Keep Up With Proofing

Ongoing changes in printing, computer, network and printing technologies and products mean that new measures and uses for proofing—the practice of checking the job before the final print.

"As technology gets better and less expensive, the nature of proofing continues to change," said Derek Awalt, Global Product manager Halftone Proofing, Prepress Solutions, Kodaks Graphic Communications Group, in a phone interview. "In our presentation, we talked about the innovations in hardcopy proofing, and also online technology and its proofing benefits."

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Awalts previous address, "The Changing World of Proofing," delivered with Nick Patrissi, senior marketing manager, Market Development, GCG, United States and Canada, at the Print Buyers Internationals second Print Buyers Conference, Nov. 7 and 8, in Westford, Mass.

Challenges facing todays print buyer, according to Awalt, include shorter turnaround times, geographically distant clients and vendors and the need to deliver higher levels of quality without incurring higher costs," said Awalt. Innovations in proofing can help reduce cycle time, maximize quality, take cost out of the process, and improve productivity, according to Awalt—but this requires picking the right solutions. For example, Awalt notes, using collaborative workflow tools can reduce deadline pressures by eliminating wait times for hard-copy proofs and accelerate review cycles.

"There are many different proofing solutions available," Awalt said in his presentation. "There are many different types of jobs and requirements. Apply the best technologies to meet expectations and your objectives."

The key, Awalt said, is that "the technologies are getting better and cheaper, and much more color accurate. And theyre going further and further upstream into the creative process, e.g., even the first proofs are a color laser [and] are managed to some extent."

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