By Jurgen Verhulst, Technical Marketing Manager EMEA, SAi
If you are reading this as a large format print provider or signmaking business, then the constant need to keep production costs low and increase turnaround times without compromising on quality, will be all too familiar challenges.
The curtain may still only be closing on another drupa and it’s a safe bet that new large format hardware introductions will be grabbing the headlines. At the same time, it is worth remembering that ensuring an efficient end-to-end production workflow – supported by advanced software – will also go a long way to achieving the objectives outlined above.
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| Jurgen Verhulst, Technical Marketing Manager EMEA, SAi |
This of course includes the front-end aspect of the job, even before it is sent to the printer. Indeed, via the right software solutions, enhancing efficiencies at the design stage can have a huge impact on the overall production time. In short, it can mean the difference between a job making it off the cutter, onto the van and en route to the customer – or a missed deadline and angry customer.
When it comes to point-of-purchase (POP) display and box design software, there are a number of solutions available on the market. That said, it makes sense to check out the respective attributes of each should you be on the verge of your next investment.
Indeed, recent new introductions include those packages that tick even more boxes by enabling large format/sign & display businesses to expand their applications offering, increase revenues and sharpen their competitive edge.
The devil is in the detail
So, having established that not all software is created equal, it’s worth being aware of some of the shortfalls in certain options out there. For example, is it compatible with all existing wide-format RIP software that drives flatbed printers and cutters? A number of design packages are either limited to specific cutting machines (which invariably include expensive implementation costs) or require costly additional shape libraries. These are also often only available on licence, but as a customer, you may also have to pay for an annual subscription, which adds to the expense.
Additional or unforeseen costs aside, you should also consider the varying performance capabilities of the respective design software solutions in line with your specific requirements.
For example, most designers would concur that an irksome and oft-faced problem is the issue of accurately visualizing designs in 3D. Because of the difficulty in properly accounting for folding material thickness and folding behavior, achieving accurate design using Adobe Illustrator or Corel is often time-consuming and invariably relies on trial and error during production.
The good news is that a quick review of the latest software options demonstrates that the foremost providers now offer solutions that address this via an animated 3D folding preview feature.
Unleashing the genie from the bottle
If you do happen to be assessing different options, then our own recently-introduced offering, SAi DisplayGenie, is well worth a look – especially if you are also seeking to extend your applications offering to customers.
This powerful, efficiency-enhancing software eliminates multiple steps to improve job creation efficiencies by simplifying the structural design of POP-display and box construction – all within one bundle.
This eliminates the need for any additional software plug-in to access the suite of design options; users simply access a library of popular folding POP display, ECMA and FEFCO box templates and select or adapt the shape or design that best suits the customer’s requirements. From there users can adapt the dimension, rotate it, include additional shelves and client logos and perfect the final design in as little as five minutes. This saves considerable design time that would have previously taken up to several hours.
Importantly, DisplayGenie also incorporates an integrated graphic and structural design with animated 3D folding preview, which also lets users view the layout/design in 3D on the box they have created. This clever tool helps maintain workflow efficiency by catching any mistakes before production, so if you’re a large format provider, this spells savings in both cost and time. This is also aided by the ability to export rotational package display or box designs as 3D PDF files for customer review or adjustment prior to production.
A fifth of the price of certain other packages on the market, this solution could, for many businesses, help unlock the door to quick, easily and cost-effective POP-display and box creation without the shackles of a long-term subscription contract.
As one would expect, it’s clear to see how accessing software in this way is proving increasingly popular. If you are large format or sign & display business, the freedom and capability to easily integrate one single all-embracing solution within your current workflow – without having to change your design, RIP or cutting software – is obviously highly attractive.
For those who already have design software, DisplayGenie offers a great foundation to create a wide array of displays that can be adapted to meet the customers’ exacting requirement, right down to the thickness of the board. These users can simply access the free and regularly updated library of POP display templates with the added option of continuing the design in Illustrator or utilising their existing RIP and cutting solution.
Naturally, it’s a likely objective of most large format print providers to grow business and increase revenues by extending one’s current applications offering. For those that already operate a flatbed printer, but might also be seeking to install a flatbed cutter, DisplayGenie’s ability to provide rapid, trouble-free creation of display and packaging products could hold the key to achieving these goals.
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