Esko and HP Indigo launch digital print workflow

Esko and HP Indigo launch digital print workflow
Esko-Graphics and HP are to offer a combined workflow solution featuring the Esko-Graphics FlexRip and HP Indigo digital label printing presses. A key component of Esko-Graphics Scope workflow environment, FlexRip is a multi-purpose RIP and quality control tool offering a variety of output formats and driving a wide range of output devices. FlexRip uses HP Indigo’s SNAP personalization architecture to create jobs on the press. Riki Tzirin, Industrial Marketing Manager, HP Indigo, EMEA, comments: ‘HP is rapidly expanding its market share in commercial and industrial printing, and this cooperation with Esko-Graphics will offer our customers a powerful workflow solution that enhances quality and increases productivity.’ Kaleidoscope, FlexRip’s device-independent color engine, is particularly strong in color management of special colors such as Pantone and house colors. Kaleidoscope color management combines CMYK (colorimetric) profiles with patented special color (spectra) profiles. For HP customers, Kaleidoscope ensures a fully automated conversion to the HP Indigo press color space and an exact color matching of most special colors produced with the 6-color HP IndiChrome system or other special inks on the HP label presses. Using the Esko-Graphics Scope workflow solution, a customer can decide when the job is ready whether to send his files to a flexo or digital output devices, without the need to change or edit the files, as the workflow stays the same. For repeat jobs no prepress operator intervention is needed as ripped data is retrieved from the archive, which reduces make-ready costs. Furthermore the workflow solution is machine-independent and offers a high level of flexibility, allowing the operator not only to manage their HPI press, but the entire output machine park. The combination has been implemented at Paragon Print & Packaging and at Eshuis in The Netherlands. Paragon’s repro studio manager David Manning comments, ‘With the installation of the HP Indigo press ws4050, our requirement was for digital files to be printed with minimum manipulation and to allow effective color management. Having considered several options Kaleidoscope from Esko-Graphics has enabled us to achieve a streamline digital workflow that has proved to be a perfect partnership with the HP Digital Press.’ Comments Hans Poortinga, printing specialist & prepress coordinator at Eshuis, ‘Our standardization has advanced to such a level we are now able to match HP Indigo digital printing with conventional printing techniques.’