For the good of print

As the arteries of communications continue to clog with emerging mediums, print continues to push through the consfusion as a preferred option. More than ever, this happens today because of the technology being used to create the output. The challenge has always been to get that technology into the hands of small- and medium-sized businesses.

The GATF has awarded the following 13 technologies with the 2003 Intertech Award, because of how they will push printed communications forward, but also because they will do it sooner rather than later. You may notice a lot of focus on flexographic printing, digital inline finishing, inkjet and soft proofing.

Technology: Plate Cell Patterning

Company: Artwork Systems Inc.

Judge: "This technology brings flexo quality into the 21st century."

Application: A software application that places anilox cell patterns on flexographic plates to improve ink transfer during printing. The cells are "patterned" into the job during imaging on an imagesetter or a direct-to-plate unit. The cell patterning roughens the plate surface, which in turn improves the quality of printed solids, reduces ink consumption, reduces halos around type, and produces more open reverses and finer positive images.

Technology: HyperFlex

Company: Creo

Judge: "This screening enhancement offers innovative support for flexo printing by selectively targeting highlights."

Application: Aids in the exposure of small dots or graphic elements on a photopolymer plate. It helps to reduce the relief depth between dots and expands the base of the shoulder so the dots are better formed and capable of resisting the wear-and-tear of normal use. HyperFlex preserves the size of the dot and the intended tonality, and allows printers to work with smaller highlight dots.

Technology: ORIS Color Tuner 5.0

Company: CGS Publishing Technologies International

Judge: "This technology clearly supports using colour inkjet for contract proofs."

Application: Used by Schawk Canada, this system produces contract-quality proofs on inkjet output devices. ICC-based colour management is combined with fine tuning for difficult colour reproduction like neutral grays. All major digital file formats can be handled, including PostScript, PDF and PDF/X, TIFF, TIFF/IT, DCS, CT/LW, copy-dot, and more. Automatic calibration lets even non-experts create a colour-matching table by outputting and measuring a standard colour target.

Technology: Magnapak

Company: Heidelberg

Judge: "This packaging system offers newspapers a cost-effective, productive way to compete in the inserts market."

Application: Multi-versatile newspaper insert packaging system may be configured as an inserter, collator/polywrapper system, or as a combination of both while delivering output speeds up to 30,000 cycles per hour, per delivery. It features a completely shaftless, servo-driven design and advanced system controls. It can be configured as a small stand-alone inserter or as a large packaging system fed automatically from press or automated storage systems

Technology: Lithrone S40

Company: Komori America Corporation

Judge: "The S40 takes a significant step toward the CIM and Digital Smart Factory levels of print production automation."

Application: Offers a high-level of sheetfed press automation and open systems architecture. The press comes equipped with Komori's Color Connection software suite, and when coupled with a CIP4-compliant K-Station, it provides a real-world link to computer integrated manufacturing in the pressroom. An automatic plate-changing system can change six plates in under three minutes and advanced automatic programming of current makeready, washup, and the next makeready from the press console.

Technology: RealTimeProof Express

Company: RealTimeImage Inc.

Judge: "It will enable the industry's transition to soft proofing, not only for content proofing but also for contract colour proofing."

Application: A high-resolution internet streaming imaging platform for both graphic arts and medical industries. Makes it possible for other online systems to be collaborative and interactive. A hybrid ASP/local system, it combines the workflow management efficiencies of the RealTimeProof.com ASP (application service provider) with a local, high-resolution streaming server. It is most suitable for high-production volumes or multi-site companies looking for local, secure, image streaming with centralized administration.

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Technology: FastVariants

Company: Esko-Graphics

Judge: "This application enables relatively modest printers to offer versioning services by using automated software rather than paying for custom programming."

Application: Software for outputting the same file in multiple versions, particularly aimed at avoiding costly mistakes in the production of versioned jobs for which one plate, usually but not always the black plate, is changed for another one with a different version during the print run. It can solve or detect specific problems that make a file unsuitable for double-burn.