The growth of digital files in the prepress area has lead to its use elsewhere in the printing process. Digital Ink Preset System (DIPS) from Printflow represents an extraordinary advancement in this area along with great potential savings in press makeready. DIPS provides a convenient means of rapidly setting ink fountains. Acting as a communicator between pre-press workstations and presses, DIPS calculates ink coverage information from pre-press data, converts it into ink key preset data and passes it to the press remote control console. This information enables the precise ink fountain presetting of a press. The result is less waste and a faster makeready.

DIPS features

- the software package supports all common prepress technologies

- CIP3/4 supported but not required

- various press interfaces allow the communication with almost any modern press console

- one system for all of your presses, regardless of brands

- modular approach – an additional press interface can be added to support the new or additional press line

- preview of ready-to-print jobs

- printed jobs with previews are saved in PC for future reprints

- thousands of installations worldwide

DIPS benefits

- less makeready

- waste saving

- more jobs per shift

- increase competitiveness

- one of the fastest ROI in the industry

- easy to integrate

- simple to use software interface

Digital Ink Preset System versions:

1. DIPSoffline version

2. DIPSonline version

DIPSoffline version

Printflow DIPSofflineconsists of DIPS Converter software (prepress file reader) and DIPS Box (press side module) with InkPreset Software.

DIPS Converter

DIPS Converter digitally „scans“ pre-press files (reads almost any RIP format including CIP3) to obtain ink coverage data. The data is then passed to DIPS Box (PC Workstation) for further processing.

DIPS Box

DIPS Box with Ink Preset Software stores and processes ink coverage data generated by DIPS Converter. By acting as a storage device, DIPS Box allows jobs to be stored, used, recalled and moved at will. When the job is to be printed the ink coverage data is converted

to ink key preset values and is transferred to the press console to preset the fountains. DIPSBox is very flexible and can support several press lines by using multiple press interfaces. The key zone information as well as the printing characteristics is calculated and stored for the press selected by an operator. Once a job has been run, it may be rerun on a different press if that is required by workflow considerations.

DIPSonlineversion

Printflow DIPSonline version consists of DIPS Converter, a PC workstation with InkPreset Software and an online Press Interface (Connection to Press).

PC Workstation with Ink Preset Software and online press interface

Ink Preset Software calculates ink preset data from ink coverage information obtained by DIPS Converter. Ink preset data can be selectively used to preset the press ink keys prior to makeready.

Ink Preset Software allows jobs to be previewed, stored, recalled and moved at will. Ink Preset Software is installed
in a PC Workstation that is situated next to the press console and networked with prepress room. The PC Workstation is connected online with a press console through the cable + USB/NET module with a specialhardware.Ink Preset Software also includes an optimization feature. This feature allows pressman to optimize ink preset values from saved data. Good optimization results in a fast and accurate ink fountains preset.

Printflow DC

Printflow DC employs both the benefits of CIP3 compatibility (Digital Ink Preset System) and advanced closed-loop color management to ensure accurate and consistent color.

Closed-Loop Color Control System

In today´s competitive printing market, increased pressure to adopt reliable process control equals objective color measurement.

With auto scanning densitometers, colorbars are quickly measured to provide meaningful press control information.

The Printflow DC system processes this information, calculates the required ink fountains adjustments and sends the calculated values to the press ink console.

The press console then automatically adjusts ink fountain keys so that the required density values will be maintained. This process is called closed-loop color control.

Printflow DC utilises the benefits of CIP3 compatibility (Digital Ink Preset System) and advanced closed-loop color management to ensure accurate and consistent color. Presses achieve color more quickly and hold color throughout the run.

Printflow DCfeatures:

- compatible with IntelliTrack, ATD or EyeOne scanning densitometer from X-Rite as well as RS 400/800, SpectroJet and SpectroDrive scanning densitometers from Techkon

- enables presetting of ink fountains from prepress (CIP3) files and advanced closed-loop color management

- retrofittable to both new and used presses

Printflow DC benefits:

- brings new increased quality to printers

- helps reduce costs and increase productivity

- fast return on investment

Printflow DC consists of:

Printflow DC Color Control Software

Printflow DC gives press operators quality control feedback. Printflow DC Color Control Software displays and processes the solid densities measured by a scanning densitometer. The software compares the measured results against the desired values and calculates new ink key settings for the press. If the density is found outside the set limit Printflow DC calculates the appropriate ink feed ratio and gives this information to the press console. The press console automatically adjusts the ink fountain keys in order to hold color for an entire press run. This enables the production sheets to match the client´s OK sheet or reference sheet.

Printflow DC online Press Interface

Printflow DC Press Interface secures the communication with press consoles. There are different press connection solutions for different press consoles. One solution enables both the prepress-to-pressas well as the scanning densitometer-to-press connectivity.

Printflow DC Computer

The system is operated from the touch panel or the keyboard of a personal computer.

Printflow DC Ink Preset Software

This software accepts image area coverage information generated by the DIPS Converter software.The DIPS Converter can read CIP3/4 or almost any other proprietary format in practically every prepress workflow. The image area coverage information is processed by Printflow DC for automatic CIP3 preset of press ink fountain keys by the press console. This makes for shorter set-up times, less material waste and less wear and tear of a press.