Newspaper Workflow Suggestions

jhbush

jhbush

New member
Hi I know this has probably been covered, but I couldn't find what I needed so I figured I would ask.

We are a medium sized newspaper in Florida. We use a web press for all of our jobs. We are currently using Kodak EVO 3.XXX. We are currently looking at Kodak Prinergy, AGFA Apogee, Pro Image Newsway, and Fusion. I worked with Apogee for a many years at other companies that used offset. I am not sure if it would be the right fit for a newspaper. We are making a big leap forward and I want to get the best solution for the situation. We are also looking to incorporate a MIS system. It appears that EPACE and Technique work well with the AGFA and Kodak products. We also currently use Asura if that helps with opinions. Any help or info is most appreciated.
 
Don't Agfa supply the Arkitex product for CTP workflow? That's probably a good product if you are looking at MIS as well.

As far as I can see apogee is for commercial.


Director and Producer will give you the flow monitoring you need, tracing and tracking ability.
 
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We have many large and small newspaper customers that use Fusion and Dynastrip Automation which were both designed for Newspaper workflows.

In fact, Dynagram, Fusion and Alfaquest are going to have a webinar next month (March 12th) for newspaper customers. But of course, if you would like to see what Dynastrip can do by itself for your workflow, we'd be more than happy to arrange a private demo. Best to just email us at [email protected] and our guys can help you out.

I hope your search goes well!
Michael Reiher
Director of Sales and Marketing
Dynagram
 
We use Arkitex 6 and harlequin RIP, for newspaper this is in my opinion the best solution.
We use it since the launch of the Arkitex product and we are very happy about it. User friendly, easy maintenance..etc....
 
Checking with an EskoArtwork rep may not be a bad idea as well.
With the Integration of FastImpose (Imposition), BackStage (workflow), and a Flexrip (output), a system of automatic page positioning, imposition template selection, individual page approvals, and plate outputs can be setup. We can setup so that once any completed flat of an imposition has been approved for output it is automatically ripped, so you do not have to wait for the rest the imposition before stating to run plates. One Example: if a 2up flat has one page with CMYK and the other is only K, once the CMYK page is approved BackStage will output the plates CMY and wait until the K only page on that flat is approved for output to send the K plate with both pages K on it. Substituting pages at the last minute is a drag and drop operation.

BackStage can query MIS databases for useful information, and send back to MIS systems XML updates for feedback on workflow functions.. BackStage is JDF compatible to aid in Job creation and specifications.

This may help: EskoArtwork Commercial Printing solutions for large volume commercial printers
 
Solution for newspaper

Solution for newspaper

PuzzleFlow WebPairer or PuzzleFlow Automator


PuzzleFlow WebPairer was designed from the ground up, to cover all aspects of newspaper production. WebPairer makes complex tasks, become very simple. If you know how to “surf” the internet, 60% of your training is already done !

WebPairer is an automated, native Pdf processing engine that works with all file formats (Postscript, EPS , Tiff, etc…). It can produce print-ready plate files for in-house or remote print site production. It will also automatically deliver other needed formats of your pages (archive Pdf, online Pdf, jpg, gif, tiff, etc..) to anywhere you need them sent.

PuzzleFlow - Prepress Solutions Europe

PuzzleFlow - Prepress Solutions USA

PuzzleFlow - Prepress Solutions Spain
 
alfaQuest has several workflow solutions which have been designed specifically for newspapers, including our alfa CTP workflow which is Fusion and Dynagram based, along with our own PrintExpress Consolidated Workflow which is designed for mid-size and major metro newspapers. You should check out Welcome to alfaQuest !
 
Hey JH....you sure know how find vendors, huh !?

We're also a mid-sized paper, but in the middle of the country .... just under 200,000 circ. Probably can't be a huge help for you since we've been using PPI (Pape&Partner, Inc) as our planning/output system since we installed a ManRoland Geomann press in 2000/2001. PPI is now owned by ManRoland, so probably not a viable option for your situation.

We do our ripping with Agfa GRAFIXrip ... 2 dedicated to plates for ManRoland, 1 for proofing, and 1 dedicated to our JobShop for commercial work.

ROP is sent back to PPI which sends them to the RIPs for bitmaps, then back to PPI where they're distributed to the appropriate NewsDrive and then Polaris CTP.

The GRAFIXrip replaced Apogees, and are MUCH easier to work with .... configure, etc .... Apogees were a pain, in my mind, but worked fine once set up.

PPI would assemble news blocks with ad blocks, if you want to run that way .... we send completed EPS of each page to PPI, however, preferring to assemble them totally on the front-end system.

Everything here passes through Asura, too .... I'd be a total wreck by now if we hadn't stumbled onto OneVision a few years back! .... running two Asura's with a total of close to 80 channels. The Asura servers are part of a virtual farm environment ... works great but the dongles were a bit of a nuisance.

Probably doesn't help you too much ... just a non-vendor point of reference.

(Sorry I don't have anything to sell you!)
jack
 
Funny you should ask about pecom! .... we're waiting for Germany to dial in now to fix it!

Don't think this is a big issue, actually, but when users tried to do a new press import from PPM (Pecom) to PPI yesterday morning it failed.

PPI checked the logs and found an issue with the XML pecom was sending and we forwarded that on to Pecom .... they thought it had to do with one of our night operators deleting some old schemes and they may have missed a step.

all things considered, however, the PPI-Pecom-ManRoland link has been pretty solid. 'Taint cheap though!

Things were much easier to troubleshoot when we were hanging lead plates from the castors on our old Goss !

j
 
LOL true..

Sometimes the Database corrupted, normally like you said, operator fault; and then Man had to dial in and delete the offending file. Didn't happen very often but when it did it was a pain as plans couldn't updated during edition changes which mean't stop press.. Ousr linked directly to our Arkitex system through something we had set up from the beginning... via the Integrator Component
 
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You might want to be aware we found that if your press operators don't get the naming structure correct on the plans and then they try to delete it this can sometimes cause the exact same issue.

It's down to training really sometimes people type things wrong and it's easy done.
 
Hi,

Instead of considering a (big) workflow that will lock you in, you should consider a modular approach (newsroom, small ads, creation, preflight, imposition, rip). This approach calls for a much lower investment, top technology from specialist and lower TOC. Upgrades and support will also be much lower.

We offer an automated commecial printing / newspaper production solution called Impostrip Page Pairing. Our solution is the most and the most economical one on the market today. It has complete flexibility in terms of file formats it handles (TIFF, PS, PDF, PDFX-3, etc.).

We can offer you a FREE trial license to test with whatever solution you'll choose.
Simply contact me directly via email.

Best,
Ray Duval
Ultimate Technographics
www. imposition.com

raymond @ imposition.com
 
Pure PDF newspaper workflow

Pure PDF newspaper workflow

Hi,

If you are interested in a 100% pdf newspaper workflow, please feel free to contact us. We are not trying to sell a commercial workflow to the newspaper industry.

WebPairer was uniquely made for newspaper operations. Features a 100% web interface. It is extremely easy to use. If you are like most newspapers and suffering from 4 color blacks, improper TAC, overprint / knockout problems, pdf transparency. If you need automated page size fixing, automated color remapping, automated color management and automated delivery of hi-res, low-res pdfs or jpegs or your pages to anywhere at anytime... we have created that product. We understand the need to achieve as close to a lights out operation as you can... and preserve the most in quality.

Our system permits for an unlimited number of products, users, sections, zones, and load balancing to multiple output devices. We don't upcharge for things that should be simply included in an automated newspaper workflow (web growth, creep). Our interface and system allows for very simple definition of dinkys, doubletrucks, flop positions and permits for last minute modification of any of these properties. Our integrated client allows you to integrate your commercial customers directly into the workflow... and again, this feature is included.

Our experienced help desk understands and knows newspaper operations.

Regards,

PuzzleFlow Solutions USA
PuzzleFlow Solutions - New Approach in PDF Workflow
 
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