Day2_22

GraphExpo_ShowDaily_September_26_2016

Enfocus’ Killer Apps Enfocus Software's (Booth 2167) App Store—in the Software: Workflow & Design/ Prepress Pavilion—offers a unique approach to graphic arts workflow automation. A new approach to the App Store, based on feedback from users, was the idea of having certain apps available for free. “The concept of free apps allows integrators and the entire community to distribute features and new functionality without having to go to a payment model,” says Bjorn Willems, Director of Product Management for Enfocus. “Users can get the basic application for free and advanced features are available on a for-pay basis.” The idea behind the App Store has been to use apps to replace scripts as the way to add advanced features to Switch. “Scripts are not the most user-friendly and scalable business model,” says Willems. “An app has a very easy distribution model. We have plenty of script writers and all of these people are interested in creating apps.” So far, response to the App Store has been positive, with more than 200 free trials downloaded. Like many software companies these days, Enfocus is eyeing the cloud, and is gradually moving PitStop cloudward. The fi rst step in that direction is the PDF Preview Module, which helps internal and external document reviewers to examine and approve fi les. On an object-based level, users can highlight text in a PDF and view style attributes. Users can also view separations, as well as look at individual objects. “That’s a milestone,” says Willems, “and is the fi rst time we will offer such features in a browser-based environment.” Willems says Enfocus doesn’t want to move too fast in porting all of its products to the cloud, given the still-tentative support for cloud- and subscription based production workfl ow products. “For PitStop Pro 13, 25% of users are on subscriptions right now, says Willems. However, he cites huge regional differences in support for subscription software models. “U.S. adoption rate of subscriptions is high, while in Europe it’s lagging, and in other regions it’s zero.” Whether it’s an app- or a cloud-based approach, it’s a fine line a software company has to walk; they want to support what is obviously is the future of software, but not at the same time alienate users who are not quite “there” yet. It’s a step-by-step piecemeal approach. That said, Enfocus will also be previewing an entire new Switch portal, with a user interface that will move to a browser-based environment. “It will offer a much better user experience, with no installation of software,” says Willems. “It’s one of the steps required to eventually have Switch in the cloud.” KBA Customers Embrace System Brunner’s Instrument Flight Color Control Software A growing trend among KBA (Booth 1435) sheetfed offset printers who are seeking to improve their color control is the installation of System Brunner’s Instrument Flight print quality measuring systems with KBA inline QualiTronic Color Control capability. “This technology has earned worldwide acceptance as the leading inline color control strategy on the market,” says Chris Travis, KBA Director of Technology. “With the combination of KBA and System Brunner, the KBA QualiTronic Instrument Flight system emphasizes color balance and gray balance, taking into account more than 30 process variables. It has been expanded to include new balance control apps and new global standards. The fi ve-star appraisal system notifi es the press operator of the print quality achieved under the selected standard and can ensure compliance with different standard specifi cations every day.” Many printing companies calibrate their presses to G7 every one to two years, which includes gray balance and tonality. But in daily production, printers are not able to control color according to these metrics, and only able to control solid densities. Variations in the process with ink, paper, blankets, water, etc. leads to deviations in gray balance and tonality when only controlling the solid ink density (SID), missing compliance with G7 requirements. System Brunner’s Instrument Flight controls color in print production including gray balance, tonality, solid CIELAB / densities, TVI, and more. Therefore this technology holds the printing production in the G7 target range. One of Instrument Flight’s features with Balance Navigator functionality allows it to fi ne-tune gray balance and tonality on the fl y to keep the G7 targets or adjust the color according to customer needs. Combining KBA’s inline QualiTronic Color Control capability with System Brunner’s Instrument Flight inking unit control software creates a closed-loop system for measuring and controlling color. It even assesses the visual appearance of every printed sheet, thus promoting stable, uniform production from one day to the next and from one press to another. Since its introduction, KBA customers have praised the KBA QualiTronic Color Control with Instrument Flight. The system allows them to raise their print quality and color consistency to new levels never before reached previously, as well as achieving a signifi cant reduction in startup waste. One such customer is Dee Paper Box Company, a folding carton design, printing, and manufacturing fi rm located in Chester, PA, which installed a new KBA Rapida 145 57" 7-color double-coater UV press with automated KBA technology earlier this year. Dee Paper’s press combines its KBA inline QualiTronic Color Control capability with the full-scale version of System Brunner’s Instrument Flight inking unit control software. Another KBA customer, NEPA Carton and Carrier Company, a one stop source for beverage carriers and cartons located in Moosic, PA, has been successfully operating its new KBA Rapida 145 57" 6-color large-format press for nearly a year providing the fi rm with additional speed, color control, and turnaround to its nationwide customers. This important feature, says Mike Collins, NEPA President, allows the press to be controlled via grey balance with the QCC option from KBA. It also is the only system on the market which allows a printer to change and select the grey balance that they prefer on press and control. This allows NEPA to run and control its printed product to G7 standards. (Left to right): John Frey, Pressman, Dee Paper Box; Shawn Parks, Print Manager, Dee Paper Box; Daniel Würgler, CEO of System Brunner; and Terry Kochig, Pressman, Dee Paper Box, hold a test sheet printed on Dee’s new KBA Rapida 145 press, including its KBA inline QualiTronic Color Control capability with the full-scale version of System Brunner’s Instrument Flight inking unit control software. 22 | September 26, 2016 | GRAPH EXPO 16 Offi cial Show Daily | PrintingNews.com


GraphExpo_ShowDaily_September_26_2016
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