" used to be an easy, concise way to reference the digital equivalent of conventional prepress. It spanned the processes from when a file came in the door until the plate went out to the pressroom. Over time, usage of the term has been extended to encompass so much of the print production process that it now is in danger of applying to everything and effectively defining nothing. Workflow already has been—or is in the process of being—extended: * back to the customer, initially in the form of preflighting and remote proofing solutions, but increasingly including production portals

PostScript Update Times Two SAN JOSE, CA—For the first time, Adobe Systems is delivering its latest version of PostScript software in two editions—Host and Embedded. The latter has the potential to increase the pool of PostScript devices and users. Both implementations of PostScript 3 version 3017 feature support of PDF 1.6 and are now available to OEMs. Adobe PostScript 3 Embedded Edition is a streamlined version of the product targeted to printing of Microsoft Office documents on desktop/workgroup printers and MFP devices. It has a smaller footprint in terms of memory space (10MB) and processing demands, but sacrifices some high-end functionality, such as support for very

BY MARK SMITH Technology Editor Automation usually has the effect of at once making equipment simpler to operate, but more complex to fix when a problem arises. Just as driveway car repairs have become a thing of the past for most owners, the response to any glitch on today's printing equipment is apt to be arranging for a service call rather than reaching for a wrench. The answer, of course, is to bring more technology to bear. As heavy iron has integrated silicon components, the potential has grown for capturing even minute operating parameters by tapping into the various electronic controls, IC chips and servo motors.

BY MARK SMITH Technology Editor Industry vendors continue to weave a convoluted web of interconnecting technologies and business relationships. Imagine, for a moment, if all of such connections between exhibitors at PRINT 05 & CONVERTING 05 had been represented physically by running strings between their booths. The result likely would have rivaled the work of even the most industrious spider. Quiet a few new strands would have been added just at the show, particularly in the areas of interfacing offset and digital workflows and marketing of new plate technologies. Though not expressly sold as JDF (Job Definition Format) solutions, that technology generally