Category: Testimonials

Solopress, Southend, the fast-turnaround, 24-hour printing business running Heidelberg Speedmaster litho presses, has announced that it has added a PressProfiler package from Prepress UK, the pre-press specialists based in Cheltenham and Brighton.

At Solopress PressProfiler CIP3 has been directly connected to all their Heidelberg offset presses, from the latest XL3 XL106 10-Colour perfector and multiple XL75 10-Colour perfectors to all 5 of their original SM74 presses providing savings on every make-ready throughout the business.

PressProfiler examines digital CIP3 or TIFF files received from any workflow and generates ink key presetting data to save time setting up the press at job changeover.  Accurate ink key presetting gives a shorter make ready using fewer run-up sheets and less time before correct colour is being produced.

Commenting on the new package, Ken McDonald, Production Manager at Solopress, said: “We are a high-volume print business – we are performing a good 80 or 90 make-readies per shift. PressProfiler gives us ink data for jobs that allow us make a fast start, shaving off minutes per make-ready, and saving a whole bunch of waste sheets as well. Take all of those small bits of time and cost, then multiply them by five presses, and that equals three to five more jobs per press per shift. That’s the real result of this installation.”

PressProfiler is a powerful and easy to use CIP3 ink coverage and ink zone calculation solution for offset printing presses providing ink key pre-setting for a faster make-ready and reduced consumables cost. PressProfiler communicates directly to a wide range of press consoles in their native format, including products from Heidelberg, manroland, Ryobi, KBA, Komori, and many others. Integrating with any workflow or RIP it works with incoming PDF, PS, TIFF or PPF (CIP3) files.

Nic Chapman, Sales Director of Prepress UK, said: “The software runs on a Mac in the pre-press department with satellite stations connected to Heidelberg card writers at each press. The original installation for five machines cost under £10,000 – less than the price of adding the press manufacturers own ink data solution to just one of Solo’s Speedmasters and over the years the system has grown with Solopress adding satallite PressProfiler systems for their high end XL106 and XL75 perfectors”.

Andrew Aldridge, Technical Manager at Prepress UK said: “It’s a pleasure working with Solopress as they really understand the value of data and performance. Every optimisation we can bring to reduce make-ready or report back accurate data feeds directly into Solopress’ bottom line”. He adds, “Solo’s latest XL3 XL106-10P machine is also the first XL3 that we’ve worked with which allowed us to prove our connection technology works just as well on the very latest spec Heidelberg machines as with earlier models”.

Prepress UK carried out the installation including configuring all machines, with each needing characteristic curves taken from two calibration runs to give accurate inking pre-set information for both coated and uncoated stocks. They also added customised versions of PressProfiler Report and support for the company’s in house XML job format allowing even greater automation of the press set-up process.

City printer Woodrow Press Ltd, Surrey Quays, SE16, has expanded its press firepower with the addition of a second Heidelberg SM74 five-colour press. The new machine joins an existing five-colour SM74 and replaces a two-colour machine. The new press has been equipped with PressProfiler from Prepress UK from day one, and the powerful and easy to use ink coverage and ink zone calculation solution will also be added to the existing five-colour press.

PressProfiler examines digital files received from any workflow and generates ink key pre-setting data to save set-up time on an offset litho printing press at job changeover. A single copy of PressProfiler can feed multiple presses. Whilst the pre-press data can be fed directly into the press console of the newer press, the integration with the existing SM74 will involve the profiling software working in conjunction with Prepress UK’s unique CardWriter package.

The package allows press minders to check preview images of the job they will be running without leaving the press, before loading the pre-setting data into the printing machine. Accurate ink key pre-setting gives a shorter make-ready, uses fewer run-up sheets, and takes less time before correct colour is achieved on the press. The consistent data also helps to achieve highly consistent printed results.

Commenting on the decision to add PressProfiler, Martin Ince, Production Manager at Woodrow Press, said: “The addition of the second five-colour press means that we have the essential back-up and additional capacity that we needed to move forward as a business. The decision to add PressProfiler was an essential move in our opinion: speed, reduced waste, and greater colour consistency are all critical issues for any printers. This package does it all for us, and at a fraction of the cost of similar kit from the press manufacturer.”

Some 80% of the work undertaken at Woodrow Press comes from the financial sector, with investment banks being a major source of business. “We have to work hard to win business in this area, but we focus on providing a quality service, quality print, and a fast turnaround. We like to build strong relationships with clients – it benefits both the supplier and the customer in the long run,” said Rob Allen, Managing Director of Woodrow Press.

“The addition of PressProfiler makes a real difference to the way we produce print,” adds Rob Allen. “The addition of PressProfiler and a densitometer really does start to turn printing into a science rather than the more traditional “black art”. I am convinced that this combination of press and pre-press data will help to fuel the next phase of growth for our business.”

Woodrow Press is closing in on a £2 million turnover this year with a team of 12. The business has shown steady growth in recent years and a similar increase in profits. The company began life in 1979 with premises under the Arches of London Bridge.

Commenting on the success of PressProfiler, Nic Chapman, Sales Director of Prepress UK, said: “It is always a delight to see both managers and operators welcome PressProfiler with open arms. Whilst second-user presses often represent excellent value for printing companies, it is getting more and more essential for printers to be able to offer three critical elements: faster job changeover due to ever decreasing run-lengths, reduced wastage due to the cost of both inks and substrates, and greater consistency of print quality because that’s what the customer demands. PressProfiler helps to deliver all three for a very economical price – certainly when one compares its cost against similar equipment from the press manufacturer.

Hoddesdon-based commercial printer PWPFS Print & Design has become the latest printing business to seek the savings offered by PressProfiler from Prepress UK, independent supplier of pre-press hardware and software based in Cheltenham and Brighton.

PressProfiler examines digital files received from any workflow, including CIP3, and generates ink key pre-setting data to save time setting-up an offset litho printing press at job changeover. A single copy of PressProfiler can feed multiple presses. Accurate ink key pre-setting gives a shorter make-ready, uses fewer run-up sheets, and takes less time before correct colour is achieved on the press.

Following installation of the software solutions and an initial period of use, Steve Donoghue, Director of PWPFS Print & Design, said: “We have certainly noticed a distinct improvement in press set-up time since the arrival of PressProfiler. The improved make-ready has allowed us to reach saleable printed sheets quickly, reducing waste as a result. ”

Litho production at PWPFS is centred on a Heidelberg CD74 press, whilst digital print output utilises a Kodak Nexpress solution.

Jem Packaging, Norfolk-based printed packaging firm, has installed a PressProfiler server package from Prepress UK.

PressProfiler examines digital files, including CIP3, TIFF or PDF, received from any workflow and generates ink key pre-setting data to save time set-up an offset litho printing press at job changeover.

At Jem Packaging the profiling software works in conjunction with Prepress UK’s CardWriter package. This allows press minders to check preview images of the job they will be running without leaving the press, before loading the pre-setting data into the printing machine.

Accurate ink key pre-setting gives a shorter make-ready, uses fewer run-up sheets, and takes less time before correct colour is achieved on the press.
Jem Packaging said PressProfiler is enabling the East Anglian-based packaging provider to almost half the make-ready times on its Heidelberg Speedmaster 72 press.

Run-lengths at Jem Packaging are typically around 2,000 to 3,000 sheets mark, though each sheet sees a pack repeated several times across the B2-size.

Longer run work at the company could stretch to 50,000 sheets.
Jem Packaging handles work from pre-press right through to a wide range of finishing operations and warehousing when required by a customer.
Peter Horne, print manager at Jem Packaging, said: “Dramatic savings on make-ready were accompanied by a much more straightforward approach to good colour on the press. The standard ink profile that the system provides us with gives us a straightforward, known starting point. Even if we do have to make adjustments for a particular job – perhaps to achieve a special corporate colour – we know how to tweak things without getting too far away from the standard. We are now swiftly into good colour on every job, allowing us to make savings on materials as well as time.”

Nic Chapman, Prepress UK sales director, said: “Jem Packaging is precisely the sort of business that our PressProfiler product was created for. The hardware and software combination that we offer comes at a significantly lower price than the press manufacturers own package, and the business can see a real productivity benefit from day one.”

Jem Packaging produces food packaging work for a number of high-profile food producers as well as packs for a major tool supplier.

Colour World Print, Kilkenny, one of Ireland’s leading commercial print houses, called in the colour expertise of Prepress UK in order to add CIP3 ink pre-setting to its recently added Heidelberg 10-colour SM74 B2-format perfector. The PressProfiler package integrates with Heidelberg’s CP2000 console and the Fuji XMF workflow system already in use at the printing business.

Commenting on the reason for the purchase, Michael Keating, Pre-Press Manager at Colour World Print, said: “We had ink key pre-setting on our other presses, and wanted to add the capability to the new press. Heidelberg quoted us £24,000 for software that was dedicated to one single machine! Unsurprisingly we looked for alternatives. Prepress UK was able to provide PressProfiler, along with all of the integration services, for a fraction of that price. The software is also flexible enough for us to use it on another machine – ideal for when we want to upgrade our next machine.”

The press itself is ideal to tackle the growing demand for commercial colour print produced by the company: “The press is a delight and fits our needs exactly,” said Mr Keating. “It performs superbly with the addition of the software from Prepress UK.”

Prepress UK’s Sales Director Nic Chapman added: “The software package provides automatic ink key pre-setting. It takes pre-press data from the front-end and feeds it into the printing press, setting up the ink ducts on the machine, enabling faster and more efficient make-ready.

With the volume of work being produced at Colour Print World it is an essential tool to speed up throughput of print production.”

PressProfiler examines digital files received from any workflow and generates ink key pre-setting data to save set-up time on an offset litho printing press at job changeover. A single copy of PressProfiler can feed multiple presses. Whilst the pre-press data can be fed directly into the press console of newer machines, integration with older equipment can involve the profiling software working in conjunction with Prepress UK’s unique CardWriter package.

Pipi Print and Packaging Ltd, the Leicester-based packaging specialist, has employed the pre-press knowledge and press know-how of the team at Prepress UK as it has focused on colour quality and consistency from its pair of B2 Heidelberg sheet-fed presses.

The company had contacted Prepress UK after a recommendation from their press engineer. The company urgently needed to move forward with their colour accuracy and consistency, as well as improve make-ready times when moving from job to job.

Nic Chapman, Director of Prepress UK, takes up the story: “We were able to put together a package of products and services to enable Pipi Print & Packaging to get the best from their presses – improving colour reproduction, reducing make-ready times and costs, and improving repeatability, colour consistency, and general on-press performance.” The company run two Heidelberg B2-format presses: a CD74 with Image Control and an SM74 with Axis Control.

Commenting on the products and service provided by Prepress UK, Raj Palmer, Managing Director of Pipi Print and Packaging, said: “We are producing packaging product for the pharmaceutical and cosmetics markets, where quality and consistency are critical. It was important for us to be getting the very best out of our litho presses.

“In addition to that, print runs are relatively short when running multiple images to view on a B2 sheet. That means that job changeover and make-ready times have become ever more critical in ensuring both profitability and efficiency of production.

“The package provided by Prepress UK focused on both of these important areas. We have been very impressed with the results. I would have no hesitation in recommending their services to other printers seeking to find similar improvements.”

Both the Image Control and Axis Control packages were not performing as effectively as they should have been. The manufacturers quote for repair of the two colour stations was prohibitively high.

Detailing the work undertaken, Nic Chapman added: “The package consisted of a press health check and a training package put together by our Heidelberg press demonstrator, including repair and servicing of the on-press colour measuring devices. We then added our PressProfiler CIP3 ink-key presetting system, and included our dot-gain calibration service.

“We began with service work on the presses as the first priority. This helped us to ensure that both presses were printing to a consistently high quality. In practical terms, it meant that we could be confident of the print stability across the sheet and for the duration of the print run.

“This was followed by a visit from our Heidelberg technician to repair both of the colour scanning devices on presses, at a fraction of the cost that Heidelberg had quoted. They were repaired and calibrated and the press operators trained on the correct use of these important measuring tools.

“We installed PressProfiler – our favoured ink-key presetting solution – which helps to ensure that the Pipi press operators can then get the best out of the colour scanners.”

The combination of PressProfiler and the scanning stations helps to minimise make-ready time and wastage, and goes on to maintain consistent colour throughout the print run. Pipi Print & Packaging already estimate improvements of at least 20% in make-ready times thanks to the new package.

“Finally, once the presses were stable, test print runs were performed on both presses to establish the correct ink weights to achieve target solid ink colour, followed by dot-gain measurement and adjustment to match tone value targets. These enhancements have maximised compliance with the ISO 12647-2 standard.”

How it Works: PressProfiler

PressProfiler examines digital files received from any workflow and generates ink-key pre-setting data to save set-up time on an offset litho printing press at job changeover. Whilst the pre-press data can be fed directly into the press console of newer machines, integration with older equipment can involve the profiling software working in conjunction with Prepress UK’s unique CardWriter package.

About Pipi Print & Packaging

Pipi Print & Packaging is a second-generation family business that was established in 1982 with the aim to become a comprehensive provider of high quality print and packaging solutions at affordable prices.

The original investment in one printing press paid dividends swiftly, leading to further investment equipment for carton manufacture.

By introducing new services through continual investment in specialised areas of print, such as narrow web label printing, miniature folding, and decorative print finishing Pipi has remained one of the fastest growing and commercially focused print companies in the UK.

Perhaps the most important strategic decision for the business was to invest in its current premises in 1996, providing 42,000 sq. ft. of production facilities along with room for further growth in the future.

Prepress UK, the pre-press specialists, has sold and installed its first PressProfiler product to a printing company in Australia. Southport Printers in Queensland have purchased the ink key pre-setting system for a Heidelberg SM52.

PressProfiler integrates with the printers new Screen Equios workflow without the need for them to purchase the Equios CIP3 option, saving the company even more money than the already competitively priced Prepress UK product when compared to Heidelberg’s offering.

Commenting on the purchase, Andrew Kelly of Southport Printing Company, said, “PressProfiler is a product that represents great value. To do the same with the press manufacturers own branded package would cost five times as much. The team at Prepress UK do a fantastic job at a great price!”

“We were particularly impressed by the remote installation and calibration service. Faster and just as effective, but significantly more affordable, then sending an engineer to do the job.”

Commenting on the installation, Prepress UK’s Sales Director Nic Chapman said: “It is a pleasure to supply a UK developed product to a printer in Australia. We were delighted to get the initial lead for this sale from our advertising campaign.”

“We are looking forward to having discussions with other Australian printers seeking effective software solutions. Australian printers certainly understand print and can appreciate products that make financial sense as well as making their life easier and their production more effective. We would like to think of this as the first of many installations.”

Southport Printing now joins existing PressProfiler customers in UK, USA, France, Italy, Germany, Sweden, South Africa, Israel, Canada and Ireland.

Print Plus UK, Bradford, have turned once more to the experts at Prepress UK, the pre-press specialists, to order its third PressProfiler CIP3 product.

Having purchased an eight-colour B2-format Heidelberg CD75 press to run alongside its B1 SM102, owner Salman Malik had no hesitation in adding PressProfiler to the configuration. “PressProfiler has given us consistent results from the first time we tried it. We can save as much as 70% on make-readies using PressProfiler. With run lengths continuing to fall, such savings on make-readies are essential. This enhancement will pay for itself in no time at all”.

“PressProfiler is a great value product. To do the same with the manufacturers own branded package would cost five times as much. The team at Prepress UK do a fantastic job at a great price!”

As well as having previous experience of the PressProfiler product, Print Plus UK also uses a StudioRIP package from Prepress UK to run its Epson 9800 colour proofing system. “We have been delighted with the performance of this product. Prepress UK calibrated the RIP to our printing profile ensuring that proofs produced on the Epson closely match our printed output – customers know that what they see on a proof is what they will get when we product the final print run,” said Salman Malik.

Commenting on the installation, Prepress UK’s Sales Director Nic Chapman said: “It is a pleasure to add further product at Print Plus UK. They understand print and appreciate products that make their life easier and make their production more effective.”

How it Works: PressProfiler

PressProfiler is a CIP3 ink-key presetting system that examines digital files received from any workflow and generates ink key pre-setting data to save set-up time on an offset litho printing press at job changeover.

About Print Plus UK

Established in 1987, Print Plus UK has shown a remarkable growth during the nine years life. The Bradford based business now employs a team of 31 to produce graphic design, pre-press, print, and post-press work. Products produced include a wide range of brochures, leaflets, booklets, and most recently greetings cards.