November 14, 2003 -- Heidelberg will be supplying customers with the latest release of its automated prepress workflow, Prinect Printready System 1.2, with immediate effect. The new release of the RIP and workflow software, MetaDimension 4.1, is also now available. Both software releases are integral parts of the Prinect workflow. They are designed to work together seamlessly and offer solutions for automated data processing and for imaging Adobe PostScript and PDF files on film and plate recorders from Heidelberg. MetaDimension is based on the Adobe standards for efficiently processing PostScript and PDF files. The software can be used on all Heidelberg film and plate recorders including a large number of proofing devices. Prinect Printready System 1.2 in tandem with MetaDimension 4.1 The most important innovation of the Prinect Printready System 1.2 is the high level of integration with the new MetaDimension 4.1 based on JDF. MetaDimension 4.1 can be automatically incorporated into the Printready 1.2 workflow. As a result, all output processes supported by MetaDimension can be incorporated as process operations in the Printready workflow and processed automatically by MetaDimension 4.1. This means that tasks such as producing previews, proofs, TIFF-B files and even high-resolution output on CTP and presses can be integrated as processes in the Printready workflow. Version 1.2 of the Prinect Printready System works interactively with the new version 6.0 of Adobe Acrobat. The latest Enfocus components – PitStop Professional 6, the tool used to produce preflight profiles and PitStop Action Lists for Prinect Printready, and Instant PDF 2.2, software that facilitates creation of error-free PDF files – have also been incorporated into Printready 1.2. Prinect Printready 1.2 offers the customer an extended administration cockpit so that the process sequences required for automation can now be created and edited on this workstation. MetaDimension now supports FM screen Satin Screening MetaDimension 4.1 now supports Satin Screening, the latest generation of frequency-modulated screening processes. Satin Screening enables users to achieve a noticeable improvement in color print quality. It also avoids problems with tone gradations, graininess in the mid-tone range and poor performance with stochastic screening techniques. MetaDimension 4.1 supports additional proofers MetaDimension 4.1 includes the new proofing engine manager "Colorproof Pro" for all proofing applications. This significantly extends the portfolio of supported proofing devices. Proofing devices from various manufacturers such as HP, Epson, Canon and others can now be controlled directly by MetaDimension. Functions for calibrating proofing devices have also been extended and integrated into the "Colorproof Pro" engine manager. The integration of the new Adobe PostScript 3 Interpreter 3016 has considerably increased MetaDimension's performance. Parallel processing on several processors is now available and delivers significantly enhanced performance. The use of symmetrical multi-processor systems noticeably speeds up output processes. MetaDimension 4.1 now also available for Quickmaster DI MetaDimension 4.1 now also supports Quickmaster DI presses. Customers can fully integrate a Quickmaster 46 DI into a Prinect workflow. "Prinect from Heidelberg offers a complete workflow solution extending from prepress and press to finishing. The new releases Prinect Printready 1.2 and MetaDimension 4.1 give our customers a considerable competitive edge in terms of printing quality thanks to the new Satin Screening technology. The customer can now use his preferred proofing device and combine it with Heidelberg's experience in color management to benefit from the best proofing solutions on the market," says Dr. Peter Leu, Vice President Prinect Product Management at Heidelberg. "By integrating Adobe PostScript 3 version 3016, we have achieved an output speed that overcomes any limitations for the vast majority of applications," explains Dr. Leu. "The combination of MetaDimension 4.1 and Adobe PostScript 3 version 3016 will increase productivity and reliability on the one hand and significantly cut production costs for printshops and service providers on the other," explains Don Walker, General Manager of the Publishing Technologies and Services Group at Adobe. "Adobe PostScript 3 is the industry standard for high quality print output when it comes to printing and imaging technology." Both of the new software releases Prinect Printready System 1.2 and MetaDimension 4.1 will also shortly be available for Windows 2003.