Caldera Launches PrintBoard Production Monitoring Display Package
Pioneering wide-format software developer Caldera has revealed a new software and hardware bundle that allows PSPs to harness the power of digital
signage on their own production floors. PrintBoard, launched last year as a plug-in for Caldera Print & Cut solutions, interacts directly with a Caldera RIP
Version 9.10 to display real time output statistics on-screen.
The standalone PrintBoard package will include the Variable Display media player with a 'light' Variable Display software licence, the PrintBoard
plug-in for just €995. This will enable the user to monitor up to five contents per server, plus the PrintBoard session, with the option to upgrade to
the full version of Variable Display for €495.
PrintBoard displays information such as the daily square metre production rate, the rate per printing device, the percentage of production per printer
and per type of printer and the number of errors per day, alongside the sequence of jobs lined up for each device. This allows for an at-a-glance
overview of the workload, and makes it easy for production managers to order jobs for optimum efficiency and productivity.
"Our customers told us that they wanted a more visible monitoring solution that would enable them to be more proactive in driving efficiency, so we
came up with PrintBoard," explains Joseph Mergui, CEO Caldera. "It makes use of data that is already generated by the RIP and displays it in an
intuitive format that can be shown anywhere: on the print shop floor, in the office – even in their reception area. Once again Caldera is
demonstrating the forward-thinking approach to printing that we know our users value highly."
The web-based platform-independent PrintBoard solution can be accessed from anywhere, including mobile devices like the iPad and Android tablets.
The Variable Display management software is easy to use, even for those with no previous experience of using digital signage systems, and the
hardware is able to drive any kind of digital display while its compact design allows it to be installed discreetly almost anywhere. Caldera is confident
that when PSPs experience the ease of using Variable Display with PrintBoard for themselves, they will realise the value of being able to offer
Variable Display as an add-on product to their own customers.
"Variable Display was initially developed as a digital signage solution for wide-format PSPs to offer alongside their printed products," Serge Clauss,
Product Sales Manager, Caldera. "That it is also offers a great way to monitor production with the PrintBoard plug-in is a bonus. We see great
potential for PSPs to expand into digital signage with Variable Display, and we're sure that once they see how powerful the technology can be in
their own businesses, they will want to capture a slice of the market for themselves."
The PrintBoard package is now available from Caldera partners.
Leading wide-format software developer Caldera will reveal the latest version of its comprehensive workflow solution, Flow+ 1.6, at SGIA Expo in
Las Vegas between October 18th and 20th. Flow+ 1.6 boasts major enhancements to the quoting system, customer relationship management
and user interface, as well as a number of new tools and a faster processing engine.
The Flow+ team, which recently welcomed Serge Clauss as its new Workflow Sales Manager, has been working to improve and fine-tune Caldera's
flagship workflow software based on customer feedback and believes the additional functionality in the latest version offers one of the most
comprehensive solutions available to the industry in a sleek and updated interface.
"We know that simplified end-to-end sales and production processes are becoming more and more important to wide-format businesses as raw
materials costs rise and margins are squeezed," says Serge Clauss. "For many of our customers, Flow+ is a business-critical investment. That's
why the additions to the latest version make it work harder for them on every level."
Improvements in the quoting system include a more flexible quotation builder, designed to assist companies implementing an MIS for the first time by
allowing the creation of quotes with a free text field. This will enable sales teams to learn and adjust to the Flow+ system more gradually, whilst also
making for a smoother and quicker integration. In addition, the quoting wizard has been enhanced, meaning that groups of finishing processes can
be added to a job. For example, a 'Banner Finishing' group could contain 'pocket sewing' and 'eyelet positioning', helping to prevent work being done
without being invoiced.
The CRM module has also benefited from a number of improvements, including better filtering of customer information to help the sales team identify
existing clients and leads to be followed up. A list of pending quotes can be called up easily and also exported in a Microsoft Excel format for sales
team meetings. Information filtering options have been extended throughout Flow+, putting the right information in the user's hands when they
need it.
A host of new tools have been introduced for Flow+ 1.6 to make planning resources and monitoring production even more intuitive. The daily inventory
report can now be exported for analysis, as can overviews on production load, showing how many of which types of job have been scheduled, filtered
by device. Similarly, a Job Life Cycle report summarises a job from start to finish and helps production managers identify potential efficiency savings. A
further new reporting tool offers the ability to track the amount of time a job spends in pre-press, helping pre-press managers improve productivity.
Another invaluable new tool is the Installation Planning feature, which helps users schedule installations for each job in the system. Deadlines can be
set and sub-contractors assigned for each project, and jobs can be grouped together for improved efficiency.
The entire user experience has been given an overhaul too, with a completely modified engine built for faster responses even when the system is
overloaded, a sleek, modern new user interface and added Spanish language support. The Spanish version is the fifth language to be supported
by Flow+ after English, German, French and Greek. The Portugese, Italian and Korean versions are pending.
"Our mission at Caldera is to make printing easier for everyone and this newest release of Flow+ is a great example of our commitment to this," says
Sébastien Hanssens, vice-president of marketing for Caldera. "Collectively, these small improvements will make a huge difference to our customers
using Flow+, by providing the tools and systems they need to become more efficient as simply as possible."
Caldera has brought to market a new edition of its pioneering RIP software, Caldera V9, which harnesses the latest version of the Adobe print engine,
APPE 2.5, to deliver additional productivity features and refinements. Enhanced colour options, improved transparency handling and faster previewing
join with practical additions to provide Caldera's world-wide user base with the broadest functionality available in this market.
Recognising the need for increased control over the print environment, Caldera V9 brings two significant updates to its already advanced Spooler
module. Operators can now double-click a job within Spooler to reopen it within the Print window, allowing them to verify parameters or resubmit it
with modified settings. LiveSpooler, meanwhile, introduces a new XML exchange protocol which allows for the monitoring of offline devices within
the print environment, thereby improving workflow management – especially for owners of Caldera's popular Flow+ package.
Users will also discover significant developments in colour control and correction in Caldera V9, specifically engineered to save time and improve
accuracy. Amongst these is the ability to make last-minute adjustments to contrast, luminosity and colour balances within the main Print window,
avoiding the need to jump between modules for minor alterations. The operator can also save the current Print window configuration in a named file,
allowing for rapid switching between different workflow options. Color Books of swatches are also generated on-demand by V9, providing a multi-
page PDF file of reference colours so that operators can more easily match desired brand colours with those available within the given print
configuration.
Implementations of the Caldera RIP with the EasyMedia profiling module will also be able to take advantage of i1Prism V2, now integrated within
Caldera V9 to provide excellent smoothness in colour rendering and more fine-tune settings, such as contrast and saturation control. EasyMedia
users will also note a new function allowing them to report on ink density and resynchronise ICC profiles if required, correcting linearisation curves
to compensate for current printing conditions, such as head changes and remaining ink volume.
Memory management, font support and Xobjects are significantly better supported by the new APPE 2.5 integration, which also provides smaller fixes,
such as more consistent direct colour substitution and the ability to replace spot colours in RGB mode. The primary advantage for Caldera V9 users,
who have (own) the APPE option, is the improved RIPping speeds, especially for files with transparent elements, which will see 20% of the RIP time
shaved off on average. In tandem, the new Global Rasterisation option allows for the preview of more complex documents, such as those with
transparency or overprint information.
A totally new option in V9 is the fruit of Caldera's partnership with colour management specialists Alwan, InkPerformer. This module, which requires a
special license key, calculates new levels of black ink to reduce the use of other inks while reproducing faithfully the hues intended from the original
file. While vastly increased black laydown produces more graininess, InkPerformer allows print providers to use their professional judgment and take
control of their ink costs – especially for situations where exceptional quality is not necessarily required, such as applications with long viewing
distances.
"Each release of Caldera brings with it a new generation of upgrades which understand the pressures of modern wide-format production properly and gives
print houses the tools to streamline production and improve quality", states Sebastien Hanssens, Vice President Marketing at Caldera.
"This ranges from broader innovations, such as advanced colour control options, to productivity-orientated measures, like the creation of
reconfigurable, automatic print gutters to avoid density variations and nozzle clogging and, therefore, the expense of head strikes. Ultimately,
we believe that Caldera V9 continues to offer the most comprehensive, feature-heavy option on the print software market today."
Caldera V9 also brings Turkish and Chinese language speakers into the fold, in the latter case by incorporating Pinyin input, with text also rendered
anti-aliased for better readability. This increases the number of languages supported by Caldera to 10, including English, French, German, Spanish,
Italian, Russian, Portuguese and Polish, amongst others.
Innovative French software manufacturer Caldera has teamed up with Alwan Color Expertise, the colour management and standardisation specialists,
to create an innovative ink saving module for the latest edition of the Caldera RIP (v9). Named InkPerformer, the option promises users the power to
monitor and optimise their ink comsumption, giving commercial printers a significant environmental and economical advantage over their competitors.
Caldera InkPerformer harnesses Alwan's award-winning profiling technology within the context of the adaptable and powerful Caldera RIP engine to
provide an average 20 percent reduction in ink consumption across all types of wide-format production. At a time when raw materials costs, and
therefore ink prices, are rising dramatically, this significant saving allows all types of wide-format digital print house to decrease their expenditure
significantly, typically achieving ROI within weeks.
InkPerformer sits in the workflow before the file is RIPped and does not require the creation or adjustment of output profiles to implement cost savings.
The intuitive user interface allows for the control of two key variables: the BlackStart level, which is the threshold at which black is allowed to replace
other ink colours, and the level of ink economy required. The operator can choose the desired setting from Low, which offers a modest ink saving
with practically unnoticeable effect on the colour reproduction, Medium, and High, which provides a considerable reduction in lay-down. There is
also a Maximum option to prioritise economisation completely over colour, which, while losing some gamut in shadows, is nevertheless suitable for
applications to be viewed at distance.
The module, which can be provided with licenses for three, five or more than five devices, calculates a new combination of colours for ink lay-down to
retain visual fidelity within the user's chosen threshold. A supplementary feature in InkPerformer allows the user, if desired, to RIP and then compare the
original image with the adjusted, ink-saving image, and even send both jobs to print. This working mode allows for the rapid comparison of jobs and
calculates the percentage of ink saved, giving businesses the power to decide for themselves how much lay-down is required for each job.
"With the strong development of digital ink-jet printing systems and applications, we decided that it was time to extend our technology in this market,
where we see ink consumption and costs becoming a critical matter for print service providers," explains Elie Khoury, President and CEO of Alwan
Color Expertise. "Caldera is an undisputed leader and innovator in the wide-format print sector and already incorporates very powerful technology in its
software, such as the Adobe Print Engine. This collaboration allows Caldera users to join Alwan customers in saving tons of ink and millions of dollars
every year for the benefit of the planet and of their profits."
"InkPerformer joins EasyMedia, EasyColour, CostProof and CostView as one of the many optimising functions offered across the Caldera suite," adds
Joseph Mergui, Caldera's CEO. "Alwan's leadership and experience in the field of colour management and ink optimisation is the perfect complement for
Caldera users who are seeking to control their overheads and improve their margins."
Caldera Launches the First Eco-Print Calculator: Costview 3.0
Caldera will launch the first carbon footprint calculator dedicated to the wide format printing industry. The fully redesigned and upgraded version of its
cost visualization software for wide format printers, CostView 3.0 has been improved with new features, a brand new design and an industry premier
module for carbon footprint monitoring.
Calculate your printing’s carbon footprint
Positioned as a dashboard for a manager sensitive to production costs, CostView now has an eco-sensitive dimension. Its newest and most important
feature is the addition of a carbon footprint analysis tool. Users can now indicate the CO2 rejected by each of the elements of the job: ink, media,
electricity, additional costs.
According to Joseph Mergui, Caldera CEO “By introducing eco-responsible data into out RIP solutions, Caldera ambitions to keep its leadership in
innovating the wide format printing industry“
CostView 3.0 : cost visualization to improve business profitability
The new 3.0 version is above all a tool intended for printers to monitor all costs pertaining to printing. It is a fully integrated production management tool
which extracts information about jobs directly from the RIP spooler, thus enabling a production manager to control, modify, study and export all costs
pertaining to a job.
With CostView 3.0, any production manager can view all jobs in the spooler, monitor ink and media costs add optional or automatic costs to each job
and export the job listing with all relevant costs as a spreadsheet ready for further analysis. Its web driven interface can be accessed by any user in
your company network using a simple web browser.
“As Green Printing is becoming increasingly important, it was evident for us to start to imagine new tools that would not only calculate a carbon
impact (CO2 footprint) on the environment but enable Eco-Sensitive Printers to show with data their implication on printing with concern of the
environment.” says Sebastien Hanssens (VP Marketing of Caldera).
Caldera, the award winning RIP software editor leader in large format imaging and production workflow, is launching the new version 8.01 of its range of RIP
products which includes many new features and devices.
Caldera is now shipped with a new, Debian-based, Linux distribution, which replaces Kubuntu 8.04. This distribution is highly customized for fitting the
Caldera requirements, and also includes a very easy installation procedure. The choice of Debian, which is considered by many as the most stable and
flexible distribution, will allow more reactivity in terms of hardware support.
The new V 8.01 version has integrated Pantone Plus, an upgrade to the classical PANTONE Color System, released recently by PANTONE. In Caldera, it is
implemented with 5 new color files available in the Spot Color editor: PANTONE+ Solid Coated, PANTONE + Solid Uncoated, PANTONE+ Premium Metallics
Coated, PANTONE+ Pastels+Neons Coated and PANTONE+ Pastels+Neons Uncoated.
A complete N-Color Printing workflow is also a new addition. This feature has as key components an N-Color printing engine, able to process any type of ink,
like additional process inks (Orange, Green, Blue, etc...) as well as additional spot inks like Silver, fluorescent inks, etc.. and an N-Color calibration procedure,
including linearization and Ink limitation in EasyMedia. It also includes an InkSet editor, which allows the user to create custom Inks and InkSets and an
enhanced Spot Color manager, allowing to type output color directly in N-Color.
All printer drivers now support the media compensation mechanism. This allows users to define correction factors for the width or the height of the media to be
used when the printer prints a little bit bigger or smaller than expected.
New Printer Drivers
· Agfa : Anapurna 2500 LED, Anapurna Mw
· HP-Scitex TJ 8600, LX600, LX800, FB500, FB700
· HP Designjet Z5200, Z6200
· Oce Arizona 550GT, 550XT
· Fujifim-Sericol Acuity Advance HS
· Canon IPF 6300, 6350, 8300, 8310, 815, 825
· KIP Color UJV 180j
· Durst Tau 150i, Rho 750, 162 TS, Rhotex 320
· Gerber CAT | UV
· Mutoh Viper 100 TX, Viper TX Extreme, ValueJet 1304W, ValueJet 1604W
· Océ ColorWave 600
· Grapo Manta, Octopus II, Shark
· Roland VS640, VS540, VS420, VS300, RS-640, LEC-300, LEC-330, LEC-540
· Epson Stylus Pro 7890, 9890
· Teckwin TeckPro-H5000, TeckProUV-3200, TeckStar, TeckStorm-TS, Minoteck
· Vutek GS3200, GS5000r
· swissQprint Impala
· d.gen Artrix-GT, Teleios-GT
New Cutter Drivers
· GCC: Expert 24, Expert 24 LX, Expert Pro
Fespa 2010 : A Massive Presence of Caldera Solutions on Many Partners
Booths Showing the Largest Spectrum of Applications
Besides the Caldera official booth (#379), Fespa 2010 will allow visitors to see the largest spectrum of machines
and applications ever, driven by the widely known and many times awarded caldera solutions. It is unique in the
recent history of that market that so many manufacturers are relying on Caldera range of products in order to run
their respective printer range.
- On booth B1-260, Durst will display a high-end Rho 1000, a new Rho 750 recently released and a brand
new printer model that will be officially released on fespa 2010, all driven by Caldera GrandRIP+ including the
new APPE rip engine
- On booth B2-360, Epson Europe will run an eco-solvant Stylus Pro GS 6000 printer for high quality vinyl &
textile printing driven by Caldera VisualRIP+, including the new n-color engine for the support of Orange & Green
inks. (il faudrait lui trouver un nom !)
- On booth 2B-145, Fotoba, the Italian X&Y cutter manufacturer will run a Mutoh Blizzard and a HP
DesignJet L25500 with VisualRIP+, including the exclusive Nest-O-Ba option that is nesting jobs in an optimized
way for the fotoba cutter and adding the adequate registration marks on the fly for a fast and efficient job
finishing
- On booth B1-449, Gerber will show an integrated print-to-cut workflow made of the new Gerber IonZ
and the M-Class flatbed cutter driven by GrandRIP+ and GrandCut option
- On booth B2-460, Grapo will show for the first time the Manta White & the Shark printers driven by a
Caldera GrandRIP+ solution
- On booth B2-120, HP Scitex will show the new UV flatbed HP Scitex FB500 recently released on Ipex,
the new HP Scitex LX800, the XP, TJ all driven by Caldera GrandRIP+
- On booth B1-169, Inktec, the Korean ink & printer manufacturer, will run the UV Floatbed Jetrix 2513RQ
and a new printer model to be released for Fespa with GrandRIP+ using the exclusive feature for the management
of extra channels such as White, Varnish & Primer.
- On booth B1-360, INX International will run some eco-solvant printers using Triangle inks with Caldera
VisualRIP+. All calibration process will be done through the integrated ICC profile builder EasyMedia, involving
the brand new i1Prims technology from Xrite.
- On booth B1-371, Kip Europe will display the unique large format color laser printer Kip Color KC 80, driven
by Caldera GrandRIP+ for billboard applications, and a brand new printer to be released on Fespa.
- On booth B3-627, Matan will show the new Barak HS, taking full profit of the Caldera GrandRIP+ strength
of processing in order to output at the top speed of 353 m²/hour.
- On booth B3-320, MTL Print will propose the Meital 304/D, a UV Flatbed printer with a remarkable dual
table architecture, driven by Caldera GrandRIP+ taking full profit of the unique grayscale management developed
by Caldera.
- On booth B2-165, Mutoh will drive every printers available on the booth with Grip+, the exclusive OEM
Version of Caldera VisualRIP+. Visitors will be able to see regular eco solvent & UV printers made by Mutoh
such as ValueJet, Zephyr, Blizzard, Spitfire, Viper. Recent textile printers will be driven by the special Grip-TX
edition, including Viper TX & Viper TX SoftSign.
- On booth B1-140, Seiko Instruments Infotech will run a total of seven mild-solvant printers with Caldera
VisualRIP+ on a set of vinyl and banner medias.
- On booth B2-175, SwissQprint will show the high end UV flatbed Oryx printer driven by Caldera GrandRIP+
- On booth B3-467, Teckwin will show the new TeckPro UV 3200, a roll-to-roll UV printer, and a TeckStorm
TS300 UV flatbed printer, all driver by Caldera GrandRIP+ :
- On booth B3-184, Sun-Nsk will display for the first time some of its UV Led printers driven by a Caldera
GrandRIP+ solution
- On booth B3-120, Zund will display the new ZCC cutter contoler in connection with the integrated
print-to-cut workflow made of Caldera GrandRIP+ and the GrandCUT option. It is illustrating the natural
integration of the print –to-cut workflow from Caldera to the leading flatbed cutter manufacturers controllers.
“The Caldera presence through so many different partners proves the highest value proposal of Caldera solutions
when it is about to drive high level printers on a wide range of application. “ says Valery de MARCH, OEM Director
Caldera Launches New Caldera EASYCOLOR Spectrophotometer at
FESPA 2010
Caldera will be launching a new improved spectrophotometer at the FESPA 2010 in Munich.
The Caldera EASYCOLOR, an OEM version of the Barbieri SWING, has a new design, is faster and will be
positioned under 3 000 euros. Thanks to several improvements the new device is approximately 30% faster
than its predecessor.
“The EasyColor is the ideal measuring device to enter into the professional world of color management. Measuring
a wide range of media (as long as it is flexible and thin) and getting most accurate color is a breeze. Once started,
a measurement it does it fully automatically. This is for both, reflective and transmissive media” says Wolfgang
Passler, Marketing & Sales Manager of BARBIERI electronic.
The Caldera EASYCOLOR, an affordable, easy to use, versatile and reliable calibration automatic device is
built to achieve top quality prints from digital output devices. It is a solution for linearization and profiling of
photographic and wide format output devices for flexible reflective AND transparent materials with a thickness
up to 0,7mm.Target markets for the device are aqueous and solvent large format inkjet printers, entry to mid
range UV flatbed printers, packaging, proofing, fine art printing and prepress.
“We believe the EasyColor corresponds to what our clients need: an easy to use yet powerful color calibration
tool at a nice price. It is a complete solution for automated profile creation.” says Sebastien Hanssens, Vice
President Marketing at Caldera.
The Caldera EASYCOLOR is driven by EasyMedia, Caldera’s integrated color management, color calibration
and profile making solution.
Caldera launches Costview software powered for APPLE iPad at FESPA
Munich
Caldera users will now be able to monitor their printing jobs on the newly launched APPLE iPad. The CostView 2.0
solution is positioned to be the ultimate dashboard for a manager sensitive to production costs.
Fully integrated within the Caldera RIP, COSTVIEW 2.0 enables production cost management and monitoring as well
as the set-up of a pricing policy. It is a production management solution which extracts information about jobs directly
from the RIP spooler, enabling a production manager to control, modify, study and export all costs pertaining to a job.
With this module users can calculate all costs pertaining to a job: printing costs, finishing, shipping, machine
amortization or other overhead costs. Users can also export their job listings with all relevant costs as a
spreadsheet ready for further analysis in other “csv” compliant software.
The Costview 2.0 portable solution on iPad and the full blown FLOW+ Wide Format Business Workflow Solution
will be presented on the Caldera Booth N°379 Hall B1 at Fespa.
Caldera Announces New Strategic Partnership with SwissQprint
Caldera Graphics, the French software editor leader in large format imaging and production workflow has
announced a strategic partnership with SwissQprint for the supplying of production RIPs with the wide format
SwissQprint Oryx printer. SwissQprint is a young company having more than 10 years of experience in the
business of UV printing and it brings to the market a new level in quality standards thanks to its Oryx offer.
Naturally, the company has investigated different RIP solutions to be proposed to Oryx end-users, and it appears
after intensive tests that the Caldera solution is the only one to deliver such productivity and quality based on
Linux or Mac platforms.
"It is important for SwissQprint to rely on a professional and quality driven solution that we provide the best of
the potential of our printer" says Kilian Hinterman, Senior Product Manager in SwissQprint. "Even more, the
new features like APPE gives another advantage to become the caldera -swissQprint package to an unbeatable
product!"
The GrandRIP+ solution from Caldera ensures applications oriented on Added Value for every SwissQprint Oryx
end-user in the field. Users are optimizing their printer output with the award winning Caldera solutions, which
include exclusive features such as Tiling, Layout, Color Management, Multitasking & Automation.
"GrandRIP+ is today the reference solution when it is comes to UV applications. The SwissQprint Oryx printer
represents a step forward in the recent evolution of that segment as it is strongly rising the level of quality and
flexibility for print producer thanks to its scalability in the ink configuration that goes from simple CMYK over the
additional Light colours up to White & Varnish; applications. Only GrandRIP+ from Caldera can cover such a
spectrum" says Valery de March, OEM Manager of Caldera.
The SwissQprint Oryx + Caldera GrandRIP+ solution already counts more than 50 installations in France,
Scandinavia, Germany, Austria; Czech Republic; Slovakia, Poland; Spain; UK, Italy and Switzerland. And this
just in the first starting year!
Caldera Wins SGIA 2009 Software Product of the Year Award with RIP
Solution
Caldera was awarded DPI Best Product of the Year Award for its RIP product line with the Adobe Print Engine
at the SGIA 09 in New Orleans. This award identifies the pre-eminent products in the digital graphics field,
those that clearly provide new definition of the industry technology and recognizes outstanding products that
have impacted 2009 and will impact 2010.
“We are very excited to have won this year the DPI "Best Product of the Year" award. By awarding us, the
SGIA corroborated our vision that Wide Format Imaging needs to move forward to more industrial printing
output and move closer to the pre-press standards. Our strategic partnership with Abobe for the APPE is the
first building block towards bringing our clients towards faster and better workflow through quality consistent
software.” says Joseph Mergui, CEO and President Caldera.
The Caldera’s new RIP software solution powered by Adobe PDF Print Engine allows PDF files to be rendered
natively, without conversion to postscript, helping to ensure that complex designs and effects, even variable
content (PDF/VT) elements and transparencies, are efficiently and reliably reproduced. Caldera is the first
dedicated wide format solution to integrate Adobe PDF Print Engine technology.
“Adobe values its technology partnerships with leading vendors such as Caldera, and takes great satisfaction
when they earn industry recognition. I congratulate Caldera on winning the SGIA 2009 award for Best Software
Product” says Mark Lewiecki, Senior Product Manager of Adobe PDF Print Engine”.
With this new Adobe PDF Print Engine, Caldera simplifies upstream PDF workflows and unifies prepress
production. It empowers designers to create leading-edge content with confidence, knowing that it will be
reproduced as expected by print producers.
Caldera has built the technology into its new generation of RIP solutions and will be available in Caldera’s V8
software edition.
“The fact we won the award two years in a row is recognition of constant search for innovation and our desire
to improve our client’s everyday printing environment. Having the SGIA recognize this implication in helping the
industry move forward is important and shows we are on the right track.“ says Sebastien Hanssens, Vice President
Marketing Caldera.
Caldera Announces Collaboration with Adobe to Improve Wide Format
Printing
Caldera extends its partnership with Adobe and announces the integration of the Adobe® PDF Print Engine
(APPE) into its RIP solutions. The association of the two technologies will guarantee for production printing fast
and reliable reproduction of files in the Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), including complex images and
transparencies.
Caldera has built the technology into its new generation of RIP solutions and will be available with Caldera’s V8
software edition which will be released at the end of 2009.
The Adobe PDF Print Engine enables integrated, end-to-end PDF workflows for printing graphically rich content,
including variable content for personalized publishing. The Caldera print solutions powered by Adobe PDF Print
Engine allow PDF files to be rendered natively, without conversion to PostScript, helping to ensure that complex
designs and effects, even variable print elements with transparency, are efficiently and reliably reproduced.
Guillaume Muller, R&D Director, "With the Adobe PDF Print Engine, the Caldera RIPing speed is not only
increased for all PDF files, but the output is much more consistent with the design and editing products of the
Adobe Creative Suite. Adobe PDF Print Engine eliminates the need for flattening transparency, maintaining
content in a device-independent state right up until final rendering."
With this new Adobe PDF Print Engine, Caldera simplifies upstream PDF workflows and unifies prepress
production. It empowers designers to create leading-edge content with confidence, knowing that it will be
reproduced as expected by print producers.
The combined technology also streamlines print production by enabling a single workflow for all job types,
maximizing reliability and flexibility while providing new opportunities for growth. It provides printers with an easy
on-ramp to add personalized publishing to their existing workflows.
"Caldera is proud to be the first dedicated wide format solution to integrate Adobe PDF Print Engine technology.
This new solution delivers straightforward outstanding quality and speed from Caldera solutions on complex PDF
files. It will also build breakthrough innovative solutions using the PDF/VT format for Variable Data wide format
printing," says Joseph Mergui, Caldera CEO and President.
"Ongoing innovation in wide format printing has enabled new graphic possibilities and business opportunities
for printers participating in this segment," said Raman Nagpal, senior director of Adobe Print and Scan Division
at Adobe. "By incorporating the Adobe PDF Print Engine into its solutions, Caldera continues to demonstrate its
leadership role in the wide format market."
The beta version of the new embedded technology will be presented at SGIA in New Orleans in October.
Caldera, the award winning French leading software editor specialized in large format printing solutions,
will be launching its new product SnapRIP+, a complete printing solution for digital imaging professionals.
SnapRIP+ is Caldera‘s printing software for PHOTO professionals looking for a productive RASTER printing
solution for their Epson, Canon and HP printers. It packs the same power and features as Caldera’s RIP
solutions for printing wide format jobs with eye catching colours and contrast.
It includes Layout with Compose; a feature which lets you layout multiple file elements to create a single
project page or JOB. Merge, nest, rotate and combine different file formats, with manual or numeric
positioning. It also includes Step & Repeat and Nest-o-Matik features for optimizing media usage.
SnapRIP+ is upgradable to our productive printing solution VisualRIP+, with a Postscript/PDF engine for
producing posters, kakemonos, advertisements, POS… VisualRip+ is Caldera’s software solution for
professional large format Print and Print-to-Cut workflow and includes Tiling+, a feature enabling users to
split up prints into various panels (with bleed, trim marks and grommet placement..) for bigger format jobs.
Caldera announces new strategic partnership with KIP
Caldera Graphics, the French software editor leader in large format imaging and production workflow has
announced a strategic partnership with KIP Europe for the supplying of production RIPs with the wide format
KIP Color KC80 color laser printer for imaging applications.
With this printer, KIP has the ambition to revolutionize wide format color printing in large quantities, a domain
where inkjet technology is a slower and more expensive solution. The KIP Color KC80 and its 4 color laser
technology are unique on the market, and targeting not only blue-black poster applications or posters in ppc or
glossy coated. Many substrates are being validated which will increase of the range of possible applications of
this printer.
"It was important for KIP to rely on a professional RIP like Caldera for better targeting the graphic art potential
of the KIP Color 80. This innovative product will revolutionize wide format printing on problems such as client
print delays (210m/hour) and printing costs (4 to 5 times less than ink jet)" says Patrick Gomez, Sales and
Marketing manager KIP Europe
The GrandRIP+ software solution from Caldera ensures application oriented added value to Kip Europe clients,
which rests on the strong experience of the French editor in the domain of imaging: color management, tiling,
layout, spooler management, task automation…. This enables the printer to offer its clients an extended panel
of features.
According to Valery De March, OEM Director of Caldera Graphics, "We not only address clients who want to
print maps and blueprints, but rather those that want to do color imaging in large quantities. To respond to the
technical specifics of the KIP Color KC80and its laser technology, we have developed a specific screening for
this machine. The output results and feedback from clients are excellent."
The Caldera GrandRIP+ - KC80 solution has already been set-up with success at many European digital printers,
such as Pixart in Italy, who were searching for a solution which would enable them with one single RIP to manage
their production on various types of machines, including solvent and UV technologies, as well as the new KIP
Color KC80.
During the FESPA 2009 in Amsterdam, Matan Digital Printers presented new features available for the fastest
and most versatile Barak line of Super Wide Format Hybrid printers 5 and 3.5 meters wide.
Matan developed together with Caldera, a specific set of transition curves for light and dark inks optimized for
the new 8 color printing Barak. Caldera then implemented these curves and settings within the OEM edition of
GrandRIP+
With this innovation, Matan customers can now print in a higher resolution at the faster print modes and benefit
an improved print quality without sacrificing speed.
"These new features, enhancements and options allow customers to be even more competitive in addressing a
wider gamut of applications from PE billboard printing all the way to high quality flatbed jobs." Says Hanan
Yosefi, Matan’s President & CEO.
"Working with OEM partners to improve the RIP - Printer performance ensures customers even more quality
and productivity, because the new features are developed specifically for the machine’s characteristics" says
Joseph Mergui President and CEO of Caldera.
Caldera Graphics, the French software editor leader in large format imaging and production workflow has
implemented full featured N- Color management to its RIP software portfolio for Epson and Canon printers.
The new Caldera N-Color print engine manages both orange and green inks in addition to the CMYK and
light inks.
The new print engine enables printers to exploit the full gamut potential of their N-Color printer devices.
With variable-size droplets management through Caldera, printers will achieve more accurate colors,
better color gradation and resolution with all those combinations.
The Caldera RIP is Pantone licensed for accurate spot color matching and offers full support for ICC output
profiles, thus ensuring precise color output predictability and a wider color palette.
EasyMedia, Caldera's integrated color management, color calibration and profile making solution, is now also
N-Color optimized.
Caldera First Official Third Party RIP to Achieve HP Scitex FB950
Certification
Caldera has achieved official certification as an HP development partner for its Raster Image Processor (RIP)
Certification Program supporting the HP Scitex FB950.
Caldera was judged on an extensive set of criteria to verify the compatibility and integration of the Caldera
products with the HP Scitex FB950 Printer, to provide an optimal printing performance.
Only products that have undergone testing by HP and have met the necessary performance requirements are
awarded Certified for HP Scitex FB950 Printer, status.
Certification tests for the new HP Scitex FB950 Printer, include print quality, productivity, and the range of HP
and custom media profiles that can be supported.
Caldera has achieved official certification as an HP development partner for its Raster Image Processor (RIP)
Certification Program supporting the new HP L65500.
Caldera was judged on an extensive set of criteria to verify the compatibility and integration of the Caldera
products with the HP Designjet L65500, to provide an optimal printing performance.
Only products that have undergone testing by HP and have met the necessary performance requirements
are awarded Certified for HP Designjet L65500 status.
Certification tests for the new HP L6550 0 include print quality, productivity, and the range of HP and custom
media profiles that can be supported.
Caldera Wins SGIA Product of the Year Award for Software
Caldera has just received the DPI Best Product of the Year Award for its RIP product line and new FLOW+
Business Automation and Control workflow solution for the Wide Format Printing Market, at the SGIA 08 (The
Specialty Printing and Imaging Expo, Oct. 15-18) in Atlanta.
This award identifies the pre-eminent products in the digital graphics field, those that clearly provide new
definition of the industry technology and recognizes outstanding products that have impacted 2008 and will
impact 2009.
From quote to invoice, while managing the production process (printing and finishing), inventory analysis and
planning, automation of the RIP, outsourcing, delivery notes, financial statistics and accounting synchronization,
FLOW+ is a complete Wide Format Business Workflow solution
The product, an intelligent combination of an MIS (Management Information System), an ERP (Enterprise
Resource Planning) and a CRM (Customer Relation Management), is the first Workflow software which will
interact directly with the RIP spooler.
"This reward, which is the recognition of our strong RIP culture, color-science know-how and technological
experience achieved through the feedback of our customers and partners over recent years, is something
that we would like to thank them for and share with them. We are convinced that this award and new product
release will impact the year 2009," Joseph Mergui, Caldera CEO
Caldera Graphics Launches Full Featured Support for Fujifilm Acuity
The Fujifilm Acuity HD 2504 offers you the latest breakthrough in wide format UV digital imaging technology.
Specifically designed for print applications requiring fine detail, high resolution images, the Acuity HD 2504
delivers both rigid and flexible point-of-purchase signage that hold up visually, even at the closest of viewings.
At the heart of the Acuity HD 2504 is a new imaging technology that enables each print head to produce variable
size dots as opposed to traditional fixed-droplets. The printer's ability to jet droplets as fine as 6 picoleter
produces sharp, precise images with smoother transitions and quarter tones: while jetting larger droplets up to
30 picoleter delivers denser, more uniform solid image areas.
Caldera is a measurable asset to the Acuity's productivity.
The speed of the Acuity is increased by Caldera's Print while RIP feature, with RIP time being ½ of other RIPs
tested. Caldera enables you to RIP a second file while you RIP and print another job at the same time.
Caldera's software offers superior multi-level screening, meaning that Caldera drives the GrayScale heads with
proven technology. An essential feature for getting precise color shades, even when it comes to black hues.
With variable-size droplets management through Caldera, the Fujifilm achieves accurate colors and resolution w
ith its four-colours where other wide-format machines have light versions of their inks.
Caldera's new Tiling+ also gets full potential out of the Acuity for all those tough tiling jobs. The new improved
interface and new features include : fully configurable grommets (size, shape, color...), manual positioning of
the grommets, full management of the covering, easy modification of the tiles with the mouse, real time
modification of the tiles...
And as an Acuity purchaser will have more than one machine in his print house, Caldera's client-serveur
architecture will enable him to centralise RIPing and PRINTing on one master RIP PC which manages
unlimited RIP/Printing slave PC’s for scalable distributed computing over the network.
