Pittsburgh, Pa., February 28, 2003 — Today’s competitive market continually demands faster turnaround time, shorter pressruns, and lower cost without sacrificing quality. By eliminating the production steps associated with film-based platemaking, presses utilizing on-press platemaking, or direct image (DI), technology give any printer a competitive advantage. Written as a guide to service providers who are considering the purchase of or who have already purchased a DI press, The GATF Guide to Direct-Image Presses provides information not only on DI but also on the prepress infrastructure that the user must have to utilize a DI press. Published by GATFPress, the publishing arm of the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (GATF), this new guide provides a brief history of this relatively new technology that was introduced only in 1991. The opening chapter also explains the enabling technologies used by a number of manufacturers and provides market information for direct-image printing so that printers can have a firm understanding of the technical foundation and products involved. Chapters 2 and 3 discuss job creation elements (hardware and software) and job transmittal and processing. Quality control and digital proofing informative is covered in Chapters 4 and 5. The book closes with a very information chapter on direct-imaging technologies, including laser imaging systems, plates, and presses used for direct-image printing. GATF called upon two highly reknown industry experts to co-author the guide. Frank J. Romano is the Roger K. Fawcett Distinguished Professor of Graphic Arts at Rochester Institute of Technology, where he teaches electronic prepress and electronic publishing. Widely published, he is the author of over 30 graphic arts books. He partnered with Richard M. Adams II on the publication. Adams is a former GATF research scientist with a specialty in digital imaging and color reproduction. He also has authored numerous books as well as many research reports on color reproduction. Helping printers enter the offset quality, on-demand market, The GATF Guide to Direct-Image Presses (ISBN 0-88362-379-X) contains 30 tables, 43 illustrations and a sample preflighing checklist. This 144-page, full-color, paperback textbook is available for $75 ($55 for GATF/PIA members), not including shipping. Discount rates for bulk orders for training groups or client gifts are available. Orders may be placed by contacting GATF by phone at 800/662-3916 (U.S. and Canada) or 412/741-5733 (all other countries); fax at 412/741-0609; or online from the GAIN Bookstore. Mail orders to GATF Products, P.O. Box 1020, Sewickley, PA 15143-1020. Indicate Order No. 1728.