Fujifilm has launched a cross media workflow including a number of major new variable data and productivity enhancing features, the XMF Workflow v5.5.
The system is designed to optimise high speed print production on the Jet Press 720 and 540W digital inkjet presses.
As with previous versions of the software, content rendering is processed by the PDF Print Engine from Adobe. XMF v5.5 is one of the first systems on the market to use Adobe’s newly announced scalability framework, the Mercury RIP Architecture.
This means v5.5 is able to drive data-rich, high-volume digital print production. Mercury’s parallel processing architecture features distributed multi-tier caching and dynamic load balancing to take full advantage of available hardware.
‘Digital web presses put huge demands on workflow systems, so our focus has been to develop an extremely efficient end-to-end print environment that allows companies to increase their productivity and competitiveness,’ commented Shigenori Tsuji, senior vice president of the Workflow Division.
He continued, ‘As well as being the first vendor to bring to market a workflow built from the ground up around JDF and the Adobe PDF Print Engine, Fujifilm is leading the way once more with the introduction of Adobe’s new Mercury RIP Architecture.’
The company has used this technology to create a very wide data path for driving graphically rich personalised content to its digital inkjet web press, the Jet Press 540W. According to Raman Nagpal, senior director of print at Adobe, ‘The Jet Press 540W powered by XMF v5.5 marks an impressive milestone in the evolution of continuous-feed digital printing.’
The softare also supports PDF/VT and PPML variable data formats. In addition, a new database has been implemented within XMF to sustain the high data processing volumes associated with variable data printing in order to maximise the productivity typically required by fast-moving digital print environments.
The company has recently obtained CIP4 certification which gives full integration between an MIS system and XMF. This means the software can now be connected to many different MIS systems and incorporates a new JDF tool to interpret and convert incoming MIS instructions into JDF compatible ones.
The software has also improved proofing capabilities through the automated distribution of 3D proofs. The 3D proofing module, already embedded in previous versions of XMF Workflow, gives printers the ability to create a ‘virtual printed product’ to provide their customers with an accurate representation of the final print job. Within XMF v5.5, this is now processed automatically.
Finally, v5.5 features further improvements to support ColorPath, the cloud-based colour management system that is designed to help printers calibrate and maintain compliance to printing standards.
