New Bedford, MA - C.P. Bourg, the world's leading technology developer and supplier of document feeding, binding and finishing equipment, today announced a new capability that helps automate print production by giving the finishing devices an integral role in the manufacturing process.

The new capability, which was developed in conjunction with Ultimate Technographics and is called the "Bourg Box", uses a digital job ticket to set up C.P. Bourg finishing equipment automatically. The job ticket can be written in different formats, including Job Definition Format (JDF), an XML-based file format standard for information exchange in the graphic arts environment. The Bourg Box is also designed to communicate with operating systems used by manufacturers of digital presses and finishers, such as the Xerox Document Finishing Architecture (DFA). Through these facilities, the Bourg Box enables C.P. Bourg products to operate seamlessly on-line or off-line with virtually any type of digital print engine or document finisher as tightly integrated units.

"Integrating finishing equipment capabilities into the job definition at the prepress stage reduces or eliminates operator involvement and reduces or eliminates job setup time," said Rick Trapilo, C.P. Bourg General Manager and Executive Vice President.

In on-line production environments, this tight integration synchronizes with the print engine, enabling C.P. Bourg on-line finishing equipment to operate automatically. In off-line production environments where finishing systems operate decoupled from the printer, the Bourg Box enables C.P. Bourg's advanced finishing modules to operate efficiently with other manufacturer's equipment.

"Although the new Bourg Box can enhance finishing productivity and efficiency in any environment, its greatest advantage will be seen in digital on-line environments as a technology that delivers on the promise of totally automated, touchless workflows," said Trapilo.

"In an automated digital print finishing environment, there's no room or time for manual setups of machine changeovers, and no need for operator screens and control panels. To achieve peak efficiency, the finishing process must operate automatically under process control. This is exactly what the Bourg Box enables," he explained.

Key Demonstrations at Graph Expo
C.P. Bourg is participating with Xerox in the unveiling of the new Xerox iGen4Â EXP Web to Finish solution at Graph Expo 2010. Xerox's automated, productivity-boosting solution for the iGen4 EXP makes touchless workflow achievable from order to finished product with no manual setup or intervention.

In a demonstration of off-line workflow at the C.P. Bourg booth (#2036), the Bourg Box is enabling a high-speed Bourg BSF Sheet Feeder connected to a Bourg POWER SQUARE 200 booklet maker to automatically finish output carted to it from Xerox's Nuvera 288 press.