How to create PDF/X4 files from InDesign

Sometimes issues arise with RIPs and transparencies, if you are one of our users, we suggest you upgrade to the latest version of the Compose Harlequin RIP. Either way, we recommend you use PDF/X4 files instead of Postscript files. Postscript is dead and it's been dead for a long time. PDF is the way to go.

On this video Michael Jahn shows how to create PDF/X4 files from InDesign.



Compose's Express RIP 8.3 is compatible with PDF 1.7 and PDF/X4. Which means if you follow the instructions on this video, your PDF files should RIP with out issues.

If you have any questions about this or on how to upgrade your RIP, please contact me.

Let's meet online

We are always looking for ways to hear from you and we have listened. Customers have asked us to become more active online with webinars. The idea is to set a date for doing an online demo of a product and answer any questions you may have about it. You can join the conversation whether you a Compose user or if you are looking to find more about our products. We have placed a calendar on this blog with the upcoming webinars. To attend one, all you need is a browser and a Skype® account to listen and ask questions.



I hope to see you soon on one of our webinars.

Express Label Print: A smart way to print labels

This week we did our first series of webinars on Compose products. We started with Express Label Print. Express Label Print comes with every OKI 510DW printer. Express Label Print is a solution designed for digital tag and label printers who print a lot of short-run static or variable-data labels. It comes with a web based job submission utility as standard, but also allows customers to have jobs submitted from different ERP or B2C printing website front ends.



Express Label Print delivers an outstanding performance solution to label printers. With its powerful, yet intuitive layout tools, it helps to shorten production time and reduce human errors. Express Label Print also includes a powerful cost analysis tool that not only calculates the cost of the print run, but also determines the amount of waste.



With the optional VariPrint module, Express Label Print turns into a robust variable data solution. Where you can specify text, and images as variables on your jobs.



Express Label Print is available on the new OKI 510DW printer. For more information visit OKI proColor or contact me directly.

Live from the press room

Dear Reader,

I'm at a very large flexo printer in Mexico doing a Star Proof calibration. So far our result our results on the Epson WT7900 have been great. We are doing two calibrations, one on Epson Clear Proof Film, the other on Epson Metallic Proof Film. On the Epson Clear Proof we have over 97% of our Pantone® guide (1126 colors) matching. While on the Epson Metallic Proof Film we have over 90%.



The next step is to calibrate Star Proof to their presses. But before we get to that, we calibrated their press to G7. As I write this, we are are reading the values from the confirmation run. So far the numbers look great.

The idea behind G7 on a flexo press is to have a shared appearance with SWOP 3 and GRACoL. In other words, the idea is that what's printed on a G7 calibrated flexo press looks like things printed in other presses.

By the time I leave this customer, they will have their presses calibrated to G7, their proofer matching their presses and better Pantone® color accuracy on proofs than ever before.

EWF supports DI presses from Prestek

Express Workflow has been around for a long time, but did you know EWF can generate native Presstek files?
EWF does this by taking ripped 1 bit files from it's own interpreter or from an outside RIP and turns them into color coded Presstek files, including a high quality preview file for the Presstek console.

Many of our customers running EWF with the Presstek module will add DI Proof to their setup. After a job has been processed by the Express Harlequin RIP, DI Proof picks up the separated raster data and generates a recombined contone PDF file. This PDF can be generated in different resolutions. A low res version can be sent to customers as a content proofs. A high resolution version can be sent to a proofer or viewed on screen. This raster PDF will be the same size with the same trapping, overprint, font and color information as the files that will end up printed on press.




If you have EWF and you are thinking about a Presstek system, all you need to do is acquire the Presstek module for your EWF. If in the other hand, you already have a Presstek, but you're running an older RIP and would like to bring your solution up to date, we have a solution for you. In any case, contact your Compose dealer or me directly for more information.

What ISO12647standarization.com means for printers

Wherever there is manufacturing, there are standards. I can think of many examples to illustrate this. From clothing to food production. If there's to be consistency, predictability, then there needs to be a defined way to manufacture products. These manufacturing definitions are called standards.

At Graphexpo 2010, KEE consultants showed their ISO12647 Standardization initiative. On this video, Dave Hunter explains what ISO12647standarization.com means for printers.

The future of commercial printing industry will depend on its ability to adapt to the new market realities. Very soon, working to standards will become a requirement for all printers seeking clients beyond their neighborhood, as is the case for most manufacturing and production industries.
More than 400 printers are currently compliant to PSO/ISO 12647 and dozens are joining the list every month worldwide.

For more information e-mail me or visit iso12647standardization.com