(May 31, 2008) At drupa 2008, Duplo is presenting on its booth a series of live demonstrations of completely automated interactive PDF and JDF based workflow solutions that enable maximum efficiency from job creation, imposition, printing to finishing. By teaming up with selected industry partners, visitors can see the integration of flexible and powerful software with efficient print and finishing equipment used to support a variety of business models.

By demonstrating its print finishing equipment in workflow demonstrations with software companies such as DigiLabs; Pageflex; Ultimate and Objective Advantage, visitors to the Duplo stand will experience just how easy it is to automate production, which offers great cost savings by eliminating human intervention and potential data input errors. In addition, print service providers can maximize production output and extend their business opportunities.

Si Nguyen, product marketing director at Duplo USA comments: “Workflow automation is recognized as a key tool to drive business efficiency so we are pleased to demonstrate to drupa visitors the seamless and easy integration of scalable prepress, print and finishing solutions and how they’ll be able to shorten the time between an order and delivery. The drive for web-to-print automation has turned the focus of innovation to finishing. However, to really maximize the potential of our intelligent finishing equipment, print service providers should evaluate their prepress set up and consider a complete workflow solution to extend customer offerings and enjoy significant productivity benefits.


“As a member of CIP4, we endorse the application of PDF and JDF based workflows to achieve optimum integration and maximum efficiency. We’re pleased to be working with such industry leading companies and look forward to demonstrating the power of such interactive workflows live on our stand.”

PDF/JDF enabled workflow demonstration
One of the live demonstrations sees the production of real print jobs such as business cards initiated via the Pageflex Storefront web submission software which enables template design, flexible layouts, personalization, customization and other powerful graphic design features created specifically for variable publishing. The Pageflex jobs are transmitted via a web service call to Objective Advantage’s Symbio suite of easy to use software management tools, which seamlessly integrates and automates all aspects of print production and order management, then transmits all job instructions to the digital printing device. At the same time, Symbio uses the same original job information to send preview images and job data via JDF to the DC-645 JDF Connector.  The JDF Connector provides previews of the job, giving precise operator instructions of how the job is to be loaded. Finally, using the data supplied in the JDF by Symbio, Duplo’s DC-645 Production Color Finisher slits, cuts and creases in one single pass to create the final printed product.

The vacuum-fed DC-645 automatically sets up the tooling to a printed registration mark by using its built-in camera, compensating for the common problem of image drift. 
This ensures that each processed sheet is finished accurately and that it slits, cuts, creases and perforates in precisely the right place, reducing waste and ensuring high quality and optimum output.  In addition, an air knife lifts and separates each individual sheet to eliminate the problem of static and facilitates mark-free processing. The heavy duty DC-645 is capable of handling up to 26 sheets per minute and can accommodate a wide range of paper weights, ranging from 110 to 350gsm. 

Other JDF workflows on the stand will include the production of postcards and greetings cards.

PDF enabled workflow demonstration
Also being demonstrated on the Duplo stand is an automated PDF enabled web-to-finish templated production of photo books created by DigiLabs. DigiLabs offers software that is simple to download and use, enabling easy creation and customization of photo products such as photo books and calendars on customers’ desktops. Once the page layout has been completed with the DigiLabs software, the produced PDF file is transmitted to the Impostrip software from Ultimate.

Impostrip manages imposition workflow, including full control over page position, bleeds, page-spread and scaling, marks and margins.
 
The photo book pages will then be sent to a Xerox DocuColor 8000AP Digital Color Press and loaded on Duplo’s Digital System 2000 which consists of a DSF-2000 sheet feeder and a DBM-120/T dynamic bookletmaker. Impostrip supports the Duplo register marks and bar codes used in the Digital System 2000. The finished books are then sent through to the versatile ASM-500 Automatic SpineMaster to produce a square spine booklet with a perfect bound finish.

The combination of powerful ‘hot folder’ imposition software and cost effective intelligent finishing solutions provides print service providers with great efficiency and easy of use.

Other PDF workflow applications running on the stand will include a real estate agent’s promotional mailing piece using dynamically created pieces via the Pageflex Storefront as well as personalized investment booklets.