Version 4 of Fujifilm’s XMF workflow, launched in November 2011, is aimed at publication and commercial printers and allows jobs to be easily swapped from one press type to another right up to the point at which production starts.

It also features an incorporated search engine to help printers manage lots of different jobs simultaneously.

The XMF workflow system, initially launched in 2007, uses JDF to link to any MIS, and is powered by the Adobe PDF Print Engine (APPE), which allows accurate PDFs to be RIP'd immediately before printing making last minute changes easier.

BCQ Group pre-media manager Allan Bates said: "We can now have 10 users working efficiently with XMF all at the same time. In addition, thanks to the integral 3D proofing module, we can provide end users with reliable previews of their end products."

Bates said this was one of XMF’s most compelling features. He added: "Our customers really want to see what their product looks like before printing, so when a 3D version is created in XMF and the customer can flick through the pages to check it is what they were expecting, we realise that this is a value added service that sets us apart."

Reflecting on the success of Version 4 since its March installation Bates added: "We are already considering the possibility of adding XMF Remote to our offering so that we can further enhance our customer relationships, and we look forward to hearing about other product enhancements that Fujifilm is working on."