Esko Vs. Caldera: Trying to change the companies process

[pciadmin]

Quick backstory, I have been at this shop for 3 months. The shop is currently sending files through Caldera, the impositioning is being done by prepress in Illustrator or indesign. I dont want to use illustrator or indesign to impose I want to use the rip. I downloaded the caldera software to setup imposition and cut files. I am now going to try Esko. QUESTION: If I want multiple users to be able to impose through Esko which software should I download and trial?

 

[PDL]

A bit more info on the type of impositions your are doing would help. Multi-page books, pamphlets ? Labels? Packaging? Signage?

 

[pciadmin]

Thank you for the response. We run four types of printing Digital press, offset press, Screen printing and Wide Format. We have a imposition software for the Digital and Offset. The screens and wide format are imposed through illustrator or indesign. This is the most diverse shop I have worked in because of the screen printing. I feel 60 to 70 percent of the work we do is wide format. Packaging, POP, Posters, Wall Graphics, Vehicle Wraps, ETC...

 

[PDL]

Esko has standalone applications for setting up step and repeat and adding marks etc.. (Plato, ArtPro+) for which you can get multiple user licenses. I sense that much of what you do could be automated through workflows that can be setup in Automation Engine which uses a central server with multiple user clients. AE could do your layouts plus a bunch of other prepress functions, though that would be a larger commitment on your businesses part.
There is no download of AE, you would have to contact Esko and arrange for a demo.

You may be interested in Esko's DeskPack products which can add Step and Repeat and Marks functionality (as well as many other prepress tools) to Illustrator. Free trial and download here ---> DeskPack: Illustrator Prepress Plugins & Photoshop Packaging Application Plugins - Esko

 

[seanhampson]

I recommend looking at Tilia Labs software.

https://www.tilialabs.com