alfaQuest: PrintExpress

PrintExpress/CPM is a digital workflow system that comprises of a number of software modules that are used to create a link between page make-up applications and the printing press. PrintExpress handles the stages of receiving single pages in PostScript or PDF form through RIPing, pagepairing, spooling, proofing, tracking and remote transmission to multiple print sites. The whole workflow can be monitored and controlled from any location on the system. The modules which form PrintExpress are all designed to interlock with each other and to perform specific functions. The whole system can be as small as a single site outputting to a single CTP machine or imagesetter, or as large as many newspaper publishing sites all using many common printing sites. PrintExpress can often be configured to provide a solution to special and unique user requirements. TIFF import and export together with other interfacing methods and Laserbus means that PrintExpress can be integrated in a wide and varied way with other systems and output devices.

PrintExpress utilises either Sun hardware and the Solaris operating system or PC hardware with the Windows 2000 Server operating system. PrintExpress modules can run on as many or as few platforms as are required to provide the necessary performance and redundancy at each site. Automatic failover functions are available to ensure the system keeps working even if a platform does fail.

This module receives PostScript or PDF files from other system such as the page make-up machines on PC or Mac or from an OPI server .It uses standard input protocols such as PAP (Apple), TCP/IP, drop file, or from the MGS3 OPI server. Here the input files are spooled for transfer to a RIP process or can be sent on to other PostScript spoolers which could be at other sites. PostScript files can be converted here to PDF format using the Normaliser option before being passed on either to other spoolers or to the PDF Export function to be saved as a file for archiving purposes or for use by other systems.

The PrintExpress RIP module uses the Adobe PostScrpt3 CPSI to create bitmap files from the postscript or PDF files. As with all PrintExpress modules, multiple instances of the RIP module can run on a single platform. Color calibration and other modifiers are applied at this stage. The load across several RIP processes can be leveled by the PostScript / PDF spoolers.

These spool and queue the output files from the RIP processes for forwarding on to other Bitmap Spoolers (possibly at print sites) or to other modules for further processing such as page pairing, double burning, rotation etc.

The Pairer is an automatic process which combines specific page bitmaps according to a specific publication description and naming convention for page pairing or imposition. The Assembler can be controlled manually or can take page bitmaps on a first-in-first-out basis to provide throughput enhancement for specific recorders. In both cases the geometry of the layout is defined in a configuration table.

This option takes high resolution separation bitmaps and combines and processes them to produce a layout proof on a color plotter such as a HP Design Jet. This may be driven by Laserbus or over Ethernet. Unlike approaches which require the job to be RIPped separately for proofing, this ensures that the proof is representative of the final print and that there will be no RIP induced variations when producing the separations.

High resolution separation bitmaps are combined and processed for display on a screen using the Soft Proof client. The screen displays a gallery of thumbnails which allows the user to monitor the progress of a publication by watching the arrival of bitmaps in a queue. As the separations arrive they are displayed with corresponding separations from each job overlaying until a composite is displayed. A thumbnail can be selected to produce a full screen display of individual separations or of a composite job. When used in conjunction with the Bitmap Pairer the gallery display is formatted to show all jobs in correct page order, so it is simple to see the progress of the complete publication.

This option calculates the ink coverage from the separation bitmaps and formats it for press controls.