06/11/2007 -- The new Adobe PDF Print Engine is now part of the Prinect workflow management system from Heidelberg. The new rendering technology from Adobe features in Release 6.5 of the Prinect MetaDimension RIP. As a "native PDF renderer" controlled exclusively by JDF/JMF, the Adobe PDF Print Engine fits perfectly into the JDF-controlled Prinect workflow. All Prinect systems with MetaDimension 6.5 will in future include the Adobe PDF Print Engine within their scope of delivery. Heidelberg is also offering upgrades for existing MetaDimension versions.

"As user experience has demonstrated, the Adobe PDF Print Engine is set to develop rapidly into the standard RIP technology for Heidelberg customers. It solves the problems many print service providers have with correctly processing elaborately structured PDF documents. One of the typical challenges so far has been processing transparent effects, for instance when the PDF conversion turns several layout levels into a single level (flattening) too early in the process. With the Adobe PDF Print Engine, reliable handling of transparent objects and better compatibility with Acrobat screening technology offer major advantages to print service providers," says Dr. Peter Leu, Head of Product Management for Prinect Preprint at Heidelberg.

Prinect MetaDimension will also include the current Adobe Postscript Interpreter as a second RIP renderer in future. This will enable the user to process PDF files using either the Adobe PDF Print Engine or the conventional PostScript RIP with a simple click of the mouse. All the data handling will be controlled in Prinect MetaDimension in future such that no changes will be required in the workflow setup. Heidelberg will supply this dual RIP configuration as standard with no surcharge as of Prinect MetaDimension Version 6.5 and later.

Last year, Heidelberg introduced workflow support for transparent objects in PDF documents in Prinect Printready 3.0. Users can define workflows in the Printready prepress workflow so that transparent objects in the PDF files are retained during all processing steps such as color management and trapping, until the PDF file is transferred to Prinect MetaDimension for output. The market launch of the new Adobe PDF Print Engine for Prinect MetaDimension also marks the completion of the last step of the PDF changeover process from Adobe PostScript to the native Adobe PDF technology.

"The introduction of the Adobe PDF Print Engine has brought unprecedented stability and quality in the output of PDF files for all types of output device. We are particularly pleased that Adobe has implemented this technology as a pure JDF processing engine that can be seamlessly incorporated into Prinect. This means Prinect users can benefit from the central JDF architecture with an even greater degree of consistency and control over the workflow," explains Peter Leu.