New Press

[pabney]

Hello,
Last week the boss went to look at a press that we may buy. It is currently using Heidelberg Prinect to set up the ink keys and other settings on the press.
I assume that this system uses JDF for these settings. We are using XMF and I think that it can handle JDF export, but I have no experience in this at all.
Can anyone give me a bit of insight on what is required for this? Is a license required on XMF? Would we need something different from Heidelberg (we are not getting the Prinect system with the press)? Any and all information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Paul

[Nate]

I'm not familiar with Prinect, but I do run XMF. No JDF here though.

How are you handling ink presetting currently? We output a raster PDF of the final imposition and send that to an old Harlequin RIP that turns it into CIP3 data for the press.

[scottrsimons]

We don't have XMF, but we run Printflow DC to get CIP3 data from Prinergy to our Heidelberg, and then use a Xrite scanner to read the keys, and all is tied together. Printflow's support is really good, if you need them. Even without a support contract.

[pabney]

AT this point we do not use any kind of ink presetting. Everything is done by the pressman.
It may stay that way even with the new press depending on what it would cost for us to automate this. The boss was asking what would be required to set the press ink, guides, etc like the current owners are doing now with Prinect. Way out of my league at the moment. Will get a call into Fuji tomorrow and find out what they say.

[andyfest]

Most RIPs these days will have a module to output a CIP3 file. With Heidelberg I believe there is an extra step to convert the raw ppf file into something the press interface can interpret. From what I remember our Esko Nexus would output a ppf file. We would then export it to a Heidelberg server running a Prinect CIP3 module, which in turn would produce a Heidelberg proprietary ink profile that could be used on press to set the keys. Things should have gotten more expedient since then but who knows? Your Fuji rep should be able to set up a CIP3 export from XMF though.

[Joe]

Most RIPs these days will have a module to output a CIP3 file. With Heidelberg I believe there is an extra step to convert the raw ppf file into something the press interface can interpret. From what I remember our Esko Nexus would output a ppf file. We would then export it to a Heidelberg server running a Prinect CIP3 module, which in turn would produce a Heidelberg proprietary ink profile that could be used on press to set the keys. Things should have gotten more expedient since then but who knows? Your Fuji rep should be able to set up a CIP3 export from XMF though.

Yes, for a price. I've never any of them give this away for free. A license to output CIP3 data for Prinergy came in a cool $18,000 if I remember correctly. Of course that is Kodak though.

[Savage]

We use XMF with Prinect interface that connects to the press.
The heidelberg software runs on a computer with an hotfolder on it and XMP "dumps" the cip3/JDF files on the hotfolder and Prinect reads it into the Prinect Press Interface that connects to the presses.
Its a 15 minute configuration and runs smoothly.

[pabney]

Good to know that this is an option. Will keep it in mind IF we end up buying the press.