SALT LAKE CITY, -- ONYX Graphics, Inc. has announced the availability of ONYX(R) PrepEdge(TM) Pro software, a professional job preparation tool designed specifically for large format workflows. ONYX PrepEdge Pro software reduces job preparation time and media waste, and increases throughput and productivity for large format print service providers in the prepress stage of their printing workflow.

ONYX PrepEdge Pro software highlights

- Eliminates the need for other job preparation applications; includes all production large format tools and a PDF editor.
- Reduces job preparation time by up to 75 percent.
- Only large format job preparation tool that runs on Macintosh(R) and Windows(R) PC platforms.
- Works with all large format RIP (raster image processor) software

Job preparation is the main bottleneck in most large format print workflows. The problems can include customer file issues; disparate settings from using multiple content creation applications such as Adobe(R) Illustrator(R), CorelDRAW(R) or QuarkXPress(R); color matching issues; and lack of tools specific to large format printing. These problems negatively affect productivity: printer operators waste time fixing or preparing jobs instead of printing; ink and media are wasted due to multiple test print runs; and deadlines are missed because files are not ready or will not print.

Range of professional tools designed specifically for large format workflow
ONYX PrepEdge Pro software addresses all job preparation issues prior to print processing. It is the only job preparation software that includes features specific to large format job preparation such as one-click grommet placement; size, crop and positioning tools; bleed and fold tools; complex tiling and template tools; fast contour cut path generation; and a raster image to vector tool.

ONYX PrepEdge Pro software gives users the ability to view color-accurate, on-screen proofs, and quickly check and fix file anomalies. The built-in color correction and management tools include controls to correct hue, saturation, brightness, contrast and color balance. It includes a simple and accurate spot color matching function with the ability to create and save spot color libraries in addition to the on-board PANTONE(R), RAL, HKS(R) and industry cutting vinyl color libraries.

With ONYX PrepEdge Pro software, prepress operators can quickly and easily edit any image, text or graphic element of a PDF file. It is the only large format job preparation software that includes a full professional PDF editor. Shapes, lines and gradients can be manipulated, and text or fonts can be changed. Users can import files and save the output as a PDF. Job templates, including tiling and placeholder setups, can be saved.

Increases productivity and decreases media waste
Print shop owners and their production managers can rely on ONYX PrepEdge Pro software to optimize their large format workflow, ultimately resulting in cost savings. Integrating ONYX PrepEdge Pro software into their workflow addresses all preflight issues prior to production and eliminates the need for print operators to master multiple creative content applications or other job preparation applications. Because the workflow is optimized and issues that lead to multiple test print runs (and media waste) are eliminated, shops can also see a decrease in media usage.

Users see immediate savings
"ONYX PrepEdge Pro software really saves us a lot of time in pre and post-production with banners," said Chris Panza, Production Manager at Image Graphics 2000, Pompano Beach, Florida. "On one job of 50 banners, it cut our time in half and saved us over five hours."

"ONYX PrepEdge Pro software has been beautiful for setting up our banners and vehicle wraps," explains Scott Manwaring, Manager of Digital Print Services, Rainbow Sign & Banner, St George, Utah. "We took on a lot of banner and wrap jobs in the last couple of weeks and ONYX PrepEdge Pro software worked perfectly. I quickly removed bleed lines the customers had added, along with some bad clipping masks. It's easily saved us eight hours of time. Before using ONYX PrepEdge Pro software, we spent a lot of time on paneled jobs going back and forth making small changes between Illustrator software and our RIPs. ONYX PrepEdge Pro software just cuts out so many steps. Once a job is ready, we submit it once and we're done. With ONYX PrepEdge Pro software in our workflow we can cut days of lead-time off of our biggest jobs."

"Nothing needs to be done through Illustrator software anymore," describes Richard Nuhn, Manager of NC Pestill's Hamilton, Ontario, grand format production location. "On banners, we get unbelievable time savings with ONYX PrepEdge Pro software. For example, we produced two 2-foot by 10-foot banners that took us 22 minutes to prepare using Illustrator software. With ONYX PrepEdge Pro software, we produced them both in less than five minutes. Those job preparation savings add up. What used to be a weeks-worth of job prep time using Illustrator software, we can now do in a day using ONYX PrepEdge Pro software. More importantly for us, job preparation isn't a bottleneck so we can do today's work today."

RIP-independent and platform-friendly
ONYX PrepEdge Pro software works with all large format software RIPs. It is the only job preparation software that can run on Mac OS(R) X 10.4 or higher, Windows XP or Windows Vista(R) platforms. It offers capabilities specific to the large format printing workflow, which is a step beyond existing PDF editing tools that are currently available.

Availability
ONYX PrepEdge Pro software is available now in the U.S. and Canada from select ONYX Authorized Resellers. It is expected to be available in Asia beginning in March 2009, and in Europe and the Middle East beginning in April 2009. For availability in other territories, please contact ONYX Graphics. To view an online demonstration of ONYX PrepEdge Pro, visit www.onyxgfx.com. For more information or to locate an authorized ONYX Authorized Reseller, visit www.onyxgfx.com or call 800-828-0723 (international +1-801-954-5380).