March 13, 2006 – Bristol, PA, USA & Ghent, Belgium – Artwork Systems will show its expanded product line for commercial, publishing, and packaging markets at the upcoming Ipex exhibition in Birmingham, England. Ipex, the largest printing and graphic-arts show in the English-speaking world, takes place April 4–11 at the UK’s National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in that nation’s second largest city, Birmingham. The Artwork Systems showcase will be located in Hall 6, Booth A20. It will feature the launch of Odystar 2.5 for prepress workflow management; PA:CT (Packaging:Certified Technology), for secure, trackable PDF processing in packaging applications; Neo, for quick and efficient editing of native PDF files; Concentric Screening, a revolutionary new halftone dot technology; and WebWay 4.0, for Internet collaboration with remote users. Odystar 2.5 Odystar, which has achieved success as a workflow system in the commercial and publishing markets, takes full advantage of the latest industry standards including PDF 1.6, JDF, and Certified PDF. The latest release, Odystar 2.5, brings an elaborate suite of new functionality to further automate prepress operations. Odystar 2.5 features new versioning technology that automates such tasks as managing multiple plate variations for different languages or for regional price changes. Also, the new Manage Color gateway allows comprehensive control throughout the workflow, with parameters including the selection of ICC profiles, the use of PDF/X output, and options for rendering intent for line art as well as images. For imposition purposes, the enhanced DynaStrip gateway now allows the user to simply define the sheet template to be used, the binding, and other routine job selections. When all the pages are available, the imposition template then simply builds the imposition job from the parameters defined and uses as many sheets as necessary to impose the complete job without the need for operator intervention. Odystar 2.5 includes an External Parameter Control option that allows external MIS systems to submit jobs into the system with all parameters retained. Odystar not only processes those jobs accordingly but also incorporates them into the JDF job ticket file so it can be parsed and retrieved in the MIS system for further use, such as for costing or statistical purposes. Other new functions include additional trap controls, special ink handling, additional screening technologies, automatic spread processing, and new output options that include support for directly driving a wide range of proofing devices. Odystar for Packaging and Labeling To complement its highly successful ArtPro and Nexus prepress systems for packaging and labeling, Artwork Systems recently introduced a version of Odystar for those sectors. While ArtPro and Nexus have become the standards in prepress production for packaging, with dedicated functionality designed to handle extremely complex work including a high-level of editability; a large percentage of packaging and label work is straightforward, requiring more standard templates and minimal changes. The new version of Odystar is designed for those companies whose needs are not as complex; allowing them to automate their workflows and benefit from a significant reduction in operator involvement, production time, and errors. PA:CT (Packaging:Certified Technology) Artwork Systems introduced PA:CT (Packaging:Certified Technology) during 2005 to great acclaim. This technology, based on the Certified PDF technology of Enfocus, encapsulates PDF in a secure data layer that provides packaging professionals with instant access to clear, straightforward information about the file and its history. In a PA:CT environment, the Certified PDF label not only guarantees quality but provides ArtPro, Nexus, and Odystar users with a full edit and history trail of their PDF documents. This means that the traceability of the incoming PDF—even though the file might have undergone substantial editing—will never be broken. Artwork Systems says that regardless of who has made what changes on any particular day, PA:CT allows tracking at any point in the production cycle from the actual creation of the job. This kind of technology introduces huge benefits to everyone in the production chain, resulting in Certified PDF being adopted by the industry very quickly. With faster throughput, more direct contact between individuals, lower costs, and fewer errors, everyone wins. Neo Artwork Systems has introduced Neo, a new native PDF application that provides highly productive editing facilities. Neo gives the operator great efficiency and flexibility to handle the everyday type editing and correction requirements of multipage PDF files. Functions include separation handling, advanced text and paragraph editing, object transforms, image editing and relinking, clip path handling and page box handling. All Certified PDF sessions remain in the PDF file, and the edits performed in Neo are simply added to the Certified PDF information in the PDF file. Neo is the perfect add-on for commercial printers, trade shops, or publishers who are faced with corrections that have to be carried out at the last minute. Concentric Screening Artwork Systems has developed a new screening technology called Concentric Screening, which is a revolutionary new halftone dot technology that divides the conventional round dot into thin concentric rings. These rings limit ink buildup on the plate, thereby providing greater latitude on press and increased color saturation. Printers are able to increase—even double—screen rulings without experiencing the traditional problems of mottle, dot gain, and variability previously associated with high screen rulings. Concentric Screening has proven its effectiveness in newspaper, commercial, and packaging printing conditions. Printers who have experienced Concentric Screening say that this new generation of screening has all the benefits of second generation FM combined with the printability, ease of use, and smoothness of conventional AM screening. Concentric Screening is available with the Nexus and Odystar workflows from Artwork Systems. WebWay 4.0 At Ipex, Artwork Systems will launch a version of WebWay that will mark a new chapter in Internet collaboration. With WebWay 4.0, a sophisticated applet enables the remote user to stream and view pixels of high-resolution files, whether they are ArtPro, PDF, or 1-bit data files, to a standard Internet browser. The user then has the option to view the job in a variety of formats in order to annotate the job, preview separations or traps, measure densities, or even download a printable and color-managed proof. WebWay provides convenient, secure, and cost-effective communication between the print buyer and production plant or between different departments within one company. It is tightly integrated with ArtPro, Nexus, and Odystar.