To maintain productivity under changing market conditions, ABT Mediengruppe is increasing automation across its operations, including prepress.

Rather than implementing one system for every prepress task, ABT Mediengruppe combined several specialised products into an integrated solution. calibrate GmbH, a consultancy and service provider for publishing companies, supported the implementation.

Based in Weinheim in the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region, ABT Mediengruppe specialises in sustainable digital and print communication for medium-sized businesses. The family-run company employs around 50 people and produces approximately 4,500 orders each year.

Its work ranges from business cards and flyers in varying quantities to catalogues with several hundred pages and large-format posters.

To process the associated PDF files reliably, ABT Mediengruppe introduced callas pdfToolbox in 2006 and Enfocus Switch in 2012. Switch manages the flow of data, while pdfToolbox checks and corrects PDF files so they produce the intended print result.

During processing, Switch sends incoming print data to pdfToolbox. pdfToolbox then checks and, where possible, corrects image resolution, colour spaces, fonts and page dimensions.

ABT Mediengruppe uses the job ticket functionality in Switch to accelerate preflight. Switch calls pdfToolbox to check each file and places the results into predefined folders. Files that pass go into one folder, while files containing errors or warnings go into another.

If pdfToolbox cannot correct an issue automatically, it provides instructions that help ABT Mediengruppe employees resolve the problem manually.

Standardised processes as an enabler for a higher degree of automation

With the interaction of the two solutions, ABT Mediengruppe was already able to speed up production processes considerably. What was missing, however, was the ability to control standard jobs fully automatically. “Like other companies, we are confronted with the fact that print runs are falling,” explains Frank Hoffmann, team leader of the prepress department at ABT Mediengruppe, adding.

In order for the company to achieve this goal, the prepress processes needed to run as smoothly as possible and without manual intervention. When evaluating suitable solutions, ABT Mediengruppe was faced with the decision of whether to introduce a closed system from one supplier or products from several manufacturers. “We carefully weighed up the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches and then decided to go down the route with several products,” says Frank Hoffmann. He cites the associated costs, but above all the flexibility and openness to integrate additional products in order to meet future requirements. In addition, with calibrate, ABT Mediengruppe has a partner at eye level who ensures the smooth interaction of best-of-breed solutions in the prepress area and via corresponding interfaces as well as the transfer of data.

calibrate then recommended extending the existing products with its own MasterProfile, the Krause Imposition Manager and the Impressed Workflow Server (IWS). The calibrate MasterProfile is a variable extension of pdfToolbox, with which all presettings including possible variables are described in a standardised JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) format in a single file. “The advantage of this is that instead of different setting files, only one dynamically controllable file is used, which of course greatly simplifies handling,” says Markus Brandstätter, Consultant at calibrate GmbH, a partner of Impressed and callas software. He and his team support the ABT Media Group.

Impressed Workflow Server as a connecting element

In order to combine these products into one solution, ABT Mediengruppe then introduced the Impressed Workflow Server, a proprietary development from Impressed GmbH. This is an automated PDF workflow solution for prepress that manages jobs with database support and controls them via a browser-based, graphical interface. “The Impressed Workflow Server is the central component for a smooth production process in our company,” says the head of the prepress department at ABT Mediengruppe. “The system includes the corresponding interfaces with which Enfocus Switch, pdfToolbox, the calibrate MasterProfile and the Krause Imposition Manager are controlled and the production data is made available.” In order to achieve the desired print results, checking the PDF files and colour management play a central role during processing. Above all, this includes checking and correcting the colour profiles in connection with the printing paper to be used. It also ensures that the created page format matches the height and width of the printed sheet. “We can fully rely on the technology from callas software for this,” says Frank Hoffmann. Finally, the Krause Imposition Manager is used for digital sheet assembly. Using information stored in the Impressed Workflow Server job tickets, this enables automated and optimised impositioning on all machines for all printing processes.

The last mile

Since ABT Mediengruppe has been using these solutions in the prepress area, the company has been able to gradually optimise its processes. The media designers, who previously had to work by hand to ensure reliable processing, can now devote themselves to more creative tasks. However, this is not the end of the road to a fully automated prepress department. ABT Mediengruppe is currently working on connecting the Impressed Workflow Server with the Printplus management information system (MIS). Once this is complete, Printplus will transfer the data required to process the print jobs to the IWS. All incoming jobs are then fully automated, from their creation in Printplus, including cost, to their transfer to the Impressed Workflow Server for processing control, including checking, right through to impositioning.