Rena Mach5 to replace my offset press?

[csudman]

They are suggesting Microsoft Word but to me is a 15 year step backwards.

That is conserning. I wonder if they really understand what we need? I've been looking at the colordyne unit(same thing). Need to have that discussion. Its also interesting about the slowdown. That changes things a bit.

 

[Roback]

Are yours generic?
Ours is Variable Imaging and variable addressing between 1,500-50,000. Although we do break down all our bigger files to 10,000 clumps maximum. printing to pdf first makes our file huge. We also tried sending down as a PS file with little success. They are suggesting Microsoft Word but to me is a 15 year step backwards.

I haven't done any variable data on my Memjet. But you would think that would be a snap since Rena's background is in mailing equipment. I hate Word too because of the reason you stated. Do you have some of the expensive variable data software that's out there. I do some on my Xerox but it's just name changes on certificates etc. and I do use Word for the variable data and convert that to a PDF and then import the PDF into Corel Draw for the base artwork. I'm afraid I can't offer much help to you with regards to variable data when it gets complicated..

 

[Roback]

That is conserning. I wonder if they really understand what we need? I've been looking at the colordyne unit(same thing). Need to have that discussion. Its also interesting about the slowdown. That changes things a bit.

It will run 5000 #10's an hour running landscape but you may have problems with some envelopes running landscape. It will only print 8.5 wide so you can't bleed #10 running landscape either. The easiest way is to run portrait but that slows production down to 2500 an hour. That's usually how we run ours because we rarely have an order over 5000 which takes 2 hours. It actually runs faster that that but it pauses for 20 seconds every minute to clean the heads. Some PMS colors are just not obtainable. Like PMS 280. It just won't print that dark. 4/color process is great though. You might have to photoshop the file to add some contrast and snap for optimum results.

 

[ICNCMYK]

Look into Accuzip mail processing software and also FusionPro which as an extension of Adobe Pro x. I send all files to the fiery servers via single file vps.

 

[ICNCMYK]

When running anything landscape on the Rena I first have to go into Adobe Pro x hit Ctrl T and then set the margins via Pro x. Afterwards I send it to the Rena via the driver and it prints just fine. Although it now works much better since the "firmware" was recently updated! I have ran as many as 16500 envelopes at one time on the Rena the quality of the colors produced are to be expected of water based inks, weak, but by setting the colors using Apple RGB the 301 blue that is mandatory for letterhead and envelope production where I work, it does fine. No it will not run 7500 envelopes per hour. If it had a counter on it that you could set for your amounts and the machine would stop at that point without having to re-set the amount (500's) each time that would be great.

 

[printmail]

Do you have some of the expensive variable data software that's out there. I do some on my Xerox but it's just name changes on certificates etc. and I do use Word for the variable data and convert that to a PDF and then import the PDF into Corel Draw for the base artwork. I'm afraid I can't offer much help to you with regards to variable data when it gets complicated..

Hey, Yeah we have PreS downloads thousands of variable data records in minutes, we have XMPIE a real VDP software package and the normal in-design and Adobe package for art manipulation. We should theoretically be set up ready to go on any type of printer......

Have just found out that this printer does not support a postscript driver also...Which could have made life a bit easier.

 

[printmail]

Look into Accuzip mail processing software and also FusionPro which as an extension of Adobe Pro x. I send all files to the fiery servers via single file vps.

Thanks, We have Adobe CS but I will look into FusionPro as a possibility, what I don't want to do is buy another bit of software just for a little envelope printer. I have asked the supplier to give us a machine for a few days to see if we can work around the issues with our current suit of software.

 

[Craig]

we have XMPIE a real VDP software package

Real Expensive and Really Bloated!

 

[printmail]

Real Expensive and Really Bloated!

Agreed, but we only have the document creative/print module as we are strictly a Direct Marketing Mail house.

 

[arossetti]

Real Expensive and Really Bloated!

We had a legacy version of XMPie from before they were a Xerox company. We couldn't get updates without paying a large amount so we bought Fusion Pro. Needles to say, we switched back to XMPie real quick.