“ArtPro+ built its reputation by enabling prepress operators to reduce unintentional errors when editing and by allowing users to automate repeating tasks without the need for any special programming skills; with ArtPro+ 20.0, we are building on these key needs to address the specific issues packaging professionals must face”, explained Frank Woltering, Product Manager Graphic Editing at Esko.
Importantly, ArtPro+20.0 users that need to create endless repeats (staggered cut sheet layouts) can try out a prerelease of the new optional Plate Cut tool, which reduces plate cutting preparation time by up to 30 minutes. “The optimal shape to cut a plate is largely defined by the graphic content of each separation and each job needs to be addressed individually,” Frank said. Not only is creating precise cutting paths to trim plates to their optimal shape both labor and skill intensive, but historically, plates are often damaged in mounting when they are hand cut. Manually cutting plates also presents a safety hazard because of the need for an open blade.
“We identified that the available semi-automated solutions are not content aware, needing input from the user to redraw and improve suggested cutting paths. ArtPro+ 20.0 introduces a new, patent-pending algorithm which analyzes the printed content and finds the optimal cutting path for each separation. The release version of this innovation is slated for the November release”, says Frank.
The creation of cutting paths is now just a one-click operation, saving up to 30 minutes preparation per layout, automating the task saves on damaged plates, while a special economy mode delivers rectangular cuts, reducing plate usage by six per cent.
Frank explained that in ArtPro+ 20.0, shrink sleeve wrapping production has also been simplified. “Creating warp grids for non-symmetrical shapes is an iterative process and requires time and skilled professionals,” he said. But after pre-distortion, the PDF graphics have reduced editability, still requiring rework for design amendments. Now, users can interactively pre-distort graphics for shrink sleeve production based on symmetrical and non-symmetrical 3D shapes.
“The Esko Studio algorithm simulates the physical distortion of the material when shrinking to the container, eliminating the need for complex grid creation, and because pre-distorted graphics can be edited in their original format, there is also no need to sync and manage an un-warped version of the design We’re sure that ArtPro+ customers around the globe will be impressed with this new version”, concluded Frank.
