Melville, NY - Canon Solutions America, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc., recently launched “Book of One” Océ PRISMA software extension, an on-demand publishing tool.

Book of One offers a workflow solution for both continuous feed and cutsheet products in order to address the challenges that many book publishers and printers are experiencing today.

“Book of One was created to remove inefficiencies and save customers money while expanding their opportunities,” said A.E. “Buddy” Mountcastle III, Marketing Executive, Production Print Solutions division of Canon Solutions America. “We understand that no two book manufacturing facilities are the same and this allows our customers the ability to become more flexible in their offerings.”

Streamlined Solution
Book of One automates digital book production through a highly efficient batch, barcode, and scanning process. Jobs are grouped based on parameters that improve process efficiency. This includes trim size, media, imposition, finishing (perfect or saddle stitched), and most importantly, page count. The intelligent automation provided by Book of One is a good example of the type of end-to-end automation required for a successful future in book manufacturing.

“Our clients need a combination of the right tools and partners to create a seamless and automated book factory,” said Rick Foley, vice president of strategic solutions, Production Print Solutions division, Canon Solutions America. “For anyone looking to make the move to digital, Book of One fits the need and produces positive results.”

Committed to Quality, Committed to ROI
Canon Solutions America’s team of professional services specialists provides support, from integration of installed solution components and connecting hardware and software to the client’s network, to full integration and migration services that simplify the implementation process.

One of the most unique aspects of Book of One is its ability to impose multiple titles on a single sheet or web width, even when those titles are being manufactured in different form factors. When combined with JDF-enabled partner finishing solutions, this imposition scheme allows efficient runs of multiple titles with various unit counts, minimizing waste and offering optimum throughput. Using JDF/JMF, bi-directional communication throughout the manufacturing process ensures automated bindery and press set-up, communication with order entry and management systems, and more.

Other important advantages for profitable and automated manufacturing of short run books include the Print File Enhancer capability, which allows operators to enhance and/or modify PDF files. This function enables placement of barcodes for tracking page count and marrying covers with book blocks and the ability to insert pages or shift contents to allow for gutters and other factors.

Digital Age
As the book market continues to evolve, printers are pressured to not only move to digital, but also to develop ways to do it more efficiently at lower costs. Many digital book printers report that their average unit run length is in the single digits. Producing small quantities, as small as one, can be a challenge for many workflows, so book publishers need to find ways to meet needs while trimming costs. Book of One will allow book manufacturers to profitably address the higher volume of shorter runs that will continue to be a hallmark of book printing for the foreseeable future.

While consolidation among book printers is likely to continue as overall industry revenues remain flat or in decline and consumer reading habits continue to shift, the survivors will be those who have taken a forward-looking path and heartily embraced the digital future.