In the fast-paced world of packaging production, deadlines are tight, and the demand for top-notch print quality continues to grow. While advances in flexographic presses and plates have elevated print standards, manual prepress operations haven’t always kept up with the increased pressure for shorter runs and tighter turnaround times.
Going Beyond Design in Packaging Production
Adobe Illustrator™ is the go-to tool for most modern packaging designs, but it’s only the starting point in the packaging production process. A lot more effort is required before these designs are ready for the print production stage. While the widespread adoption of PDF has simplified prepress for both flexographic and digital jobs, managing and controlling the prepress stage remains crucial. PDF files, extracted from Illustrator designs, allow fonts, images, and layouts to be contained within a single compact format that is easy to share and works well with RIPs for flexo, CTP, and digital printing. But that’s just the first step in packaging production.
Specialized software tools are essential to maximize the potential of PDF files in packaging prepress. HYBRID Software’s PACKZ and CLOUDFLOW are designed specifically to meet the demands of label and packaging production environments, delivering consistent quality even with the tightest deadlines.
PACKZ: The Key to Precision in Packaging Production
PACKZ is a 64-bit editor that offers a comprehensive suite of prepress, editing, and quality assurance tools that are essential in packaging production. It handles tasks such as preflighting and file correction, color mapping, separation handling, barcode creation, trapping, variable data printing, step-and-repeat, and object-based screening. For those dealing with shrink sleeves, PACKZ’s ability to compensate for shrink distortion and preview 3D renderings ensures that designs come out perfectly in production.
PACKZ also integrates seamlessly with Adobe Illustrator, accepting both native Illustrator and industry-standard PDF files. Its integration with OpenColor, a GMG Color management tool, enhances its capabilities, enabling packaging production with accurate color mapping and extended color gamut support (CMYKOGV). This pairing ensures precise, color-managed files for advanced plate setters like XSYS and various digital presses.
CLOUDFLOW: Streamlining Packaging Production with Automation
In today’s packaging production environments, efficiency is paramount, and automation is often the answer. CLOUDFLOW, HYBRID Software’s web-based server solution, automates workflow, file and asset management, soft proofing, and collaboration. CLOUDFLOW uses a specialized version of the Harlequin Host Renderer, the fastest RIP available, commonly used in HP-Indigo digital presses for label and packaging production. Supporting industry standards like CIP3, PDF, and XMP, CLOUDFLOW bridges the gap between manual and fully automated packaging production workflows.
The Future of Packaging Production
Software tools like PACKZ and CLOUDFLOW are transforming the way packaging printers and converters operate by providing efficient solutions that meet today’s production demands. In an industry where speed and precision are critical, adopting modern PDF-native software can help packaging production companies stay ahead of the competition.
Take a closer look at what HYBRID Software offers and ensure your packaging production process is future-proofed, helping you either stay ahead of the curve or risk falling behind.
