CHICAGO (Print 05 & Converting 05) – RIPit Computer Corp., the primary workflow and CtP provider to the majority of quick printers and franchises in North America, unveils a new version of its OpenRIP Symphony Workflow solution at its PRINT 05 booth #6560, from September 9 – 15, 2005. The new version, which significantly furthers small printers' opportunities to compete for higher end business, includes simplified color management, advanced preflight functionality, and new features for flexographic applications. OpenRIP Symphony is a comprehensive, turnkey Adobe PostScript 3 workflow solution built on RIPit's award-winning core OpenRIP technology. In addition to controlling one hundred-plus imagesetters, platesetters, printers, and plotters natively, OpenRIP can also control a wide range of PostScript and TIFF-in devices from a single interface. This centralized control also insures file consistency across all devices. According to the company, the success of OpenRIP Symphony is attributable to a comprehensive design, which gives graphic arts customers more automation for the least money. New Version Details The new version of OpenRIP Symphony boasts enhanced features including simplified color management; preflight enhancements; TIFF input; and a greatly expanded set of PerfectBLEND AM/FM hybrid screen choices for offset printing, as well as new features specifically designed for flexographic printing applications. New: - Simplified color management automatically sets appropriate options for a wide variety of jobs. - Preflight enhancements enable OpenRIP to report on a number of file characteristics, including: colors and color spaces used; fonts used and whether there are font substitutions; number of pages and images; whether any images fall below a particular resolution or below a multiple of the selected linescreen value; and whether the page contains any hairline strokes. Users can control which characteristics trigger a warning. Preflight is available from the Monitor Preview window, and from OpenRIP Remote. - TIFF files can now be added to a queue along with PS, EPS, and PDF files. TIFF input supports bi-level (bitmap), grayscale, RGB, and CMYK TIFF files at 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 bits per channel, and CIELab TIFF files at 8 bits per channel. - Greatly expanded set of PerfectBLEND AM/FM hybrid screening choices for offset printing, as well as enhanced features specifically designed for flexographic printing applications. Added Benefits for Flexographic Printers Flexographic printers will gain from the newest additions as well, including: - Flexo Die List Printing: Once a die list is sorted by a particular field, it is also printed in the same sequence. - Bearer Bar enhancements: The standard bearer bar can now be screened back to 50% or 25%, to reduce ink build-up on the bar. - Color density swatches: Can be added just outside either or both bearer bars. - The CB End of Plate Mark: When added to a custom bar, is now the same design as the mark which is used at the ends of standard bearer bars. - Flexo Double-burn feature: When this feature is selected, it is possible to choose a Size Around value which is smaller than the desired image area, without clipping the image. This allows for additional flexibility in nesting certain types of jobs.