Imposition Software recomendations

[swany]

We are looking at purchasing an ECRM Newsmatic driven by the ECRM Harlequin RIP. The vendor we are working with wants to sell us an imposition program named Page Pair Manager from a company named Northwood Publishing Systems. I never heard of them and what information they provided gives me the impression it’s a rinky dink piece of software. So I am exploring my options. We have a PDF workflow so I am looking into imposition plug-ins for Acrobat. We are a newspaper that also does commercial printing. We require 8-up imposition for our saddle stitched magazines.
Any recommendations?

Swany

[MarkTonk]

Hi Swany,

For a very powerfull program, check out Signa Station.

Here is a link to a movie on Signa Station (see insert box with link on right of the screen).

http://www.heidelberg.com/www/html/e...ystem,overview


Regards,
Mark

[LoganBlade]

MArk I am sure after using the newest signa it get easier. BUT I am using 9 and going throught the video scared the crap out of me. I guess due to my need of simple ipo most of the time it just seemed llike it would take longer thn I am working on 9. I am sure once i got used to it it would be quicker but damn scary long video. Watching it i I already made a 4pg cover and 16 page text. But I do a agree great impo option I love my signa 9

[jimking]

Signa's great. Preps is another impo program. Not as sophisticated as Signa but stable.

Originally Posted by LoganBlade

MArk I am sure after using the newest signa it get easier. BUT I am using 9 and going throught the video scared the crap out of me. I guess due to my need of simple ipo most of the time it just seemed llike it would take longer thn I am working on 9. I am sure once i got used to it it would be quicker but damn scary long video. Watching it i I already made a 4pg cover and 16 page text. But I do a agree great impo option I love my signa 9

I vote Signastation.

..and ditto that Logan.. although I've spoke to some guys who have made the switch. They all say in little time working with Prinect Signa, it's faster and just as easy to use as our 9 is.
The main advantages would be going into the JDF arena from what I've gathered thus far.... and at some point Signa 9 (or Classic Signa) will not work with newer versions of Printready.
Vee

[MarkTonk]

To all, thank you for your comments on Signa. Vee is right, one of the main reasons for the new version was to incorporate JDF. If you get a chance to come to one of our Demo centers or perhaps a trade show, we can show you the benefits. You have to see it.. from our MIS, Prinance, we send a JDF to Printready. The JDF automatically sets up the Job with production related information such as screen ruling, number of pages, paper size, inks, stripping parameters, ect. In the background, Signa Station is launched and it reads the JDF stripping parameters and then build the template and populates it. The operator has full control for editing if necessary. Say the job came through and it was going on the SM 102 press and then later, scheduling changed it to the SM74. The operator can simply reapply the job from 8 up to 4 up in seconds! Very cool and very powerful implementation!!

By the way, other MIS systems can do the same to Printready as long as the JDF has the stripping parameters. Hagan does. I sure more do too.

Regards,

Mark

[AstroBobbit]

Consider DynaStrip http://www.dynagram.com/

It's a cost-effective standalone PDF based imposition application available for OS X or Windows. Templates are easy to create, whether sheet-fed or multi-web (including partial webs). The jobs are populated with PDF files without any conversion necessary. The resulting PDF impositions are created in seconds and will be easily processed by your existing Harlequin.

If you run an MIS system that creates JDF data, DynaStrip jobs can be created from their stripping parameters. Jobs may also be output as JDF, populated or not, for use with several workflows.

There is also an option to run hot folders, automatically populating plates and outputting them as soon as they are ready. Obviously a popular option for meeting deadlines.

DynaStrip may be purchased as a floating licence, allowing you to connect a hardware key to one computer (where it stays) and then open as many seats as you've purchased anywhere on the network.

DynaStrip is compatible with proxy files from, for example, Digipage — which is a standards-based plug-in for Harlequin which creates EPS files containing the screened 1-bit TIFF files, and both a composite proof and a preview file created from the ripped data — allowing you to impose the actual ripped data; render a preview; print a proof; and finally print back to the rip which needs only stitch together the already screened pages. http://www.fusionsystems.com/

I hope that helps.

[LetMeHelpU]

Consider a genuine client-server imposition solution, Impostrip.

Dyna is an old solution and the manufacturer is focusing on some PDF pluggins now.

Impostrip (www.imposition.com) is made by the inventors of digital imposition, Ultimate Technographics. These guys have been doing this for 18 years. That have OEM clients using their core engine like Kodak, Xerox, Glunz and Jensen, and many others.

Their solution is dynamic, more automated and is feature rich. More over, they have a proven technology for imposition. A good thing is that their product is truly dual platform, meaning you can use it on any mac or PC.

You can download a full working demo of Impostrip on the manufacturer's Web site. Their demo version is a fully functional one.

Have fun.

[Dirke]

I would look into using Kodak (Creo) software like Preps, link it with Prinergy EVO or Prinergy connect for a full workflow solution. Just a thought that's what we use.

[frailer]

It's a hard one to know which way to jump. We went digital from in-house Jan '04. Got PREPS on recommendation of vendors who helped us install and get running with our 2nd hand equipment. I've got used to PREPS and it's a powerful program, but a bit "old fashioned" in the interface and sorta clunky, unless you've got some significant hours up on it. The latest upgrade has some improvements, I'll admit.
We got Dynastrip recently, cos we had to with our new RIP/workflow, (kinda bundled, really). Although the person(s) who designed the interface needs a whack over the back of the head with a length of 4x2" redgum, am getting used to it, and once you do, it works, too.
Downloaded the trial version of ImpoStrip, and to be honest, if it wasn't for the safety factor/support relating to our new RIP, I reckon it's got the best interface. Really, isn't that what it's all about? The guts of imposition is the relation between PostScript code, and/or PDF objects and how they're arranged on the co-ordinate geometry board. Sure there's other stuff you can do, like anamorphic distortion for web etc. but most of us are arranging, saddle-stitch mags, flyers, bus cards,whatever...ease of interface is what gets you through the day, IMHO
All I'm saying is, if you have the time/luxury, test 'em all. Your decision will at least be a bit informed.
Good luck