Bringing digital production workflows In-House: Publishers considering the switch to in-house have four critical areas to assess - Brief Article

The last 30 years have seen the explosive growth of production, editorial and art tools for our industry. Page layout, drawing, image editing, word processing and page RIPping tools can save publishers both time and money. Film is fast becoming a remnant of the past as digital becomes the way to prepare files on the front end. For publishers still working with film who are thinking of implementing digital, in-house workflows, there are four production areas to consider: scanning and imaging, proofing, preparing pages and accepting digital ads.

SCANNING AND IMAGING

Most publishers already have at least one scanner in-house to prepare FPO (for position only) or small art scans. But sophisticated--and economical--scanners can do more than just hold an image place for a better scan. For under $40,000, and sometimes for less then $10,000, you can buy equipment from companies like CreoScitex, Heidelberg and Screen that rival more expensive drum units.

To justify such a purchase to management, do the math and determine what you are now being charged for scans by your vendor. Then establish how quickly you will see a ROI on an in-house scanner by calculating the time it will take (in numbers of eliminated outsourced scans) to pay off the scanner.

You will also want to factor in having someone on staff to do the digital imaging. This person will be responsible for color management, imaging and perhaps some network and IT help. Such an employee is usually new, but some companies train an existing art staff member or hire junior art directors who can to do image editing.

PROOFING

Proofing goes hand in hand with imaging. Cost per page is dropping, so you don't need to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a system. What was once $7 a spread with a dye sublimation proofer has dropped to half that amount with the new generation of toner- and ink-jet-based proofers.

You can do research at any graphic arts show. Vendors like Imation, Epson, Hewlett-Packard, Xerox and Canon display toner and ink-jet proofing systems that cost anywhere from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars. And printers accept a wide array of proofs these days.

PREPARING PAGES

Sending native file applications with images and fonts to your printer is not desirable. You will be charged for loading the files, for flightchecking ads, and for printing and sending the final proof. Instead, try RIPping your own files. There are some great applications for RIPping to "bulletproof" file formats such as TIFF/IT-P1 and PDF/X-1, and they range in price from $3,000 to $20,000. Your printer should be delighted to receive these files. Even better, your ability to use them can make a great contract bargaining chip. You will still have to proof these files one more time in-house--into a "digital blueline" -- but changes are not quite so onerous. Enfocus, CreoScitex and Adobe are just a few software companies that have developed solutions.

ACCEPTING DIGITAL ADS

The first and most critical step toward having your advertisers switch from film to digital ads is to begin eradicating film. Start by announcing that you are implementing a completely digital workflow. Then, with the help of your ad sales staff, ask your advertisers to send their materials in digital form, and patiently help them understand how to do this. Designing your own ad specs brochure is a great way to communicate this information.

But these days, publishers stand a better chance if they can get advertising files sent in TIFF-IT/P-1 or PDF/X-1 formats instead of film. Try not to accept native applications, as you will find yourself liable for advertiser errors. Flightchecking tools are also available, both as software packages and online. And there are some great resources for digital advertising information.

All your efforts will eventually pay off. Expect to invest in equipment, software and a good staff. At Easyriders, for example, we spent about $200,000 to move prepress operations in-house, and then about another $300,000 per year in salaries. But we have saved $1 million a year by eliminating vendor services. And we've also gained time in our schedule for ad closings and copy.

Michael Weinglass is vice president of manufacturing/production for Easyriders Inc.

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