What are the key ideas for achieving greater efficiency in prepress?

[J]

Hi,

What are the key ideas that printshops should embrace for achieving greater efficiency in prepress? Maybe some common, continuing, obstacles you have encountered and have solved?

Regards, J

 

[MJNC]

J,
I am no expert, but have been in the prepress industry for almost 30 years. The most important thing I notice that people always forget is COMMUNICATION, imao.
When there are new projects starting, have a meeting with everybody! Even if they will never touch it. Keep all in the loop all the time; and make sure everyone is always on the same page. Have meetings for everything that possibly makes sense; and open things up for questions. Bring donuts. Make all feel equally informed. That is my best advice.
Best of Luck!
Peace to the PrintPlanet!!
_mjnc

 

[splenguin]

Automation, automation, automation.

 

[prepressguru]

Hey J

For us it is information. The more proper info we have on the docket the easier our job is. This begins with the production planning department if they take the time and get it right then the steps after usually work better (prepress.. etc). As well you may want to look how prepress is organized, how you work with files and making sure each operator is working the same way. This is pretty standard stuff now.

Having good files from clients is also a bonus. Luckily most of our clients do have good files so we can prep them with minimal effort.

Computer hardware makes a different as well, bigger is better to crunch, open, flatten all those multi layers/effects photoshop wonder files from designers, placed into everything.

Automation - for us is no use. We don't have dailies, weekly, or monthly repeat jobs. Most of our jobs require some human intervention. We are short run sheefeed shop.

You could look into JDF stuff, but then again if you don't have your info nailed down this becomes a bottleneck.

Goodluck!

 

[Colorblind]

Automation, automation, automation.

I agree with you as long as human quality control supervises the automated process. I've seen pretty ugly results coming out of mis-configured automated workflows...

 

[zoran]

I agree with all above, Information, Communication, Automation, somewhat in that order.
I would just like to add that major advantage in prepress is properly trained and motivated operator.
You would not believe difference in efficiency between good and bad Prepress Operator.
It could be 10-fold in productivity and even more in quality.
My 2 cents.

 

[mattbeals]

Automation for the sake of automation does not yield "enough" benefit. Communication is only good when it is meaningful. Otherwise it's just a bunch of noise that you have to sort through.

So what to do? You need a combination of automation and communication. As someone pointed out you need to make sure the actual art matches the job ticket. Once that is known you can properly plan the job not only for the manufacturing itself but the time also. The key is to know as soon as possible after the job is received what the status of the art is. Once you know that everything else falls into place. How do you do that? Automated systems like some that I have built using Enfocus PowerSWITCH. As soon as jobs are uploaded to the system we are able to determine what kind of job it is (InDesign, Illustrator, PDF, PostScript, Quark, etc). We can convert them to a PDF and then preflight the job. If you want to preflight the native file(s) we can use Markzware FlightCheck Pro. If you want to preflight a resulting PDF we can use Callas pdfToolbox Server and Enfocus PitStop Server. Once the preflight is done we have the information we need. That information can be sent to customer service, the sales person, planning, who ever we want. Even back to the customer.

There are all sorts of options that we can plug into a workflow like SWITCH. Yes, a workflow... We can monitor web upload directories, FTP servers (internal or external), network volumes, email addresses, SWITCH Client applications and the like. We can talk to MIS systems, databases, web services, etc.

I love it when people talk about automated workflows... Apogee, Prinect, Prinergy and the like only automate what happens inside the RIP and if you're lucky the press itself (in the case of Prinect). Never mind that the automation the achieve is only after a ton of time has been spent just getting it there. If you want to realize real benefits of automation you have to work on the first two thirds of the workflow. That is the process involved in getting the job into the shop and then planning/estimating (as someone else pointed out) and prepress. I build automated workflows that focus on getting the job in as quickly as possible and giving feedback to concerned parties about the status of jobs coming in or that are already in the plant. Of course not everything can be automate, nor should it be. You have to be smart about what you're automating and realize that at some point a human has to be there to check the work.

I've taken workflows from 7 hours to get results to less than 5 minutes. I've taken large scale systems where jobs are coming in at the rate of 2,500 per day and given technical preflights (different than a human determining they are really able to manufacture the job) to less than 30 seconds per preflight start to finish. The results are huge. ROI's in as little as 30 days for some systems. Others have taken up to a year. There's money being wasted out there that isn't in the RIP or on the manufacturing floor. It's ahead of all that.

If you want to achieve greater efficiency stop looking at only the press room and prepress. Those are important areas but have had decades of automation already. Start looking further up front. I've seen the results, it's dumbfounding...

 

[toronar]

I would have to say (as others already have): information and communication. Technical expertise and the right tools are already there (and still can be improved further as always).

As I always put it: we (prepress) can do almost everything, we just have to know about it.
Otherwise we will often do a job twice: the first time (without information/communication about some really crucially important details), and, after that (and a lot of money burned) - the right way.

 

[gordo]

Most of you say that Communication is a top priority. What have you done, or are doing to improve it?

best, gordon p

 

[oxburger]

Step 1: shoot the sales staff
Step 2: see step 1

 

[mattbeals]

That only works until you need more work...

 

[Grnofslt]

Communications and High end equipment and software are key to having a smoother prepress work flow. But I believe that there is another aspect that has been missed. Training your people. Invest the time and money to train your people in all of the programs that you work with. In my opinion prepress people should know the various apps that create the files they work with as well or better than designers. Not just how to prep a file for running through the rip.

I worked for a company that had upgraded our software but had never given us any training at all in the new programming (Up graded to CS 3 Standard from Freehand, MS Paint and Art and Letters ~ I know, I never heard of Arts and Letters before I started in their prepress area). Yet they expected for us to actually be productive in our use of Photoshop, and Illustrator right from the start, programs that we had never had before. And if we screwed up we were written up, because mistakes were forbidden.

Training is a very important key. Without it, communications and high end equipment are not as valuable as they might be

 

[prepressguru]

Step 1: shoot the sales staff
Step 2: see step 1

That was awesome!

 

[exelltech]

Industry survey

Industry survey

Hi there newbie here ;-)

This is a good question, something we all asking and what I saw in one of the replies "Automation, automation, automation" is probably the best answer!

I'm currently running a survey in SA to try and get this answered, feel free to look at the survey and make suggestions, will gladly make the report of the end result of survey available!

Survey

 

[John W]

Skill Required

Skill Required

IMO, the skill of the prepress operator must be there before any workflow is employed, especially in folding carton packaging. And everyone is in a rush! I'll give you this scenario which is most common.
The CAD dept is working on a die. The die blank sample must go to the fulfilling line at another company to see that the product auto loads etc without a glitch. Meanwhile, this die goes from the Cad dept to the designer (if it indeed does) and the artwork is produced, approved and signed off. But then the fulfiller says that the carton must be altered to work in their shop. Ah, but it's too late, the art has already arrived at prepress. Or worse, the art comes from another country whose die is totally different. Often, a poorly trained designer makes the art to the dielne backwards so the face panel is in the wrong language or the glue seam is at the front of the caerton (wrongly), etc etc etc.
The skill in prepress for this type of work requires the build file to be torn completely down and basically redesigned from scratch. No pdf system in the world can efficiently do this work, no automation, no auto preflight, only intelligent and skilled operators working at the basic application level, be it Illustrator (best) or some page layout program (not best) with images, fonts all provided.
Note I have made no mention of color! That is another issue as carton work may have to be adapted to recycled cardboard or a varied number of inks to accommodate the press used etc etc etc.
I don't care what workflow you use after that one up carton is repaired, right from old fashion postscript up to ultra modern automation because all the methods will work quickly and efficiently (assuming you have the fast computer, rip, proofer etc) and therefore will not spoil the job.
Soon you will see 29" and 40" straigh through inkjet units (ie any caliper -nozzles just pull back as needed) which will handle the print side of it but you still must have the correct carton build (all aspects) before you start, period! If you start with a crappy design, you're cooked.
John W

 

[Arthaven]

I would just like to add that major advantage in prepress is properly trained and motivated operator.
You would not believe difference in efficiency between good and bad Prepress Operator.
It could be 10-fold in productivity and even more in quality.
My 2 cents.

I was going to go in this same direction. Some people naturally have it and others don't. However persistent training can ingrain the ideas and values over time so you're not out there searching for those perfect people all of the time. When you do come across those people that just know how to do it right, whether it's in prepress or elsewhere, being able to recognize and keep them (ie: treat them right) is key.

Back to operator efficiencies...

- Using shortcut key combinations is crucial. If you see an operator who ONLY uses their mouse hand while working all day could be a flag for inefficiency. Get those operators to have their other hand on their keyboard, using short cuts, Alt + Tab (ie: Cmd + Tab) should be used - it's just easier and faster. For some time I had a goal of learning a couple shortcut keys a week that I use often. It's amazing the difference when you see someone else that is "driving" and not using shortcut keys.

- Not every operator has the same skill sets and knowledge. It may take me 10 minutes to do something another operator needs 45 minutes to do. If it's a knowledge issue then you can teach that person(s). Creative Suite seminars are all over the place and take place often, so try and get your group taking these classes from time to time. It's like college in a bottle and they are bound to pick at least a few things up that will speed up their day.

- Positive minded employees. This goes for everyone, everywhere. When you have negative employees there is always this - "What's in it for me?" attitude. If you have a group of those people you're in some trouble and hopefully there aren't groups in each department.

- Always do things consistently IN THE SAME ORDER. When you're looking through files always have your checklist in your head going over things in the same order every time. Or if you're postscripting, exporting, imposing, etc. it helps to always do it in the same order. An operator will gain muscle memory that way and if something gets missed it won't feel right, thus opening up a window to recheck.

- Check, double check, triple check etc. You make a PDF, you check the PDF before it goes to the next step of production - before sending it to the RIP, before imposing it, before letting the proofs go. You don't want to be lazy and proof everything as it's coming off the proofers. I know this sounds like common sense but people do this all of the time. :head explodes:

- READ THE JOB TICKET! As long as all of the information is on it then there will minimal issues. Knowing what you're going to be doing instead of assuming what you're supposed to be doing really saves time. Sometimes moving slow is really moving fast.

I could go on and on about this topic. May even write a small book on it some day. What comes so easily to me other operators just don't get, or don't want to get. *SIGH*

 

[Arthaven]

This is a good question, something we all asking and what I saw in one of the replies "Automation, automation, automation" is probably the best answer!

But it's not the best answer as Colorblind pointed out. Automation does nothing if the files aren't right. If the operator isn't trained well enough to think and recognize issues. All you will be doing is pushing potential crap through much faster. Automation in the hands of a skilled operator, now that's something serious. EDIT: As well as losing money on re-runs, getting pissed off as to why this is happening since it's automated, having meetings about it just to realize you need to get back to the fundamentals.

Prepress departments have been hearing the Opera of Automation from their vendors for years and as far as it has come even to this day doesn't allow for a monkey to be behind the wheel. EDIT: I've witnessed so many owners and non-prepress workers think that automation and CTP is some kind of "Magic Wand" that completely eliminates errors. When someone is thinking like that it's clear that they have no clue as to the inner workings of the system. It's just not the case and IMO will never replace a skilled operator.

 

[Eggy]

Working as an industry consultant for newspapers and magazine in pre press workflow I would say the following items are really important for achieving greater efficiency in the pre press world.

My company Colour Splash utilise the 7'M' method of analysis and it is broken down into the following areas:

Management: Do Management adopt the values of Total Quality management and specifically to what extent is there a process view? Are there policies and goals for the different dimensions of the process?
Man power: Are personnel competent (defined as formal education, experience and motivation in relation to the requirements) in their work tasks?
Method: Is there a documented method, if relevant, for managing, controlling and improving each of the process dimensions (for example an IS0 9000 system for quality)?
Measurement: Is there a process control and information system that measures the relevant key performance indicators for the different dimensions and distributes the information to those needing it?
Machine: Is the machinery, including buildings and premises, up to the process requirements?
Material: Is the input material - defined as raw material, wear and spare parts - introducing variation and problems?
Milieu: Is the internal and external environment affecting process performance?

Pre-Press & Print Consultancy Colour quality, and practical workflow solutions for international newspapers and magazines

 

[acp]

"Arthaven; Some people naturally have it and others don't."

Amen! I can't tell you how many times I have stated those exact words. Without a trained (and motivated) staff it will not matter how much communication or automation is in place.

Taking the time to train will have its own ROI just choose the method that suites you best. One method, I learned when starting out, is to share. This may sound trivial but I think it is widely overlooked, share solutions between shifts and co-workers - if you encounter a problem, share the troubleshooting results so everyone will know how to fix the problem the next time is surfaces (or how to recognize the problem at the start). IMHO

 

[Ritter]

A.) Train sales if applicable
B.) Train the customer
C.) Re-train the customer
D.) Implement automation
E.) Tweak automation to reject bad files and send explanation to customers.
F.) If still receiving bad files charge for alterations and profit.