By David Lightfoot
Special to Newspapers & Technology

Today, the North American newspaper industry is entering the rapid growth phase of its conversion to computer-to-plate processing. After several years of working with a variety of exposure technologies, the accepted digital plate technologies are well established. Now, newspapers are beginning to evaluate what kind of digital workflow they want to deploy to optimize their CTP foundation.

Happily, most newspapers have a wide selection of production workflow vendors from which to choose, vendors that may or may not be the same ones that provided their CTP output technology.

Indeed, the trend in the industry is to an open system environment that enables “best in class” components to be integrated into systems that match the needs of the newspaper. There are a number of choices available to facilitate this approach.

Marking management

For newspapers, workflow management may be defined as a method for integrating front-end systems into a seamless digital process that manages all prepress production processes, from editorial to printing press.

In a nutshell, workflow management software provides an enabling tool for CTP systems in which intermediate analog image carriers are eliminated and replaced by digital data.

The most basic workflow systems require artists to manually pair pages using layout software, after which the pages are RIPped and output to the platesetter.

More automated systems offer additional economies and efficiencies. For example, flexible page pairing and automatic imposition eliminates operator intervention and human errors in the process.

Software may also allow for unlimited zones and multiple editions, and supports such steps as rotation or flopping, delayed black output, dynamic page furniture, register marks and bar codes. Edition planning tools are available to incorporate double trucks, dinkies, and multiple plate configurations.

Other features may include a Web browser capability, load balancing in cases where multiple output devices are installed, soft proofing for content, page positioning or contract, fan-out, creep adjustment, and production tracking and management.

The most sophisticated systems automatically drive the ink settings on press, provide feedback information on breakdowns or other problems, and generally require minimal manpower to operate.

Commercial options

A key question is whether you plan to print beyond your standard newspaper products and go after a share of the commercial print market.

This decision will require careful matching of the requirements of the commercial print product and the capability of the workflow software.

For example, preflighting will be a requirement, as will trapping.

Many commercial opportunities will also require software and workflow capable of handling PDF and JDF technology. The good news is that many workflow suppliers offer modular software that supports these options and lets users expand as their needs change and grow.

As a result, due diligence must be paid to the selection of the workflow software driving your CTP system, and this decision can be independent of the selection of platemaking and plate technology.

The right choice in workflow to interface with your front-end system will deliver digital files of the correct format to your output device, and substantially more. If you want the best solution that fits your exact needs, a thorough investigation of all your options on workflow will pay handsome dividends on your ultimate investment.

Even as the number of CTP system providers has narrowed, the number of workflow application vendors has increased.

For convenience, workflow software vendors can be separated into three primary categories.

The first is comprised of independent developers that solely sell software. The second bundle both software and hardware together. The third encompasses hybrid vendors that don’t offer plate consumables, but market output devices with their own workflow. Oftentimes, these hybrid vendors are either owned by, or partner with, printing press vendors.

Operations

Virtually every manufacturer of CTP output devices for newspapers claims their systems to be “open” as demonstrated by the ability to accept 1-bit TIFF files. As a result, most manufacturers are workflow-vendor independent. This means that newspaper publishers have the option to choose the workflow solution that best matches their requirements.

This flexibility is made possible by an enabling device, called a TIFF catcher, that’s found on all CTP output devices. TIFF catchers are interfaces, usually comprised of a small, integrated computer platform, which are loaded with software or a card capable of reading 1-bit TIFF data lines.

This device is also used as a driver to perform functions such as queue management, plate advancement, laser exposure control and other tasks. Each supplier has the ability to customize its software, and thus offer customers a measure of differentiation in how they can use their CTP systems.

The software managing the digital workflow will perform all the specified operations of preflighting, imposition or page pairing, including the addition of bar codes, graybars or other text furniture, RIPping, generating color separations, proofs, etc., all prior to delivering files to the TIFF catcher.

Images of imposed pages may be placed in drop folders either located on the local area network or the output device. Files of different format sizes (broadsheet, double truck, etc.) could be arranged in queues in separate folders. The TIFF catcher automatically scans the folders, collects the pages, and drives the output laser to write pixels on the digital plate in raster mode. In a few cases, the workflow system is capable of driving the output device directly, usually when the workflow and output device is provided by the same supplier.

Many workflow products are offered with software RIPs included. This is an advantage because they are typically much faster than many legacy RIPs found in newspapers. In most cases, the embedded RIPs will be Global Graphics Software’s Harlequin product line.

TIFF or PDF

A workflow system that can be accomplished in TIFF can generally be accomplished in PDF.

There are significant advantages in a PDF workflow over a TIFF workflow. PDF files, for example, are resolution independent, and can be viewed and edited with standard tools. They are multipurpose, separating content from layout, so that the same PDF master file can be used many times over. PDF files are also generally smaller than TIFF files and offer other benefits.
 

David Lightfoot is principal of Chesapeake Resource Group LLC, a 10-year-old Maryland-based independent consultancy that specializes in technology assessment, workflow, CTP and virtual publishing systems for newspapers and magazines. He can be reached at drlight@toad.net.