Automation Engine Features

Extensive prepress workflow integration

Automation Engine features new workflow editing and monitoring capabilities. These come with highly visual feedback through the user interface.

Throughput and efficiency is increased by means of the conditional automation tools. These tools reduce operator intervention, hand-offs and allow for automated decisions and routing in the workflow.

Efficient client application tools

The Pilot is the primary client tool that runs on Mac and PC, and offers an easy and intuitive interface for any operator or administrator that needs complete access to the system.

Shuttle is a new client that offers an easy user interface for operators that require limited interaction with the workflow. It is available as a module for any of the interactive editing applications (ArtPro, DeskPack, PackEdge, FastImpose…). Shuttle allows you to launch a workflow straight from the editing application. Shuttle greatly simplifies overall operation and reduces the number of required workflows.

The Automation Engine Device Manager has a bi-directional link with devices such as Esko’s CDI imager and Kongsberg cutting table. The Device Manager moves operational control upstream to the prepress department. Flexo platemaking and digital finishing operations are better integrated with the prepress workflow.

Job Management

The Job Management module allows users to efficiently organize production data. Features are Jobs folder organization, job setup, milestones, Products Tool and more.

A job in Automation Engine represents a production order that organizes the data storage for the job but also the job’s metadata, its link to order ID, due date, customer info, Customer Service Representative contacts…

Besides these administration attributes, a job can also contain the graphical specifications like barcode, inks, RIP options… This job information can be used in any workflow to take advantage of all the data that is already there, avoiding double entries.

Viewing & quality control

Detect content errors on any file type prior to any output, this module offers detailed quality control tools for all jobs: braille reading, barcode scanning, version comparison.

The Viewing & QA Module is an optional module offering extensive prepress quality control tools in the Viewer, including compare functionality and the ability to view bitmap data. Additionally this module contains the automated comparing functionality.

The Viewer handles all common prepress formats, images and RIP data. Check separations, trim and media sizes, compare differences between design files and production files, or check if all corrections have been applied. Compare between the production file and RIPped data.

Quality control with Global Vision

Workflows in Automation Engine can work with automated Global Vision inspection checks.

Global Vision functionality allows for automatic quality control checks like text, artwork, spelling, braille, barcodes. The result: a secure prepress flow with accurate quality. Read more about Global Vision functionality in Automation Engine.

Inline Inspection

The Inspection module allows a faster setup of the inline inspection device which is essential when dealing with short runs and variable printing.

Color

The Color module offers centralized color management with ink saving tools and advanced color conversion tasks. The color functionality offers a reduction of ink consumption and a most stable print quality. There’s also a distinct reduction of press setup time thanks to an automated conversion into a fixed color set.

Imposition & Step-and-Repeat

The layout module offers all tools to step & repeat, impose or nest files. The layout module supports any segment: labels, folding carton, corrugated, digital, commercial print, signage or display production.

Data can be acquired from an external database or MIS system to further streamline and automate the overall job processing.

Automated Flexo Platemaking

The automated flexo platemaking module enables a fully automated platemaking workflow. Starting from a ripped LEN file all the way to the exposed flexo plate on the CDI.

The Automation Engine Platemaking module removes the need to manually crop and extend .LEN files, add QC files…

Device Manager

Any activity on output devices is automatically registered. The Automation Engine Device Manager has a bi-directional link with devices such as Esko’s CDI imager and Kongsberg cutting table.

The Device Manager moves operational control upstream to the prepress department. Flexo platemaking and digital finishing operations are better integrated with the prepress workflow. Operators use Device Manager to monitor job statuses, and to manage and prioritize the queues of all connected devices.

The Device Manager allows companies to use their hardware at maximum capacity by smart estimation functionality and the possibility to balance loads between devices. Read more about Device Manager for trade shops and converters and Device Manager for signage and display producers.

Linking with external systems (MIS, ERP)

Automation Engine is able to obtain information from external systems through SQL queries, XML or XMP data… This data populates job information and workflow parameters, using values that already exist. Examples include step & repeat data, barcodes, colors to be used…

MIS integration also allows for automated step-and-repeat or imposition. Milestones can be communicated to the business system to report on the status of prepress jobs: “data arrived”, “approved”, “plates ready”… Reduce the administrative overhead; especially in environments where job runs are becoming shorter, but job overhead stays the same, like in digital print.

Connect

The Connect module offers the easiest way to integrate Automation engine and WebCenter with 3rd party systems (MIS, ERP, shipping systems, Box, SAP…)

You can connect your Automation Engine, WebCenter or ArtiosCAD to any business system that allows integration: MIS, web stores, finance systems, shipping systems… without the need for custom development!

Read more about Connect...