Global Graphics has developed a print software that sends data directly to the printhead electronics of a digital printer instead of writing to disk, reducing image processing times and improving productivity.
‘Direct’ integrates several technologies from Global Graphics Software. Jobs entering the workflow are streamlined to optimise their processing through the Rip with new software called Streamline Direct. Files are Ripped by Harlequin Direct or screened by ScreenPro Direct with PrintFlat to achieve the optimal quality at speed. Direct can be integrated with printhead drive electronics and software from Global Graphics subsidiary Meteor Inkjet, or with other common drive electronics from other vendors.
“’Direct’ is a new way of looking at things,” said Eric Worrall, Global Graphics Software’s VP of product management. “It has been created from the ground up specifically for the digital world and is compatible with any digital press. We started with the toughest requirements for data and image quality because once you’ve cracked that problem, you can scale back from there for less demanding environments with the appropriate choice of hardware.”
“When aiming for the highest possible image pipeline speed,” continued Worrall, “it’s important to be able to integrate with tight knowledge and access to each component, to squeeze out every bit of performance. You can only do that if you have control and access to all components. Global Graphics Software is uniquely placed in the market as we have access to every line of code for every component; we don’t need to request features and knowledge from any third-party suppliers.”
Direct has been designed to be part of a fully automated print solution, supporting Industry 4.0 telematics and integration with PLCs and MIS systems, where feedback from the print-line - such as a quality inspection system - can help automatically correct for any issues as they occur.
Because Direct has been engineered to meet the demands of fully variable data from the outset, it gives printer manufacturers the option to use lower performance PC hardware for less demanding (static or mixed data) jobs. This is achieved by Ripping on the fly and streaming image data in memory directly to the printer electronics.
Harlequin Direct and ScreenPro Direct are cross platform, supporting Windows and Linux and optimised for Intel i9, Xeon and AMD Ryzen Threadripper CPUs. Both can be used with Meteor NozzleFix technology. Harlequin Direct and ScreenPro Direct can also be used with Meteor Mixed Mode to reduce the hardware costs for markets that mix static and variable data (Zoned Variable Data).