Switching from Prinergy-advice on workflow

[dandraver]

The powers that be where I work at want to move from Prinergy to another workflow. From what I was told, upgrading our Prinergy 3 to 4 is outrageously expensive. Two workflows that I've been hearing about are Rampage and Esko. Can anyone shed some light on the pros and cons of the 2 systems, or if there are any other systems out on the market, please let me know.

 

[WrshpMzshn]

We've been using Rampage workflow for about 4 years. We are a 20 employee sheet fed commercial printer. We output to a Fuji Saber platesetter.
Rampage is very sophisticated, powerful and expensive. Its built in trapping is very elegant. It plays well with Preps and Dynastrip.
They want you to buy their computers to run the program on. They may have a point with that.
Their technical support is the best I've come across.
The main program resides on a Windows server, and the "Client" program runs on our Mac workstations. There isn't a Windows client as far as I know. (They may have released one with the latest upgrade.)
When we were first looking at Rampage, I thought it was probably overkill for us, but now I don't know how I lived without it.
I understand Zenith Xitron is another good RIP package.

 

[2ndShiftProblemSolver]

AGFA.com - :Apogee Manage

:ApogeeX Manage

 

[macphenom]

I have used Rampage for ten years and would not use anything else. Its not expensive when you compare it to a comparable system such as Prinergy or TruFlow. Their support contracts are $1750 per year regardless of how many rips or clients you have, try to find any support contract out there that can match that and their tech support is the best there is. It can work with any output device made, supports un-flattened pdfs (Live Transparency) and has two distinct work flow options. Pdf in, pdf out (Norm) or pdf, eps in and CT/LW out (Room). All point upgrades are free, which is nice and they keep up with the new applications from Adobe and Quark(Booooooo!!!!!).
Just my two cents worth.

 

[prepressguru]

You will want to check out Printready from Heidelberg. Just as capable as Prinergy. But service and overall ownership is much less expensive. PDF based and much of how it works is similar to Prinergy. Also Signa does every kind of imposition that preps stumbles on and maintains automation so you don't have to manually creep.

Good luck

 

[Vee]

In addition, Printready/Meta is a "true" Adobe based PDF Engine/Renderer. Trapping is excellent, be it live transparency or flattened file, and the support / service agreement includes not only dot upgrades but full version too.

I ran a Meta / Signa / Prosetter74 workflow for 5+ years in a small commercial sheetfed plant - Offset & Digital presses, with great success.

 

[roger]

I recommend all of my competitors use a different workflow than Prinergy. (grin) - Roger

 

[jbbbarr]

Rampage Windows client

Rampage Windows client

"There isn't a Windows client as far as I know. "

It is the last on the right rip server, and it must be off to activate. It is definitely a very crude client but I use it mainly for archiving, do not like pathway, just much faster for me to archive directly from the rip.

I have to second what everyone else says about Rampage, I have been at it for almost 4 years and use a couple others currently, being ApogeeX, Nexus, and find Rampage to be the best bang for the buck. for what agfa charges on their support you can literally replace all of your prepress computers yearly, at least up to about 25K worth. I choose not to run on Rampage hardware and opted for the HP 8600 series with quad core with 4 gigs ram and XP pro <2K. The beauty of Rampage is that if a satellite box dies I can install the the rip function and be up and running in 10 minutes, given the new or replacement box has an OS that is ready.

You need to run on quality hardware, not a cheap box from circut city or the like.

 

[UncleSam]

EskoArtwork Odystar

EskoArtwork Odystar

I recommend you to call EskoArtwork to have a demo on Odystar PDF workflow, it supports latest version of PDF and it based on OSX Server.

 

[Mike Bishop]

Another vote for Rampage.

Another vote for Rampage.

I have been using Rampage for the last 9 years and it has served me well at 2 separate commercial printing shops. The yearly support cost of $1750 dollars is legitimate - there is no hidden cost. For this price you receive all point upgrades and incredible support. When you call Rampage, you are quickly talking to a real person who actually wants to solve your problem, and once you get comfortable with it's workflow you will not be calling them often.

Another important point with Rampage is that it was designed to be an open system, meaning it plays well with just about any proofer, platesetter or digital press (especially lately) on the market. Rampage, unlike many other Workflow manufacturers, does not sell it's own hardware. Heidelberg, Agfa, Kodak, and Scitex have traditionally chained you to their hardware to a lesser or greater extent. When you bought a Dolev filmsetter you got a Scitex RIP and trapping software; it was a vertical system that strongly suggested, or straight out forced you to use their products. This becomes a point of leverage for them when it comes to charging more for the "new" software or RIP or hardware upgrades. What can you do if you don't like the new product or pricing? Scrap much of your hardware / software and start again, or continue on the path they see for you, paying the prices they offer? Even the custom built, slightly overpriced boxes Rampage would like to sell to you do not have to be purchased. There are plenty of people on these forums who have built their own boxes and successfully run Rampage on them. I have always used Rampage boxes.

Rampage also has one flavor of RIP that has all of the features that the company offers (save Remote submission). It is similar to how Apple sells one operating system, whereas Microsoft has many flavors of Windows. You can get sold a "base" RIP by some companies only to find out later that a feature you need has to be purchased as a new "module" for the low low cost of $$$. There are no such hidden costs with Rampage.

I admit, I am not up to date on most other current Workflows, but I have used many flavors in the past (Agfa, Scitex, Harlequin standalone RIPs, and Crossfield, among others) and Rampage is my preferred workflow.