Signa
Signa
Monkeyboy,
Automation in PrintReady comes in a few different degrees.
We dont have all the options but I am familiar with them.
In a basic workflow-you could create an automatic imposition that sets say your imposition (sw, 8 up, high folio, etc...) but no set number of pages. When you rip a job into PR, you import that layout and one of the menu options is number of pages-that adds the correct page count and imposition. The page size has to be set first (ie-the template would always be 8.5x11 pages)
Printready also has autosheet and autopage which waits until a set number of pages are put into printready and will proof the sheets (or plate) as they are approved.
Finally if you have the whole HUS MIS system it can really automate everything all most from the csr side of things-At the MIS system-the csr creates the job with the correct processes and information and it creates the Printready job, hotfolder, sequences, etc... It waits for the files and places them (according to page number) and shoots out proofs when all is approved.
Depending on how standardized your work is, it really could be "lights out" prepress. (Yeah I know thats a Creo term). The problem with that is "standardized"-it can only be so smart.
And you are correct as far as the tech guys-the guys that come in to fix the platesetter will not know how to do most things in the workflow-even the ones that have been around. The guys you need to get with are in support and even then some better than others. As far as Printready/Signa goes-I would ask for Jim R, Don, and Carol. No offense to the others but they seemed to be more versed in Printready when I was dealing with them on a day to day basis.