4/5/07 -- Over the years a lot of development work went in the direction of building software tools that would allow optimization of the workflow that often included placing multiple images onto a sheet capable of holding several of them. Tools for Enterprise Content Management (ECM) and its related Document Management System. (DMS) Content Management System (CMS) and Digital Asset Management (DAM) are everyday tools of the trade. From Transactional type of applications to Book On Demand, to Security printing, to One to One Marketing; hardly a market segment was exempt from needing to streamline through the best work flow the data that ultimately are bound to be printed on a sheet of paper. That is a media with a finite surface needing to be mechanically processed to turn multiple printed images into documents. Finite and mechanically being the key words to explain the conundrum. End Users could use existing Software tools to place multiple images on a sheet of base stock but there was no way of automatically and safely convert those images into documents, hence the missing link in an otherwise effective and cost effective workflow. Print cost containment being a constant in any print related activity together with the need to optimize the entire workflow, from printing to the finished product passing through the post print finishing process, found a stumbling block in the unbalance between what software could do and what could physically be done with a sheet of paper after printing. A transaction document, typically a document of random variable page count to be outputted in letter size, could be technically printed on base stock 81/2”by 11” with the letter size images correctly spread on such base stock, yet the stacks of sheets outputted by the printers could not be turned into stacks of letter size documents ready for mailing process. Guillotining the stacked sheets would not do it as the labor intensive operation would endanger maintaining the correct page sequence, vital for smooth running of the mailing process and there was no device that downstream of the print engine could convert wider sheets with multiple images into documents of required size. The Italian Company CEM of Trezzano sul Naviglio, Italy is introducing in US at the On Demand Show in Boston (April 16 to 19th) a Post Print finishing device called DocuConverter that would take the sheets with multiple images waiting to be turned into a document and just do that plus additional operations. This device is designed to be integrated with any High Speed Digital cut sheet Printer of any make and with any paper flow direction and to convert printed sheets into stacks of documents with all document pages assembled in the right page sequence. Once stacked the document stacks are continuously outputted onto a conveyor capable of receiving up to 6 stacks that can be easily removed without stopping the printing. The conversion is attained with one cut or multiple cuts along the short leading edge typically coming out of any digital printer; the cutting is through an alternative blade and counter blade. The DocuConverter can easily be adjusted to convert at the desired document width and can handle base stock sheets up to 20,5” long and 14” wide With additional features such a slitting and offsetting as well as bypass of conversion to simply stack and continuously deliver document stacks, the DocuConverter aims at coping with the widest range of applications that includes processing of “one of” book blocks for BOD, full bleed color pages, check books and coupon books; thanks to optional configuration of the basic unit. At the first presentation at Oce Open House, Tullio Bortoletto and Francesco Valentinis of CEM, Directors of Business & Product Development and Design Engineering respectively, announced that the DocuConverter aims at becoming a new standard in the Industry by operating also as a Document Server to any finishing unit down stream of any digital printer. True to their promises, CEM is premiering at the 2007 On Demand Show in Boston a fully integrated Check & Coupon Book Maker (CCBM) In Line with a DocuConverter, which is integrated to an Oce VP 5000. It is believed that this is the first time ever that is demonstrated a fully automatic check book finishing system that delivers a “one stop print to finished check book” operation. It is significant that the CCBM allows printing on 2 across 4 or 5 down or even 3 across 4 or 5 down and is transparent to any type of check book make up. The CEM people claim that the CBBM is an example of how the DocuConverter integrated to a Printer upstream and a CEM check book finisher downstream can be also a Document Server that benefits the workflow upstream and downstream delivering top print cost containment and efficiency to the whole check book personalization and finishing process. CEM will exhibit the Check & Coupon Book Maker integrated with a VP 5000 by Oce at the On Demand Show in April in Boston at the booth 1457, where it will be processing US type check books