The most important new function is its open JDF-based links from management information systems (MIS) to its Prinect workflow
For some time, Prinect has been supporting the exchange of data between the production workflow and various management information systems in numerous customer installations. Jörg Bauer, vice president of Prinect Product Management at Heidelberg says they have optimised this integration process even further by deploying open JDF interfaces based on CIP 4 requirements.
“By connecting Prinect to a large number of management information systems, Heidelberg is demonstrating the system openness of its JDF-based Prinect workflow,” explains Bauer. “This means more options for customers in selecting appropriate management workflows, greater transparency in their processes and, ultimately, lower costs thanks to greater automation.
“The wide variety of management information systems already integrated in Prinect just one year since JDF 1.2 became available also highlights how JDF has established itself as the industry standard.”
The new Prinect component will standardise the prepress workflow for offset and digital printing, removing redundant workflows and enabling both job types to be controlled together through the production process.
Standardisation and automation of the prepress processes will also lead to more reliable production and shorter throughput times for digital printing too, with the result that for short runs, preliminary runs, and print-on-demand jobs, printshops can select the fastest and most cost-effective print method or a combination of the two print methods as appropriate. Production data from the digital printing system flows back to the Prinect workflow, allowing the production status in Prinect to be followed at any point.
Heidelberg plans to roll out the linking between digital workflow and Prinect in the first quarter of 2006.
The company’s other Prinect solutions as seen at Print 05 are:
• Prinect Printready P – a package for entry-level users that is an easy-to-use, page-oriented system for producing PDF pages that are optimised for printing.
• Prinect Printready System 2.1 – the new, JDF-based version ensures all the work produced in the prepress stage, from capturing the data right through to output, can be controlled centrally by the Windows- or Mac OS 10.4-based Prinect Printready Cockpit.
• Prinect Remote Access 1.0 – a bidirectional web gateway, fully integrated with Prinect Printready 2.1, between the customers’ desktops and prepress production
• Prinect Signa Station 1.5 – templates greatly facilitate work processes, enabling key job-related data such as customer or machine data, types of paper, imposition layouts, page sizes, output parameters, marks or plate positioning sheets to be created for individual print sheets, specific parts or the complete job.
• Prinect Data Control 6.1 – a production management system that offers an improved and expanded JDF/JMF interface to link management information systems to the press and postpress production workflow.
• Prinect Prinance 4.51 – key new features include expanded statistical evaluation options for printshop sales processes.
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