Anyone using Trueflow from Screen?

[Chris]

I'm getting proposals from Screen to swap out my ApogeeX front end for their Trueflow system. Anyone using Trueflow? I've seen their webinar and I have to say the GUI is lacking and the whole interface seemed complicated.
Any opinions or advice?
Thanks

 

[Duncan Hyde]

Hi There,
We switched over at the beginning of the year from older Creo Lotem 400 with a PSM workflow & Preps 5 and installed a SCREEN PR 4300 with Trueflow 7.0 took some time to get the hang of it but now were smooth sailing the only difficult part was the impositioning program Flatworker completely different set-up than Preps, i still miss using Preps when it comes to certain jobs and automation but the SCREEN set-up is fine now i guess ther are pros & cons when you switch to any workflow.

Thanks!

 

[Ultimate]

Hi,

Instead of being "locked" in an expensive workflow that forces you to buy expensive maintenance (upgrades, support, etc.), you should definetly consider a modular approach, where in the future, you'll only have to upgrade the modules that are critical, etc. Something based on Encofus Switch, Pitstop or Flightcheck for preflight, a simple RIP and an automated imposition solution like On Demand Digital is a powerful, flexible and has a lower TCO.

There are plenty of people on this forum whom have a workflow based on Switch.
Check it out...


Ray Duval
Ultimate Technographics

 

[Al Ferrari]

You don't have to use the Flatworker part. I use Preps 5.3.3 as a stand alone in pdf to pdf mode, and feed the imposed plate size pdf to Trueflow for trapping and ripping. Works great!

I simply made a print device for each press in Preps based on the ssicolor.ppd and with the plate characteristics for each: plate size, punch, setback etc. The imposed pdf gets manually dragged to the appropriate Trueflow workflow to feed the platesetter.

Al

 

[txcynna]

We used Trueflow at my last job and, personally, I didn't really like it. I'm sure part of my issues were that I came from a large shop to a small one and that they never trained me on how to set up new templates. Coming from a Preps background, I was accustomed to being able to set up a new layout when I needed one. It took me longer to learn Trueflow than I liked. It was confusing to me but there was a lot of lacking in the training I got at that place.

After getting used to it I have to say I still didn't really care for it but it worked for what they needed in that particular shop. That may have just been there though, because they really didn't know that much about how it worked either. For all I know, they were doing it all the 'hard' way because, once they figured out the settings that worked for them, they didn't bother learning anything else about Trueflow.

I will say that any time we had a problem and called them, their tech peeps were very very helpful and pleasant to deal with. This I liked.

 

[ansoft]

Hi, I am using TF for 2 years now with PT-R8800. In the very beginning it was hard to me to understand the Japanese logic of the interface, but now I really like it. You have actually two built-in RIPs- Kousui (Conventional) and APPE (Advanced Route). The screening is very good and my customers are satisfied. The workflow is very stable and there were no problems with different files. The Flatworker is Japanese way of doing things, in my opinion. They did not change it for many versions of TF. You could use any other imposition software. If you have the patience to learn how Flatworker work and if you make all the necessary marks, it is pretty good. Well it is not sophisticated, but it works. The processes are easily put in the hotfolders, or Job containers. They follow natural, user friendly, way. Unfortunately, if you expect to learn how to deal with TF just by clicking you have no chance to do it. You must read carefully the manual and to follow it. Then everything will make sense for you.
I expect EQUIOS to be very sophisticated workflow, that works without Flatworker (it works without it) and you will have the freedom to do everything in your workflow.
You will be happy with the SCREEN platesetter and workflow.

Regards!

 

[kaiserwilhelm]

I have been on TF for 6 years now. Love it. One caveat. If you have a bastard layout I am not sure that they have a good solution yet. We do not do bastard layouts whatsoever, so Flatworker works great for us. We hit our TF hard and often. I have barely seen V7 working, but V6 does fine by me.
Also, should you be buying a 4300 (or some sort of Screen platesetter), the direct connection to the platesetter from TF is worth its weight in gold.
There are no .tiff files (well, technically, there are, but they are produced, used, and deleted in the background).
How many times have you had an obsolete .tiff file that the pressman comes in at midnight and plates INSTEAD of the corrected file from 6 hours later?

 

[Johu]

If you now buy Trueflow 7 it comes with Equios and Pre4m which is a totally renewed client for Trueflow server. You can still use trueflow as well, but Equios is the future. Any job submitted in Trueflow can be seen in the progress window of Equios and vice versa, so they are just different GUIs to the same core workflow.
Equios has new imposition system which comes with every client (mac or PC) and there's no limitation to the amount of clients. So if you are looking to buy Trueflow you should really take a look at Equios not Trueflow.

 

[ansoft]

Johu is right. EQUIOS is the future, but if you need weird imposition schemes, your solution should be weird.

 

[Raymond Ramirez]

viofems.
your question has left you open to extreme answers. First of all, is your company looking for a workflow or just a RIP,
you have to ask yourself these questions.
What are my speed requirements,
What is my growth projection,
and last but not least what is my budget.

I am certified on quite a few rips and in my experience I will run into some customers that are way under powered and some that are way overpowered.

if you have any questions please feel free to email or call.
I don't sell Rips I service equipment and try to educate.

feel free 702-684-0059

 

[Duncan Hyde]

Trueflow and Preps

Trueflow and Preps

You don't have to use the Flatworker part. I use Preps 5.3.3 as a stand alone in pdf to pdf mode, and feed the imposed plate size pdf to Trueflow for trapping and ripping. Works great!

I simply made a print device for each press in Preps based on the ssicolor.ppd and with the plate characteristics for each: plate size, punch, setback etc. The imposed pdf gets manually dragged to the appropriate Trueflow workflow to feed the platesetter.

Al

I wish i could but my Preps 5.0 came without the PDF to PDF licence key only a preps postscrip which is then dumped into the PSM RIP

Old School software from 2001 lol!