DES scores 3 times with 3DAP V2 success
One of the leading suppliers of digital proofing solutions to the Australian and New Zealand printing industry has consolidated its position as a high-technology provider, with several of its machines being awarded with 3DAP Version 2 - the only home-grown criteria for accurate digital proofing.
Russell Cavenagh, Sales Director at DES, claims securing the standard is recognition of the company's leading position as a specialist digital proofing and colour management provider. “We were the first to be approved to the new standard and we got this approval first time around, so we're very pleased,” he says. “After our recent win at the IPA proofing shootout we were very confident”
The first of DES's proofing systems to be awarded the 3DAP Version 2 standard is the Epson 4800 large-format printer (pictured right) combined with EFI/Best Colorproof XF software. The printer takes advantage of Epson's advanced MicroPiezo printhead technology and 8-colour UltraChrome ink system. The three variations of Black ink allow for output closer to photo perfection than ever before, and are also the first machines of its kind to offer true border-free printing on all four sides of the sheet.
The Epson 7600/9600 series, also recipients of the 3DAP Version 2 standard, are available in variations that extend from 24” to 44” output and also make use of Epson's groundbreaking MicroPiezo printhead technology and 7-colour UltraChrome ink system.
Other products from DES to be awarded the 3DAP Version 2 standard are Canon's new cutting-edge W6400 (pictured right) and W8400 printers. Canon's mission statement with the machines was to offer an improvement in image quality without a sacrifice in speed, and to achieve this end the printers contain a one-inch-wide, high-density printhead, featuring microscopic 4-picoliter droplets that allow for high-quality images free from graininess. To ensure these image improvements do not result in a speed bottleneck, the printhead employs 7,680 tiny ink nozzles.
The right software for proofing perfection
Every one of these 3DAP Version 2 awarded solutions was achieved using EFI/Best Colorproof XF software (pictured right) - the most accomplished digital colour proofing option when looking for speed, flexibility, ease of use and consistency. Colorproof XF software is subject to its own big developments, with the newest version 2.6 available to DES customers.
“Colorproof XF 2.6 has major enhancements and new features over V2.5,” says Cavenagh, “but as proofing users will appreciate, our ultra simple 10 minute linearization feature will be hard to improve upon.”
There are a number of new features in the latest version of Colorproof XF that will grab the attention of anyone in the market for an effective proofing solution. The new EFI Fiery option allows the software to interface to Fiery controlled laser devices anywhere in the system, allowing accurate colour to be output to any connected device automatically.
The Dot Creator feature allows users to rip contone postscript data into screened data, and then nominate which screen angles and rulings are required. It comes in particularly useful when producing silk-screen separations, and also for viewing newspaper ads in exactly the form they will look like upon output.
A number of other interface and compatibility enhancements have also been added to version 2.6 of Colorproof XF. Prioritising has been improved with it now taking only a simple mouse click to shift a job from the bottom to the top of the list, new file formats like Photoshop PSD and JPEG 2000 are supported, along with Hexachrome and Hi-Hi input and output capabilities are accommodated. Extra enhancements like nesting, multiple profile selection and new cropping options are also added to the feature list.
One of the leading suppliers of digital proofing solutions to the Australian and New Zealand printing industry has consolidated its position as a high-technology provider, with several of its machines being awarded with 3DAP Version 2 - the only home-grown criteria for accurate digital proofing. 
The first of DES's proofing systems to be awarded the 3DAP Version 2 standard is the Epson 4800 large-format printer (pictured right) combined with EFI/Best Colorproof XF software. The printer takes advantage of Epson's advanced MicroPiezo printhead technology and 8-colour UltraChrome ink system. The three variations of Black ink allow for output closer to photo perfection than ever before, and are also the first machines of its kind to offer true border-free printing on all four sides of the sheet.
Other products from DES to be awarded the 3DAP Version 2 standard are Canon's new cutting-edge W6400 (pictured right) and W8400 printers. Canon's mission statement with the machines was to offer an improvement in image quality without a sacrifice in speed, and to achieve this end the printers contain a one-inch-wide, high-density printhead, featuring microscopic 4-picoliter droplets that allow for high-quality images free from graininess. To ensure these image improvements do not result in a speed bottleneck, the printhead employs 7,680 tiny ink nozzles. 
Every one of these 3DAP Version 2 awarded solutions was achieved using EFI/Best Colorproof XF software (pictured right) - the most accomplished digital colour proofing option when looking for speed, flexibility, ease of use and consistency. Colorproof XF software is subject to its own big developments, with the newest version 2.6 available to DES customers. 
The Dot Creator feature allows users to rip contone postscript data into screened data, and then nominate which screen angles and rulings are required. It comes in particularly useful when producing silk-screen separations, and also for viewing newspaper ads in exactly the form they will look like upon output.