Prepress UK has linked an eight-colour Komori and a Speedmaster XL105 using its Press Profiler software for US printers Baesman Group.
The Ohio business initially purchased the Press Profiler CIP3 application to manage colour on the Heidelberg press. It has now purchased a second licence to improve operation of the Komori Lithrone.
The software accepts a CIP3 compliant file from prepress workflow and uses this to preset ink ducts to speed make ready and reduce the number of waste sheets used in getting to good colour. As well as cutting waste, this increases the amount of time the press is in production mode.
Prepress technical lead at the printer Dave Harkness says: “We liked the ease of use of the system. It certainly appeared capable of driving detailed ink data accurately to the press, which was our main aim.
“Once installed the software has been accurate and stable. We did need to have some adjustment made to the package regarding our press naming conventions, but this was handled swiftly by the Prepress UK team. The product offers us the ability to shift from one printing unit to another to meet run sequences on demand on a job to job basis.”
Prepress UK is able to make those changes remotely across a secure internet link. The company’s sales director Nic Chapman says that the ability to install and support remotely reduces the cost and carbon impact of air travel.
While this has impressed Harkness, the functionality of the system and ease of adoption by press operators has also helped. Most of all has been the cost. Implementation of a CIP3 link using technology from the press provider can be costly. Prepress Pofiler is not. According to Harkness: “We were able to get the PressProfiler CIP3 package running and tailored to our specific needs for around $10,000 dollars – and all in just a few days. The equivalent package from a press supplier could have cost something north of $40,000 – and that would be for each press!
“The hugely advantageous thing with using PressProfiler CIP3 is that we’ve been able to use just the one software installation for two presses, from two totally different manufacturers, just by purchasing an extra license.”
Chapman adds: “One PressProfiler CIP3 package is often all that is needed to interface to different brands of press. Users will just need to purchase an extra licence, and not buy the whole package again.”
