Gent, Belgium – September 28, 2003 Esko-Graphics announces worldwide shipping of FlowDrive version 5.0, which recently received perfect technical scores in the 2003 PDF Shootout conducted by Seybold Publications. For PDF test files, Seybold adopted the Visual and the Technical pages of the Altona Suite, developed by the European Color Initiative, an open industry association based in Germany. The Altona Suite contains 891 individual test targets that test a RIP for a wide variety of situations in print publishing. It is a rigorous test of compliance to the PDF/X-3 specification. “Esko-Graphics understands that the first objective of a workflow is to produce correct output. The results of FlowDrive 5.0 at the Seybold PDF Shootout proves the accuracy of the workflow,” says Kresten Tang Andersen, Esko-Graphics Workflow Product Manager. “In addition, we have enhanced the FlowDrive’s trapping, color management, and imposition tools to provide the cost conscious shop an easy to use, fully-featured solution.” FlowDrive version 5.0 is the latest version of the company's output management system for medium-sized commercial printers. FlowDrive 5.0 is based on the Global Graphics Harlequin? RIP-Eclipse Release with full support for native processing of PDF 1.4 files (including transparency), and features a new in-RIP trapping engine, enhanced color management, more powerful imposition for up to 32 x 32 pages, improved calibration controls, and enhanced CIP3 options. The FlowDrive workflow system is client/server-based, featuring a central database that enables sharing of data among multiple RIPs. The basic configuration of FlowDrive is easily managed through the RIP Administration program, and the daily use and operation of the system is accomplished using two FlowDrive client applications: Queue (for managing all output tasks) and Creator (for setting up job parameters). The architecture is open and modular, based on industry standard components, and can be configured to meet the requirements of each individual customer. FlowDrive is designed to support the existing line of Esko-Graphic imagesetters and platesetters, including the PlateDriver, ImageMaker, and DotMate output devices. New features of FlowDrive version 5.0 include: - Full support of native processing of PDF 1.4 files (including transparency), as well as PDF/X-1, PDF/X-1a, and PDF/X-3. - TrapPro a new, advanced in-RIP trapping engine allowing page specific trap sets as well as a comprehensive, new set of advanced trapping features such as sliding traps, narrowed/proportional traps, and mitered ends and joins. TrapPro also comes as TrapProLite™, an option providing a smaller set of features. - Improved color management adds new device emulation, and i.e. support for grayscale and spot colors. - An enhanced, easier to use ImpositionManager, expanding to 32 x 32 page impositions, with a Smart Numbering function that guides the user while folding and entering page numbers in the signatures. - Improved Screen Adjust and Dot Gain controls to ease calibration routines. - Advanced options to the CIP3 output provided by the Extension InkControl to accommodate administrative data required by a press manufacturer or press control system - A priorities-based Active Queue allowing the user to prioritize montages in five steps, from high to low