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From the beginning of workflow to cutting and finishing, how prints are rasterized can mean the difference between smooth and glitch-free processing or wasted time and media.
In the simplest form, raster image processors, or RIPs, convert vector graphics to bitmap images for printing. But complex jobs demand more of them, including color-matching and color management options, variable-data printing, and even cutting options.
Built-in RIPs are the choice of some. HP machines like those at Rapids Reproductions have built-in RIPS, and Greg Tarca, reprographics manager, said they tried RIP software with a 50-inch Encad machine, but it was very slow. "You could only do one thing on that computer—RIP to the printer."
According to David Reidel, assistant vice president of color graphics at eBlueprint, color management issues are better handled using their RIP software. "Making a profile for each media is a large task—usually about three hours per media, he said. "But once you make the profile, you can pretty much bank on it that the colors are correct," said Reidel.
Vendors say shops should look for RIP software that eases Pantone spot color-matching, automates color management, does rasterizing for all the shop's equipment and has a reputable company behind it. And when buying a machine, the choice of RIP software is an important factor in long-term profit.
"The bottom line is that cost of ownership (annual profitability) is monumentally more important than cost of acquisition (one-time purchase price)," said Robert Eversole, president of ErgoSoft US LLC. "Keep this 'bigger picture' perspective in mind as an initial meager savings on day-one could very likely be the source of a significantly diminished return at the end of the month. Not only does this make the daily course of operation a bit tighter but future growth can be impacted as well, thanks to limited capital for re-investing in this industry's ever-changing technology."
Foundation of Workflow
According to Stefan Spiegel, general manager of graphics arts solutions at EFI, without a RIP, the shop has to print directly from the design application, submit a job, wait until it's finished, then submit the next job. "The RIP is the very foundation of workflow automation, providing hot folders, queues and connectivity with a print service provider's network."
What do you look for in a RIP? "When thinking of the benefits a 'good' RIP brings to the table, one must keep in mind that most RIPs available today have very similar feature-sets making it difficult to decipher what is a great RIP amongst the 'me-too' RIPs," Eversole said. "The real differences are user interface (ease of use); how the features are respectively implemented (speed of use), and the resulting quality produced (accuracy of use)."
Most RIPs will score high in one area, Eversole said, but a high score in all three "can lead to an exponential improvement in profitability. Fewer reprints lead to higher profit margins, faster completion times, and increased job volume—and the cycle repeats. Not to mention the fact that with premium quality and faster turn-around times, one would have the unique luxury of charging a premium for the job rather than discount their service, thereby further increasing profit margins."
Color to Cross-platform Capability
Here is what some of the vendors say about how RIPs can address aspects of printing:
- Color matching. "The quality of your color profiles and having color profiles that are specifically designed for your print scenariois key to achieving consistency across multiple devices," said Alison Johnson, director of marketing, Wasatch Computer Technology LLC. "For proofing-level accuracy, you need to have a profile that was created for the same combination of printer, media, inkset, and printer settings that you are using for your print."
Variable data printing (VDP). "An advanced RIP opens up the opportunity to work with VDP jobs," Spiegel said. "The market is seeing many compelling examples, like billboards depicting images with text personalized to the wide format print service provider's customer."
For wide-format users creating signage with variable text, serialized art prints or one from customized clothing, Johnson said a VDP tool is an important RIP component. "Today, having the ability to produce highly customized print output helps a shop to offer premium products and differentiate them," she said, "but those premium products have premium costs if you don't have a good VDP tool."
RIPS that integrate cutting. Cutting options are now becoming part of RIPs. Dean Derhak, product marketing manager of ONYX, said their RIP allows operators to print out barcodes on the job that i-Cut software reads to make the cuts, instead of having to manually find the cut file to match the print.
"The print-and-cut workflow has just exploded in our market," Derhak said. "Every time you go to a show, you find more manufacturers are entering that market."
- Cross-platform capability. "The universal workflow idea is to have one RIP solution for all of your equipment and all of your printing," Derhak said. "That gives you consistent color, consistent finishing and all your printer operators can drive your equipment equally well."
User-friendly interface. Derhak says choosing a RIP with a user-friendly interface makes a difference on labor and training or retraining costs.
"If you have your production operators having to go in and go through a lot of different steps to get the job ready," Derhak said, "then it's more prone to error, it's going to take them longer to get their job done and, in many cases, they need more training, which means you have to have a higher-skilled worker, which affects your labor costs."
Neal McChristy is a freelance writer who has written about the office-equipment and reprographic industry for more than 12 years. He welcomes feedback about the articles he writes. Contact him at nmcchristy@cox.net or www.ezsnailmail.com
author: BY NEAL MCCHRISTY