The most significant new feature is a streamlined user interface, called Workspace, reported general manager of Kodak Unified Workflow Solutions, Jon Bracken.
He said: "There’s a lot of complexity in pre-press production and over the years we’ve added capability to it and so for a new user it can be a little daunting. And getting skilled talent into the industry is becoming increasingly difficult."
"So what we wanted to do was add an interface that simplified a lot of the processes by making the decisions intelligently."
The Workspace interface consists of three modules: Manage, Plan and Track. Plan is designed so that the amount of information that needs to be input is minimised, with jobs automatically programmed to the right machines.
Bracken said: "The intelligence we’ve added to this new version is that the database has all your manufacturing information - all presses, all the sheet sizes, cutters, folders and so on. The intelligence is that it will tell you what options are open to you depending on what equipment you have and what you want to produce." He added that the Manage module enables more in-depth interaction with the system.
The Track module then offers users a single view of what is being output. "The digital print interface was first added in 2004 but over that time we’ve added more and more digital presses. What we’ve done in Prinergy 6 is unified all those things into a single view so an operator can know from a single view exactly what’s going on in the output side, regardless of whether it’s to a computer to plate system or a digital press," said Bracken.
So far Prinergy 6 has 30 users across the globe, who have been beta testing the software for the last six months. Prinergy 5.2 users with premium service contracts will be upgraded automatically at no extra cost.
Kodak expects strong uptake from those new to Prinergy. Bracken reported that the software was designed to have broad appeal within the commercial, packaging and publication printing sectors.
He said: "It’s very scalable. With Prinergy we cover the whole gamut, so from a very competitive level at the starting price point all the way up to massive systems. There should be no barrier to a customer getting a foothold in Prinergy 6."
