by Toon Van Rossum, Switch Product Manager, Enfocus
Time to change
For years prepress automation was achieved using a combination of other workflow solutions available on the market. As on-going support and development for both of those solutions came to an end, the search for a state of the art workflow replacement lead OPI to Enfocus Switch.
The new workflow incorporates Enfocus Switch and PitStop Server to automate file retrieval from a wide range of sources such as FTP sites, Dropbox, YouSendIt accounts among others, or Hot Folders, and can even extract email attachments. It then automatically preflights and corrects files for common errors. Switch then manages files for color standardization and ink optimization in advance of single page processing and post-RIP automated or interactive page pairing and imposition.
Production status updates and reporting occur via notifications through the workflow Client or automated emails to internal and outside clients, production personnel and management as needed. Likewise, a global summary on the progress of each publication can be gained at a glance using the workflow Client or Browser-based interface.
Extra power thanks to Fusion Publication Proofing System
Additional reporting is provided by the Fusion Publication Proofing System, a browser-based, post-RIP soft-proofing and production reporting solution. It gives the status of each page, including when it was received, processed, approved or rejected--and by whom—as well as if it has been moved to imposition or page pairing, and output to plating queues.
Because all pages are individually RIPed (separated, rasterized and screened) all soft-proofing and imposition is completed post-RIP. The Publication Proofing System automatically organizes proofs by publication name, date and section. Proofs can be quickly inspected, emailed or output on any printer capable of processing a PDF. As proofing pages are approved, the high-resolution production page is forwarded for automatic or interactive imposition. The workflow provides advanced CIP3 ink key presetting data to the Star Advertiser’s 12-tower MAN Roland Regioman cold-set press to accelerate make-ready time while reducing make-ready waste. Output of imposition and page-paired separation flats are picked up by Enfocus Switch to automate load-balancing of plating files to the Star-Advertiser’s two CTP platesetters for accelerated plate output, sorting and real-time production reporting.
About Honolulu Star-advertiser
Following an extensive evaluation of prepress workflows the Honolulu Star Advertiser selected Enfocus Switch and Enfocus PitStop Server to replace their existing workflow systems in order to work more efficient. The integration was conducted by Fusion Systems, one of the Enfocus’ Channel Partners. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser is the modern day culmination of the 128-year-old Honolulu Star-Bulletin and the 154-yearold Honolulu Advertiser. The two Honolulu newspapers merged on June 7, 2010 following the purchase of the Honolulu Advertiser from Gannett by Black Press which owned the Star-Bulletin. The merger of the two papers included a state-of-theart, 147,000-square-foot print production facility located in Kapolei, HI. The Star-Advertiser is managed by Oahu Publications Inc. (OPI), a subsidiary of Black Press. Today, OPI has emerged as Hawaii’s largest print media company. OPI also purchased the Kauai The Garden Island (2013) and The Hilo Tribune and West Hawaii Today (2014). In addition to the 4 daily newspapers in Hawaii, OPI now publishes a diverse range of other publications, including MidWeek, several military papers, USA Today, various specialty publications, luxury and hotel magazines and more. It also offers advertisers a full suite of custom printing services, inserts and direct mail options. As the breadth of printing services expanded so too did the need for workflow automation.
