Imposing Issues

As printers integrate digital and computer-to-plate technologies into their workflows, the role of electronic imposition is increasingly in the spotlight.

Imposition tools are getting more mature—Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) is making its impact on imposition solutions that stand both within and without bundled workflow packages, and new software solutions are launching with more frequency and fervor.

At the same time, prepress managers are looking for integrated imposition solutions—tools that can allow the adoption of an all-digital CTP environment.

Why? The technological enhancement of digital imposition software, large-format computer-to-film devices and new launches in the CTP market have put greater emphasis on the role electronic imposition plays in moving to an all-digital domain.

Factors encouraging new launches of imposition software encompass movements from in-RIP trapping, to the utilization of PDF and Adobe PostScript 3, to full scale automation the likes of CIP3.

In more detail, catalysts for imposition software tools include the following trends.

• The move to a client server solution, requiring a more integrated prepress workflow, with imposition tools incorporating in-RIP trapping.

• A rise in the need for more downstream automation, allowing imposition tools to assist in tasks such as color management—as in registering ink key settings in CIP3 workflows—as well as aiding in the automation of folding, cutting and binding tasks at the postpress stage. As Imation's marketing manager Michael Reiher puts it: "Imposition is looking to simplify life at the press, not just at the prepress, stage. Imposition software is looking to pass information along the entire digital workflow, allowing for more automated steps at the press and postpress."

• The need for customized imposition solutions allows for greater output flexibility and control of imposition on digital presses, on-demand printers, imagesetters and digital proofers.

• The rise of PDF, which brings a nice, consistent file format for imposition, encourages further integration of trapping functions and OPI. Also, the integration of Adobe's PostScript 3 RIP technology ensures a consistent level of quality and stability.

The Advantages Of PDF

Imation PressWise 3.0 software lets customers add PDF-based pages to any PressWise imposition process. Developed for the Mac operating system, Imation PressWise 3.0 software may decrease printing errors by taking advantage of the inherent benefits of PDF. These advancements include page independence, small file size and the ability to produce consistent and predictable output results.

"As PDF becomes the standard mechanism to deliver documents for print production, printers will need to integrate PDF support into their production workflows," Reiher reports. "We've designed the PressWise 3.0 application to be advanced in its support for new technologies like PDF and the PostScript 3 language, while maintaining the simplicity of PressWise software."

Likewise, DK&A's INposition is a proud supporter of PDF.

"PDF is clearly the wave of the future, and we support it to satisfy our customers," notes David Brannan, national sales director. "INposition already supports a wide selection of file formats to launch an imposition job. It is the only imposition solution that imposes native QuarkXPress and PageMaker files, EPS, TIFF and PostScript files from over 30 applications in both Macintosh or Windows. With PDF support, our customers can impose virtually any file."

ScenicSoft, too, is bolstering its imposition software with PDF power. Preps 3.5 now provides full support for imposition of a PDF document, allowing users to take advantage of the benefits provided by the new all-digital workflows that utilize PDF documents as their source format.

Preps also supports the mixing and matching of both PostScript and PDF documents to facilitate workflow in more complex environments where multiple formats are common. Also, QuarkXPress 4.0-, 4.01- and 4.02-generated documents are beginning to appear in shops and will eventually become more common. ScenicSoft includes support for imposition files from these new versions of the popular application with its Preps 3.5.

As a founding member of CIP3, Ultimate Technographics' latest imposition tool is Server Suite. The suite of Mac and Windows NT products, including UltimateFlow OPI, Trapeze and Impostrip, provides the ability to integrate a mixed hardware/software environment without compatibility issues.

Ultimate also released IMPress 2.5 for the four-up imagesetter and platesetter market. IMPress has the full functionality of Impostrip, although it was created independently with a simplified and user-friendly interface. IMPRess supports an automated Hot Folder workflow, with more than 150 application filters, including a PDF workflow.

"The future of a profitable, all-digital CTP workflow is a simple one-two-three approach—combine isolated prepress tasks, simplify the operator interface and automate the process," states Mark Scott, director of marketing at Ultimate Technographics.

Bundling Imposition Tools

Speaking of full automation, on the bundled workflow side of imposition, prepress providers including Agfa Div., Bayer Corp., BARCO Graphics, Heidelberg Prepress, Scitex, Screen and others continue to provide imposition tools within comprehensive workflow packages.

New from PrePRESS Solutions is Panther PageImposer software, which assembles individual pages into digital flats after they have been RIPed, solving several problems associated with PostScript-based imposition.

Panther PageImposer stores imposition instructions as job files that are separate from the content of pages in a publication. Panther PageImposer watches as each page is individually RIPed, and when all the component pages for a plate are ready, it automatically assembles them for plate production.

When all required pages are ready, Panther PageImposer assembles flats quickly enough to keep up with the high speed of a large-format PantherPro/62 imagesetter or Panther FasTRAK platesetter. Even RIPed pages that need to be rotated for head-to-head assembly do not impede throughput.

PrePRESS Solutions' new Panther PageTrapper option integrates the Adobe trapping engine into the Adobe PostScript 3-based Panther RIP. This makes it possible for shops using Panther imagesetters and platesetters to trap and RIP their pages all in one step. PageTrapper's in-RIP trapping functionality is controlled through a user interface at the RIP or via a QuarkXTension or an Adobe PageMaker Addition.

Other Offerings

Here's a sampling of other imposition tools marketed within digital workflow solutions for CTP:

• Agfa's Apogee workflow solution is based on the use of PDF as a digital master and includes Agfa's PDF Pilot Production Manager, which combines PDF-based workflow automation technology for imposition as well as preflighting and OPI.

• BARCO Graphics' AutoImpose! is an automated imposition workflow that utilizes a combination of hot folder technology and embedded links with other processes, such as digital proofing. With full support for PDF, AutoImpose! periodically checks which pages of a job have become available.

• Imposing just got a little easier now that DK&A has introduced its INposition 2.5 software, which allows users to impose, preview, edit, proof, color separate and print all within one application. PostScript, native QuarkXPress and PageMaker files can all be imposed simultaneously. It imports Adobe DSC 3.0 Compliant PostScript files from both Macintosh and Windows applications.

• Heidelberg Prepress holds imposition in Signastation, which accepts pages created on Mac, DOS, Windows and UNIX workstations, and combines them into signatures for output on PostScript imagesetters. Originally designed to impose both digital and traditional mechanicals, Signastation features display PostScript for a true WYSIWYG preview.

• Krause America's Imposition Manager (KIM) is designed for all PostScript-compatible RIPs, film and plate exposure devices, independent of platform.

• Scitex Brisque Impose, a component of the Scitex Brisque digital front end, is a page- and element-independent, RIP Once, Output Many (ROOM) imposition tool that allows users to introduce press parameters later in the prepress production process.

• Screen's TaigaSPACE includes automated imposition, as well as automated trapping, RIP and queuing capabilities at the server. TaigaSPACE allows users to make corrections to imposed pages without returning to the original application.