Assembly Required? (PDF workflow)

Packaging's path to PDF has most commonly involved software add-ons. Will new all-in-one workflows change that?

by Jessica Millward, Associate Editor

THOUGH COMMERCIAL printers have jumped wholeheartedly on the PDF bandwagon, their packaging brethren have been less enthusiastic. Concerns regarding PDF's suitability for packaging prepress have thus far encouraged hopefuls to add on PDF elements, rather than invest in "one-stop shopping" products. Packaging-specific capabilities bundled within new all-in-one systems, however, should enlist a legion of PDF converts.

"When it comes to software solutions, the packaging market has been the orphan of the printing industry," laments Bert van Hoof, VP/engineering, ScenicSoft. Unfortunately, the PDF workflow hasn't proven otherwise, largely because previous versions weren't designed to handle the color needs of package print. Mike Rottenborn, VP/customer service, Artwork Systems Inc., describes package printers' approach to PDF as cautious. He explains, "… Core PDF technology historically lacked support for key features such as transparency and spot color support." While much will change through release of Adobe Acrobat 5 and PDF Version 1.4, doubts about packaging PDF may linger.

As packagers become aware of the expanded capabilities of PDF for prepress workflow, they are faced with two different methods of incorporating it into daily operation. Most packaging printers have been introduced to PDF via plug-ins and add-ons. The "all-in-one" workflow solutions, until recently, seemed geared towards commercial, CMYK-only printers.

"Unfortunately, most classical PDF editors are not well adapted to file and image edits for the nuances of packaging," says Stephane Georges, software product manager for German-based DALiM Software. Because of that deficiency, he continues, many package printers don't seek out all-in-one software.

The challenge of the "assembly-required" PDF workflow is management. As Rottenborn asserts, this solution may involve less initial investment, but it does require "a level of integration and internal support that may be out of reach for some companies." Georges concurs, noting that in such a workflow, "edits to a file for content require one set of add-on tools, while edits for packaging applications (distortion or trapping) require yet another set of tools."

In the past, traditional packaging prepress systems have not been able to fully support the PDF format. Enfocus Software Director of Business Development Vicki Blake elaborates, "These workflow systems typically incorporate PDF only as an input format. However, we see these two factions moving toward eachother in the future, as these systems adopt more of PDF's functionality and true PDF workflows address more of the packaging industry's needs."

Learning new tricks

van Hoof reports while some of the programming possibilities of high-end PostScript environments are lost with PDF, users gain reliability, predictability, and page independence. Because PDF is a vector-based format, files transfer faster and are less of a memory burden.

CreoScitex Technical Sales Specialist Steve Miller attests to PDF's ability to "get around," since millions of free Adobe Acrobat Reader applications have been installed throughout the world. He also notes, "Utilizing the functionality of the Portable Job Ticket Format and PDF, users have the ability to incorporate variable data and information into step layouts that is assembled on the fly at output … providing a true, just-in-time stepping solution for packaging." Miller emphasizes his company's strong belief in PDF's suitability for packaging, because, among other factors, "Using PDF eliminates conversion to different file formats downstream. With every conversion, there is risk of mistranslation."

With PDF advantages there comes learning curve. Rottenborn emphasizes the importance of communicating with the art director. He states, "… Just because a PDF looks good on the designer's screen doesn't mean it can be reproduced with good quality and color fidelity on a color package. PDF files must be carefully created and preflighted before they are sent to the printer; otherwise, they are little more than a soft proof."

In developing its own workflow for packaging printers, Georges says DALiM found that, unless processed correctly, the PDF file format allows unpredictable and inconsistent results, especially in the areas of font handling and trapping. As more software suppliers come to grips with PDF for the packaging arena, users will find a wider variety of PDF-savvy workflows.

Market developments

ScenicSoft recently added support for DDES2 CAD files to its Pandora packaging workflow. (DXF and CFF2 CAD file formats are already supported.) Developed entirely in Java, Pandora's color set-up provides re-mapping of spot and process colors, and supports PostScript Level 2 and Level 3 in-RIP color separations.

The Nexus product from Artwork Systems fully supports PDF as an input, intermediate, and output format for both commercial and packaging applications. The software supports numerous open file formats with full editability, and enables preflight, job submission, and proofing over a Web-based interface called WebWay.

Enfocus Software, a fully-owned subsidiary of Artwork Systems, offers PitStop Professional and PitStop Server, for editing, correcting, and validating PDF document workflows. Also available is Certified Workflow, in which the preflight profile and preflight report are embedded into the PDF files.

CreoScitex is preparing to release Prinergy® Powerpack, an end-to-end native PDF workflow specifically for the packaging market. In addition to specific features like trapping and step and repeat, Powerpack includes the InSite suite of Internet tools, which allow the package printer/converter or tradeshop to offer its customers a Web portal into the prepress department.

TWiST and SWiNG, DALiM Software's workflow applications, support PDF 1.2, 1.3, PDF-X, as well as PDF-P2, a Print Predictable format that eliminates RIP misinterpretation. Also available is LiTHO, an editor for packaging files; it opens, edits, and/or traps and saves natively in PDF format.