Don't Get RIPed Off

Heidelberg: Job types vary, resulting in different RIPing times. However, we find that more often than not, the jobs are waiting in the queue for the imagesetter to finish outputting. Some complex jobs are RIP intensive, but for most jobs current RIP speed seems more than adequate.

RamPage: It's important, but too often buyers measure RIP speed too narrowly. A valid benchmark has to take into account how long the Mac is tied up when queuing the file, trapping speed, correction cycles, remakes, troubleshooting files with missing elements or extraneous inks, and so on. When you evaluate a RIP, develop two benchmarks: one that measures flat-out RIP speed and one that throws a few curve balls into the mix. The RIP's ability to deal with a broader slice of the production cycle will drive productivity up and costs down.