Prepare:

Putting Your Print Production on Autopilot

Get Competitive About
Production Performance

Just like runners who participate in many types of races, from relays to sprints, dashes to marathons, printers will manage many jobs through their production to get them to the finish line as quickly and as efficiently as possible. Yet, the preparation needed for each is different, and the obstacles may vary. The prepared runner can perform on autopilot by anticipating the hurdles and other obstacles with the right equipment and understanding the landscape.

The essence of preparation is understanding the job requirements and the metrics that determine successful production and delivery. For example, thousands of copies of static forms require preparation different from tens of thousands of targeted or personalised content pieces driven by data. Finishing requirements also inform the preparation and workflow path each print application will take. With so many potential variables per job, preparation is the key to delivering quality goods that meet customer intent.

Pre-Performance

Thought of as a sequence of tasks, thoughts and actions that participants engage in systematically before execution, pre performance sets up a likelihood for success.

Start by what you have to offer, so you know what you’re working with. For instance, some print rooms offer design and composition services where they may be responsible for creating the production files, maintaining versions, and maintaining photo and graphic assets used in their projects. Other print rooms accept a specific set of print file formats compatible with their production workflow. In either case, preparation doesn’t end when the file is generated.

The production file needs additional preparation to move smoothly into production, where the essential functions of preflighting, colour management, imposition, and batching take over. Different tools may perform these functions, but the best practice is to create an automated, unified flow where jobs can move unimpeded through the print room.

The goal should be to standardise on a toolbox of solutions and services that integrate efficiently together, providing a solid base for a smooth production process.

Creating The Production Map to Prepare Jobs

1.

File retrieval. Depending on the number of methods orders can be placed and if design services are offered at the print room, the associated files are likely to arrive from multiple sources. Online portals and web-to-print (W2P) solutions can push the file uploaded by the customer into the workflow management software for further processing. Most other methods require staff to retrieve and move the file to a central file server. At this point, it is important that filenames are standardised and put into a specific file hierarchy on the server for easy retrieval and to minimise errors.

2.

File conversions or data stream transforms. Most print rooms do not restrict customers to a specific file type but generally focus on one file format for print output, such as PDF, AFP, IPDS, or PCL. Alternatively, files can be supplied in native formats such as Adobe InDesign or Microsoft Publisher. These files must be converted, often to PDF, before the next workflow steps. The same is true for transaction-based applications where the data format may differ from what the workflow or digital front end (DFE) of the printer can accept. Understanding what formats your facility accepts and subsequently how to handle them within your workflow will ensure file integrity and an efficient production process.

3.

Preflighting and file optimisation. All files should be inspected to catch any structural or other elements that could impact printing. Most workflow management systems offer preflight capabilities to check for common issues like font embedding, colour space conversions such as RGB to CMYK, and low-resolution images. Some potential issues can be corrected automatically, while the exceptions will need to be processed manually and perhaps returned to the customer to correct, which adds time and resources to the process. A related process is file optimisation, where structural elements of the file are streamlined or removed that are not required to achieve quality print output. The optimisation process, such as removing XObjects and subsetting fonts in a PDF file, often reduces the file size and improves RIP performance at the DFE.

4.

Color conversion and management. Since artwork files are often supplied by customers and created in various design tools, the colour may need to be converted and managed. Color conversion from an index colour or RGB to CMYK can typically be automated as part of the preflight process but may require manual intervention. More commonly, colour management solutions are applied to convert the reference and embedded ICC colour profile to a target suitable for the intended print device. Based on the goals of the print rooms, device link ICC profiles may also be used later in the workflow to map the input colour space to the colour space of the output device, as is typical with the G7 specification. Sound complex? It can be. Achieving printed products of the highest quality, colour accuracy, and consistency doesn’t happen by accident. Having the right tools and training around how to deliver goods that match customer intent should be a part of your production mapping plan.

5.

Proofing and approval. Part of the workflow process is to gain the customer’s approval that the processed file matches their original intent and expectations. Proofing can happen at various stages within the overall workflow, can be electronic or hard copy, and can be used to approve content or colour. W2P and workflow management solutions typically have electronic proofing and approval methods for customers to sign off on the content. These solutions automate and accelerate the approval cycle with the customer and provide a better experience than sending files through e-mail. While less common in print room facilities, some work may be considered colour-critical and require a hard copy contract proof that accurately represents the final print output. Regardless of the type, this preparation point needs attention in your workflow map to minimise customer delays that can cause further production bottlenecks.

Every check point is important to prevent delays, ensure overall efficiency and to be able to deliver each job in a streamlined, profitable manner.

6.

Batching. Combining multiple jobs into a single print run can increase the shop efficiency and potentially save material costs. Rules are created in the batching software to set the parameters for how and when to combine jobs based on materials, colours, size, and SLAs/due dates. Batching is often the precursor to the imposition step, and they often work in cooperation.

7.

Imposition. One of the last actions in preparing print jobs is imposition. Although files can be imposed in design applications like Adobe InDesign or composition tools like Quadient, a dedicated software solution is preferred vs an ad hoc or fractured process. Templates with standard page orientations and folding patterns can be created and reused as part of an automated workflow for all common job types.

Increasingly, imposition software uses built-in intelligence to suggest the best combination of productivity and cost based on your current equipment mix and capabilities, speeding up this preparation step while also increasing print accuracy.

The Bottom Line

Runners must know the race that is to be run, just like printers need to know the path that work will take from on-boarding to delivery. Not all jobs will take the same path, some jobs will be outliers, but many will use the same seven core preparation steps. The key to a successful workflow is to minimise the number of paths and processing steps required for most of the work.

Start with an assessment to uncover paths with loops and bottlenecks hidden beneath the job tickets, then create a dynamic and documented map of the preparation and processing tasks, which will free staff to handle the exceptions, speed up the approval process and reduce touchpoints and delays.

Book a free print workflow assessment now

And thats Prepare covered. Watch out for the next section of the ebook: Produce, which will be sent to you soon or contact us for more information.