Prepress Interface

HiTech_Monkeyboy

Well-known member
Anybody using the prepress interface? Having a hard time getting any REAL info out of H-berg. There's talk of adding one here but I have my concerns about compatabillity with Brisque. Don't need another useless piece of equipment taking up space. Any help is appreciated.

Monkey
 
Re: Prepress Interface

Hello Monkey, I'm sorry you seem to be having difficulty getting information about Prepress Inteface. Prepress Interface is compatible with any prepress RIP capable of generating a CIP3/CIP4-PPF. Integration will we requires some configuration, and you will need the appropriate PPF option enabled on the Brisque. Once that is done there should be no problems. Once Prepress Interface is properly configured, your company will see an immediate and positive effect on makeready. It is one of the best investements in terms of saving time and reducing waste. Very few, if any, companies who use Prepress Interface regret the investment. It is important that it is properly configured with the prepress workflo and the press in order for it realize maximum effectiveness. I'm quite sure that you will find that it will not ba another useless piece of equipement taking up space. Any independant consultant will advise printers who have presses with remote ink control to use ink key presetting. It is the best way to improve press efficiency.

I hope this helps.
Jim
 
Re: Prepress Interface

We are an all Heidelberg shop with 6 sheetfeds and I send all of them the cip3 data out of the prepress interface. I drive the data from Rampage.
All I will say about it is that if the pressmen don't get the data the phone rings and the crying begins. It saves huge amounts of time on the make ready.
If you can get it figured out your pressmen will love it.
 
Re: Prepress Interface

Phenom, thanks for the comments, glad to hear this thing is workable.

Jim, I heard the same things you posted in a sales pitch.
 
Re: Prepress Interface

the question I have is we have prinect signa and meta dimension. we have a prosetter and sm52-4h w/ classic control center.

do we need prinect online kit or prepress interface. or both.

I know the online kit removes the card transferring. but do I still need both.

I never get a straight answer from heidelberg
 
Re: Prepress Interface

First of all, you need to be capable of writing out CIP3 file out of Meta.
Secondly, this file needs to be converted to a machine format by Prinect PrepressInterface. If you do not want a sneaker net by using flash memory card (it holds up to 50 jobs and using Prinect PrepressInterface you manually select and copy jobs on the card) in your case you need Prinect Online kit to have a cable transfer of data to your press.
In case of Prinect CP2000 console, only PresetLink or InstantGate options need to be activated and you are connected to the network.

Janez
 
Re: Prepress Interface

this helps a lot. thank you. now I can understand charging for the cip3/4 data plugin. I can understand a couple thousand for a overpriced card reader/writer. but $13,000 for the software and a card writer. and another $15,000 for the online kit. plus I have to supply my own pc for the online kit.

do we have to have prepress interface and online kit. or can we just get the online kit.
 
Re: Prepress Interface

What is wrong with InkPro from Creo?
Do they still make it?
Always worked great for us
*Edit*
*Sorry, I misunderstood, the InkPro bit comes before Prepress Interface, right?*

Edited by: Adriano on Mar 2, 2008 3:38 AM

Edited by: Adriano on Mar 2, 2008 3:39 AM
 
Re: Prepress Interface

From my experience - this software compatibility with - Heidelberg Metadimension, Heidelberg Delta, Kodak Prinergy Connect
Here is manual
http://slil.ru/25540385 (analogue of Rapidshare)

Edited by: Alex on Mar 3, 2008 9:58 AM
 
Re: Prepress Interface

Rob, the way I understand it, you need both prepress interface and the direct connect kit. The direct kit is an "option". We're using the card reader/writer since the presses we're using it with don't have the latest consoles. Be careful about the older consoles, apparently PPI doesn't work "as well" (Heielberg's words) with the CPC 1.03 consoles. I didn't get that info when asking for technical and compatibility info. The PPI does seem to work as advertised, we're still in the evaluation phase though. IF you think this is going to help you, be sure you ask all the questions... two and three times if necessary.

InkPro... we have Brisque so we have to use Inkpro to create CIP3 data that the Prepress Interface then converts to a Heidelberg PPF format for the press console.

All in all, the install was fairly easy for the software. Not much to using it either. Biggest problem we had was not getting the full story on the press console.
 
Re: Prepress Interface

we have a sm52-5 with classic consol. which is essentially an cpc1.04 with new screens and membrain keyboard.
I think if we do this we will just go with the card reader to start with.
 
Re: Prepress Interface

Jim:

I do not understand. Prinergy creates a PPF file. What needs to happen to that file to get it to a CPC 1-04 console to set the ink keys?

Many thanks . . .
 
Re: Prepress Interface

my understanding is this. you need prepress interface to take your cip3/4 or ppf and make a press compatible file. the interface comes with a card writer. the card writer puts that info on the card that you take to the press. this is very technical and can only be done by the heidelberg kit. smile. then you can get the online kit that puts a pc next to the press. the pc and a network eliminates the cards and allows you to transfer the profile from meta to the press.
 
Re: Prepress Interface

Rob,

You got it. Here is alittle more info. The Rip with it's appropriate option, will generate a PPF file (Print Production Format). This is a file format from the CIP3 organization ( [PPF|http://www.cip4.org/documents/ppf_overview/cip3_flyer_english_1999.pdf]) . Technically, this will be the same regardless of Rip manufacture if they followed the CIP3 guidelines. So if MetaDimension, Delta, Apogee, Brisque, Prinergy, Rampage, etc. generate the file, it should be common. This file provides the overall ink coverage of the separation. The file then needs to be translated into press information that will preset/adjust the diodes (ink zones). It also takes into consideration the printing characteristic curve of the press. This is shall we say calibration of the ink/paper with in the console.

Prepress Interface is the solution for Heidelberg presses. The data can be tranfered via memory cards or via a networked press. Other press manufactures have there own solution for translating into their press specific language.

Regards,

Mark

Edited by: marktonk on Apr 13, 2008 10:42 AM
 

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