Venlo, The Netherlands - Océ, an international leader in digital document management and printing for professionals, today announced that the new Océ PRISMAsync controller family harmonizes color and black & white workflow for Océ cutsheet production printers. A standardized driver, uniform user interfaces and an integrated media catalog enable operators to effortlessly run every job in the same way.

This workflow incorporates a clear split between prepress and print production so operators can focus on key tasks and print more in less time. With the Océ PRISMAsync controller for production color systems, advanced color settings are centrally captured in color pre-sets - ready for re-use, so anyone can easily produce high quality color jobs. The controller series integrates with optional Océ PRISMAprepare software for easy preparation of even the most complex documents. In short, Océ PRISMAsync controllers meet the increasing demand for a single way of working at multi-engine production sites to reduce training and production costs, increase productivity and boost profits.

New brand of production cutsheet controllers

First presented at drupa 2008, Océ PRISMAsync is the new Océ brand of production cutsheet controllers. With Océ PRISMAsync controllers driving their production printers, central printrooms and commercial printshops no longer have to use different workflows for black & white and color jobs. Both monochrome and color

engines have a standardized printer driver. The printers' uniform user interface also simplifies operation no matter what print engine an operator is using. Furthermore, all machines have the same media catalog functionality. All this lowers training costs and enables managers to be more flexible when it comes to staff planning. It allows them to reassign operators during busy periods or free up capacity so they can offer extra services.

Productive task-based workflow

Structured working methods enhance the efficiency of people involved while reducing process costs due to fewer mistakes. With a clear split between prepress and print production, operators can concentrate on either job preparation or print production instead of constantly switching between the two. Océ PRISMAsync controllers help operators get maximum performance from all machines while prepress departments work either with the printer driver or optional Océ PRISMAprepare software to prepare and submit jobs. With everyone focused on their core tasks, staff become skilled experts and more productive as result. The clear division of labor also reduces mistakes and increases production capacity.

High quality color made easy

Océ customers already profit from the processing performance and ease of use of Océ PRISMAsync black & white controllers incorporated in Océ VarioPrint 6000 printers and the new Océ VarioPrint 4000 series. Now there is the Océ PRISMAsync color controller for the Océ CS665 Pro and the soon-to-be-available Océ CS655 Pro. With these powerful combinations anyone can produce high quality color jobs with no specialized color training. Key operators or Océ specialists make advanced color settings centrally and store them in preconfigured templates. Users sending or preparing jobs only have to select the right color pre-set for the right customer or document type to produce perfect color jobs every time.

Easy preparation of complex documents

Océ PRISMAsync controllers also integrate with optional Océ PRISMAprepare software. This award-winning job preparation software allows users to define layout, media and finishing requirements for individual pages, sections or an entire document with just a few mouse clicks. For clear media definition over the whole workflow it goes without saying that Océ PRISMAprepare software works with the same media catalog concept as Océ PRISMAsync controllers.

Océ PRISMAprepare also allows users to allocate machines more efficiently when printing jobs with both color and black & white pages. Color pages can be automatically detected and routed to a color printer. Later these pages are automatically merged with the rest of the document in the black & white printer. As a result, print providers with a tight deadline do not have to waste machine time and money printing mixed jobs solely with a color machine.