Agfa introduces the new version of its workflow: Apogee v12. This latest version, which will be available from October 2020, offers new features for imposition, customer interaction, cloud control and automation. The Belgian manufacturer and publisher has also reviewed its business model.
The cost of Agfa's Apogee v12 defined by data volume
Agfa has chosen to market Apogee v12 according to "a fair and appropriate model for the size of the print shop." . Apogee v12 is delivered on a subscription basis and its price is determined not by the workflow functionality, but by the amount of data processed.
More imposition possibilities and automation with Agfa's Apogee v12
Agfa added new functions to the Apogee Impose tool for taxation. Apogee v12 features the new Cut'n Assemble function that further automates imposition. "It is now possible to place multiple folds on a single press sheet for simultaneous finishing. The result is greater finishing efficiency and reduced paper waste, details Agfa.
For rotary printers, the new version allows imposition on a partial web placement and a combination of several page adjustments such as bottling, scaling and offsets.
Impose from Apogee v12 also includes automated, customized imposition reports, easy reuse of complex imposition templates, support for page tilt angle and paper stretch compensation, among others.
A multi-client solution and new tools for the Apogee WebApproval portal
Apogee WebApproval v12, the web portal that allows customers to upload files and approve pages, has also been enhanced.
It now includes a multi-client solution for print buyers. "When a printer is taken over by another or ceases printing, it may be essential to preserve certain key elements of the old structure such as the company name and identity. The Multi-Client Print Buyout solution allows a printer to create several different brand configurations, each for a specific set of print buyers"
Other new WebApproval features in Apogee v12 include improved logging capabilities, the ability to quickly compare different file versions by highlighting the specific elements of each, and better handling of remarks and processing errors so that no file can be falsely approved.
Apogee WebFlow interface for cloud production control
Agfa has developed a new web user interface, called WebFlow, which allows sales teams and customers to control production very easily in Apogee Cloud. This gives them an overview of all tasks and their status to see if all pages are available or if some still need to be approved. They can also control jobs by modifying jobs, starting hardcopy proofing or validating plate production.
Even more customised and advanced automation with ATP
While Agfa's workflow from the beginning offered several ways to automate production (such as automatic archiving and deletion of jobs or page placement based on naming conventions), version 12 takes the automation possibilities even further with the automated job process (or ATP).
"Incoming files are analyzed on the basis of their content and metadata. The information gathered then defines specific actions such as renaming files, routing to compensate for high copy count, routing to B&W digital printing systems... ATP rules are defined by the user or administrator in Apogee."
