Agfa Releases JDF-Powered :Delano Publish and :Delano Production
Press release from the issuing company
Mortsel, Belgium – 16 December 2003 – Agfa announced the worldwide release of :Delano Publish and :Delano Production. The Web-based project management system provides publishers, prepress and printing companies with the means to initiate a company-wide, collaborative solution for project management. :Delano Publish allows users to centralise all communication in a single place for all participants, track project status at any time from anywhere, and streamline customer communication.
Adding to these benefits, :Delano Production lets printers shorten project turnaround, reduce courier and transportation costs through online file reception, approval and submission, improve utilisation of press capacity, and simplify production procedures. Overall, :Delano reduces production stress while it streamlines communications, increases productivity and reduces errors and operating costs.
Because every printing company has different needs, :Delano will be custom configured to meet the demands of each individual operation. The system provides an immediate upgrade path to accommodate business growth or changing operational requirements.
":Delano is an open platform that can be configured to the needs of any business environments regardless of size or application,” said Lieven Callewaert, worldwide marketing manager for :Delano. "Customers can start with :Delano Publish in the PDF page approval cycle and enjoy its collaborative benefits. As they grow and require JDF process integration, they can extend functionality with :Delano Production.
Based on Advanced Industry Standards.
:Delano is based on advanced industry production and communication standards, such as PDF, JDF and XML. As the first to bring PDF to the production process, Agfa once again takes the lead by integrating JDF in its workflow- and project-management systems. A founder of the JDF standard and CIP4 initiative, Agfa demonstrates its ongoing commitment to the technology for enabling transactions throughout the print production enterprise, including data exchange with other JDF-enabled legacy systems.
"Delano is an open system based on the CIP4 JDF standard. We are fully aligned with the activities of CIP4 to validate the inter-operability between :Delano and various MIS and prepress systems." said Johan Berlaen, general manager of Agfa's Software Solutions. "The Inter-operability Labs of CIP4 guarantee that the :Delano implementation is synchronised with the standard activities of CIP4, the owner of the JDF specification."
:Delano Publish.
:Delano Publish is the ideal solution for publishers, trade shops and page-processing centers looking to further automate and integrate the PDF page production processes. It facilitates page production tasks letting users create reliable production-ready PDF files efficiently and cost effectively. It is designed for any operation that handles “page” production, including publishers with in-house PDF page production, trade shops/page-processing service bureaus or printers looking to offer Web-based PDF viewing and approval services.
:Delano Publish makes it easier for files to be submitted, checked and converted to PDF format. It offers online client collaboration for faster response times on page approvals and softproofing. It tracks all tasks and provides immediate feedback on their status. :Delano saves time, reduces redundancies and keeps users in complete control of every project.
Other functions that :Delano Publish includes are:
- Visualisation of all pages in the product structure
- Automated job processing
- Generation of high-resolution, production-ready PDF
- Messaging tool that keeps the users informed throughout the workflow
- Page tracking with real-time status alerts.
Additionally, users can take advantage of a powerful proofing option that generates a colour-managed rendered contone file based on the high-resolution PDF production file.
:Delano Production.
:Delano Production is designed for the demands of mid- to large-size commercial printing companies looking to further automate and integrate administrative and production processes, or for any printing company that wants to offer Web-based client collaboration including file submission, softproofing and job approval.
:Delano Production provides interactive control over projects. It gives users a birds-eye-view of the entire operation with the ability to zoom in to check details on the status of a particular task. :Delano Production tracks and provides feedback on all processing functions from customer/job input all the way to product delivery.
The system strengthens interdepartmental communications by providing direct access to the central database from a single user interface and customer communications by enabling online Web collaboration with clients. It takes customer job requests and translates them into pre-defined instructions, making the Web-based communications with the client foolproof. Tasks are automatically organised into a logical command chain. :Delano Production tracks each task from preflight to finishing and feeds data back to the system, where it is all viewable in one single window.
:Delano Production integrates customer service, page processing, prepress, press and post press for flawless job management, all in one easy-to-use application.
Other functions that :Delano Production includes are:
- Easy file submission and automatic file reception
- Product definition specifications
- Automated job processing
- Messaging tool that keeps users informed throughout the workflow
- Page, signatures and product parts tracking with real-time status alerts
- Online approval of page and signatures
- JDF job ticket for :Apogee prepress systems
Additionally, users can take advantage of several powerful options :Delano Production offers, including:
- JDF MIS support – taking in customer info, product and process specifications from a JDF-enabled MIS system – for more automated workflow
- JDF job ticket to link with other PDF based prepress production systems
- Page and signature proof pickup from other open PDF based prepress production systems.
Availability.
Both :Delano Publish and :Delano Production are available immediately.