Compose Color Blog

GraphExpo - Booth 4748

2011-08-30T16:32:00.000-07:00

Will you be at GraphExpo in Chicago ?

Stop by and see our new ganging product - QuickFit4Print in booth 4748 at McCormick Place South September 11-14. Compose QuickFit4Print is a unique solution to gang multiple jobs onto a designated plate size automatically, compensating for different print run and job sizes, bringing efficiency and productivity with hooks to set up jobs coming from the Web2Print our your custom front end into QuickFit.

- Jobs are packed for easy guillotine, front and back, customize color bars and marks.
- Easy to switch between sheet wise, work and turn, work and tumble imposition
- Provide print management reports for delivery and statistics.

Three Different versions

There are three versions of QuickFit available for customer’s to choose from:

• QuickFit4Print - a full version but limited to 2-up, 360x535mm sheet size only, quick submissions is standard

• QuickFit4Print Professional – a full version with no limit on plate size, quick submissions is standard

• QuickFit4Print online – a full version with online protocol for interfacing with web to Print front end or MIS front end, with submission is provided as standard.

Stop on by and say hello, or email us at sales@composeusa.com for more detail !

Star Proof and Star Plate are Roaring

2011-07-25T10:24:00.001-07:00

last week Apple launched it's most successful OS ever. Over a million download in just one day. Compose was ready for the event and I'm very glad to tell you that Star Proof and Star Plate have been updated so they are compatible with Lion (MacOS X 10.7).

Star Plate uses the actual dots of the original RIPped 1-bit file and preserves its dot patterns, screening and dot gain calibration. With it's high quality dot formation engine, Star Plate can output film or plates at 150 lpi with a high quality hard dot with the density values similar to what's expected from traditional film or plate devices.

Star Proof is dot per dot proofing system capable of simulating line screens up to 220 lpi, Star Proof is well known for reproducing the sharpest dots possible on an Epson proofer. Star Proof will show the same dot produced by your RIP on your proofer, in just the way they will show once printed on your press.

This new update allows Star Plate to better and more precisely handle top and left margins. Up to four decimal places.

Previous versions of Star Proof and Star Plate where unable to save license the file on OS X Lion, this has now been fixed. Keep in mind that you will have to install Java Runtime as it's not installed by default with the standard Lion installation procedure.

For more information e-mail me at alvaro@composeusa.com

Star Plate & iCTF Calibration Results

2011-05-13T14:40:00.001-07:00

Star Plate uses the actual dots of the original RIPped 1-bit file and preserves its dot patterns, screening and dot gain calibration. With it's high quality dot formation engine, Star Plate can output film or plates at 150 lpi with a high quality hard dot with the density values similar to what's expected from traditional film or plate devices.

On this video we check the film density and calibration. On an Epson Stylus Pro 7900 and using Compose's iCTF we can achieve densities that hover at 4.0.

For more information e-mail sales@composeusa.com

PaSharp Nested Step & Repeat

2011-04-29T16:29:00.001-07:00

As you might have seen on my previous post, PaSharp offers a very powerful set of trapping tools. Now we'll talk about nested step and repeat for packaging. PaSharp offers a tool that does just that.

From within Adobe Illustrator, using PaSharp you can quickly step & repeat your jobs by coordinates or you can directly import a CAD layout file, PaSharp supports DXF and CFF2 formats. Its interactive step & repeat tools allow you to automatically add station numbers with specified sequences. Plus PaSharp provides modes for adjusting bleeds & overlaps.

On this video Michael Jahn shows us how to use the PaSharp nest feature to step & repeat a job in Adobe Illustrator.

PaSharp Trapping Tools

2011-04-29T14:26:00.001-07:00

PaSharp has a powerful set of professional trapping tools designed to meet the expectation of packaging professionals.

On these videos Michael Jahn shows us how easy it is to use Adobe Illustrator® and PaSharp to trap from very simple elements to highly complicated ones. Including trapping of image and vectors.

If you have any questions, please contact your local Compose dealer or e-mail us at sales@composeusa.com

InfoFlex 2011, see you there

2011-04-29T14:15:00.001-07:00

May 2nd and 3rd I'll be at the InfoFlex show at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN. This is the #1 show for the packaging and converting industries. I'll be at the Anderson Vreeland booth showing the latest Compose products. Including Express Label Print. Anderson Vreeland recently became OKI 510 DW dealers and as you know this product uses the Compose Express Label Print.

If you're going to be at InfoFlex 2011, stop by.

pressSign's New Mobile App

2011-04-15T11:03:00.001-07:00

In the past I've told you about pressSIGN and it's ability to tell in a very clever way if a job is within a determined color space. I've also told you about that with pressSign and a spectrophotometer you can scan a color bar and the software will tell you which ink keys need to go up and which ink keys need to go down. I've told you that pressSign provides very easy to understand job reports.
What I'm about to tell you makes this product ever more interesting. Imagine you are out of the office and would like to know how is your press room doing. How many jobs have been printed. How close have has your press been to your color standards on these jobs? Even chat with the press operator. This is all possible on the new version of pressSIGN-mobile for iOS. From your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch or mobile web browser you can access information in real time from your pressroom.
Every production manager's dream, to be sitting by the pool sipping Mai Tais while he gets updates from work.
If you want to try it out for yourself, our friends at Bodoni have setup a live demo that you can access by clicking here.

pressSIGN Job Information

pressSIGN Job Measurements

pressSIGN Press Operator Chat

Live from Print China... Well Almost.

2011-04-12T01:02:00.001-07:00

I write from to you from our offices in Hong Kong. Over the weekend we visited Print China 2011 in Dongguan, China. I was blown away by the sheer size of the show and the quality of the Chinese products being offered. From consumables and presses, to software and services. If it had to do with printing it was there. Traditionally these shows have been dominated by companies around the world. And the Chinese products were second to products from other countries. However, things are changing. I'm not saying there's no room for improvement, this trip has changed my mind on what made in China means.

Another thing that surprised me was how warm people were. Not many spoke English. But everyone made a true effort to try to understand me. When I told them I lived in America, they all had good things to say.

At 6'7", I towered over most people at the show. Specially the locals. People kept taking pictures of me everywhere. On the first day of the show, it seemed I kept running into a police officer everywhere I turned. Then he pulled out his camera. That's when I called him and told him we should take our picture together.

Something else that I found very interesting is how much people were talking about G7. Obviously, all the booth that had to do with printing were printing G7 targets. What was surprising was to see manufacturers of digital and conventional presses do the same thing.

Now that I'm back in Hong Kong and with access to blogger I'm able to post my experiences.

Color Management in Express Label Print

2011-03-23T14:15:00.001-07:00

As you probably know, Compose Label Print is the software behind the OKI 510DW Color Web Press. Express Label Print makes it very easy for users to select and organize their label runs.
Because of the diversity of media and simulation profiles available, our customers have been asking us to create a video showing how to install an ICC profile on the Express RIP. And once installed, how to configure ColorPro inside of the RIP.

On this video, Michael Jahn walks us through the necessary steps to install an ICC profile, how to create a ColorPro setup and finally how to implement this setup in your Page Setup.

If you have any questions about this video, please email us at support@composeusa.com

How to Backup and restore your Compose Harlequin Express RIP

2011-03-11T12:14:00.001-08:00

One of the most common support calls we get is from customers who for one reason or another, need to re-install their RIP. 99.9% of the time they do not have a backup of their settings. Meaning that to restore their RIP, we need to configure it from scratch. This often means doing film and press calibrations all over again.

Wanting to help you be prepared in case of you have to go through this, Michael Jahn walks us through the necessary steps of backing up and restoring your Compose Express RIP.

We love to hear from you, please leave your comments below and If you have any questions, please drop our support department a line at support@composeusa.com

Composeusa.com has a new look, plus we're on Facebook too

2011-02-16T12:08:00.001-08:00

We're very happy to announce that our corporate webpage has a new look http://www.composeusa.com . Not only is our new website more modern, but it is easier to use and nformation is easier to find. Plus, for us Facebook fans, it has a Facebook Like button.

On our new page you'll find links to our Express RIP supported device list, like imagesetters, CTPs, plotters and laser printers. Plus in depth information about our workflow solutions including Big Ice Box and Express Workflow.

We also launched a Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/composesystems. There you can find out what we're up to, plus see pictures of our customer's and coworkers at work.

We invite you to take a look and click on the like button. And don't forget to tell your friends about us.

Compose signed distribution agreement with Founder International to market Founder PaSharp on a worldwide basis

2011-01-26T14:00:00.001-08:00

Compose System Ltd is pleased to announce a new partnership with Founder International to launch their most successful packaging solution - PaSharp, ideally for packaging, Flexo and Label printing work.

PaSharp offers professional trapping tools, specialized step & repeat functions for packaging as well as a wide array of editing tools enabling prepress operators to boost efficiency and produce higher quality work.
Mr. Tom Sit, founder and CEO of Compose System, which is headquartered in Hong Kong and with an extensive customer base in USA, Europe, Asia and Latin America, says, "We are excited with the opportunity to work closely with Beijing Founder International, as we think the solution will provide a new dimension to the way people work in the packaging market. PaSharp is already well received in Asia Pacific region; it will bring value and cost benefit to our customers and their respective clients. Tie together with Compose Workflow, it will offer users a complete workflow approach to packaging with trapping, color management, pre-flight and accurate dot proofing all in one System. We plan to develop further workflow enhancement around PaSharp to provide web-based job submission and end-to-end production automation."

Mr. Philip Liu, General Manger of Packaging& Printing Business Division of Founder International says, "We also feel excited with this co-operative agreement with Compose System, as they will not only speed up our market rollout, they are also bringing their color, proofing and print publishing expertise to the partnership. Compose's systems already enabled many print and prepress companies to tie all production processes into one functional workflow system; working with PaSharp, Compose workflow will further streamline the tedious production process and improve productivity between designers, clients and printers.

Compose Releases Star Plate 1.6

2011-01-03T17:09:00.001-08:00

We're glad to announce the release of Star Plate 1.6 This new version of Star Plate brings compatibility with the new Epson Stylus Pro 4900, 7890 and 9890 wide format printers. Star Plate is an ideal tool for making screened film or plate output out of an Epson Stylus Pro plotter.

Star Plate uses the actual dots of the original RIPped 1-bit file and preserves its dot patterns, screening and dot gain calibration. With it's high quality dot formation engine, Star Plate can output film or plates at 150 lpi with a high quality hard dot with the density values similar to what's expected from traditional film or plate devices.

Star Plate software runs on any Intel MacOS computer, the most popular platform in graphic art industry. Easy to use, powerful, compatible, stable, secure, easy for installation and configuration. With simple operation features, operators able to manage without pressure.

If you have any questions, please contact us or your local Compose Dealer.

Season's Greetings

2010-12-22T17:15:00.001-08:00

Dear friends,

Thank you for being with us through out 2010. May you have a wonderful holiday season and that 2011 brings you peace, joy and prosperity.
As a present, Michael has prepared a holiday video card for you, enjoy.

Best wishes from all at Compose Systems

Compose Releases Star Proof 6.5

2010-12-01T10:10:00.001-08:00

We are proud to announce the release of Star Proof 6.5. Star Proof is Compose's dot per dot proofing solution. Capable of generating proofs up to 220 lpi. Star Proof does this by recombining 1 bit tiffs or ESKO LEN files. This new version of Star Proof brings compatibility to the new Epson Stylus Pro 3880, 4900, 7890 and 9890 plotters.

The Epson Stylus Pro 4900 is designed to offer professionals a powerful combination of performance, flexibility and ease-of-use. It includes automatic switching between roll and cut-sheet media, allowing users to have both the front paper cassette and roll feeder loaded with different media types and automatically switch between them with a simple driver selection. In addition, the high-capacity paper cassette holds up to 200 sheets of 8.5”x11” to 17”x24” sized sheets.

The Epson Stylus Pro 7890 and 9890 offer the same leading technology found in the Epson Stylus Pro 900-series, including ePlaten™ automatic media loading, spindle-free roll media loading, a roll media tracking system, front control panel with 2.5-inch color LCD, rotary cutter, fabric catch bin, and robust printer stand. The printers also feature Epson’s latest ink-repelling coating and auto nozzle verification technologies to virtually eliminate clogged nozzles, and use nine individual high-capacity ink cartridges up to 700 ml. In addition, these new models are capable of handling virtually any media type, in roll or cut-sheet. Both models are available with an optional SpectroProofer® spectrophotometer.

All these printers including the 3880 can swap black inks without having to remove any print cartridges. This is very important for those customers who switch back and forth between glossy and matte media.

Star Proof takes full advantage of the features included in these printers.

If you have any questions about this contact me directly or your Compose dealer.

GapFinder II video demo

2010-11-17T15:42:00.001-08:00

Do you own a narrow web press? Do you print forms on it? Have you ever wanted your plates to be a little longer so your stepped jobs would fit? How much work is it for you to make the cylinder gap part of the live area of your jobs?
If you've still reading this, then you should watch the video below.

GapFinder is a production tool that allows printers to fully utilitize their web presses. It analyzes and re-arranges the job image so that the white portion of the image falls on the gap of presses’ cylinder, extends the printing height of your web presses.

How to create PDF/X4 files from InDesign

2010-10-27T11:39:00.001-07:00

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

2010-10-21T15:53:00.001-07:00

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

2010-10-21T15:20:00.001-07:00

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

2010-10-13T09:34:00.001-07:00

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

2010-10-08T10:43:00.001-07:00

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

2010-10-06T16:53:00.001-07:00

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

Color Logic, Metallic inks for the rest of us

2010-09-23T15:45:00.001-07:00

The beauty of this system is that you can use what ever screen you like and the principle idea of the system is that every printer has their own tried and tested print method, from the paper they print onto, CMYK ink sets from various vendors (which vary greatly) press running speeds, plates, chemistry, printing ink density, dot gain based on inks and substrates chosen, ink lay down sequence on press and the tack ratio of the inks on press right down to even the ambient room temperature and humidity. All these factors effect the end result... Hence why we let the printer produce the color charts as opposed to telling someone to try match a standard that nobody can!

Their integrated system starts in the pressroom and is then communicated back to the designer. Most of the traditional color and metallic systems of the past would try to characterize all printers into the same box. For any color communication system to work in the real world you must take into account the key variables of paper, ink, plates, printing press and process control. The Color-Logic Process Metallic Color System will work with clients who print to standard printing conditions such as ISO™, G7™, GRACol™ or their own in-house printing standards.

Color-Logic provides the printer with a form for printing their own color guides. The printer then provides their designers, brand managers, and agencies with the Color-Logic metallic color guides printed in a known printing condition along with the Color-Logic Metallic Design Suite™. The Color-Logic Metallic Design Suite is compatible with all major design software programs. The suite has plug-ins with hundreds of metallic shades which correspond to the color guide provided by the printer.

For more information, please contact us or visit Color Logic's website by clicking here.

EasyBook is now 64 bit compatible

2010-08-31T10:34:00.001-07:00

EasyBook is an ideal tool for printing jobs on a laser printer when the features of the manufacturer's print driver are not enough. Perfect for printing brochures, booklets and step & repeat business cards. You can create saddle stitched booklets, perfect-bound booklets, or 2-up print-outs with cut-and-stack, step-and-repeat or simple page pairing styles. It is designed to be easy-to-use and yet as feature rich for digital production. Unlike other simple booklet creation software which only offers basic capabilities, EasyBook offers advanced features such as support for creep, gutter, inner and outer spread, placement of crop marks, color bars and print labels.

Highlights
• Ideal booklet creation tools for digital color printers
• Fully supports PDF version 1.3 to 1.6.
• Output size up to 13 x 19 inches (330mm x 480mm)
• User defined code for easy identification of output
• Support wide range of booklet styles
• Automatic pages correction
• User defined margin
• Advanced marks setup
• Runs on Windows 7 and XP Pro

Contact your preferred Compose reseller or Compose directly, our e-mail is sales@composeusa.com

Printing Labels across the Pond

2010-08-20T06:15:00.001-07:00

This week I've been in our UK office. I've learning about the iSys Apex 1290 digital label printer. A machine designed to print photo quality images along with variable data on a variety of media products, which include tag stock up to 12 point in thickness, adhesive label stock and various synthetic medias.

The Apex 1290 digital label printer is driven by Express Label Print, a nifty software solution from Compose. Express Label Print or ELP, can handle a multitude of different stocks and optimizes label layouts to reduce media waste. You can print on pre cut media or also import your CF2 die cut files for the best possible layout.
You can add variable data to your print jobs on the Apex 1290 digital label printer with Compose Variprint.

Below is a video of the Apex 1290 digital label printer in action:

On this trip I've also visited customers to talk about press calibration and the advantage of having presses and proofers matching common specifications and standards. I've also taken the opportunity to learn from my European colleagues about their experience with ISO 12647-2.

Simon, Tom and me at BHF in Dartford responding to our customer's questions.

Tonight I'll have pint thinking not thinking about the flight back to California.

Contact me if you have any questions about the Apex 1290 or anything else that catches your eye on this blog.

Doutone proofing on an EPSON using Star Proof

2010-08-05T12:38:00.000-07:00

By Michael Jahn

Recently, someone asked me about proofing Doutones made of two colors, in this case, two spot colors.

The first issue they faced was "how to I actually create a Doutone using two spot colors" - they thought this was the biggest challenge, but a quick screen recording movie while creating one in Photoshop showed how simple that was - you can see this here;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCtAUXAxugM&hd=1

The second issue - proofing this - seemed to be a breeze - they were confident that their proofing system was able to simulate the two spot colors very acutely, which was true, but what they didn't consider was the halftone screen angles - better said, they had no way to simulate the halftone screen angles, so the problem never reveal itself until they were on press, where problem revealed itself - disaster ! This is what the press sheet looked like;

Most people use spot colors as solids, and since they rarely screen them, they never noticed that the default is to always plot all spot colors at the same screen angle ! So, we get dots landing on dots (see figure below)

Without a way to proof with halftone dots and screen angles, you could not see things like this on your proof;

So - what to do !?

Well, first, we helped them navigate to where they would go to set the screen angles in their RIP;

Then they went back to the owners to discuss with the team why halftone dot proof simulation would have avoided downtime on press.

This is a photo of the actual duotone proof.

One more happy Star Proof customer - might you be next ?

With Star Proof 6 spot color matching is a breeze

2010-06-09T23:34:00.000-07:00

By Michael Jahn

Capable of simulating line screens up to 220 lpi, Star Proof is well known for reproducing the sharpest dots possible on an Epson proofer. Star Proof will show the same dot produced by your RIP on your proofer, in just the way they will show once printed on your press. But, did you know that Star Proof can reproduce spot colors with a high degree of accuracy?

The new EPSON Sylus Pro 7900/9900 and WT7900 offer an incredibly larger color gamut than previous plotters. This is due to the additional inks these plotters utilize. Orange and green on the Stylus Pro 7900 and 9900. And white ink on the WT7900. Star Proof 6 takes advantage of this larger color space to accurately reproduce spot colors. Calibrating Star Proof to do this, it's very easy with its optional Packaging Option. Here's how:

With the aid of X-Rite's color port, we create a target made up of all the spot colors that we wish to calibrate. Then we print it and read it using your favorite spectro device - in our case, we used the i1 iSis reader, also from X-Rite.

Then we iterate this process. As we go along, we watch the dE between the actual values and the expected values get smaller and smaller

... and at the end of the process, we have over 1100 spot color definitions with 96% of them under 5 dE. Simple!

Another very cool feature of the Star Proof Packaging option is the ability to add spot colors by using an spot spectrophotometer, like X-Rite's i1. Read it, add it to the spot color list and you are ready to use it.

Think accurate duotones
Have you ever tried to proof a duotone? Star Proof can generate color precise duotones. With Star Proof your press operator can see a proof and know what inks make up a color. Try that with your average proof from a plotter.

Star Proof also enables you to assign the appropriate opacity to each spot color providing ultimate press simulation.

You may be thinking, why a dot proof?

Printing processes that use coarse screening or different screen ruling in the same job will have a major influence on its visual appreance and color gamut.
Actual dot per dot - right down to rosettes, fine line art, text at just 1pt, and even defects such as moire patterns.

Here's how a typical Star Proof workflow looks like:

Click on the image to see a larger view

Introducing File Distribute

2010-06-08T16:23:00.001-07:00

Automation is the Holy Grail of a prepress production environment. We all wish we had a system where a file is dropped on a folder and after a few seconds the job could be processed according to the specs we had in mind. Workflow solutions are supposed to help with this. But many times we find a myriad of hot folders, each one with a distinct function. Many hot folder setups vary from others just slightly. Configuring a workflow for a company that has 2 CTP devices, 4 line screen setups, 2 proofing setups, 3 plates sizes, etc. can get complicated very quickly. You get the idea. It gets very complicated, very, very quickly.
Wouldn't it be nice if the workflow could look at the file name and know what to do? Well, Express Workflow is smart and just knows. It's that smart.

Introducing File Distribute

File distribute is a EWF module that routes jobs according to it's file name. All you have to do is add to the PDF file name what you want done to the job and EWF will take care of the rest. Best of all, you get to decide what file naming convention works for best for you. The workflow below uses the File Distribute module three times to get the job done. The first thing it does is route the file to the appropriate PitStop Server module depending if the job is for our digital press, grayscale or color. If the file is color, the next routing module will decide if the job is going on coated or uncoated paper on press. Depending on this the file will get sent to the IS Optimizer module that will apply the right dot gain and the total ink coverage the job should have depending on the paper it will be printed on. The next module routes the job to the proofing RIP or the final output RIP. If the job is set to the final output RIP modules, after the job is ripped the EWF Plate Selector module analyzes the plate size and routes the job to the appropriate input folder of our CTP device.

For example, if we want a color job, named "ABC.PDF" to go on coated paper at 175 lpi on our Komori press. All we need to do is change our job name to "ABD-C-C-175.pdf" and EWF will process this job according to to these instructions.

File Distribute is one of over 50 modules available on EWF 3. To activate File Distribute on your EWF or to learn more about it, contact Compose or your Compose dealer. If you have an earlier version of EWF, now it's the time to upgrade. Support rates for configuring your workflow will apply. Click on the image below to see it larger.

Words from our new guy

2010-04-23T18:57:00.000-07:00

Hi there ! Alvaro asked me to introduce myself to the readers of our Compose newsletter.

My name is Michael Jahn, and I will be part of the support team for North and South America for Compose.

I have worked for prepress service providers, directed a prepress facility for gravure and heatset off set, worked for prepress solution developers like Agfa and Enfocus and worked with Pantone on a hexachrome for flexography project, all of which made me better understand the process between a designers idea and a printed sample.

I am tasked with helping existing customers keep their Compose solution working smoothly and reliably as well as help set up, install and train new customers. Compose offers a wide variety of easy to set up workflow tools, but as you know, it is paying attention to the dialog boxes, set up and software settings that makes for smooth operation.

Feel free to contact me directly by email michaelejahn at composeusa.com with your questions, concerns or comment, and I will do my level best to find the answers or work arounds - as someone who worked in the trade on projects with firm deadlines, I appreciate and respect your level of urgency !

Calibrating a Fast Press

2010-04-22T16:52:00.000-07:00

This month I got to calibrate a very fast narrow web press. This press can print at 700' per minute. Getting the color right quickly is paramount. Failing to do so, implies an incredible amount of wasted paper. A clear issue was that the press was plugging values over 80%, specially on the black channel. To calibrate the press I used our Ink Optimizer product. Basically I created an ICC of the press by averaging measurements from several press sheets. This to allow for press variations.
The paper being used on press was type 1. The press' CMYK Lab values were within the GRACoL ICC profile and ISO tolerances. However, the RGB values were quite off. I configured our Ink Optimizer to have GRACoL was the input color space (profile). As for output, I used the ICC I created for the customer. This makes all jobs, processed by our ink optimizer and printed on the customer's press, to look like they were printed on a G7 calibrated sheet feed press.
The results were very impressive, no more plugged shadows. Colors were bright and crisp. We printed a sample job that uses well known images and they matched the GRACoL samples I had with me. The customer was very happy, so was I.
Have you though about calibrating your press? Give us a call and we'll help you get there.

Sample print on the Epson WT7900

2010-04-21T08:59:00.000-07:00

I visited Epson to print some sample files on the Stylus Pro WT7900. One of the files was of Holiday wrapping paper. I was so impressed by it that I shot a short video and posted it to you tube. The use of white on clear film, when mixed with other colors gives the impression of metallic inks. Enjoy.

Alvaro

The new Epson Stylus Pro WT7900 is here and Star Proof is ready

2010-02-17T11:04:00.001-08:00

This image was printed on clear film on an Epson Stylus Pro WT7900. What makes it different from other prints done on other plotters? Well, if you look at the flying dove, or the guy's checkered shirt, you'll notice that there's white. But wait a minute, wasn't this printed on clear film and the background is certainly not white. How can this be?

Let me introduce you to the new Epson Stylus Pro WT7900. And you guess it, it can print white ink. What makes this new printer more interesting, if you are say involved in flexo printing or part of the packaging industry, is that Star Proof can drive it. As you may know, Star Proof is a dot per dot proofing system. Meaning that it can reproduce the same halftone screen patterns that will end up on press. Star Proof can provide very accurate color proofs with dots and with this new printer, with white dots!
You can click on any of the images on this post to see them bigger.

Call your Compose dealer or us directly at (916) 920-3838 for a printed sample.

New Compose Online Proofing tool

2009-12-17T14:17:00.000-08:00

Before we send a holiday message, we wanted to let you know about our new soft-proofing tool called I-Zoom. I-Zoom takes 1 bit tiff files, recombines them and makes a Microsoft Silverlight compatible web page. For those of you who have not heard of Siliverlight, it is Redmond's answer to Adobe Flash. Personally, I think that Microsoft has done a great job with this product. It's fast and it's fully supported on the Mac.

Let's talk some more about I-Zoom. I-Zoom allows the user to zoom in a job to view traps and screens, even pixels at a great speed. If you have an in house web server and if your RIP can generate 1 bit tiff files, you can start creating your I-Zoom soft-proofs in no time.

We've created a sample job from 1 bit tiff files whose combined size is over 140 MB, yet the soft-proof loads in very little time. You can roll the wheel on your mouse to zoom in and out and notice the short time it takes to refresh. To view this I-Zoom sample job, click here. You will be promoted to install Silverlight. Once you install Silverlight, you'll need to restart your browser and open this page again.

With no custom software to install on the client end, I-Zoom is a great tool to let your customers know how their jobs will look on press. I-Zoom works with every major Mac or PC browser.

I-Zoom retails for $1499 and runs on a PC running Windows 7 or Windows 2008 Server, with at least 2 GB of RAM.

If you like more information please contact your local Compose representative, or call or e-mail me.

Compose Support tools

2009-11-12T09:33:00.000-08:00

When I first started in this business the way to do support worked something like this: When we got a support call from a customer, we tried helping over the phone. If that did not work, we'd make an appointment and visit them on site. As a support technician I was able, on a good day to visit three customers. Plus maybe help others on the phone.
When the customer asked us to do an installation for them, we made arrangements and depending on the complexity of the install, we would be at the customer site for at least a couple of days.
As I moved from a computer dealer to working for a software company with global customers, my support tasks remained pretty much the same. Only the territory got bigger. Most of the support was done over the phone, but there were times where I had only hours to pack and fly to a customer site on the other side of the US.
Installation on remote sites involved a lot of planning and logistics. Especially when doing them abroad. We had to make sure products cleared customs and everything was ready before jumping on a plane. I remember flying to Perú to install a RIP on an imagestter, and when I got there there was no film for the machine. The RIP was working, but there was no way to calibrate the machine. I had to wait five days for film to arrive. This was expensive and a big hassle for everyone. Sure, as a company we made money on the installation. But it also meant that when our support staff was on the road, it was harder to take care of the customers that called in. Plus being away from home working for long periods of time was never fun.

Today things are a lot easier thanks to technology. Many of the software products we sale have electronic licenses, meaning no dongle is required. We also have remote support tools that allow us on a support call, to take control of the customer's computer. Making the installation or trouble shooting of programs a lot easier. We can install a RIP in Patagonia in the morning, and right after that train someone with PDF Imposition in Toronto.

These remote tools have helped us in sales too. We can demo most products online to people in several locations. Of course nothing beats face to face interaction. We still do sales visits and trade shows. But in this hectic world were we expect things to be instantaneous and very inexpensive. These tools have helped us meet these needs. Remote support tools are green in more ways than one, they help our customers save money, they allow our technicians to spend more time with their families and they are easy on the environment.

pressSIGN version 3 Free Upgrade

2009-10-28T10:09:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to let you know that we have launched version 3 of pressSIGN, which has been sub-titled Intelligent Printing.

pressSIGN 3 is Intelligent Printing because you can not only get the press to print correctly, you can also see where it is failing quickly and easily, and further identify where you are being unproductive and wasting resources.

See below all the new features and how to upgrade your version.

The new version contains some important improvements to pressSIGN 2.x. pressSIGN 3 is now a database application. Every reading is now stored in the pressSIGN database with advanced search and sorting features.

Search by any combination of the following criteria:
Job Name Press Operator Date Time Ink & Paper Score Client Comment In addition jobs can be sorted by Name, Date, Score, Standard, Press, Job Duration, Run Length, Customer and Measurements. The ability to add comments to any job or reading can be used in a variety of ways. Users can now identify new consumables that they are using on the press to see what impact they have on quality or see when they have made a plate adjustment curve.

pressSIGN additional new features
Auto generate 5 color color bar
Generate EPS or pdf color bar
Make ICC profiles a press standard
Measure paper white to adjust ICC profile & export adjusted profile back to pre-press

pressSIGN-Pro version 3 additional new features
Optional pressSIGN-Trends
Make-Ready and Production mode
Value Trends
View Score
Trends View
Production Reports
One database - multiple presses
Open Multiple Jobs

Make-Ready and Production Mode
pressSIGN-Pro version 3 lets users distinguish between make-ready and production mode. The average score for the job saved to the database is based on readings in production mode. Make-ready scores are ignored.

Check on Press/Operator Wastage and Productivity
As pressSIGN-Pro captures the start time of the job, the time of entering into production mode, the run length and the finish time it is easy to see the efficiency of each press/operator. Create a production report showing all jobs printed on each press per day and see the make-ready times.

Open multiple jobs and see production trends
pressSIGN-Pro v 3 with its poweerful search features allows selection of jobs by any combination of criteria. Searches can be saved for repeated use. Once jobs have beeen selected they can be opened in pressSIGN-Pro and the trends for all aspects of those jobs can be examined. There are two trends views showing all aspects of the job(s) over time, their score and the changing values. Double- click on any trend window and enlarge it as a permanent floating window.

Low cost pressSIGN-Trends - many users one database
pressSIGN-Trends is an new optional extra for pressSIGN-Pro users and is designed specifically for production managers who need to see what is happening on press but don't need to read the press sheet.
All data from many presses can be fed into one database (PC only) these can be viewed by any pressSIGN-Pro or pressSIGN-Trends user. In fact any job can be opened as it's on press and each reading seen in real time.

Upgrade your version of pressSIGN for Intelligent Printing
To get your free upgrade to version 3 of pressSIGN send me an email with your name and i1 or pressSIGN dongle serial number, company name and name. To upgrade from pressSIGN to pressSIGN-pro. Please contact me or your Compose dealer. To download a demo version of pressSIGN-Pro go to www.presssign.com If you have any further questions about pressSIGN please call me or send me an email

Epson launches Stylus Pro WT7900 for packaging proofing

2009-10-07T11:55:00.000-07:00

At LabelPrint in Brussels earlier this month, Epson launched a new plotter called Stylus Pro WT7900. What sets this plotter apart from all other proofing plotters in the market is that the Stylus Pro WT7900 can print white ink. A white ink capable plotter has been coveted by the packaging world for a long time. The new Epson Stylus Pro WT7900 can print on flexible film, paper and metallic media, this allows this plotter to deliver proofs that closely resemble what the final product will be like.

When the printer becomes available earlier next year, our Star Proof will be ready for it. Star Proof is the perfect proofing software to drive this new printer from Epson. Star Proof currently delivers superb spot color matching. Plus Star Proof can simulate, dot per dot, screens up to 220 lpi. Add white ink to this, and you have a very powerful, very accurate proofing system for the packaging world.

Please e-mail or call me for further information.

Big Ice Box / eLabel Print

2009-10-05T11:17:00.001-07:00

At Print09 Compose introduced two new products: Big Ice Box and eLabel Print. Users enter the job name, quantity of prints needed and paper type, then these products make the setup a snap.

Big Ice Box is geared towards those sheet fed printers who regularly print different jobs on the same press sheet. What separates Big Ice Box from other existing solutions is that Big Ice Box is database driven. So when you are ready to print a job, Big Ice Box will tell you automatically which other jobs you can print on the same press sheet. Maximizing plate size, minimizing setup time and waste. The result is a PDF file that contains the best possible layout for your jobs.

eLabel Print is meant for digital label printers. More and more label printers are being asked to do shorter runs. eLabel Print is a database driven label printing solution from Compose. Similarly to Big Ice Box, when you are ready to print a job, eLabel Print tells you which jobs can be printed side by side with the one you want.

Both Big Ice Box and eLabel print are shipping. Please call your Compose representative or Compose directly for additional product information or pricing.

To download the Express Big Ice Box brochure click here

We're back from Print09

2009-10-05T10:39:00.000-07:00

It's been two weeks since we got back from Chicago and it already seems like it was a long, long time ago. With so many new things to talk to you about, it's taken me this long to clear my head and getting back to what this blog is about: Telling our users about how our technologies and how they can help them be more productive.

I'm working on a new e-mail campaign that should go out this week. On it, I'll talk what we showed at Print09 and what's coming next. Here's a brief sneak preview: Star Proof and the new line of Epson printers. Plus two new Compose products we launched at the show called eLabel Print and Big Ice Box. eLabel Print is geared towards digital label printers while Big Ice Box is geared towards sheet fed printers who want to automatically gang different jobs on a single press sheet.

At Print09 we had a lot questions from customers who are G7 Master printers that want to automatically keep their presses calibrated. We showed them a solution that does that and more.

So as you can see, there are many things to talk about.

TRIBALSKETCH™ more than Web2Print

2009-09-22T10:22:00.000-07:00

We are very pleased that we experienced a higher than expected interest in its Web2Print demos at Print09. TribalSketch is targeted at helping commercial printers capture their share of the more than $200 billion small business marketing collateral and consumer personal publishing markets.

TribalSketch is a solid solution where attention to details is the name of the game. Just putting up a website is no guarantee of success in todays post Web 2.0 world. TribalSketch allows for every implementation to be a fully custom designed site. Starting from working with clients to determine the market, the message, and the look - and then implementing this into a modern and interesting site. Taking into careful consideration how to optimize all content for maximum and measurable customer response.

One key to 'closing the sale' online is to provide visitors with all the information they need to make a decision. Each product offering has its own web page with beautifully constructed product information that both attracts search engine results and answers visitor questions. This leads the visitor to select the correct options and immediatly get pricing from the online estimating tool, and to then calculate shipping with the shipping tool connection to USPS, FedEx, and UPS.

Repeat business is insured by providing project management capabilites that enable visitors to either upload ready made artwork, or to design their piece online using the Flash based design tool. Proofs are available through the live page flipping 'FlipProof' option. Project settings, art, and designs are then saved for repeat access. PrintCommerce with shopping cart, credit card processing, and backend order management rounds out the site.

To futher demonstrate the flexibility of TribalSketch, TribalSketch.com was created using TribalSketch. Other companies have their product site and then a link "to our demo site" - we have taken that a big leap forward by putting our money where our mouth is. Everything on www.tribalsketch.com is powered by TribalSketch the product.

TribalSketch is available in either "You Buy It, You Own It" or as a monthly service model - with pricing on the main website. Visit TribalSketch.com for more information, or give us a call (916) 920-3838.

Compose Systems’ Star Proof proofing solution now supports X-Rite’s i1iSis automated chart reader

2009-09-11T01:00:00.000-07:00

PRESS RELEASE

Press Contact:

Véronique Froment:

veronique@highrezpr.com

Tel: + 1 603-537-9248

X-Rite and Compose Systems Extend their Partnership to Offer Automated Accurate Dot-for-Dot Proofing Workflow

Compose Systems’ Star Proof proofing solution now supports X-Rite’s i1iSis automated chart reader

GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan, September 11th 2009 – X-Rite, Incorporated (NASDAQ: XRIT), the world leader in color management, measurement and communication technologies, and Compose Systems, an established developer of prepress workflow, digital color proofing and print publishing solutions, today announced that they have extended their long-standing partnership to offer prepress professionals an automated dot-for-dot proofing solution to produce high quality screened contract proofs on inkjet printers. The new solution will be shown for the first time at Print 09 on Compose Systems’ booth (booth # 6555).

Compose Systems has optimized the newly announced version of its Star Proof proofing technology (version 6.0) to offer seamless support for X-Rite’s i1iSis automated chart reader. The combination of the two technologies will enable customers to quickly and accurately produce and verify spot colors to deliver top quality proofs on an inkjet printer.

With its Actual Dot feature, designed to replicate original screening and dot patterns at proofing resolutions, Star Proof 6.0 delivers contract proofs with a hard dot, sharp images, accurate color and fine detail - just as they would appear on the press. Using ROOM (RIP once output many) proofing architecture to resample the same set of high-resolution separations that are sent to the platesetter/imagesetter, Star Proof ensures data integrity between proof and print.

Using X-Rite’s i1iSis high-speed automated chart reader as part of their workflow, Star Proof users will be able to quickly and easily measure full spectral data from their simulated spot colors, and avoid wasting time hand-scanning rows or reading individual color patches. With the i1Isis, users are able to calibrate simulated spots, by exporting their spot color definitions, and use the iSis to read them back to Star Proof for optimal accuracy.

Combined with i1Isis, Star Proof gives users a comprehensive set of tools to achieve excellent color matching between proof and press, offering traditional color calibration and fine controls for matching inks via color shade, calibration curve and dot gain compensation. Star Proof uses the spectrophotometric readings provided by the i1Isis to analyze and compare printing press target charts and proof printer calibration charts. The readings are input to Star Proof, which then creates a system profile for the specific printer and saves this for future use. Using i1Isis, Star Proof can also prepare a color curve with the appropriate gamut which users can then fine tune for even more precise color matching.

Star Proof updated for Snow Leopard

2009-09-01T10:13:00.000-07:00

Today we released a Star Proof update which brings compatibility with MacOS X 10.6, aka Snow Leopard. This update is recommended for Star Proof 6, Star Proof 5 and Star Proof Lite users. Star Proof is Compose's dot per dot proofing system. Star Proof recombines 1 bit tiffs to produce color accurate proof that simulate line screens up to 220 lpi on CMYK and spot colors.
When Star Proof 6 is used with Epson's new Stylus Pro 7900 or 9900 printers, besides generating the best dot shape on an inkjet proofer, it can reproduce spot colors very accurately. Please contact your Compose dealer or Compose USA for download and installation details. To download a Star Proof brochure click here
Stop by our booth 6555 at Print09 to see Star Proof 6 in action.

Ink Key Presets: The key to faster makereadies

2009-08-25T16:54:00.000-07:00

First of all, I want to thank all of you who have responded to the new way were are trying to communicate. Second, I’ll be going over some terms and concepts, if you feel that you already know this, go ahead and skip to the next section.

With press runs getting shorter and shorter and the cost of paper going up, up up, this time I’d like to talk about CIP3, CIP4, JDF, and ink key presets. First, let’s define what CIP3 is: CIP3 is a print production format specified by the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics. They worked in close collaboration with a group of well-known software and equipment manufacturers. This group was called "International Cooperation for Integration of Prepress, Press, and Postpress" (abbreviated as CIP3).

It was developed as a way to bring the printing and post printing processes closer to prepress. The idea behind this was that the information generated in prepress should flow downstream to the pressroom for further processing. This would avoid having to re-acquire data in the pressroom that was already available in prepress.

The challenge was getting many equipment and software manufacturers to come up with a common way of communicating with each other. The end result of this endeavor was the CIP3 Print Production Format or PPF. The PPF is a file that contains all the necessary data for printing and further processing of a job, except for the high resolution data for printing. Things like plate size, paper size, colors being used, register mark info, previews, folding, etc., can be included in a PPF file.

CIP4 is the International Cooperation for the Integration of Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress Organization. The folks at CIP4 are responsible for JDF. JDF is an industry standard that goes one step further than CIP3. While CIP3 covers what happens to a job beyond prepress, the idea behind JDF is to simplify data sharing among the different applications and systems in and around the graphic arts industry. Like other standards, JDF is based on XML. This allows easy integration with Internet solutions. To find out more about JDF, visit www.cip4.com

Data in JDF can be used in prepress or the pressroom. For example, data gathered during the estimating phase of a job, such as the type of paper the job should be printed on, will be used in prepress to determine what kind of ICC profiles should be used. And then, in the pressroom, to determine which press the job should be printed on.

Enough with the acronyms, let’s talk about ink key presets.

Imagine this

The printing area of a press is divided into zones. Each zone is fed ink by an ink duct. And the amount of ink that goes into the duct is controlled by an ink key.

The amount of ink to be delivered depends on the amount of data on the zone. In other words, if there is no data in the zone, the ink key is closed. If there is a solid color that fills the zone, then the key opens to meet the ink demand.

How much ink is needed?

That is where color bars and ink density come into play. As the press prints, the press operator adjusts the ink key until a certain ink density is achieved by measuring each color on a color bar. Ink density is nothing more than how thick is the ink is on paper.

The number of ink ducts on a press depends on the press width. Depending on the manufacturer, the ink keys will be more or less numerous. Most of them are a little over an inch wide. So the wider the press, the more ink ducts that need to be adjusted. The more color units a press has, the longer it takes to get the colors dialed in at the right densities.

And finally, on to our stuff

Compose has a product called Express InkScript that would sit on the pre-press department, or the front side of this equation. It takes PS, PDF or 1 bit tiff files (digital plates) and converts them into ink duct data. This ink duct data can be automatically saved as a PPF file (see paragraph 4 above if you need a refresher course). This PPF file is sent to the press room. Or, InkScript can generate a PDF file with a color preview of the job, under a grid representing the ink ducts. And an ink duct histogram per each color used in the job. This makes it very easy for press operators to adjust the initial ink key values on presses that do not have ink consoles.

If the press has an ink console, that PPF file arrives at the pressroom and is processed by Ink Zone, the back side Compose app in this equation. Ink Zone displays a list of jobs that are available for immediate printing. Once the press operator selects one, it’s sent to the press and the ink keys are configured with the accurate values.

Ink Zone learns from the press. Once a job has finished printing, the operator has the option to archive it to print it again at a later day. Or save the difference of what he originally got from InkScript and what he adjusted on press. The more the operator uses the system, the closer to being perfect that the ink keys are at startup. Customers of ours that are using this are reporting a 90% to 95% proximity to their goal at press startup.

A Closed Loop System can be installed with Ink Zone by using a color bar with the width of the job and an automatic reader, such as X-rite’s Intellitrax. With the automatic density readings, Ink Zone can tell the press which ink keys to move up, and which keys to move down. This option further reduces the make ready time.

Expresso RIP: Hablamos Español

2009-08-25T16:22:00.000-07:00

Buenas noticias, we have just released version 8.1 of our Express RIP in with a Spanish interface. If you already have version 8 of your RIP, all you'll need is to download the software. If you're running an earlier version of the Express RIP, you'll need to upgrade to version 8 in order to run Express RIP in Spanish.

Please contact your Compose dealer, or our office and we'll tell you how to obtain the Spanish version of Express RIP.

Mind the GAP! - The missing link for narrow-web offset printers

2009-08-19T12:24:00.000-07:00

I did not win last week’s lottery nor did I receive great news on my retirement account statement. I did however, get a package by mail with books I had ordered a few days before. I signed off the delivery sheet that the mailman had given me and received a duplicate copy from him. Today, through snail mail,, I also received rebate check for that external hard drive I’d purchased a while back. It’s not all bad.
You are probably asking yourself, “Where is he going with this”. Well, you see, most of the documents, except for the books, were printed on a narrow-web press... But why? Narrow web presses are very fast and provide the ability of inline finishing procedures like perforation, die cut, slitting, roll to roll rewinding, ETC... The downside of using a narrow-web press is the place where the plate and the rubbers are mounted to the cylinders.

This area is non-printable, and it’s what we call the “GAP”. A simple solution would be to add a blank area on the top or the bottom of the job to shift into the “GAP” area. However it may cause errors while adapting the job or an endless point of discussion with some customers who do not want to compromise their design. This is can be very inefficient and not at all cost-effective because of the amount of time it takes to get the job to the press. Compose offers a complete toolset to mitigate the issues related to narrow web prepress and plate making. Using 1bit tiff data for input and output, not only is the content of the job secured, but it also allows simple and open connectivity with many systems. This toolset is made up of two programs. One is Plate Controller. Plate Controller allows the arranging of elements on a plate for flatout work. Plate Controller offers advanced “Step & Repeat” and alignment functions. It supports single sided and double sided jobs. The second program is called Gapfinder.
Gapfinder locates the so called “GAP” and moves it to an area of the job where there’s no information. Thus “enlarging” the printable area, or saving a significant amount of paper. If a plate does not have a place to move tha “GAP” to, that plate can be split into what is called a “2 plate lockup”. So part of the image will be printed on a press unit and the rest on another. When these products are used together, Plate Controller gives Gapfinder the “Step & Repeat” information. With this data, Gapfinder can automatically find the gaps and move them, or create the necessary splits. Gapfinder can also place all the necessary registration & custom optical marks that some presses require. Plate Controller and Gapfinder can help you increase your productivity.
Stop by booth 6555 at Print09 to see it in action, or call us and see for yourself what Compose can do for your Narrow Web business. To download the Plate Controller click here, to download the Gapfinder brochure, click here.

Free Exhibits Only Passes for Print09

2009-08-17T15:27:00.000-07:00

We understand that the economy is tough right now and that travel plans have been cut back. If you are were on the fence about attending Print09, here is a compelling reason to go: Free Exhibits Passes courtesy of Compose. We are giving away free passes to Print09 for the first 500 people who sign up. When registering, all you have to do is click on the link and enter the pass code as noted below.

Pass Code: E5221.

To register, click here

Deadline to register for free is August 28, 2009

Global Graphics improves trapping and transparency in Harlequin 8.1

2009-08-17T09:32:00.000-07:00

If you are a Harlequin RIP user, we have good news for you. Global Graphics has just released Harlequin Plus Server RIP 8.1. The main advantage of the software update is a significant performance improvement when ripping jobs with transparencies and traps. There is also accuracy improvements in the way Color Pro converts spot colors to CMYK.

If you are a Compose Express RIP user and your RIP is already at version 8, this upgrade is free of charge. If you've have not upgraded yet, this is a great time to do so. e-mail me for instructions on how to download the new version or to request an upgrade quote.

PDF Imposition at a new price

2009-07-29T15:08:00.000-07:00

The amazing weather we've had this summer in Sacramento calls us to hikes, whitewater rafting and camping without a care in the world. Lucky for you, we don't answer that call as things here at Compose are kicking into high gear: we are getting ready for the Print09 show in Chicago and our programmers are busy working on a new product for the labeling world. I'll fill you in more as we approach the show. Another thing that's kept us busy is the G7 calibration for customers in Northern California. And, to top it off, IS Optimizer has really taken off in Latin America. It's been a non-stop summer, to say the least. We'll have time for the outdoors again in the fall.

Last month we polled you online on what product would you like to see discounted for the show. Here are the results: the product with the most votes was IS Optimizer, followed closely by our Express RIP. We've taken note and are designing the best deals for you.

So, let's get down to business. Compose has had a product called PDF Imposition for many years. Currently we're on version 5. It's an easy to use, flexible PDF-based imposition tool. Users can create templates that generate from simple business card layouts to complex multi-signature, multi-press publications.

Up to now we had marketed PDF Imposition as a tool for our workflow users. But the fact is that anyone with a Windows PC can take advantage of PDF Imposition. With this in mind, we have decided to reposition this feature-rich product at a lower price. I'm happy to give you the scoop: as of today, PDF Imposition 5 for 4 up presses will retail for $750. The maximum plate size that this version can work with is 31.5" x 31.5" or 800mm x 800mm. For larger presses, with no plate size limitation PDF Imposition 5 is now $1500. This price is for customers in the US, Canada and Latin America. To purchase, call Compose at (916) 920-3838 or your local Compose reseller.

You can download the PDF Imposition brochure by clicking here (1 Mb download). Or download demo of PDF Imposition by clicking here (159 Mb download)

Minimum System Requirements:

OS: Windows XP Pro, SP3
RAM: 2 GB
Hard Disk: 80 GB

See you at Print 09

2009-07-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

Website: http://www.print09.com/

Exhibitor: Compose Systems

Booth No.: 6555

We will be showing you the latest on Ink Savings, Ink Presets and Press Quality Control. Plus, we'll be introducing a Label Production for continuous and sheet fed printing. Also, we'll showcase the new Espon 7900 Plotter working with Star Proof. Star Proof is our actual dot proofing system that can reproduce traditional screens on a plotter up to 220 lpi. With the additional orange and green inks on the Epson Stylus Pro 7900, Star Proof is not only able to get a very close match on CMYK jobs, but is incredibly close on popular spot color libraries such as Pantone.

Stop by our booth to check our our new products, get a demo or just to say hello. We'd love to hear from you.

Getting ready for Print09

2009-07-14T11:58:00.000-07:00

We're getting ready for Print09 and what we should showcase there. That immediately brings up the subject of what show specials would we have. Since we have a little time before the show, we'd like to try something different. We'd like you to tell us what product's you'll like to see discounted.

If you click on the product name below, it will take you to our corporate website for more information on the product. And on the right side of this page, you'll find the poll.

IS Optimizer (Ink Savings, Color Server)

Express RIP & Upgrades

Color Express (Proofing RIP)

Express Workflow (Workflow manager with over 40 modules)

ExpressTrap (In-RIP trapping for Harlequin RIPs)

Express InkScript (Ink Key preset manager)

pressSign (Quality control)

IS Optimizer Save on ink, get jobs done faster and print better

2009-07-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

This month I'd like to talk to you about saving ink but, most importantly, about producing better results on press.

Quite frequently, design and layout departments often do not know what paper and press a particular job will be printed on. In many cases, color settings in image manipulation software like Adobe PhotoShop can vary from station to station within a department. Plus, almost anybody adjusts these values on a job-by-job basis.

This problem is compounded when printers receive jobs that contain elements created by third parties, for example, advertisements. Color separation values and total ink coverage (TAC) values may vary greatly from image to image. This presents a real challenge when the job is on press. Even well-experienced press operators will come across jobs with pages that are very hard to print due to over or under inking. To the point that, to get these images to print correctly, the press operator must sometimes adjust the ink keys on the press, bringing color densities outside their desired range.

Over-inking prolongs the time it takes for make ready. It also extends the time it takes for jobs to dry, thus taking longer for the other side of the job to get printed. Perhaps most importantly, it leaves to the press operator the ultimate responsibility of making a job look right.

How can this be solved?

In a perfect world, all designers and layout personnel would make sure that their separation settings in all images, text and illustrations comply with the appropriate press and paper combination or ICC profile for their job.

As things stand, and with so many variables across applications, this is a very hard to reach goal.

Since we are not in a perfect world, there is another way:

Compose offers a product called ISOptimizer. ISOptimizer analyzes every element in a job and separates it back to LAB color space. Unlike the RGB and CMYK color spaces, Lab color is designed to approximate human vision, having a greater gamut than the one offered by computer displays and printers. LAB color space is the color space used in describing devices in ICC profiles. Once the element is in LAB color space, ISOptimizer separates that element to CMYK using the desired output ICC profile. In other words, it separates the entire job back to CMYK using the press and paper conditions required for that particular job. Now all elements have the correct amount of ink for the type of paper and press they will be printed on.

From the days of drum scanning, there's a technique called GCR or Gray Component Replacement. It is based on the principle that any CMY color can be represented with two colors plus black. Black ink is generally the less expensive ink, thus replacing CMY with black to produce grays makes a lot of sense. ISOptimizer can use GCR and TAC values to reduce the amount of ink used in a job, while preserving the smallest dE, or color difference from the original. It can also generate an ROI (return on investment) table with the amount of ink saved per job per color. If provided with ink costs and ink demand values - how much ink it takes to cover a specific area - it can project ink savings per job and create reports. Users can even utilize this tool to estimate how much ink a particular job will require before it is printed.

In maximum ink saving mode, ISOptimizer takes things a step beyond GRC to provide unprecedented ink savings, faster make readies and shorter drying times. ISOptimizer uses Alwan's award wining Dynamic Device Link technology to save up to 40% ink, reduce make readies by up to 75% and drying times up to 80%.

Let's compare ink key settings

These two images represent the position of the ink keys for the photos of the vehicle above. The top histogram shows the ink keys of the original PDF, while the bottom one shows the histogram of the optimized PDF.

Notice how the CMY values on the optimized image are much lower. Even though the black channel is higher on the optimized image than the original, the optimized image uses 39% less ink than the original.

Some real world examples

Let's now look at some real world examples where ISOptimizer is helping customers save money.

Savings of 1500 impressions on make ready, and that's just for starters.

One of the largest web printers in the San Francisco Bay Area needed an average of 2000 impressions to get the first acceptable copy from their press prior to using ISOptimizer. The first job processed with ISOptimizer required only 500 impressions to get the first acceptable print. Three months after the installation of the software, the make ready times continue to be an average of 75% of what they used to be. Additionally, the customer is finding that their ink consumption is down by 35%. And ink does not rub off the paper like it used to.

Productivity increase of 20-40%.

A mid-sized shop in the San Francisco Bay Area runs a single 8up Komori press. Before installing ISOptimizer the customer could get an average of 6 to 8 jobs per 8-hour shift. Now, with ISOptimizer ECO, the customer is able to run an average of 10 different jobs per 8-hour shift per press. The secret is the ISOptmizer ECO helping to reduce the make ready time, plus having the correct amount of ink on paper effectively reducing drying time.

Consistency throughout 900,000 impressions.

A large commercial printer in Argentina had Compose install ISOptimizer. The customer has found that on long runs, and in their case this means almost one million impressions, color is very stable across the print run. In other words, the color on the first good print varies very little from the last one in the run.

For more information about IS Optimizer, please visit our website by clicking here. You can also e-mail us for a 30 day trial of IS Optimizer by clicking here.

G7 Press Calibration. It makes sense

2009-07-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

I'd like to start this blog talking about press calibration. This was originally sent out as an e-mail to our mailing list recipients. If you'd like to be part of our mailing list, please click on the link located within the side bar.

Let's get to it: We recently got certified by IDEAlliance as G7 Experts. What this means is that we can visit, calibrate and certify our customers as G7 Master Printers on site.

The G in G7 stands for grayscale and the 7 for the seven colors it uses as reference: CMYK + RGB. RGB are the ink traps, and getting their color right is just as important as getting the right color on the CMYs.

There are many myths around G7. Many think that special inks are needed to be able to print within the GRACoL Specs. The fact is that inks are an ISO standard (ISO 2846-1) so it does not matter which litho ink you are using; if you are using quality ink, it's more than likely your ink is within the standard. What does matter is the amount of ink needed to produce the expected color: this is what will vary per ink manufacturer.

Is it G7 or GRACoL?

It's easy to get confused with so many acronyms and classifications out there: GRACoL, GRACoL 2007 and G7. I'll try to make things simple: GRACoL is the specification of how a commercial offset lithography press should print. In other words, it's how the ideal press sheet from the great press in the sky would look like. GRACoL 2007 is the latest specification of GRACoL, while G7 is the grayscale definition and calibration method common to SWOP and GRACoL. In other words, G7 describes the grayscale and how to calibrate a press so its output resembles the one from the great press in the sky.

On a G7 calibrated press sheet, the CMY grays should be neutral. Basically, if you were to compare CMY values versus K values, you'll find that they visually match. This makes it very easy to confirm that the press sheet is printing correctly.

Typically, printers are under the impression that this certification is useful only if their customers are demanding it. But G7 makes more sense than what most printers think. What many have not realized yet is that printing to G7 standards is very simple. Plus, it makes most jobs easier to print. There's less make-ready time and most importantly, the proof finally matches the press sheet accurately.

Besides offering press calibration and G7 Certification services to our customers, Compose has a suite of tools to confirm that color is being reproduced correctly. Tools that will allow consistent and accurate color throughout the workflow. This suite of tools is called pressSIGN-Pro.

We have found that clients want the monitor to match the proof and the proof to match the press sheet. We can help with our pressSIGN-Pro-suite. It makes it easy to ensure that colors match throughout the workflow.

This is our first time sending a newsletter like this; I hope that you'll find this information useful and you'll think of us when you are ready to calibrate your press or presses. If you have any questions, feedback or suggestions, please drop me a line.