The new Esko Suite 12.1 includes Standard Template Workflows to shorten the learning curve for less experienced staff. Other improvements to the package, expected for release in July, include:
Integration with On-Press Visual Inspection Systems. In prepress editors PackEdge or ArtPro, users can now define areas on a job for inline visual inspection systems. This significantly reduces overall setup time for the press since the inline inspection system receives its setup data directly from Esko Automation Engine. With the inspection area defined upstream and not by the press operator, it becomes easier to standardise the production process across multiple sites, presses and operators. First inspection system integrations work with Esko’s partner AVT.
CombiPress Support. Especially in the label industry, it is common practice to combine different print processes (offset, flexo, digital, screen) within the same job, with each process requiring different preparation. With CombiPress support, even trapping tickets will automatically perform overprint calculations based on the targeted printing processes, eliminating manual selection of trapping tickets.
Esko Viewer Sports New Tools. The Esko Viewer in Automation Engine 12.1 is equipped with a barcode and braille reader. With this, the difficulty of manually and visually verifying the accuracy of a barcode or of a line of braille text, an essential check in the prepress QA process, has been overcome.
Compliance with EU Food Regulations. EU Regulation No. 1169/2011 goes into effect 13 December 2014 onwards. This regulation specifies minimum font size requirements for the nutrition declaration on food packaging. In DeskPack 12.1, the Preflight function can now detect text that does not meet this requirement, ensuring use of the correct font size and providing proof that the produced packaging is compliant.
Automation of Gang Runs for Flatbed Printers. With a growing number of shorter runs, automating gang printing on large format flatbed digital printers means more profitable operations. With Automation Engine 12.1, multiple odd-shaped designs can automatically be ganged onto a single print sheet layout, improving operator productivity and reducing waste of expensive substrates.