What does it do?
GMG productionSuite is a software package designed, says GMG, to offer the entire range of functions required in a modern wide-format production environment. The suite is a modular system, comprising Editor, RIP, SmartProfiler and PrintStation, and currently supports over 800 output devices. The product is designed for custom installation, from a simple configuration on one computer with only one RIP, one Editor and functions for driving one or two output devices, to an extensive decentralized configuration with several Editors that can send jobs to more than 10 printers and cutters.

When was it launched? Who is it aimed at?
ProductionSuite was launched at Fespa Digital in February. It is aimed, says GMG UK technical sales consultant Simon Landau, at all wide-format printers who want to maximise their productivity and the quality of their output. "The machine can be used by anyone printing with aqueous-based inkjets, solvent inkjets, UV-curable and latex printing," says Landau. "It’s got everything that a large-format client would need for job preparation and editing and it fully supports everything including all of the industrial cutting and roll-to-roll cutting machines."

What role do the modules fulfil?
The Editor is the application’s central processing unit and it allows users to define and position pockets, hems, grommets and pole pockets and easily prepare tiled images for later assembly.

The RIP runs in the background, independently of the work steps in the Editor, so that print jobs needing full computing power can be prepared while others have already been sent to the RIP.

The SmartProfiler aligns printers of similar type to give identical print results.

The PrintStation module’s user interface means data can be easily grouped and prepared for production. The aim is to greatly accelerate order processing and reduce material use.

Additional modules for industrial cutting, true-shape nesting and screen printing and variable data printing can also be incorporated. And each installation comes with a proofing solution, including an Epson printer and GMG colour proof software to save on ink, substrate and press time costs.

What are its USPs?
ProductionSuite’s main USP, says Landau, is that it can print the same work identically "day after day after day", due to its SmartProfiler module. The ability to do this even with spot colours is a particularly exciting feature, he says, as is the capability to calibrate colours so they appear identical in different environments. "The client gets about 40-odd options so they can pick a colour that matches under different lighting conditions. For example, the client might want the colour on an in-store PVC banner and outdoor signage to look the same," explains Landau.

What training is available?
The software is very easy to get to grips with, says Landau. "It’s very easy to use," he explains "because the interface is very similar to Adobe Illustrator. The whole point is that people will feel very familiar with this software rather than being confused by layouts that look very busy, as can happen with some workflow systems." For this reason training typically only takes one day, reports Landau. "We have a 45-page demo script that we use for training," he says. "It’s a step-by-step production suite for dummies which means that clients can grasp the basics of filing, nesting and cropping very quickly."

What service support is available?
"We offer remote support for diagnostics," reports Landau. "We have three engineers based in Norwich who can dial in and sort software problems out. We also have six on-the-road engineers, as well as secondary support from the GMG headquarters in Germany."

How well is it expected to sell?
Landau predicts that, following the product’s launch at the various exhibitions this year, new installations will be in the hundreds. "This is an amazing piece of kit," he says. "We’ve no direct competition in terms of what it can provide; it saves money, ink, media and pre-press time. Every single time we do a demonstration of this product we get ‘wows’."

ALTERNATIVES

Onyx Thrive
Onyx Thrive software offers a complete workflow solution, says Onyx, from digital file submission through to colour management, printing and cutting. The software is based on Adobe technologies, offers scalability and includes, among other features, a 32-bit Onyx Color Engine, ICC profile creation with ‘Vivid Color’ gamut mapping, built-in Pantone Plus, RAL, and HSK colour libraries and multipage PDF splitting.