S. H. PIERCE & CO. INTRODUCES POSTERWORKS® 5.0
Major upgrade addresses grand-format printing to 250,000 square feet
- For Immediate Release
- Contact: Steve Hollinger
- Phone: 617 338-2222
- Presskit online: http://www.posterworks.com/press/
(Cambridge, MA) S. H. Pierce & Co. is now shipping PosterWorks 5.0, a major upgrade to the company's large-format production application for Macintosh and Windows computers. PosterWorks provides tools for the printing of displays, fleet graphics, billboards and custom wraps. PosterWorks is unique in its ability to create layouts up to 250,000 square feet (23,000 square meters), composed of single or multiple custom-size panels prepared for output on any PostScript device. Version 5.0 adds a host of new features - including nesting tools, print direction controls and performance enhancements to specifically address large-format producers. PosterWorks 5.0 is now available through authorized resellers at a suggested retail price of $495.00.
"As the large-format production market has matured, sophisticated users demand a new generation of tools." said Steve Hollinger, President of S. H. Pierce & Co. "PosterWorks 5.0 responds to this demand by providing an unparalleled level of control over sizing, printing and assembly of colossal projects."
In operation, a PosterWorks 5.0 user composes a large-format layout with either fixed or variable tiles. If variable tiles are required, a custom width and height can be specified for each row and column on the layout. Variable tiles are used, for example, to design a city bus with large main panels and smaller window panels. The PosterWorks user may also vary the margins, overlaps, bleeds and gaps between tiles. Artwork is imported in EPS, TIFF or Scitex format for final sizing, cropping and placement within PosterWorks.
Specialized Tools for Large and Grand-format Printing
PosterWorks 5.0 addresses the needs of large and grand-format producers by adding a host of interactive paneling tools. A user can interactively enlarge a particular panel while either maintaining the size of remaining panels or optionally applying a global change to all the panels. Similarly, graphic objects placed on the layout can be resized beyond the layout surface - the program simply asks the user whether to enlarge the layout or the panel, or to limit the size of the object to the size of the existing panel.
The PosterWorks 5.0 interface has been streamlined according to user feedback, with tools for quick-key dialog access, object nudging and panel insert and delete tools. Equal attention has been paid to the productivity of the most proficient users, resulting in a hierarchy of advanced dialogs according to level of job complexity.
Many options have been added to PosterWorks in support of specific large-format industry standards. For example, grand-format producers can vary the printed linewidth of registration marks, cutmarks and cropmarks on each panel. Specialized cropmarks enable the producer to identify overlap, bleed and rainlap area.
Focus on Productivity
PosterWorks 5.0's new nesting controls help conserve media by arranging a multi-panel job so panels are packed or "nested" into the smallest possible area of output media. The nesting algorithm used in PosterWorks 5.0 is modeled on packing software used by Boeing to consolidate aircraft components onto the minimum area of sheet metal stock. PosterWorks provides user configurable choices including automatic rotation of panels for best fit and automatic ordering of slats or panels across a large master panel.
Nesting controls also enable a user to divide a layout into a custom number of rows of columns of small tiles. For example, a ceramic tile producer can pack and print a 10 x 20 matrix of tile patterns onto a larger sheet. Options are provided for specifying the distance between each nested tile, master panel margins, custom cropmarks and location numbers. Users have full control over reprinting individual panels or nested panel sets.
PosterWorks 5.0 adds print direction controls which enable the user to automate or manually specify the print direction of each panel. This feature, provided in response to demand from ink-jet users, enables a printer to more closely match abutting panels by resolving minor inconsistencies found across the print platen. Ink coverage is more likely to match between panels if the abutting sides are printed on the same side of the output device.
Accelerated Performance
PosterWorks 5.0 is compatible with all Microsoft® Windows operating systems, including Windows Vista, XP, NT, 2000, 98 and 95. A 16-bit version of PosterWorks for the Windows 3.1 operating system is included with the PosterWorks package.
PosterWorks 5.0 is fully compatible with Macintosh OS X as a Macintosh Classic application, and also supports Macintosh platforms running System 9. PosterWorks 5.0 for Macintosh has been streamlined for the PowerPC processor. The Macintosh version includes a native, optimized version for the Power Macintosh and a 68k version for older machines.
Printer Compatibility
PosterWorks 5.0 is compatible with all PostScript Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 compatible interpreters and printers. In addition to new optimizations for PostScript Level 3, PosterWorks Version 5.0 also adds support for exporting layouts into the Open Prepress Interface (OPI) 2.0 format - enabling users to download proxy layouts to an OPI server for automatic picture replacement.
PosterWorks 5.0 is available through authorized dealers at a suggested retail price of $495.00. Registered PosterWorks 4.0 users may upgrade for $169.00.
###
PosterWorks and the PosterWorks logo are registered trademarks of S. H. Pierce & Co. All other trademarks are registered property of their respective owners.