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PrintExpress utilises either Sun hardware and the Solaris operating system or PC hardware with the Windows 2000 Server operating system. PrintExpress modules can run on as many or as few platforms as are required to provide the necessary performance and redundancy at each site. Automatic failover functions are available to ensure the system keeps working even if a platform does fail.
The set of modules which form PrintExpress are:
PostScript / PDF spooler.
This
module receives PostScript or PDF files from other system such as the page
make-up machines on PC or Mac or from an OPI server .It uses standard input
protocols such as PAP (Apple), TCP/IP, drop file, or from the MGS3 OPI server.
Here the input files are spooled for transfer to a RIP process or can be sent
on to other PostScript spoolers which could be at other sites. PostScript
files can be converted here to PDF format using the Normaliser option before
being passed on either to other spoolers or to the PDF Export function to
be saved as a file for archiving purposes or for use by other systems.
PrintExpress
RIP
The
PrintExpress RIP module uses the Adobe PostScript3 CPSI to create bitmap files
from the postscript or PDF files. As with all PrintExpress modules, multiple
instances of the RIP module can run on a single platform. Colour calibration
and other modifiers are applied at this stage. The load across several RIP
processes can be leveled by the PostScript / PDF spoolers.
Bitmap
Spoolers
These
spool and queue the output files from the RIP processes for forwarding on
to other Bitmap Spoolers (possibly at print sites) or to other modules for
further processing such as page pairing, double burning, rotation etc.
Bitmap
Assembler and Bitmap Pairer
The
Pairer is an automatic process which combines specific page bitmaps according
to a specific publication description and naming convention for page pairing
or imposition. The Assembler can be controlled manually or can take page bitmaps
on a first-in-first-out basis to provide throughput enhancement for specific
recorders. In both cases the geometry of the layout is defined in a configuration
table.
Bitmap
Colour Proof
This
option takes high resolution separation bitmaps and combines and processes
them to produce a layout proof on a colour plotter such as a HP Design Jet.
This may be driven by Laserbus or over Ethernet. Unlike approaches which require
the job to be RIPped separately for proofing, this ensures that the proof
is representative of the final print and that there will be no RIP induced
variations when producing the separations.
Bitmap
Soft Proof
High
resolution separation bitmaps are combined and processed for display on a
screen using the Soft Proof client. The screen displays a gallery of thumbnails
which allows the user to monitor the progress of a publication by watching
the arrival of bitmaps in a queue. As the separations arrive they are displayed
with corresponding separations from each job overlaying until a composite
is displayed. A thumbnail can be selected to produce a full screen display
of individual separations or of a composite job. When used in conjunction
with the Bitmap Pairer the gallery display is formatted to show all jobs in
correct page order, so it is simple to see the progress of the complete publication.
Bitmap
Ink Presetting
This
option calculates the ink coverage from the separation bitmaps and formats
it for press controls.
Look
how the modules can connect together
Example practical configurations:
