Which digital printers you can use
Prinergy can send PDF and PostScript files directly to most digital printers.
With Prinergy Workshop's Send to Digital option, you can send jobs via JDF bi-directional connectivity to digital printers that accept JDF files.
Note: For a list of supported digital printers, refer to the Release Notes for your version of Kodak Prinergy Workflow.
How to use digital printers
There are two main methods of submitting digital print jobs (also called documents):
New JTE method (JDF bi-directional connectivity)
In Prinergy Workshop, you can send jobs to be printed on a connected digital printer using the Send to Digital option and then monitor the submitted jobs in the Prinergy Device Track.
The new JDF bi-directional connectivity method enables you to change the job settings in Prinergy's Digital Job Ticket Editor based on the available options of the connected digital device. The options in the Digital Job Ticket Editor are based on the capabilities of the selected device. When the Prinergy server connects to a digital device via Setup, the device communicates its capabilities in JMF format. The values for the different parameters are updated in the Setup application per device, and are reflected in the Digital Job Ticket Editor.
For information about adding the connections to the digital devices in Setup, see Setting up a digital device (press) for JDF bi-directional connectivity.
Legacy method
You can send jobs to be printed on a connected digital printer using Digital Submit and Digital Direct. Using the legacy JDF connectivity method you can change only the number of copies to be printed. The rest of the settings are determined by the JDF file associated with the submitted job.
Prerequisites
Before using a digital printer, you must perform the following tasks:
- Install and configure digital printing.
- Create a process template for the digital printer.
If you are using an external digital controller that features a Job Ticket software, you can install this software and use it within the Prinergy digital flow.
Refining Files for Digital Printers
When you refine files for digital printers, consider these issues:
- Will the files be used on an offset printer, as well as a digital printer?
- Do you need to extract reader spreads from an imposition?
- Do you need to extract reader spreads from a layout?
- Do you need to print the original PDF, single refined pages, or imposed spreads (including marks)?
If you plan to use the files only on a digital printer, you can let the digital printer do the trapping, color matching, and spot color handling. To prevent Prinergy from trapping, color matching, and spot color handling, clear the Trap, ColorConvert, and Spot Color Handling sections of the refine process template. It is recommended to use the Refine color management. You can select the digital device's color profile in the refine process (ColorConvert > Convert to Destination).
You may want to send files to both digital and offset printers—for example, if you want to split the job among multiple printers or use the job at multiple locations. When you send files to both types of printers, you may want the outputs to match as closely as possible. In this situation, do trapping, color matching, and spot color handling in Prinergy by selecting and configuring the Trap, ColorConvert, and Spot Color Handling sections of the refine process template. On the digital print controller, set up a job ticket to take the press-ready files and match the offset press colors as closely as possible.
Choosing Between Vector and Raster PDF Output
When you send files to a digital printer using process templates, you can choose any type of PDF output available in the Output To list of the process template, including PDF (Vector output), PDF Raster, PDF/X-1a:2000 (Vector output), and PDF/X-3 (Vector output).
For most situations, choose one of the vector outputs because vector files are smaller in size, can store more color information, and are compatible with the widest range of printers.
When you choose PDF Raster, Prinergy RIPs the entire input file into a raster file before sending it to the printer. This takes additional processing time on Prinergy and produces larger files. Use PDF Raster under these circumstances:
- If the input files cannot be printed as vector PDF—for example, DCS-2 files
- If the input files use operations that a digital print controller may not support—for example, white or color overprints
- If you want to ensure that the output was RIPed by Prinergy and will be interpreted exactly the same as the file that you see in Prinergy