The Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch tapped ABB, this time for a new plate workflow app, which the newspaper put into service in January. ABB two years ago completely revamped the Times-Dispatch’s three Mitsubishi presses.

The Times-Dispatch (daily, 181,369; Sunday, 213,418) installed ABB’s MPS PlateWorkflow - based on ProImage’s Newsway software - at both its downtown editorial offices and at its print center in nearby Hanover County. The downtown systems handle page workflow, starting with output from Adobe InDesign and QuarkXPress, then RIPping, page pairing, PDF distilling and finally, transmission to the print site. Because there is no platemaking at the editorial site, there is no need for integration with the press management systems, ABB said.

In Hanover, MPS PlateWorkflow manages the complete plate workflow and integrates with MPS Production, ABB’s press management system for the three presses, which provides product planning and plate imposition information to MPS PlateWorkflow.

The app receives the separations transmitted by the downtown site and handles the entire platemaking process, including barcoding and managing and load balancing to the daily’s Agfa CTP units. Integration with MPS Production allows the automatic transfer of ink zone values, which can be used to preset the press without manual intervention, ABB said.

Since the installations, the Times-Dispatch has increased control over its workflow, substantially improving quality control and reducing a number of corrective actions and support systems, according to ABB.

Look for more information on this installation in a upcoming issue of Newspapers & Technology.