FFEI Ltd, the global developer of award-winning digital imaging solutions, previews a fully-updated and re-branded version of its popular 3D-Packager solution today at drupa, with live demonstrations of its unique capabilities on the stand.  RealVue 3D Packager, a complete 3D visualisation software tool for fast carton packaging design, builds on the functionality of its predecessor by offering an array of innovative new features that improve speed and ease of use, while lowering costs.

Designed for the creative needs of brands, artwork designers, agencies, pre-press and converters, RealVue 3D Packager streamlines packaging design and development to dramatically improve product time-to-market, minimising dependence on physical mock-ups and reducing development costs. The solution works in synchronisation with Adobe Illustrator to simplify the creation of complex packaging design concepts, producing an interactive 3D visual which simulates all aspects of the structural design and special print finishing effects, including opaque white ink, foils, varnishes and specialised substrates.

RealVue 3D Packager allows real-time design that displays 3D visuals with a 360° view, allowing users to animate the folding process at the click of a button. Concepts, designs, and ultimately 3D prototypes, can all be shared with customers online, enabling key decision makers to benefit from a simplified product design process.

Andy Cook, FFEI managing director comments: “We are very excited to unveil the latest version of RealVue 3D Packager at drupa, with a host of new features and benefits. To demonstrate this unique product, and show how complex and sophisticated packaging designs can be easily and quickly simulated on screen, we have designed and produced a 3D model of the Bloodhound ‘Super Sonic Car’, which will be given away to visitors on our stand.”

“Throughout drupa our aim is also to show potential partners and resellers, why the Bloodhound project emulates everything FFEI and its technology solutions stand for through our VIP Partner Programme. We look forward to meeting like-minded businesses who want to profit from our cutting-edge technology.”

RealVue 3D Packager Version 2 incorporates a number of innovative enhancements, specifically:

• Realistic Lighting/Environment Mapping – RealVue 3D Packager’s new tools can create ‘real world’ reflections on object materials, effectively a map of an environment. Designers and creative professionals are provided the capability to simulate highly realistic light reflections in “Real Time” on rendered objects that can be moved in 3D space. This novel approach is more efficient than the slow classical ray tracing method and, via a precomputed texture image, enables designers to accurately store the image of the distant environment surrounding the rendered object, be it retail store, office or outside landscape. Users can also add their own environment maps downloaded from the web and utilise them together with RealVue 3D Packager’s new lighting enhancements for total creative control.

• Collada interchange file format – by using this standard exchange format, files created using compatible 3D or graphics software applications can be easily imported, avoiding the costly outlay of additional software packages. Seamless export to Adobe Photoshop gives more freedom to designers and creative professionals, enabling them to fully utilise graphic tools for retouching and compositing before exporting 3D view files to brand owners, agencies or marketing managers to review and approve.

• HTML 5 support – RealVue 3D Packager now provides HTML 5 export utilising the new built in support most browsers have for displaying 3D content without the need to install a plugin. Designers can create and send content with the confidence that colleagues or customers will be able to view it. Secure network users can now also view content without requiring permission to install a plugin from network administrators.

“Our new RealVue 3D Packager harnesses all the attributes that matter most to graphic designers – namely improved features, increased speed, ease of use and greater cost savings,” says Nick Gilmore, software business manager at FFEI.

“Importantly, this is achieved while allowing these users to operate within the familiar AdobeCreative Suite environment, so not only are they afforded everything they need for improved functionality, they do so by avoiding the need to purchase expensive proprietary solutions from high-end manufacturers.”

User-friendly RealVue 3D Packager is equipped with a host of features as standard, and can be integrated with existing print/packaging workflows and collaborative soft proofing solutions. The import of dielines and export to other packaging/labelling and Adobe Creative Suite applications is also supported.

Visitors to the FFEI stand will also have the opportunity to see FFEI’s new, end-to-end, digital label printing solution in action, as well hear more about  the continued success of the company’s market-leading CTP range.