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MAY 2010 GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

is published ten times per year by B.K.L.K Inc. 72 Main St. Mount Albert, ON L0G 1M0 Phone: 905-473-9111 Fax: 905-473-6826 Outside Toronto: 1-877-513-3999 e-mail: info@graphicartsmag.com www.graphicartsmag.com

COVER STORY

PDF/X-4 and the Adobe PDF Print Engine

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Submission deadlines are as follows: May 17 for June 2010 June 17 for July/August 2010 Publications Mail Agreement No. 40029380 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Graphic Arts Magazine, 72 Main St. Mount Albert, ON L0G 1M0 email: circ@graphicartsmag.com

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Joe Mulcahy Natalia Gilewicz Kristen Read Mandy Bayrami Tony Curcio Barb Vowles Maureen O’Sullivan Sandy Lee Tim Mulcahy Bruce MacLean Javad Ahmadi AliveProStudios.com George Dedopoulos AliveProStudios.com Sina Printing Buntin Reid Sina Printing

GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE would like to thank our contributing writers: Norm Beange • Diana Brown • Peter Dulis Natalia Gilewicz • Jason Lisi • Andrea Mahoney Tim Mitra • Kristen Read • Kelly Robertson 2010 EDITORIAL BOARD

Javad Ahmadi, AliveProStudios.com Ernie Bardocz Danny Ionescu, HP Evan Cambray, Spicers Ken Harbin, Robert E. Thistle Ltd. Steve Klaric, Heidelberg Canada Jana Lucatch, Magnum Fine Commercial Printing George Mazzaferro, RP Graphics Group Brian O’Leary, Kwik Kopy Angus Pady, Digital Solutions Paul Tasker, Spicers Applied for Canadian Media Circulation Audit Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily intended to reflect those of this publisher.

Graphic Arts Magazine accepts no responsibility or liability for claims made for any product or service reported on or advertised in this issue. Graphic Arts Magazine also reserves the right to limit liability for omissions and errors to a printed correction in the next issue.

SUBSCRIBER’S NOTICE: From time to time we may rent our mailing list (names and addresses only) to select third parties whose products or services may be of interest to our readers. Please contact us should you wish to be excluded from these mailings using the contact information at the top.

PAP Registration Number 10926 We acknowledge the financial support of the government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program towards our mailing costs.

Printed on Sappi’s HannoArt Gloss Text.

Available from Buntin Reid.

17 For the record . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kristen Read This month: Wendy Cebula of Vistaprint

20 PDF/X-4 and the Adobe PDF Print Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Jason Lisi

Exploring the techology

25 Four steps to colour standardization in print . . . . . . . . . . .

Angus Pady

How to setup your colour management settings more closely with today’s printing environment

26 Automate production of online orders . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrea Mahoney Reduce your costs and turnaround

28 Featured markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kristen Read This month: Binding & Finishing and Large Format Digital Printers

34 Ten ways to make your trade bindery a profit centre . . .

Norm Beange

Find out how to improve your bindery and profit

38 iPad fourteen days later . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tim Mitra Will you be purchasing one?

40 The world of 3D printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter Dulis Marketing opportunities and more

42 Sales lessons learned from a recession . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Kelly Robertson

How the buying process has changed and more

48 My customer asked me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diana Brown How can I use Google web applications to revolutionize the way I gather important information?

16 .comments 46 List of advertisers 47 Classified When making submissions, please forward to the following email addresses: ADS ads@graphicartsmag.com NEWS news@graphicartsmag.com CLASSIFIED classified@graphicartsmag.com ARTICLES articles@graphicartsmag.com INSTALLATIONS installations@graphicartsmag.com SUBSCRIPTIONS circ@graphicartsmag.com 3

YOUR PERFECT CONNECTION TO THE PRINTING AND GRAPHIC ARTS INDUSTRY

JOE MULCAHY

View from the publisher Congratulations to James Caldwell and all the crew at Total Graphics for having a very entertaining open house at the end of April. Total Graphics is well known for its large-format printing capabilities. With the recent purchase of a FujiFilm Acuity advance flatbed digital printer, they have expanded into the digital printing market. Total also has a new KBA Rapida 162-A press, one of only a few in Canada. We wish every success to the hardworking and dedicated crew at Total Graphics.

Canadian-based company; Canadian Media Circulation Audit. They have much better competitive pricing, are recognized by Heritage Canada, the Canadian government, and are published in CARD. Like the adaptations we spoke of earlier, we see it as our duty to our advertisers to seek out equivalent quality at reasonable prices to keep our overhead down and keep the pricing competitive for you.

We will have our first audit completed with CMCA shortly. We continue to mail to 10,600 locations every issue.

Hans Gronhi welcomes a long time member of the industry to its staff, Chris Speller. With over 30 years in the printing field, Chris has worked for Ryobi and Presstek. Chris sold me my first Ryobi press, which seems like a century ago in time.

If you receive a renewal sheet with this issue of the magazine, it means your free subscription is up for renewal. Please promptly fill out the sheet, sign and return the form via, fax, mail or Web as soon as possible. This renewal form is one of the requirements of the auditing companies.

I would like to extend best wishes to Anne Mulcahy on her retirement as head of Xerox. She has done a lot for the company during her years in service. I will miss having a fellow Mulcahy in the industry.

There is a cloud hanging over our industry, like the volcanic ash of Iceland that has grounded so many. But stay calm, keep focused on your final destination and again we will be flying.

We are living in interesting times and the closure of Graphic Arts Monthly in the U.S. is a wakeup call for all of us. Its famous “blue book” will be a loss to the industry. Does it mean the print magazines are to become extinct? I don’t think so. Yes, the printing industry is changing; big is not always better. More work is done on the World Wide Web, but survival is about adaptation. Humans have endured it for centuries in many capacities; we just have to keep steady to our goals and make the necessary adaptations to achieve them.

Until next time, stay positive and stay focused. .........................................................................................................................................

Joe Mulcahy joe@graphicartsmag.com

Last month, I told you that we were changing audit companies. After working with CCAB for many years, we have decided to change to a

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MAY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

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NATALIA GILEWICZ

Creating resilience in your business This past month, I attended the Environmental Printing Awards, along with many other industry professionals. This lavish evening always draws a crowd. My favourite part of the awards is always the keynote speaker —this year it was Peter Robinson, CEO of the David Suzuki Foundation.

minds push us to innovate. The question that lingered on my mind was would we still innovate if no one awarded us for it? In my mind the answer is a strong yes! While Robinson pointed out that in North America we tend to release goods into the market to then test if they were harmful as opposed to making sure prior, I feel like this next generation is exceptionally socially conscious. Perhaps I’m optimistic because I have such amazing students at GCM.

Robinson spoke on the theme of change and resilience. His speech was intelligent, candid and, to some, maybe a bit provocative. First, he expressed that leaders have a shelf life. You do what you can, and then new blood is needed. Immediately I paralleled this with the process of maturation in our lives. When we are young, our parents are our role models. Once we reach a certain age, they step back and new individuals shape our lives.

It was neat to watch the faces of the many senior managers as the words spilled out of his mouth so matter-of-factly.

So now that you know that change is necessary for business resilience, I invite you to the issue. Our lead article will take you through some important innovations in the world of PDF. Jason Lisi shares his published findings about PDF/X-4 and the positive improvements the new standard can create in your prepress department.

The speech continued to talk on status quo bias and the need to not resist change. Robinson spoke of slow moving shocks like demographic change and globalization causing structural change. He urged the crowd to look 10 years out to make sound decisions for the future, as opposed to just getting along now. It is these choices that have the ability to make you leading edge as opposed to bleeding edge.

.................................................................................................

Natalia Gilewicz natalia@graphicartsmag.com

An unexpected benefit of the evening was kudos that went out to the young innovators in the crowd – the students. Robinson along with many of the award recipients agreed that young

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INSTALLATIONS

4Print.ca

Cameron Advertising

Located in Mississauga, 4Print.ca has recently purchased a new Challenge Titan 265 paper cutter from Sydney Stone. The equipment will be used to enhance the company’s web-to-print business that includes brochures, letterhead, business cards and note pads, among others. Established in 1982, 4Print.ca started as a traditional offset press operation. Since then, the business has expanded and included digital technology.

Cameron Advertising Displays, based in Toronto, has invested in the :M-Press Tiger from Agfa. To be installed later this year, this machine will be the first one in North America. With over 60 years experience in the business, Cameron Advertising Displays is one of Canada’s most successful screen printing shops.

“We saw a lot of other digital systems, but at the end of the day, they didn’t live up to their sales pitch or our requirements,” says Reid Mason, vice-president, Cameron Advertising Displays. “When we saw the :M-Press Tiger in action, that’s when we knew it was the right system for us.”

The Challenge 265 has a cut width of 26.5 inches and is large enough to cut down parent stock into a variety of sizes and grain directions. The machine also features a touch-screen computer control panel as well as hydraulic cutting and clamping.

Pictured are Anthony Seydel and Steve Conforti of 4Print.ca along with their new Challenge 265 cutter.

At the Print 09 show in Chicago, Agfa announced major improvements to the :M-Press system resulting in higher printing speeds and better output quality.

The machine can print 17,000 ft. an hour - three times faster than its predecessor.

Duggal Visual Solutions

James Printing & Signs

Recently at Duggal Visual Solutions, the world’s first Durst Rho 900 was installed. The 98-inch high-resolution UV printer can produce photographic quality prints on rigid substrates and roll-to-roll media at fast speeds.

A Bowmanville, Ontario printing shop has invested in a new piece of technology: the HP Scitex FB950. James Printing & Signs, in operation since 1854, purchased the printer to ensure the company thrives in 2010 and beyond. From its heritage as a newspaper printer, the company is being reinvented as a fullservice and self-service print solutions provider, delivering everything from indoor and outdoor signage to pop-up banners to personalized carpets.

The hybrid-designed flatbed printer has semi-automatic feeding and can allow up to 72 4-ft x 8-ft sheets per hour. The machine is equipped with a unique configuration of 2,048 nozzles per colour channel, and features 6-colour process printing (CMYK with a light cyan and light magenta).

“We’ve been extremely busy since we installed the HP Scitex FB950. It runs non-stop,” says Rick James, president and fourth-generation owner of James Printing & Signs. “You simply keep feeding it. We’re delivering outstanding colour quality to our clients in large and small runs, cost-effectively and quickly.”

Michael Duggal, CEO of Duggal Visual Solutions says: “We are excited to add the Durst Rho 900 to our growing fleet of high resolution wide format printers. With the new printer’s capabilities we are able to print on a vast number of materials from wood, metal, plexi, card stock and even mirrored material with unparalleled quality and speed.”

MAY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

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NEWS & COMMENTS

News and comments ers all across Canada. Due to its success, the company has also just announced the development of a state-of-the-art factory in China.

NEW MICR PRODUCTS FROM RICOH

Ricoh Canada has teamed up with Rosetta Technologies and announced the addition of three new cut sheet production models to Ricoh’s MICR printer portfolio.

The high-speed printers provide fast, highquality MICR printing for environments where securing mission-critical variable data is of utmost concern.

Speller continues: “I see the future of Hans Gronhi being very exciting, and I am looking forward to developing the brand name in Canada and contributing to their ongoing success.”

For more information on the product line, contact, Chris Speller at chris@hans-gronhi.com

ULTIMATE TECHNOGRAPHICS AND HP SIGN WORLDWIDE SERVICE & DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

Rosetta Technologies is a leading provider of MICR printers and cheque and Image Replacement Document (IRD) software solutions. The new Pro MICR printers from Ricoh adhere to Canada’s ACSS Standard 006 Specification for MICR-Encoded Payment items. Configurable input and output options and lockable paper trays and container stackers give users a high level of control over their printing environments.

Ultimate Technographics has announced a new agreement with HP, in which it will provide a Scalable Imposition Server solution and maintenance services to HP Inkjet Web Press customers worldwide. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, the company invented digital imposition over 20 years ago and has continued to develop imposition software products for the industry.

The three new models are the Pro 907 MICR, Pro 1107 MICR and Pro 1357 MICR. These offer speeds of 90, 110 and 135 images per minute, respectively.

They are designed for organizations that print cheques and other negotiable documents and they feature duty cycles of up to 1.9 million images per month. The Pro MICR models are ideal for financial institutions, insurance companies, data centers, service bureaus and other transactional environments.

In the terms of the agreement, HP will offer Ultimate’s Impostrip OnDemand Scalable Imposition server to its customers involved in high-volume transpromo, personalized marketing campaigns and book production.

HANS GRONHI APPOINTS NEW CANADIAN NATIONAL SALES MANAGER

“Ultimate Technographics is honoured to become a trusted advisor and to collaborate with HP to provide their customers the most efficient imposition now capable to process over 10,000 PDF colour pages per minute,” says Joanne David, president and CEO, Ultimate. “With the high-speed HP T300 Inkjet Web Press, the printing industry is changing and with it must change the tools to print to it. Ultimate is bringing imposition to a high-tech level. By adding Impostrip On Demand automated and scalable imposition to its DFE, HP customers will get the speed needed to draw extensive benefits from their hardware investments, making every single core computer a printing powerhouse.”

The Canadian distribution arm for Hans Gronhi presses has recently announced the appointment of Chris Speller as Canadian national sales manager. With over 30 years of experience in the graphic arts industry, Speller has previously worked with Ryobi and Presstek.

“Canadian printers know what they want, especially in a tight economy,” explains Speller. “They need a wellpriced product that is reliable, that will increase productivity, lower labour costs, while improving on quality. Hans Gronhi’s timing is very good and after studying the product line in depth, I realized it was a perfect fit for the Canadian marketplace.”

Hewlett Packard’s vice-president and GM of Inkjet High-speed Production Solutions, Aurelio Maruggi, adds: “Ultimate’s Impostrip Scalable Imposition server gives print service providers the real-time, high-volume imposition solutions needed to take high-speed production inkjet workflows to the next level. Today, customers are printing millions of fullcolour statements, direct mail pieces and book pages each week on the HP T300 presses, and our work with partners like Ultimate creates the comprehensive workflows that allow for continued growth in this market.”

Hans Gronhi builds their own product line and now owns over 70 percent of the Chinese market. In the past few years, the company has moved into the international market and will soon be appointing dealwww.graphicartsmag.com

9

YOUR PERFECT CONNECTION TO THE PRINTING AND GRAPHIC ARTS INDUSTRY

NEWS & COMMENTS

Developed by Productive Solutions Inc, strategic partner of C.P. Bourg, the Book-Trac system can automate production from the time the book block is placed in a binder through to the trimmed finish product. One hundred percent manufacturing integrity can be achieved with zero waste.

APPLE UPDATES MACBOOK PRO LINE

“Today, hundreds of orders from print buyers for as few as one book are transmitted daily to print service providers via web-to-print applications,” explains Book-Trac developer and Productive Solutions President, Shawn Pearsall. “Often each job is split, with covers sent to one print stream and page content to a different print stream. In this frenetic production environment, a single binding mix-up can be extremely costly. It not only destroys one book’s cover and another’s content but also disrupts the entire production sequence, requiring intensive manual intervention to analyze and remedy the problem before production can resume.”

Updates have recently been announced for the MacBook Pro line of laptop computers. Apple says some of the new features will include up to 10 hours of battery life, a new faster processor and next-generation graphics.

The Book-Trac system has been proven on near-line and online bookbinding systems. It has reportedly produced millions of books already at C.P. Bourg customer facilities. The company says that this system ensures cover-to-content manufacturing integrity for production from virtually any number of print workflows, by physically preventing the binder from producing mismatched book cover and content.

The popular 13-inch MacBook Pro will now include faster Intel Core 2 Duo processors as well as the new NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics processor. This allows for up to 80 percent faster graphics, making it the fastest integrated graphics processor on the market. All of the 13-inch models will also have a 10-hour built-in battery.

“The Book-Trac system provides the missing link print service providers need to automate and speed on-line book production workflows in today’s fast-paced, digitally-driven printing environments,” adds Rick Trapilo, executive vicepresident and general manager, C.P. Bourg. “However, the Book-Trac system is so versatile, it also can be used with Bourg perfect binders for near-line or off-line production from all-digital or mixed digital and analog print streams.

Productivity gains using Book-Trac can be enormous, enabling the workflow option to pay for itself within weeks, by achieving zero waste and driving significant manufacturing efficiencies.”

As for the 15-inch and 17-inch models, they are now up to 50 percent faster than previous systems, says Apple. They will have Intel Core i5 and i7 processors and Apple’s new automatic graphics switching technology that toggles seamlessly between powerful NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M and energy efficient Intel HD Graphics processors. The new integrated hardware and software will allow the 15-inch and 17-inch models to have eight or nine hours of battery life.

“The new MacBook Pro is as advanced on the inside as it is stunning on the outside,” says Philip Shiller, senior vicepresident of Worldwide Product Marketing, Apple. “With faster processors, amazing graphics and up to three more hours of battery life, the new MacBook Pro delivers both performance and efficiency.”

ADOBE UNVEILS CREATIVE SUITE 5

Adobe has recently revealed what it has in store for the release of Creative Suite 5, including revolutionary new features for Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. Slated for shipping to the public in mid-May, the software will have more than 250 new features, including three dozen that were based solely upon user requests.

The MacBook Pro glass Multi-Touch trackpad now supports inertial scrolling, an intuitive way to scroll through large photo libraries, lengthy documents and long websites.

All MacBook Pros feature bright, LED-backlit wide-angle displays with a broad colour gamut. The 17-inch MacBook Pro includes a high resolution 1920 × 1200 display, and the 15-inch MacBook Pro is now available with an optional high resolution 1680 × 1050 display. Customers can also upgrade their MacBook Pro with new 128GB, 256GB and 512GB solid state drives.

For the print media industry, the CS5 Design Premium package will be very significant. Retailing for about $1,899 USD, it includes the new Creative Suite 5 versions of Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Flash, Dreamweaver and Fireworks, among others.

Although it was only in September of 2008 that Adobe released CS4, its fifth CS software edition has many revolutionary features.

C.P. BOURG LAUNCHES DIGITAL BOOK MANUFACTURING PLATFORM Recently launched by C.P. Bourg is the new Book-Trac workflow platform for softcover book production. Aimed at higher-volume print shops, Book-Trac can be beneficial for mediums such as photo books, course texts, outof-print books, catalogues and other on-demand and short-run book production applications.

MAY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

Photoshop CS5 The new Photoshop has been upgraded to 64-bit support, which will dramatically improve its speed.

It will also include features like advanced painting and drawing techniques, as well as a tool called HDR Pro for better High Dynamic Range composition.

10

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NEWS & COMMENTS

According to Adobe, the Refine Edge selection technology is another very useful tool in Photoshop CS5. This makes complex image selections possible by precisely detecting and masking the trickiest types of edges, such as hair and foliage, while eliminating background colour contamination. Perhaps the most eye-popping and futuristic feature, however, is the Content-Aware Fill tool. This allows users to delete an object from a picture, and the software will match lighting, tone and noise so it looks like the deleted content never existed.

InDesign CS5 Adobe says that InDesign CS5’s new features will include enhanced tools and on-object controls that speed up and simplify repetitive everyday page layout tasks. With a single tool, users can select, align, distribute, rotate, reposition, crop and scale frame and frame content to intuitively modify page design in reportedly almost half the time. The CS5 InDesign edition will also include a concept heavily requested from users: the ability to handle multiple pages of different size and orientation all in one document. As well, users will be able to create interactive content with motion, video and sound. All the flash content can be created within InDesign without having to write any code. Flash videos can be embedded and previewed right inside InDesign, allowing for more interactivity than was possible before.

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The CS5 version of Illustrator will have new stroke options, enabling users to dynamically create and edit strokes with variable widths. Users can precisely adjust the width at any point along the stroke. Also new for Illustrator is the Perspective Grid tool, making it possible to draw in 3D. Advanced painting and drawing techniques are included too, such as the Bristle Brush that will simulate realistic brush strokes. Designers can set bristle characteristics such as size, length, thickness and stiffness, which will create almost life-like blending.

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As previously mentioned, the Design Premium retails for $1,899 USD and is meant for print media designers. There are also a couple of different bundles available, depending on what kind of media is being produced. For video production professionals, the Production Premium costs $1,699 US and includes programs such as Premiere Pro, After Effects, Soundbooth, OnLocation, Encore, Flash Catalyst and more. There is also a Web Premium available for web-based professionals at $1,799 USD. If money is no object, the entire Adobe CS5 Master Collection can be purchased for $2,599 USD, which includes all of the programs from the Design, Production and Web bundle packages.

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After a long wait, Apple enthusiasts in the States finally got their hands on the latest gadget last month: the iPad. Unfortunately, for Canadians, Apple pushed back the international launch of the device until mid-May.

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On the first day alone that the iPad was released in America, 300,000 units were delivered and sold. Enthusiastic consumers lined up for hours waiting for stores to open. At Appleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flagship store in New York, hundreds of people participated in a countdown worthy of New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve. Some analysts expect that Apple will will sell as many as five million iPads in its first year on the market.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;It feels great to have the iPad launched into the world â&#x20AC;&#x201D; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be a game changer,â&#x20AC;? says Steve Jobs, CEO, Apple. â&#x20AC;&#x153;iPad users, on average, downloaded more than three apps and close to one book within hours of unpacking their new iPad.â&#x20AC;?

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On the first day, over one million apps were downloaded from Appleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s App Store and over 250,000 ebooks were purchased from www.graphicartsmag.com

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11

YOUR PERFECT CONNECTION TO THE PRINTING AND GRAPHIC ARTS INDUSTRY

NEWS & COMMENTS

its iBookstore. However, the Canadians who made the trek south to get their hands on the iPad will have to wait to purchase Apps from the Canadian iTunes store. International sales of the device and its Apps will begin later this month.

There are two versions of the iPad for release at different price points. One is only compatible with a Wi-Fi connection and is retailing for $499 USD. The other will have a reported starting cost of $629 USD and will work with 3G network connections. Buyers can pay more for increased features.

The 9.7-inch touchscreen model is smaller than a laptop, but bigger than an iPhone. Users can listen to music, surf the Internet, play games, read e-books and even watch video.

XEROX CHAIRWOMAN RETIRES

Xerox has recently announced the retirement of its chairwoman, Anne Mulcahy. She is seen by many as the driving force behind turning the company around over the last 10 years. At age 57, she plans to begin her retirement in May, leaving an impressive career and legacy at Xerox as she moves forward into the next chapter of her life.

Mulcahy took over at Xerox in 2001 as chief executive officer, the following year taking on the position of chairwoman.

In 2009, after nearly a decade, she stepped down from her role as CEO, and now resigns her post as chairwoman.

“Leaving Xerox is not easy, but the time is right,” says Mulcahy. “This decision is made infinitely easier by the

knowledge that I turn the company over to a gifted leader at a point when our strategy is sound, our financial position is strong, and our opportunities for growth are considerable.”

Anne Mulcahy will turn the position of chairwoman over to Ursula Burns, who last year also took over Mulcahy’s former role as CEO. Burns has been with Xerox for 30 years, and is the first African American woman to lead a Fortune 500 company.

“A remarkable leader who inspires follow-ship, Anne was instrumental in re-creating our company at a time when we needed it most,” says Burns. “She prioritized investments in innovation, shifting our strategy to become more focused on services, and significantly improved our financial health. As a result, we have a strong foundation from which to build an even stronger company. I am grateful for Anne’s extraordinary contributions, humbled by her confidence in my leadership and committed to honouring her impressive legacy.”

DOMTAR SELLS FOREST PRODUCTS BUSINESS IN AN $80 MILLION DEAL In an $80 million deal, Domtar will sell its forest products business to Vancouver-based EACOM Timber. Included in the transaction is five operating sawmills and additional working

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NEWS & COMMENTS

capital estimated at $30-40 million. The deal’s expected completion is slated for the end of 2010’s second quarter.

As one of North America’s biggest producers of office paper, Montreal’s Domtar employs over 10,000 people. EACOM Timber, a newcomer in the forestry sector, will move its head office to Montreal and will take on all of the Domtar’s forest products employees.

“Our forest products employees have demonstrated tremendous resilience throughout the years,” says John D. Williams, president and CEO, Domtar. “Their sustained efforts to reduce costs and pursue the continuous improvement of operations have positioned the business well for the recovery.”

Domtar will receive 19 percent of the purchase price in shares of EACOM. Included in the transaction is five operating sawmills: Timmins, Nairn Centre and Gogama in Ontario; and Val-d’Or and Matagami in Quebec. Two non-operating sawmills are included as well: Ear Falls in Ontario and SteMarie in Quebec. These mills have approximately 3.5 million cubic meters of annual harvesting rights and a production capacity of close to 900 million board feet.

“With this acquisition we pursue our vision of becoming a major softwood lumber producer and we look forward to integrating Domtar’s leading wood products management team to ensure a smooth transition,” adds Rick Doman, president and CEO, EACOM Timber. “We recognize that customers have choices in wood products suppliers, and we will work hard to secure their business, notably through our continued commitment to the FSC-certification.”

BOGUS BILL PRINTERS FAIL TO IMPRESS POLICE Two men face jail time for one of the largest fake money printing scams in England. Using digital images of £20 banknotes, the self-taught printer and his accomplice operated a hot-foiling press, dyes, foils, ultraviolet ink and a Heidelberg press inside his house to print over £310,000 in forged currency.

The Bank of England noticed a number of highly convincing forged bills turning up in shops and casinos in Yorkshire, England – tipping off police to the crime. Officers soon became aware of the sale of computers and other equipment needed for currency counterfeiting that were linked to the accused Lee Mitchell, ultimately leading to his arrest.

In a raid on Mitchell’s house, police reportedly discovered a variety of equipment including a flatbed scanner, seven computers, a Heidelberg lithographic press and a number of electronic printers and guillotines. The Canadian equivalent of close to $500,000 of forged British banknotes were printed by Lee and his friend Christopher Brooke, both of Leeds, England.

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ECO NEWS

Eco News

NOVELIS RECYCLES 40 BILLION BEVERAGE CANS Earth Day celebrated its 40th anniversary in April, and the world’s largest recycler of aluminum cans marked the event with a call for consumers to increase the recycling of used beverage cans. The company hard at work is Novelis Inc., who in 2009 alone recycled a record 40 billion aluminum cans.

Instead of using primary sources of aluminum to create packaging for soft drinks and other canned beverages, used cans can be recycled and returned to the store shelf in as little as 60 days. By using the recycled cans, Novelis is eliminating 95 percent of the energy required to produce cans from primary aluminum sources that is attributed to the mining and smelting process.

This environmental initiative by the company saved more than 76 trillion BTUs of energy last year alone – the equivalent of more than 13 million barrels of oil. Novelis says that the impact of this savings avoids the emission of five million metric tonnes of greenhouse gases – equal to taking more than 900,000 cars off the road for an entire year.

“The environmental benefits of recycling aluminum cans are tremendous,” notes Philip Martens, president and COO of Novelis. “From reductions in the mining of our precious natural resources to dramatically lower energy costs and the elimination of greenhouse gases, recycling aluminum cans is a clear win-win situation for both industry and the environment.”

Brought to you by

NAPIM’s bio-renewable content (BRC) certification program is an initiative used to evaluate and minimize the environmental impact of printing inks.

The five Sun Chemical inks – SunLit Diamond, SunPak Diamond, SunLit Intense, SunLit Exact and SunLit Express – each received a BRC index of 80. The BRC index number is a quantifiable value that is calculated to represent the range of bio-renewable content.

“This achievement is testimony to Sun Chemical’s commitment to sustainability and validates our efforts to develop products that have minimal impact on the environment,” says Michelle Hearn, director of marketing, North American Inks, Sun Chemical. “One of our goals has been to increase the use of renewable materials in our commercial sheetfed offerings to the highest possible levels, and we will work hard to continue improving on what we have already accomplished.”

The program includes a NAPIM registered label that can be applied to the ink container and a comparable design for use by a printer that uses the inks.

There is no limit to the number of times an aluminum can or container can be recycled, making Novelis’ program one of the most successful examples of sustainable manufacturing in the world today.

SUPPORT

RESPONSIBLE

FORESTRY.

When you consider that only 10% of the world’s forests are

SUN CHEMICAL’S INKS EARN HIGH SUSTAINABILITY RATINGS

certified, we have a long way to go. The good news is that there are a number of credible forest certification programs. And each one, including SFI, encourages responsible forestry. For more on

Five of Sun Chemical’s commercial sheetfed inks have earned the highest ratings in The National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers’ (NAPIM) bio-renewable content certification program. Each of the five inks has received an index rating of 80, meaning that it uses an average of 80 percent renewable sources.

MAY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

forest certification and what you can do, visit www.sfiprogram.org.

Good Go od fo forr yo you. u. Go Good od fo forr our forests.

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.COMMENTS

.com ments .comments

The latest activity at graphicartsmag.com

What’s hot? Check out the top 5 most read stories from graphicartsmag.com:

1

Adobe unveils Creative Suite 5

2

Simon Schubert - transforming ordinary paper into extraordinary art

3

Bogus bill printers fail to impress police

4 5

New wide format printer from Xerox

iPad released in US to rave reviews

Talkback Topics - check out what the industry is saying about some of the latest news: Re: iPad released in US to rave reviews “...When the iPod came out, the response was much more ho-hum than it has been for the iPad. It amazes me how little foresight some people have as to where this technology will take the world and them with it. It reminds me of the early response to the Beatles or to those who could not see the need for a computer on every desk, or the belief that we would never need a hard drive bigger than 10 megabytes.”

-Larry Kryski

Re: Bogus bill printers fail to impress police “At least someone found a way to make money in the printing industry...”

-Paul Kett Re: Adobe unveils Creative Suite 5 “While the cost of these upgrades are a lot to stomach right now, it is definitely something I’m thinking of investing in for the future. Those new tools in Photoshop CS5 will save graphic designers hours of monotonous, tedious tasks - speeding up productivity and making more time for creativity. I’ll probably wait for a bit longer to purchase this software for my company though, always a good idea to wait until some of the inevitable bugs get fixed!!”

-Tina Bartlett

We’d love to hear what you think.

Feel free to leave your comments and opinions at graphicartsmag. com and don’t forget to vote on our weekly web polls!

MAY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

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FOR THE RECORD

KRISTEN READ

For the record This month, I spoke with Wendy Cebula, president of Vistaprint North America, to learn about the company’s business strategy and how it can afford to give its customers free products such as business cards and pens.

With the state of the industry right now, what factors do you think have led to the current success of your company?

Vistaprint has had a long-term growth plan and put processes in place early on that would help ensure that the company would deliver on that plan. Our ability to rapidly launch products and get them into the hands of our customers, as well as our topnotch marketing have really allowed us to continue to succeed despite the economic conditions. The company motto “test before invest” has allowed us to make sound decisions that have helped the company minimize its risks as well as calculate and forecast future success.

As we continue to cater to the small business and home business customer, we will continue to offer products and services that will make their business better and allow them to market themselves in a professional manner. But we have also expanded our consumer product line and will continue to take advantage of opportunities in that marketplace. We

think that our high-quality, affordable products have really resonated with customers, and we’ve done a great job at retaining those customers once they have purchased from us. We’ve also done well in expanding our footprint globally, which has allowed us to reach customers outside the U.S. We expect that trend to continue.

In 2009 the company expanded its Canadian manufacturing facility. What are the plans for future growth at Vistaprint? Is there anything new happening?

We are always looking at ways to improve our facilities, and we have embarked on a phased expansion of our facility in Windsor. Additionally, we have begun construction on our new manufacturing facility near Melbourne, Australia. We expect this facility to be operational in the first quarter of fiscal year 2011. We also plan to open an Asia Pacific regional marketing office in Sydney later this fiscal year. We believe these investments will help us better serve customers in the Asia Pacific region through faster delivery, as well as accelerate our revenue growth there and lower our cost of goods sold.

As part of our plan to expand customer service in languages beyond German and English, we con-

Wendy Cebula, president of Vistaprint North America

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YOUR PERFECT CONNECTION TO THE PRINTING AND GRAPHIC ARTS INDUSTRY

tinue to grow our talent in our new design, sales and service center in Tunis, Tunisia. Our telephone and email services are now operating in French and Italian from this facility.

And we also recently announced a land purchase in Montego Bay, Jamaica, which will serve as the site for the company’s new customer call centre.

On the Vistaprint website, customers can find offers such as free business cards, pens and even logo designs; how does Vistaprint afford to do this for free?

That is correct; many of our products are offered for free with the customer simply paying shipping and processing. Our free offer allows us to build up credibility that our customers will want to come back to us for additional printing and marketing service needs.

Additionally, customers may also decide to upgrade for a different graphic design or upgrade their paper stock. We are confident that once customers have had a chance to try our products and see the quality, they will continue to come back to us.

The reason why we are able to do this is because it’s a small price to pay to acquire what could be a loyal and long-time customer, but also because our proprietary processes allows for it. In many cases, with the products that we produce, the more orders we get, the more efficient we are in producing them, making our costs lower. That’s why we are able to pass those savings along to the customers.

How does your business strategy differentiate yourself from your competitors?

I can’t really comment on our competitions’ strategy, but I can talk about what Vistaprint is doing from a strategic standpoint.

Over the past several years, we’ve had the strategy of expanding our vision beyond print. And today’s vision at Vistaprint is to transform small business marketing to help small businesses sell their products and their services and really to help them sustain and grow their business.

Vistaprint has expanded into new multiple product categories that are also very important to small business marketing. Categories like mailing services, website design and hosting, promotional products, signage and custom apparel. And we have enormous competitive advantages in entering into each one. We compete in each one of the categories by leveraging some of the core capabilities of the Vistaprint organization including matching MAY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

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content, customer acquisition, very sophisticated technology, ease-of-use and mass customization.

And the result of our success in entering - and often quickly becoming a market leader - in multiple different markets is that we’ve been able to redefine the boundaries and the rules of our industry. Of course, there is competition in every one of these segments that we serve, but no company comes close to Vistaprint in its ability to serve as a full spectrum turnkey marketing solution for small businesses.

How do factors like the high Canadian dollar and rising paper prices affect your business?

Currency exchange rates provided a benefit to Vistaprint’s revenue growth compared to the same period last year. Year over year, the U.S. dollar has weakened against most of the other currencies in which Vistaprint operates. Excluding the impact of currency movements, our total second quarter revenue grew 32 percent, versus the dollar-denominated growth of 40 percent.

I recently read that because of customer demand, the company is now offering recycled paper stock for business cards and postcards.

Are there any other plans coming up to become more environmentally-friendly?

We are excited to expand our printing options and answer our customers’ desire for recycled paper products. While our recycled products apply to business cards and postcards, we are always looking for new ways to help Vistaprint become a greener and more environmentally-friendly company.

What advice would you have for smaller print companies out there that are struggling right now – what can they learn from your company?

Like any business, small printers should focus on providing a compelling value to their customers.

Local printers should leverage the personal relationships they have with their customers to differentiate their value proposition.

Kristen Read kread@graphicartsmag.com

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Money Mo on Talks

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HEIDI TOLLIVER-NIGRO

TECHNOLOGY

& JASON LISI

Premedia (or prepress, if you prefer) has evolved quite significantly from the days of film stripping, vertical cameras and contact frames. Premedia, as we know it today, has been shaped by the advancement of digital technology. It can be a challenge to keep up with the pace of technological change sometimes, especially when technologies that we need to cooperate with one another donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always change in symbiotic ways, or at the same rate.

I like technological change. It keeps things interesting. Advancements in technology can make existing processes better, and allow for new and innovative ways to do things that could not be done before.

Change for the sake of change, however, can be a dangerous thing. Sometimes advancements in technology in one area can spell trouble for cooperating technologies. Case in point: native vector-based transparency. I still remember the day we received our first Illustrator 9 file to output where the designer had used vector transparency. We MAY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

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basically had to recreate the file from scratch to get it to output to film successfully. Even now, despite many advancements in transparency flattening, there are still significant output issues that can arise when trying to resolve native transparency for print output, especially when spot colours are involved.

The problem with native vector transparency in design is not really a problem with transparency at all. The concept is quite well defined, and the results obtained from using vector-based transparency can be quite good. The problem really has to do with cooperating technologies that are used to process those transparent files, and in particular, limitations of PostScript.

POSTSCRIPT AND TRANSPARENCY

PostScript has been a cornerstone for the advancement of the print industry. It has helped define modern desktop publishing as we know it, and has been a key player in advancement of output through www.graphicartsmag.com

devices like imagesetters, and later, platesetters.

PostScript has defined the very nature of what we do, and is at the heart of some of the biggest workflows used in this industry.

As important as PostScript has been to the progression of this industry, there are some limitations with regards to what it can do. When PostScript was developed, the concept of native vector transparency did not exist. PostScript is based on an opaque paint model, and in the world of PostScript there can be no such thing as transparency. Transparent objects must be flattened (i.e. rasterized) to conform to the opaque paint model used by PostScript. Since most modern-day PostScript-based RIP systems use a Configurable PostScript Interpreter (CPSI) engine to RIP files, at some point PostScript comes into play, and transparency must be flattened. Even PDF files created in such a way as to retain transparency will have to be flattened early on in a PostScript workflow. This is why native vector-based transparency can be problematic. And while application programs tend to be revised and updated on 18- to 24-month cycles, PostScript has not had a significant update since the 1990s.

As application programs evolve, transparency continues to grow with regards to the range and complexity of features available to users. Transparency can be something as simple as adding a drop shadow to a text box in InDesign, or as sophisticated as using blending modes and opacity to meld coloured objects through complex vignettes. Even using alpha channels in Photoshop files to crop objects in InDesign constitutes transparent imaging to a degree.

As these features become more and more integrated into the software, transparency is being used as a design tool with more frequency, which can result in more issues on output. When spot colour objects are subjected to transparency, the possibility of output errors increases, especially when transparent spot objects interact with transparent CMYK objects.

object is drawn with an associated backdrop, and that backdrop will usually consist of other stacked objects previously defined. All the while this is taking place, colour is being calculated at each unique point using a blend mode, which is a function of the objectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s colour and the resulting object backdrop.

Different objects within a stack can have different blend modes, resulting in a wide variety of colour option combinations. The resulting transparency is achieved through a series of computationallyderived overprints that are used to represent the blended colours created by transparency.

As you may imagine, colour space plays a significant role in the outcome of the blending colour space used to resolve transparent objects within this framework. Adobeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blending colour space supports various device and ICC colour spaces, but has a unique relationship with spot colours.

Although blending can be done on spot colours so that transparency can be applied, spot colours are not converted to a blending space unless they are first reverted to an alternate colour space. This can produce undesirable results when attempting to reconcile transparency for the purpose of flattening.

When a file that has transparent spot objects combined with non-spot objects in a stack is flattened, it can be difficult to simulate the many possible result colours within that blend space, since the spot colours must be dealt with separate from the blend space. In other words, transparent spot objects can result in some really messed up results when the file is RIPped, as seen in the example below.

The Adobe transparent imaging model changes the dynamic of how colour is derived on a page when compared to the opaque imaging model. The stacking hierarchy of objects is important, since this object order will be used to calculate colour (Adobe refers to the stacked objects as a transparency stack). Transparency values are calculated based on the order of the objects in the stack and the relationship of those objects with the compositing rules that are used to define the transparent imaging model. The complexity of this computation is increased when one considers that each www.graphicartsmag.com

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YOUR PERFECT CONNECTION TO THE PRINTING AND GRAPHIC ARTS INDUSTRY

The more complex transparent effects become in application programs, the more likely we will see problems like this at the output stage when transparency has to be flattened early in a PostScript workflow. When it comes to RIPping files with complex transparent elements, PostScript and its opaque paint model may not be the best tool for the job anymore. Lucky for us, there is an alternative.

THE ADOBE PDF PRINT ENGINE

In 2006, Adobe announced the release of their PDF native RIP technology, the Adobe PDF Print Engine (APPE), and at the same time confirmed that development of PostScript would stop at PostScript 3. In 2008, version two of the APPE was released and is currently available in a variety of workflow systems on the market. The significance of APPE lies in the fact that it does not use PostScript to RIP PDF files, and, consequently, is not governed by the same restrictions as PostScript. Features such as native transparency and optional content groups, for example, can be maintained throughout an APPE workflow.

There are significant advantages to maintaining transparency right through to the output stage. At the point that transparency needs to be resolved in an APPE workflow, several important aspects of the output are known, and can be used to create more stable results on output. Variables such as the number of colours, output resolution and screening requirements are known and can be incorporated into the final transparency reconciliation. In general, transparency stacks have the potential to be reconciled with greater accuracy and consistency when reconciliation occurs at the end of the workflow, just prior to output.

Another advantage of a PDF native RIP interpreter is fewer file transformations. The less times the file is converted from one format to another, the less likely we are to get artifacts and errors. In a normal PostScript workflow, a file can start off as being saved as a PostScript file, then distilled into a PDF, then RIPped as PostScript by a CPSI RIP. Each time one of these transformations occurs, there is a potential for errors to develop. With a PDF native interpreter such as the APPE, a file can be exported directly out of a program like Adobe InDesign or QuarkXpress as a PDF file and remain in a PDF state right through to final output.

mission standard. There are many advantages to using a PDF standard for file submission, including stability, consistency, predictability and accuracy.

At Magazines Canada, we endorse PDF/X-1a:2001 as a file format for digital ad submission because it is proven and provides relatively reliable outcomes.

Unfortunately, PDF/X-1a:2001 is based on PDF version 1.3 which does not allow for the retention of transparency. So then the question becomes how do we reap the benefits of retaining transparency until output while at the same time maintaining the stability of a PDF/X standard? The answer: combine the Adobe PDF Print Engine with PDF/X-4. Now weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re talking.

PDF/X-4:2008

PDF/X-4:2008 is one of the latest in a series of PDF standards to be ratified by the International Standards Organization. PDF/X-4, like its other PDF/X counterparts; it falls under the umbrella of the ISO standard 15930 (PDF/X-4:2008 is 15930-7, whereas PDF/X1a:2001 is 15930-1).

There are some significant differences between X-4 and previous X standards, especially when comparing X-4 to X-1a. In particular, X-4 retains transparency on output, has support for non-CMYK colour-managed workflows and has limited support of optional content groups. Other versions of PDF/X have also supported alternate colour space workflows (like X-3), but they have not been as widely adopted in North America as they have in Europe. Regardless, transparency is a feature that is new to X-4.

Since PDF/X-4 is an ISO standard, there is some predictability that comes with using it for print production.

Files created using the PDF/X-4 standard are governed by its rules, and therefore conform to certain expectations. When a PDF/X-4 file is processed with the Adobe PDF Print Engine, many of the historic issues relating to spot colours and transparency are resolved, as you can see in the example below.

In order to take advantage of the perceived benefits of the Adobe PDF Print Engine, PDF files have to be created in such a way as to support the advanced features. When saving a PDF file to use with APPE, we need to use PDF version 1.4 (Acrobat 5) at a minimum in order to retain transparency. For printers that use PDF/X standards, this can pose a problem. Many printers and publishers in North America have adopted PDF/X-1a:2001 as a file subMAY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

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There is also an added benefit of using PDF/X-4 and APPE together when it comes to image to image trapping. When an image with a transparent background is placed overtop another image, and the PDF file is not flattened, those two images remain separate objects and therefore can be trapped. This opens up some great opportunities where none existed before.

was released prior to the published specification.

There are differences between the draft version and the published version, specifically with how colour is managed, so do your homework if you are still on CS3. Even if you are using CS4, it is interesting to note that the ISO specification states that PDF/X-4 is based on PDF version 1.6; however, the PDF/X-4 preset out of CS4 uses PDF version 1.4. Also, while optional content (layers) is recognized in PDF/X-4, it is non-configurable by the user, meaning you cannot export editable layers within your PDF/X-4 file. As with all new technology, a bit of caution and a good dose of testing can prevent some headaches down the road.

A STUDY OF PDF/X-4 AND APPE This past March, I had the opportunity to present a paper at the 62nd Annual Technical Conference hosted by the Technical Association of the Graphic Arts (TAGA). The paper, coauthored by Christopher Smyth and myself, was based on extensive research done comparing PDF/X-1a and PDF/X-4 files processed by both CPSI and APPE RIP interpreters. The research project was commissioned by the Technical Standards Sub-Committee of Magazines Canada, and was conducted by Ryerson University and by key publishers and printers within the Greater Toronto Area.

www.graphicartsmag.com

The idea of using PDF/X-4 and APPE together can be an appealing one, especially when you think about those files that you know will always give you trouble. There are some things that should be considered, however, before you tread down this path.

First, keep in mind that both the APPE and PDF/X-4 are still relatively new. The Adobe PDF print Engine is only in version two of its release, and unless you have upgraded your RIP recently, you may be still be at version one, or not have it at all.

The purpose of the research was to compare and contrast the different technologies by creating test files that would be considered exceptionally challenging in a typical magazine publishing advertising workflow and running them through multiple workflow systems as both PDF/X-1a and PDF/X-4 files. The research extended over many months, and several workflow configurations were included in the testing. The files created for the testing were made to be challenging: they pushed the boundaries of design to include all sorts of transparency including blending modes, opacity settings, alpha channels, mixed colour models and even transparent spot to CMYK blends.

As for PDF/X-4, there are a few things worth noting.

First, PDF/X-4 is only fully supported in Creative Suite 4. While there is an option to export as PDF/ X-4 from Creative Suite 3, this is a draft version that

The results of the testing were quite interesting for many reasons. For example, I was not surprised that the complex transparency used on the files output incorrectly when flattened early in the workflow, but I

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YOUR PERFECT CONNECTION TO THE PRINTING AND GRAPHIC ARTS INDUSTRY

“The most amazing outcome of the research, however, was the non-flattened PDF/X-4 files that went through the APPE RIP. No matter how complex we made the files, they RIPped correctly.

We tried many different files, with many different settings, but in the end the PDF/X-4 files we created that were RIPped using the Adobe PDF Print Engine just worked.”

was surprised that PDF/X-1a files and PDF/X-4 files produced different errors when flattened. Even more interesting was that the errors were unpredictable and inconsistent from one workflow to another.

Another interesting outcome of the research was that we discovered that if spot colours are converted to process prior to flattening a PDF file, the result will be different when compared to the same file saved as a flattened PDF file without spot colours converted to process, or spot colours converted to process after the PDF file is created (i.e. in the RIP).

The most amazing outcome of the research, however, was the non-flattened PDF/X-4 files that went through the APPE RIP. No matter how complex we made the files, they RIPped correctly. We tried many different files, with many different settings, but in the end the PDF/X-4 files we created that were RIPped using the Adobe PDF Print Engine just worked. Every time. To me, that is encouraging. I am excited to watch these two technologies evolve, and I am sure they will only get better with time.

LOOKING FORWARD: PDF/X-4:2010

As part of the research process for the paper noted above, I had the fortune to converse with Dov Isaacs from Adobe, who is very much involved with the development of the PDF/X-4 specification. One interesting thing that came out of these conversations was a discussion about an update to the PDF/X-4 specification that could be in place this summer: PDF/X-4:2010.

One of the key differences between the existing specification and the 2010 specification will be the support for user-modifiable layers within the PDF file. This change will be of particular interest to anyone who benefits from optional content layers for versioning, packaging design, and so on. It will be interesting to see if PDF/X-4:2010 will replace the 2008 specification or be in addition to it. While the ability to work with optional content layers is appealing to some areas of the industry, others may not want that option. For MAY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

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example, the support for layers in PDF/X-4:2010 may make it less likely to be adopted as a specification for digital ad submission in magazine production since the increased variability could pose a challenge to the automation necessary to meet decreasing production times. I am waiting eagerly to see how this one plays out.

CONCLUSION

As application programs get more complex, and the boundaries of print production get tested, we need to explore all tools we have to meet these challenges.

Both the Adobe PDF Print Engine and PDF/X-4 are relatively new, however, my own experiences with these technologies leave me very optimistic. They have passed all the challenges I have given them to date, and although there are still things to test, I feel the results so far are quite positive. I have been using the Adobe PDF Print Engine in the Kodak Prinergy workflow for over a year at Ryerson without any problems.

This past summer we moved to APPE in our Agfa Apogee workflow, and I have used it for two semesters without a problem. The APPE RIP, in both workflows, has been stable and reliable. Add to this the flexibility of the PDF/X-4 file format, and the possibilities abound.

Every company is different, and I wouldn’t suggest APPE or PDF/X-4, on their own or together, as solutions for the masses. Having said this, if you think there is a fit for either or both of these technologies where you are, it could be worth the time to look into it, especially if you already have the technology in-house to play around with.

Jason Lisi is an assistant professor at Ryerson’s School of Graphic Communications management. He is an active member of the technical standards sub-committee of Magazines Canada, and the Chapter Leader of the Adobe InDesign User Group for the Greater Toronto Area. He can be reached at jlisi@ryerson.ca

www.graphicartsmag.com

TECHNOLOGY

ANGUS PADY

Four steps to colour standardization in print We all know the Holy Grail for every printer is to print jobs quickly and efficiently, to match the proof, to use as little ink as possible and to have a minimal amount of wastage, but unfortunately that isn’t always the case. Proofs don’t always match, jobs get pulled off press and clients are asked to wait and are given more bad coffee.

But why does this happen? The answer is a lack of standardization within all the processes involved. The press, the proof, the incoming files and the CTP curves are not aligned to a specification. Usually the proof and the press are calibrated by the plate manufacturer or reseller, but to what target and what method, densities and dot gain values? In today’s colourimetric world, calibrating a press to densities and dot gain is antiquated and simply doesn’t fit into today’s colour-managed world.

The problem starts the moment you receive a client’s file. No two files are created equal and no two files will print equal. If you are a creative or a print buyer, point your browser to www.gracol.com; on the right side of the page is a section called G7 Downloads. Select “G7 for Buyers and Creatives.” This document will walk you through the steps to set up your applications colour management settings more closely with today’s printing environment.

Step 1: The first step in the process is setting up a Colour Server to automatically convert all files from RGB to CMYK and CMYK to CMYK using DeviceLink Technology. This conversion harmonizes all files into a common colour space that is consistent with your proofing and press profile. There are many advantages to this approach; consistent total ink values, more reliable gray balance on press, better match with colour-managed proofs and all files carry the same black generation allowing for more consistency across the sheet.

Step 2: Ink Optimization. The ink optimization step happens at the same time as the colour conversion, but is so important that it deserves its own step. Before discussing the conversion, let’s get past the old school mentality that you don’t want to convert the client’s files. The reality is that you, the printer, have been converting files via RIPs, proofing devices, film-setters and platesetters for years. So we need to get past that line of thinking.

The ink optimization programs offer various levels of GCR depending on your requirements. At the average setting, printers can expect to see a 15-25 percent reduction in ink usage. If you have ever struggled with balancing gray balance and chromatic areas of the sheet, then a colour management server could be the answer.

Step 3: Proofing the standardized files in accordance to the manufacturer’s specifications and performing regular quality control checks comes after all files have been standardized. Setting up your proofing device to match the press is nothing new but verifying and regularly qualifying the proof is often the part of the www.graphicartsmag.com

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PRINT BUYER

VISUAL APPEARANCE

CREATIVES

PRINTER

GRACoL Workflow Chart equation that is neglected. It is essential that proofs be verified regularly. This is usually done using a handheld spectrophotometer and a predefined colour bar in conjunction with Q & A software.

Step 4: Press Standardization. Adjusting the press’s plate curves using the G7 mythology is the final step on the road to matching the client’s files. This step is the most complex and volatile of all the steps; and due to its complexity, it is advised to hire a GRACoL certified expert to assist you in the process. Be prepared to take a few days to get this part of the process running smoothly.

There are multiple reasons this methodology has significant advantages. One of the main advantages is that you are printing to a target that is shared amongst all the creatives and print buyers. This means that the monitors, laser printers, inkjets, proofers and printing machines are all aimed at one common condition.

When all parties involved are working on the same visual model, the expectations are the same and by standardizing/harmonizing all incoming files being prepared for print, you are controlling the process.

You have a few choices at hand when considering a standardized workflow. The first is to look at the ROI that is possible from ink saving, reduced drying times, less paper wastage and quite simply taking less time to get the colour right on press. But the concern, which I think is unjustified, is that some printers do not want to convert their customer’s files. But I respond with this: who knows better how a file should be prepared – the person printing it or the person designing it? I’ll put my money on the printer because, ultimately, it is the printer that needs to put ink on paper.

Angus Pady is the president of Digital Solutions. Complete colour control from desktop to press. T: 905.764.6003 E: Angus@ColourManagement.ca www.colourmanagement.ca

YOUR PERFECT CONNECTION TO THE PRINTING AND GRAPHIC ARTS INDUSTRY

TECHNOLOGY

ANDREA MAHONEY

Automate production of online orders If you have a system to receive orders online, there are many ways to automate the production process. Often, the manual process of production is on a job-by-job basis. Each file submitted comes from an uncontrolled source, which means preflighting is required and sizes require updating and formatting to accommodate the press layout. Mistakes are made when trying to create an automated system based on the job-by-job process. The job must fit the system; you cannot create an automated workflow that deals with every problem.

For example, simple business card orders can have many issues: 4-colour blacks, transparency issues, white overprints, layout issues of 2-up or no bleed, etc.

Each moment spent inspecting and adjusting a file adds to the cost of that job and reduces your ability to compete with pricing and turnaround.

tion from your online system that includes the required information in the name of the submitted file. Quantity, Job Part and Job Name are the most obvious pieces of information that can be used to quickly route a file to its destination. Data in an XML format will reduce costs even further as production and shipping information can be automatically entered into your MIS system and the XML can drive the automated process further.

A SAMPLE STARTER WORKFLOW

If we take the example of the business card online submission we can start the automated process with some simple steps using FullSWITCH to create the flows: 1. Jobs are received into the system via email, ftp or url. Automatic preflight using a Pitstop Server plugin will notify operators of failed files â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ones that cannot be fixed automatically by Pitstop Server.

2. Jobs are sorted and collected to create ganged layouts or for individual imposition. Duplicates can be generated by the system based on quantity to adjust for the number up in the layout.

3. The collected layout is merged and imposed for plate or press. The imposition can be done via hot folder or using a plugin.

Automate the Process and Reduce Costs and Turnaround

1. EDUCATE YOUR CUSTOMER

The first step is to allow the job creators to preflight their own work. This can be made easy by using Enfocus Instant PDF or any other online preflighting software. Jobs do not get approved for upload until they pass basic preflight defined by your production needs. Job creators are given details to fix their own problems and will have only approved PDF files for upload. Providing downloadable templates for specific job layouts in all of your accepted layout programs ensures sizing and layout issues are eliminated or at least reduced.

2. DEVELOP YOUR SYSTEM GRADUALLY

Automation tools like SWITCH allow you to run one workflow while adding another. Modular setups make the whole process easier and you will find you learn as you go along, adding that new knowledge to the next automated flow. Start with the easiest items and ramp up to your biggest challenge.

3. LEARN TO USE METADATA

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26

Monitoring this flow and reducing the number of failed files is the easiest way to reduce the cost of overall production. From here, you can develop ways to fix specific problems. For example, jobs that are sent with keylines at the trim are continually failed. They can be redirected to a script that sets this specific keyline to 0 pt. The Pitstop Server plugin can detect and forward the job to the proper correction flow to be fixed. A second example, creating 1-up PDFs from supplied 2-up PDFs can be accomplished with an Indesign javascript.

This is the gradual part of the automation setup. The flow is still producing the good files and while the production personnel are fixing jobs, each common problem can have a new part of the flow added to it to further reduce the amount of inspection and adjustment made manually. As you go along, further production enhancements can be made, especially with the addition of metadata to the system. Production lists can be created online and server files can be cleaned up after shipping, or on a timer. Remember, the production does not stop or even slow down when you are adding a new module to your automated system.

Download the trial versions of the software mentioned at www.enfocus.com or www.crossroads-world.com.

Start with the easy ones and your new knowledge will help you to resolve more difficult problems.

Andrea Mahoney designs and installs automated workflows for all types of printing professionals. Tribay, a workflow automation company, offers the tools, training and setup for successful automated workflows.

Visit www.tribay.ca and/or email Andrea at andrea@tribay.ca.

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MANAGEMENT

KRISTEN READ

Featured markets Your monthly buyer’s guide to the latest print industry products

This month: Binding & Finishing and Large Format Digital Printers BINDING & FINISHING

These days, it seems that there are almost as many brands, types and models of finishing equipment available in the printing industry as there are droplets of water in the ocean. It is a vast market that includes everything from cutters, slitters, creasers, gluers, stitchers and perforators, all the way to die makers, perfect binders, collators, laminators and embossers.

While each and every one of these products are vitally important for the finished printed product, the fact is that many of them haven’t changed too drastically in recent years.

panel. Standard says that this product “fills a sweet spot” in short-run professional-quality book production.

C.P. Bourg BME Booklet Maker

On a smaller scale, C.P. Bourg’s BME device is a commercial booklet maker that can automatically stitch, fold and trim booklets of up to 30 sheets at a time to create 120-page booklets.

With the growing popularity of digital short-run book production, however, more and more automatic bookbinders and booklet makers are cropping up from manufacturers all over the market. Offering all-in-one capabilities, these products are creating new revenue streams for printing businesses in the industry. In this section of Featured Markets, we’ll take a closer look at some of the different options available and what they have to offer.

Standard Horizon BQ-470 Perfect Binder

This machine from Standard produces up to 1,350 perfect bound books per hour. Ideal for the professional-quality mid-range binding market, the BQ-470 can produce books of up to 2.5” thick.

Both EVA and PUR hot-melt adhesives can be used on this bookbinding machine. The interchangeable glue feature means that a wider range of applications can be produced, including digital colour books. The BQ-470 has clear sliding windows that provide a good view of operations inside the device.

The Standard BQ-470 is best suited for short- to medium-run lengths and is fully automated. The four-clamp perfect binder is easy to operate and has a large LCD touch-screen control

Within the device, the paper path is visible and straight from start to finish – an important aspect for many printers. It is fully automatic and features a full-colour touchscreen control panel. The Booklet Maker BME can also be controlled from a remote source, such as a collator or printer, increasing workflow efficiency.

Because of its special feeder, the machine allows for mark-less handling of digitally printed sheets.

An ideal choice for digital printers and finishers, the BME can handle a wide range of formats for any collator or online accessory. It has speeds up to 5,000 sets per hour. Both coated and uncoated paper is possible, from minimum 60 gsm to maximum 350 gsm. With an input size of up to 370mm x 600mm, it can take production from an iGen3 and even handle landscape A4 brochures.

Duplo DFS-3500 Bookletmaking System

This near-line system from Duplo is designed to completely finish full-bleed booklets in a single pass. It is ideal for short-run applications and can slit, crease, stitch, fold and trim all in one pass.

The finishing process on the DFS-3500 is totally automated, and setup is completed from a control panel that can save up to 30 jobs. Variable data processing is possible with this machine using an End Mark Reader. This allows booklets with different sheet counts to MAY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

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be produced for one-to-one marketing applications.

The End Mark Reader recognizes a mark on the booklet’s cover, and automatically begins the stitch, fold and trim cycle without manual adjustments.

The DFS-3500 can handle booklets up to 20 sheets at a time. It is compatible with coated, uncoated and UV coated paper from 110-350 gsm, at sizes up to 12.6” x 18.11.” At speeds of up to 1,320 booklets per hour, this device from Duplo is an all-in-one bookletmaking system.

Muller Martini Diamant MC 60 Bookline

The Diamant MC 60 from Muller Martini is what you might call a book production system that’s got the “big guns.” At speeds of 3,600 cycles per hour, books as small as 4” x 4” and as large as 10 5/8” x 15” can be produced.

It is designed to produce standard hardcover books, as well as books with integral, full-flap or even plastic covers. Books up to 3 1/8” can be made on the device. The Diamant can create PUR perfect bound books, complete with long-lasting rounding. Infrared heaters will warm up the spines of incoming books, meaning that they can be perfectly rounded. Backed in two full wipes, the MC 60 produces very stable and secure joints.

The machine’s high degree of automation allows for shorter changeover times. The Diamant MC 60 features an automatic make-ready system that is controlled via a touchscreen. CIP3/CIP4 integration is also possible.

LARGE-FORMAT DIGITAL PRINTERS In this section of Featured Markets, let’s take a look at some of the best large-format digital printers on the market. The ones we’ve discussed make no secret of their power and capabilities. You’ve seen them at the trade shows, proudly on display. The large-format digital printers always draw a crowd and seem to get bigger and wider every year. Will they ever stop coming out with bigger models?

We’ve looked at two roll-fed and two flatbed options, to cover both bases. Though you’ve probably seen and heard of these four printers before, each one is unique in its own way. Each one has its specific advantages and capabilities. Let’s dig in!

Further benefits of the latex inks include a lessened impact from print on the environment. Solvents are not used, therefore no special ventilation is necessary and the prints are odourless and aren’t toxic. Products also dry inside the printer so there is no extra wait for drying time or off-gassing.

The Designjet L65500 produces prints up to 1200 dpi at a top speed of 1691 sq. ft. per hour. It has six ink cartridges, including light cyan and light magenta. The printer handles rollto-roll substrates on media such as banners, self-adhesives, films, fabric, paper and also mesh.

HP Designjet L65500

This large-format printer from HP offers its users versatility, with the ability to print for both indoor and outdoor applications. Prints can achieve up to three years display permanence unlaminated, and up to five years laminated because of the unique water-based latex inks. Products printed on the Designjet L65500 are scratch, smudge and waterproof.

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Ideal for graphic display POP printers and even commercial photo labs, the HS printer builds on the strengths of Fujifilm’s Acuity. The flatbed table uses vacuum suction to hold rigid media stationary so that unusual items such as canvas, doors and even ceiling tiles can be printed on. The system supports fullbleed printing and prints edge-to-edge at a maximum image area of 4 ft. × 8 ft.

This Acuity Advance flatbed printer also has a roll media option, expanding the flexibility of substrates it can print on. It can utilize Fujifilm’s Uvijet inks that reportedly deliver good adhesion, vibrancy and durability. The HS model also comes equipped with a white ink module that can be used to intensify colours. The white ink can be printed in-line and up to three distinct layers thick for complete opacity.

Agfa :Anapurna M2 EFI VUTEk GS5000r

The GS5000r from EFI is a super-wide format printer that is capable of printing products up to five metres wide. According to the company, it “redefines fivemetre printing” and combines Point-of-Purchase quality with billboard production level speeds.

The :Anapurna is an industrial UV inkjet system that is designed to produce wide-format output on a variety of rigid and roll-to-roll media. At top speeds of over 248 sq. ft. per hour, it can print for both indoor and outdoor applications.

This printer is absolutely massive and produces products for applications such as exhibition graphics, digital textiles, billboard signage and also commercial graphics. At output speeds up to 3100 sq. ft. per hour, the finished product can be either sheet-cut or rolled onto the core.

The machine has dual resolution capabilities at both 600 dpi and 1000 dpi. EFI’s flexible inks are waterresistant, fade-resistant and contain no VOCs. The product also offers instant UV curing and can be optimized for use with the EFI Fiery XF RIP.

Fujifilm Acuity Advance HS

Earlier this year, Fujifilm announced its latest developments in the Acuity line: The Advance HS (High Speed). The machine prints high quality at production speeds over 430 sq. ft. per hour, and the HS model has a new express mode that allows for printing over 650 sq. ft. per hour.

Well suited for graphic screen printers, photo shops and sign shops, this :Anapurna can print up to 720 × 1440 dpi. Agfa’s :Anapurna UV-curable inks provide a large colour gamut with outdoor resistance. Inks are cured instantly and products are ready to handle right after leaving the device.

Substrates of just over 1 ¾” thick can be printed.

Each of the six print heads (including a light cyan and light magenta) has 1024 nozzles. A set of shuttle safety sensors prevents the print heads from touching the substrate to avoid possible damage.

Kristen Read kread@graphicartsmag.com

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YOUR PERFECT CONNECTION TO THE PRINTING AND GRAPHIC ARTS INDUSTRY

BINDERY

NORM BEANGE

Ten ways to make your trade bindery a profit centre A printer’s relationship with a trade bindery is often tumultuous, frustrating and even antagonistic. It is frequently flavoured with tension, mistrust and misunderstanding.

Things can run smoother and can happen faster with more goodwill and a better understanding of the challenges a trade bindery and print shop each face. A mutual appreciation of each other will result in long-term relationships, which can be more enjoyable and profitable. The following are 10 ways that a printer can improve relationships that are risk free, do-able and sensible.

1. VISIT YOUR BINDERY

By all means, visit your bindery. I am intrigued by the number of printers who have dealt with the same binderies for years and have never visited the binderies’ premises. A simple, quick visit can tell you a myriad of things about the bindery. Notice things like the reception of the front office, the appearance of the plant’s employees, orderliness and the general appearance of the plant. If the plant looks like a disaster, there is a high-probability that one of your jobs will also look like a disaster. If the bindery’s employees exhibit an open, upbeat, caring attitude, you might assume it will carry over to your job when it comes in the door.

2. BUILD PERSONAL CONNECTIONS

Have a number of your employees meet with a number of the bindery’s employees. We frequently host lunches in our conference room followed by extensive plant tours. Depending upon the composition of the printer’s envoy (estimators, salespeople, production staff, etc.) we would introduce them to their counterpart in our bindery. It is intriguing to see someone relate to a person they have spoken to but never met. These meetings help to build self-confidence, trust and understanding.

3. DEFINE TECHNICAL TERMS

Spend a little bit of time with your bindery supplier agreeing on definitions of technical terms. Even within the same market, different binderies use different terms to describe the same thing. For example, one calls a folded product a 6-page, another calls it a single gatefold and another calls it just a gatefold. I have frequently seen mistakes costing thousands of dollars which were the result of a misunderstanding of technical terms.

4. UNDERSTAND THE PAPER WORK

Take some time to understand the bindery’s paper forms, such as quote forms, invoices and delivery slips. There are some shops where all of the quotes are faxed in without accompanying phone calls.

Some quote over the phone and the response is faxed in. Others operate 100 percent verbally, both ways. More and more quotes are being faxed by the bindery eliminating the vast majority of phone calls.

It gets through to the bindery faster than telephone tag, and it allows the bindery to evaluate the quote (is there needed information missing? Is it the kind of job that is suitable to their operation? Does the bindery need to get outside prices for the components of the quote?). This speeds up the timing of the quote and improves accuracy.

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YOUR PERFECT CONNECTION TO THE PRINTING AND GRAPHIC ARTS INDUSTRY

5. AGREE ON PAYMENT TERMS

Establish agreement about payment terms. Are the bindery’s terms or your terms a certain number of days from the shipping date, a number of days from date of invoice, or a number of days from receipt of the invoice (Heaven help the bindery then!). Are discounts applicable, for example two percent at 10 days at the discretion of the bindery.

I have seen occasions where the printer’s accounting department, for whatever reason, has not paid a previous invoice and half-way through the production of a new job, the production person advises their contact in the printing company that the job is C.O.D. and then everything goes sour. The establishment of payment terms is extremely important.

6. GUIDELINES FOR SAMPLES

Establish some guidelines regarding samples. In our organization, we have 12 distinct policies from printers regarding samples. In some circumstances, bindery samples are made from selected sample stock determined by the printer, or a pre-determined quantity of samples are shipped to the printer on completion of a job, and there are even times when samples are sent to the printer as soon as the job begins production in the bindery.

7. QUALITY CONTROL PROCEDURES

Get a feeling for how the bindery oversees quality control. For instance, do they pull and maintain sheets from each stage of the job (e.g. a prescribed number at the cutter, folder, stitcher, tipping machine, round corner machine and shrinkwrap machine).

8. QUALITY METHODS

Do they have an official, written quality control process that clearly establishes quality standards in each one of their operations, such as ISO 9000 Certification? Is each individual box stamped by the worker number and/or the person who packed it?

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9. OVERS AND UNDER POLICY

Work with the bindery to arrive at a mutually-acceptable policy regarding overs and unders. Some printers have a fixed number regardless of the quantity of the job, such as three percent. I have often thought the fixed percentage was a little strange because three percent of 5 million is an awful lot of paper! Some printers have a standard policy of zero overs. Some have a different overage percent depending upon the quantity and/or style of the job and/or their final customer.

Other printers make up their policy as they go along and it all too frequently ends in trouble.

10. SHOW-OFF YOUR PLANT

Have some of the bindery people visit your plant.

Serve them coffee and give them a plant tour. Give yourself a chance to show-off your plant and staff.

Ask your bindery supplier to bring a half dozen people from different departments. Let them get a flavour of your company’s character, size and product mix. Once they have a complete picture of your plant, they can understand your problems and frustrations – and a picture is worth a thousand words.

Business is about people; not computers or machines. People who mutually understand, appreciate and like each other are able to perform to their optimum. Implementing these 10 points will lead to a long-term, profitable (and believe it or not, enjoyable) relationship with your bindery supplier, and will get you further along the road to your goal than any other method I can think of.

Norm Beange Specialties Graphic Finishers Ltd. info@specialtiesgraphics.com

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YOUR PERFECT CONNECTION TO THE PRINTING AND GRAPHIC ARTS INDUSTRY

TECHNOLOGY

TIM MITRA

iPad fourteen days later I was hoping that by the time this article is published many of you would already have an iPad. Unfortunately, as I write this Apple has made it known that it will not be shipping the iPad internationally until late May. I spoke with a client while she was standing in the New York City Apple store and she told me that there was a 45-minute wait to buy an iPad. As I write this, the iPad has been available in the U.S. for two weeks.

Let me tell you what the first two weeks of owning an iPad has been like. I wasn’t really that unfamiliar with the product as I have been developing applications for the iPhone and iPad for some time now. I had already been able to work with the concepts by the time I got my first iPad. However, that didn’t really prepare me for the actual experience of holding one in my hands.

A few months ago, I wrote that I thought the iPad would be a game changer. I am now pleased to say that was an understatement and that, in fact, the iPad is a truly transformational object.

“It’s going to have an enormous impact on the publishing industry just like desktop publishing did,” says Diane Hall of 2 For Life Media. “It is causing us to

change our workflow and how we package content. It reminds me of when we got our first Mac and there wasn’t going to be anymore paste up.”

To begin with, it has a beautiful display. Webpages and text look more like images than they do on other platforms. As a result, every application, movie and image is extremely easy on the eyes. It’s true that the iPad doesn’t do anything that you can’t do on a smart phone or a computer, but it’s not only a device for consuming content; rather, it is for experiencing content and creating more. Every day new creative applications appear on the App store for creating images, retouching images, making music and more.

“It looks better than print. It’s consistent. [it] has the ability to consistently deliver your content. With the iPad, you know what your work is going to look like.

You’re not wondering what kind of monitors it can be viewed on. It’s about control of delivering and it’s so widespread,” continues Diane Hall. “As a delivery form, it is most like print from the point of view of the intimacy MAY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

38

between the reader and the content. That is what print has always been famous for. It lends itself well to our base, which is delivering an experience content package for readers and advertisers alike. For us that’s what print does and why it’s not like book publishing.”

Some technologies come out slowly and then become ubiquitous over time. This list would include the personal computer, the laser printer, pagers, the Internet, the iPod and smart phones. It usually takes some kind of catalyst to make the idea reach a tipping point. In many ways, each of the aforementioned have affected my own life and my work. It’s only been two weeks and I find myself reaching for the iPad constantly – more than my iPhone and MacBook. Each of these are extensions of mind and experience – how I reach out and take in the world. I can already envision having one of these everywhere; in the living room, in the kitchen, in the office. In the living room, I use the iPad to read my email, browse the Internet, make notes and read news. In the kitchen, I use it for recipes and watching online video. I use it to do crossword puzzles in the bath. In the bedroom, I use it to read email, browse the Internet and read books.

Initially, it was hard to describe what an iPod or iPhone was. Not just a music player and not simply a phone. The iPad is also not just the Internet in your lap and it is also not just an e-book reader. It is e-books, calendar, contacts, email, Internet, business applications, Word processing, recipes, games, movies, music, note taking, Encyclopedia, star charts, Web forms, business portals all synced with nearly all of the information that you need to have at your fingertips. It is about the experience.

“The iPad is so exciting,” says Edna Clay, founder of Wedding Bells magazine, who is now in her 70’s.

“There are so many good things about this for our industry.”

Timothy Mitra IT specialist (IT Guy) Do you have a question you would like answered by the IT Guy? tim@it-guy.com 416.278.8609

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39

YOUR PERFECT CONNECTION TO THE PRINTING AND GRAPHIC ARTS INDUSTRY

TECHNOLOGY

PETER DULIS

The world of 3D printing With the rapid growth of 3D design technology in product development and online consumer 3D print services, and the growing adoption of 3D software in architecture, interior design and manufacturing, there is a strong demand for 3D printers to produce these prototypes. Purchasing a 3D printer may be a little too expensive for some companies, therefore setting the stage for current printing companies to add 3D printing to their list of offerings. Let’s explore different 3D printers currently being used in the marketplace.

HOW DO THEY WORK?

3D printing is a form of an additive printing technology where a three dimensional object is created by successive layers of material being laid down one on top of each other. A 3D printer consists of inkjet printer, an adhesive or binder and a fine powder. When the command to print a CAD model is given by the 3D software, the printer uses a slicing algorithm to break the information into small fragments. The printer then lays down successive layers of material to give the model its shape. The printer bed is then lowered by a fraction of a millimetre as new layers of powder are applied.

The process is repeated until the model is ready and the material has set, at which stage any loose powder is blown away by airjets. Advanced 3D printing technologies have introduced 3D models that closely emulate the look, feel and functionality of the product prototypes.

MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

3D Prototype printing is being used by a variety of industries for a number of different applications. These industries utilize 3D printers to produce architectural models, automotive prototypes, casings for medical and electronic devices, camera cases, initial parts for first run productions, parts for robots and prototype inventions of all sorts. On top of these commercial applications, new online companies, such as Shapeways.com, are bringing customized manufacturing to the masses by allowing consumers to submit digital designs of products that are then printed with 3D product prices typically selling for between $50 and $150. Another 3D printing company called Figureprints.com can recreate your favourite World of Warcraft character as a fully detailed 3D replica rivaling the beauty of any miniature figure ever made for $100 and up. Some sculptors use the technology to produce complex shapes for fine arts exhibitions. So opportunities abound everywhere!

3D PRINTER OPTIONS

Different manufacturers have different approaches to 3D printing technologies. Two leading companies, Z Corp and 3D Systems, offer a choice between powder and polymer as the material from which the object emerges. In either case, an inkjet printer creates the shape of the object, either by adding a glue to the powMAY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

40

der, or by pumping out fine droplets of polymer that are then cured by an ultra-violet lamp.

ADVANTAGES OF 3D PRINTERS In recent years, 3D printers have become financially accessible to small and medium sized business, thereby taking prototyping out of the heavy industry and into the office environment. Today’s smaller 3D printers can now easily be used in an office environment. These smaller office-sized 3D printers can make parts with a build size of 8”x10”x8” up to 10”x15”x8” and are easy to use and cheaper to maintain (compared to the older Rapid Prototyping (RP) machines). Both of these printers are used to verify a design, create a prototype, or make a one-off part or proof of concept, but now 3D printers make it a lot more affordable.

SUMMARY

If you are looking to expand your revenue stream into a dynamic new market, then 3D printing might be worth a look for you. Add a 3D scanner and you will be able to reproduce real objects in just a few minutes. The real fun of 3D printing will come alive when ordinary consumers at home feel free to let their creativity run wild, and when 3D software programs will become more readily available to the general public. If you can imagine it, you can build it!

Peter Dulis Wide Format Printing Specialist Canon Canada p.dulis@primus.ca

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YOUR PERFECT CONNECTION TO THE PRINTING AND GRAPHIC ARTS INDUSTRY

SALES

KELLY ROBERTSON

Sales lessons learned from a recession The past year was definitely interesting. Some sales professionals prospered while others suffered. However, we are seeing clear signs that things are turning around. As we start putting the recession behind us and begin looking forward, many people seem optimistic about the future and starting fresh. Looking back at what we’ve all been through since 2008, what lessons can we take away? How can we strategize to sell in a completely changed market? There are several key sales lessons that can be learned from selling in a recession. These will help you succeed throughout the rest of 2010 and as we look ahead.

COMPANIES ARE LEANER

This has been an ongoing factor for many years with continual downsizing and cutbacks. However, the recession forced many companies to scale back even further than they normally would have. This has resulted in an extremely lean workforce.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR SALESPEOPLE? It means people are stretched even further and busier than ever before. It means it will become even more difficult to connect with decision makers. It means projects will be put on hold because people will be too busy to implement them. It means you need to find a way to help your customers deal with this. Make your solutions easier. Assist with the implementation. This also means respecting their time when you meet. If you have 60 minutes allotted for your meeting but you can wrap it up in 45 minutes, then do so. Your customer will appreciate it and it will help you stand out from the crowd.

THE BUYING PROCESS HAS CHANGED

There is no question that decision makers in corporate Canada have changed the way they make buying decisions. Caution is now a standard business practice, and I suspect that it will remain that way for years to come.

This means you need to become more adept and proficient in your discovery process. You not only need to find out who is responsible for the buying decision, but also what internal factors your key decision makers are facing that may derail the sale or prevent the process from moving forward.

This has always been part of the sales process or at least it should have been. However, it is even more critical to uncover this information as part of your discovery process. The sales professionals who get this will outshine their colleagues and competitors.

SIGNING AUTHORITY

Many decision makers no longer have the ability to signoff on the same level of expenses or purchases that they were once accustomed to. This has significant ramifications.

The ego issue. Picture yourself in the executive office, perhaps as a vice-president of sales or marketing. Until last year, you could approve any purchase under $20,000. Now, you need to get approval from a purchasMAY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

42

ing committee for any expense over $5,000. Although you understand the philosophy behind this policy, it is challenging to deal with because in your eight-year history with the company you have never made a poor buying decision.

The buying committee. You may now have to deal with buying committees, and if you are not careful, you won’t even get the chance to meet them. That means the decision to use your product, service or solution could be vetoed.

No approval. Some purchases simply won’t be approved because of the extent or nature of the expense. Even though your solution may benefit the company, the organization may choose not to move forward simply because they know they won’t get approval for the expense. It’s not necessarily fair, but it is a fact of business.

Once again, this means that you need to ask more questions to uncover the approval process. Be sensitive to the decision maker’s position if you discover that they no longer have the authority to sign-off on your product or service. Look for ways to help them facilitate their decision. Work with your company to extend payment terms in certain circumstances.

VALUE IS KING

Value has always been important in the eyes of the decision maker. However, it has become even more important. But, it is critical to note that this value is what they, the decision makers, deem as value. It’s not about you touting the features, advantages and benefits of your product. Just because you think something is important does not mean your prospect or customer will. Value is in the eyes of the beholder only. That means you need to ask high-value questions to determine EXACTLY what is important to each prospect and each customer. Once you have accomplished this, you need to adapt your sales presentation (aka sales pitch) to ensure that it addresses your prospect value requirement(s).

MAKE NO EXCUSES

The sales professionals who prospered this past year were assertive in generating business. They did not use the recession as an excuse. They did not wait for business opportunities to come their way; they took responsibility and did whatever they could to reach their targets. This has always been a distinguishing factor between high-performing sales professionals and it will become even more important in the future.

These are just five sales lessons I learned last year. What did you learn from selling in a recession – and are you prepared to make changes in order to make the rest of 2010 a great year? © 2010 Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved.

Kelley Robertson, professional speaker www.kelleyrobertson.com 905.633.7750

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YOUR PERFECT CONNECTION TO THE PRINTING AND GRAPHIC ARTS INDUSTRY

I N

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ML System

How regulating humidity levels with a high-pressure ML System can save you money ML System was founded in 1987 by Mrs. Marianne Jager and Mr. Leo Rasmussen, with the dream of developing the technically best humidification system on the market. A subsidiary in Mississauga was established in 2009 in order to be closer to the Canadian customers. Because of the company’s specialized knowledge and expertise, its customers are provided with the highest quality humidification systems that not only improve pressroom conditions, but can generate a financial benefit. To date, the ML System mission has been very successful, with over 5,500 systems installed worldwide.

The company is best known for developing and selling humidification systems to the printing industry which control interior climate as well as counteract dry air problems.

ML System staff possess specialized skills and expertise, and are knowledgeable in numerous areas within the printing industry. Known for being the producer of some of the world’s most reliable and dependable humidification systems, the company stands behind its products, developed with a focus on quality, hygiene and minimization of energy consumption.

“The quality of our components, and the reliability and low maintenance of our equipment is what we are known for,” explains ML System Sales Manager Julian Iosifescu. “The biggest benefit, though, is low energy consumption.

Compared with the older conventional steam humidification machines, the ML System requires substantially less power to operate.

Ours is a high-pressure system which is quite new to the printing industry in North America.”

Relative Humidity regulation is extremely important to the pressroom environment.

Humidity can fluctuate and have a negative effect on paper stock, resulting in problems like curling and paper jams on press. Because of this, printers either can’t run their press at top speeds – or worse – they have to be shut down frequently to fix the issues; wasting time, money and paper stock.

Julian Iosifescu, ML System sales manager, with his company’s highpressure humidification equipment “Often times, printers don’t even realize these problems stem from humidity issues,” says Iosifescu. “Humidity is not like temperature. If it suddenly gets cold, you can feel that it’s cold.

But with humidity, you can’t really tell if a room is drier than it was an hour ago; you don’t feel it.

Some people see the effects of this on their paper so they think something is wrong with it and they call the supplier. But, it is not about the paper, it is about the environment.”

The traditional means of regulating humidity in the pressroom utilizes steam. This method works by boiling water and releasing warm vapour into the room as it is needed. However, a lot of energy is required, which means expensive hydro bills for printers. High-pressure systems like MLs are more technologically advanced, use much less energy and reduce this problem dramatically. By

MAY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

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TONY CURCIO

The ML System humidification equipment, successfully installed at RP Graphics in Mississauga.

replacing steam humidification equipment with a high-pressure system, the ROI (Return On Investment) is between 1.5 and 2 years. For printers in Ontario, there is no better time to act than right now, as on April 9 the Ontario Energy Board approved new rates for Toronto Hydro. These will be additional increases to the already higher prices charged on the energy portion of the hydro bill.

Iosifescu explains that the business is growing fast and ML System already has two fully-trained technicians in Mississauga. At the moment, they are very busy installing new systems into print shops in the GTA, Winnipeg and Calgary.

RP Graphics is a happy customer of ML System and has recently invested in the humidification system for its Mississauga-based facility. The owner, George Mazzaferro, is very pleased with the equipment and noticed improvements in his pressroom as soon as it was installed. “During my long experience in printing, I used different humidification systems: compressed air, steam and high pressure,” he says. “Since I installed the ML System unit, I have found several features that I really like: low energy consumption, reliability and low maintenance costs. Basically, by installing the ML System, I have been able to reduce the yearly energy and maintenance costs for the humidification by 75 percent. It has been well worth it to install the ML System into my facility.”

Using pure water is essential for the humidification process. When untreated water is used, there are minerals in it that get dispersed, causing dust to accumulate on machineries and the paper stock. Furthermore, bacteria and mould can build up in the equipment that could end up in the air. Hygiene is very important to ML System, and the water used is always treated to ensure this never happens. The water is never stagnant and is flushed every few seconds to ensure it is safe and hygienic. In fact, ML System is the only manufacturer of humidification systems in the world that is ISO 22000/HACCP certified.

The ML System is well suited for both mediumand large-size printing companies, and is specifically customized for each facility according to water quality and required capacity. The ML System has units available that can reach 300, 500, 800, 1,000 and even 2,000 litres per hour, suiting any printer in the industry. Relative Humidity remains stable, and printers can run their presses at top speeds without worrying about paper jams.

All that is needed to operate the humidification system is city water, power and a drain. ML System takes care of the rest. For more information, visit www.ml-system.com or contact Julian Iosifescu at 416-457-5351.

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humeintermedia.com 47

YOUR PERFECT CONNECTION TO THE PRINTING AND GRAPHIC ARTS INDUSTRY

MY CUSTOMER ASKED ME

DIANA BROWN

My customer asked me “How can I use Google web applications to revolutionize the way I gather important information?”

Head Honcho: “I need you to find the most up-to-date and current trends in our industry. When I mean current, I mean up-to-the-minute trends that will provide us with serious opportunities. You need to understand that this is important stuff here.”

You: “How would you like me to do this?”

Head Honcho: “Use any measure you need to – talk to people, search industry magazines, whatever. However you need to do it is fine – just make sure it gets done.”

You: “Okay, I’ll see what I can come up with…”

So you have a challenge. It’s not going to be an easy task, but you need to do your best to find the latest and greatest, most current information you can about your industry. Where to start… you could do as your boss suggested and give your friend at XYZ Corporation a call. You may not be guaranteed the most current information, but you will at least be able to catch up on last weekend. You could search through industry magazines to see what you can find, but all you seem to have is the month before last for every magazine on your desk.

Hmmmm… where to next you ask? Google my friends, Google.

We all know about the ‘monster’ that is Google and its ease of use in everyday life. I’m sure every one of you reading this article is guilty of using the term “just Google it” every now and again. But Google is much more than just a simple search engine. It has extensive capabilities and is more useful in everyday business life than most people know or understand. So today, I am going to introduce you to two fantastic Google features that will help you gain an increased understanding of your industry, help you find the most current information on specific topics and will even help you become the “guy/girl with the fun facts” at dinner parties. Dare I say it, but this information may change your life. I am proud to introduce… Google Reader and Google Alerts.

GOOGLE READER

Google Reader is an easy-to-use, web-based Internet aggregator that reads Atom and RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds and collects them all in one convenient location. Think of Google Reader as your personalized newspaper that contains up to the minute news about only topics you’re interested in. Right on the Google Reader sign in page, Google asks users, “have trouble keeping up with the sites you visit? Read them in one place with Google Reader, where keeping up with your favorite websites is as easy as checking your email.” All you require to access this service is a Gmail account, which takes a matter of moments to set up if you don’t already have one.

MAY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

48

Google Reader was launched in 2005, but I was only very recently introduced to it by a friend.

“You are going to LOVE it!”

And I did. From the very first time I explored its functionality I could see Google Reader’s potential, but it wasn’t until after I began subscribing to printing and publishingrelated RSS feeds that I truly saw its possibilities to revolutionize the way I seek out information. Many news sites (The Toronto Star, Toronto Life and The New York Times, for example) all have constant feeds of information that you can subscribe to. Other, less obvious sites, such as prominent television personality’s websites and sales information websites, have RSS feeds for blogs that are updated daily. Once you’ve found a few websites that you have enough interest in to track, subscribing to the feed is as simple as copying and pasting the URL into your Google Reader home page.

There are so many interesting ways to view, explore and share information with others on Google Reader. The core of the Google Reader concept is for users to view

huge amounts of information in real time and the users ultimately make the content popular based on how fast and furiously they are “liking”, sharing and commenting on feeds. Google Reader has “share” and “share with note” features, which automatically allow users to create a news feed of everything they deem important enough to share and others with Gmail accounts can follow their stream. As a close friend so eloquently phrased it, “it makes me feel like an elite blogger without any of the work and all of the glory”. One fun RSS feed that is fed by this type of quick to spread response from readers is called ‘Cool via Recommendations’. In this feed you will find a number of pop culture and noteworthy news items that you will see here before they become viral.

‘Cool via Recommendations’ is, in essence, like finding leaked versions of various highly anticipated feature films… 10, 20 and 30 times a day!

www.graphicartsmag.com

GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

WWW.GRAPHICARTSMAG.COM

Sherbrand Industries

32 Madeira Cres. Cambridge, Ontario N1R 5R5 Tel: (519) 621-1729 • 866-621-1729 • Fax: (519) 621-1936 E-mail: sherbrand@rogers.com • www.sherbrand.ca

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1999 RYOBI 3304HA ,15.2 IMPRESSIONS ,SEMI AUTOMATIC, CONSOLE, SCHNEIDER ENVELOPE FEEDER CUTTERS 1995 LAWSON 47 " CUTTER, SAFETY LIGHTS, LAWSON COMPUTER, 1989 POLAR 76 30” CUTTER AIR ON MAIN TABLE FACTORY COMPUTER 1978 POLAR 115CE, SAFETY LIGHTS, DIGI KUT COMPUTER…..

1993 POLAR 115EMC-MON S/N 6331070 PRICE… SEYBOLD 85” CUTTER W/ MICROCUT COMPUTER, SAFETY LIGHTS, AIR TABLES(REFURBISHED IN 2008 LARGE CUTTERS- MILL TRIMMERS LATE 60’S/ LAWSON 110” CUTTER W/ COMPUTER, AIR TABLE, SAFETY LIGHTS. OFF LOADING AND LOADING SYSTEM 2000 LAWSON 110 ‘ MILL TRIMMER (CUTTER), LAWSON MCC COMPUTER, SAFETY LIGHTS, AIR TABLES,100” MAIN TABLE (AIR) 15 HP MOTOR… PRICE US$155,000.00 EX-SITE SEYBOLD 85” CUTTER REFURBISHED , MICROCUT COMPUTER, SAFETY LIGHTS, AIR TABLE FOLDERS 1990’S MBO T52 20 X 26 FOLDER W/ RIGHT ANGLE 1993 STAHL T50, FOLDER W/ RIGHT ANGLE, SIZE 20”X33” 1990 STAHL T78, 4/4/4/ FOLDER, W/ 8 PAGE, & 16 PAGE SECTION, CON’T FEED, SIZE 30 X 45 2000'S MBO B26 4/4/4/ SIZE 26" X 30", CON’T FEED, 2000'S MBO B30 4/4/4, CON’T FEED, SIZE 30" X 40" FOLDER 4/4/4/ HASKINS FOLDER GLUER SERIAL # 66003 FOR PRESENTATION FOLDERS. VACUUM FEED, VARIABLE SPEED CONTROL, TWO GLUING HEADS, PILE FEED, ELEVATED DELIVERY TABLE, BATCH COUNTER

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CHALLENGE EH3A 3 HEAD DRILL BROWN LATE MODEL NYGREN DAHLY 5 HOLE DRILL .2,900.00 CHALLENGE RKH SINGLE HOLE DRILL HYDRAULIC, VACUUM CHIP DISPOSAL UNIT STITCHERS & BINDERS 2001 MULLER MARTÍNI CORONA , 24 CLAMPS, 18 FEEDER POCKETS, ZENITH S THREE KNIFE TRIMMER, COUNTER STACKER, GAUZING UNIT, SPEED 12,000 AND HOUR BOSTSTCH NO 7A BRONCO STITCHER.PRICE 2 2000 HEIDELBERG ST270 STITCHER, 6 POCKETS, COVER FEEDER, RIMA STACKER LAMINATING GBC 40” LAMINATOR DOUBLE SIDED W/ FEEDER GBC 28” LAMINATOR DIE CUTTERS 1981 GIETZ FSA 720..FOIL. 1984 HEIDELBERG GTP WINDMILL 13 X 18 RED BALL, ORGINAL 13X18 FOIL STAMPER W/ ROLLERS AND INKERS GTP 1960’S HEILDBERG WINDMILL 13 X 18….

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49

YOUR PERFECT CONNECTION TO THE PRINTING AND GRAPHIC ARTS INDUSTRY

GOOGLE ALERTS

Google Alerts is an automated web-search service to help subscribers stay current on the web happenings of a certain topic. This up-to-date news comes in the form of an email to your inbox either once a week, once a day or as it happens. The emails link to information on the key words you have entered when creating the alert. I used this service recently to keep tabs on a newly released book and once a day I would receive emails with links to any place on the Internet that my key words were mentioned. I set up the alert so that the emails would arrive in a separate folder within my inbox. This was handy as heck because I only had to visit one location for all of the information concerning this book – my email inbox which I am linked to most of the day anyway. How convenient!

On the Google Alerts home page, they suggest using this free service to “keep current on a competitor or industry”. By simply filling out a few simple questions on the Google Alerts set up form, the search topic, type of information (video, blogs, comprehensive, etc), frequency of information and the number of emails you are willing to receive (up to 20 or up to 50) are completely customized for your informational needs.

often from the same industry magazine’s website. It is important to note that not everything included in the printed or electronic magazine will be steamed via RSS feed, however the vast majority of it often is.

Now imagine the potential for information gathering and data collection when Google’s customized streaming news technology is paired with mobile devices such as the Blackberry or iPad, where all of the information presented is relevant to you with the added functionality of videos and links to more information about a topic. The possibilities are endless!

5 REASONS TO LOVE GOOGLE READER & GOOGLE ALERTS Both Google Reader and Google Alerts can help you to discover up-to-the-minute information about specific topics. I only skimmed the surface of both web applications in the last few hundred words, so I highly recommend you explore them for yourselves to realize their true potential for your business and your career. In conclusion, here are the top 5 reasons I love Google Reader and Google Alerts: 5. Both Google assists have user-friendly interfaces with minimal advertising and a cohesive look and feel to every piece of information.

4. In just a few clicks of a button, all the information you have asked for is instantly at your fingertips.

3. That same information that is instantly at your fingertips is constantly streamed and fed to you up-to-the-minute.

2. This same up-to-the-minute information continues to stream to you until you ask for it to stop. Therefore, this one-time set up is well worth the few minutes you will invest. Furthermore, these helper applications make it so you don’t have to manually type keywords into the Google search engine everyday and complete your due diligence to manually research a topic.

Instead, the information comes to YOU. I admit, it may sound lazy that you “don’t even have to type your keywords into the Google search engine anymore”, but it’s really less about laziness and more about streamlining the way in which we access and obtain the information we require.

THE INFINITE POSSIBILITIES…

There are so many ways to use these services to leverage your organization and help you become savvy and knowledgeable about the latest happenings within your industry. For example, in trying to keep tabs on what’s happening in the trade book publishing industry, I subscribe to publisher’s news feeds and blog sites, as well as publishing magazine’s news feeds (Publisher’s Weekly and Quill & Quire).

Often on individual publisher’s websites, publicists will blog about the latest reviews, awards and accolades that specific books receive. This not only allows me to keep current on the latest accomplishments of a publishing house, but it is also an excellent topic of conversation that helps me demonstrate my interest and enthusiasm about the customer.

Unlike an industry magazine that is released each month and can therefore contain information that is 30 days or more out of date, these Google assists provide users with constant streaming information, MAY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

50

1. Both Google Reader and Google Alerts are absolutely FREE! A Tim Horton’s coffee costs infinitely more money than these fountains of information and it takes more time to swing though the drive-thru than it takes to set them up. Be prepared to become the hero of your company with all of the new information you’re about to acquire.

Google has done it again and has made one more giant leap forward in its quest for world domination!

Well done Google!

Diana Brown is an account representative in the Trade Book Publishing division with Toronto-based book printer, Webcom Inc. diana.brown@webcomlink.com

www.graphicartsmag.com

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