HYBRID Software was founded on a commitment to bring innovation and open standards back to the labels and packaging industry, and this is amply demonstrated by the many enhancements incorporated throughout HYBRID’s entire product line, according to Guido Van der Schueren, Chairman of the Board of HYBRID Software. Since launching its Native PDF prepress products in 2013 at Labelexpo, HYBRID has sold more than 1,475 seats of PACKZ, the industry-leading PDF editing software for labels and packaging, and 330 CLOUDFLOW workflows worldwide.
“HYBRID Software has reached a critical point, the sweet spot in the classic ‘hockey stick’ growth curve, where the product functionality and number of installations both start growing exponentially. At that point, success builds on success and customer adoption grows rapidly,” says Van der Schueren.
Key new product introductions made at Labelexpo Europe 2017 include:
• CLOUDFLOW Jobs Module
Based on HYBRID’s many years of experience in job ticketing and interfacing with databases and MIS/ERP systems, HYBRID has created a unique Job management engine for CLOUDFLOW. This tracks and presents information concerning all the parts of a job in a simple and elegant dashboard: order and customer information, files and items, production status, and more. CLOUDFLOW Jobs is supplied pre-configured out of the box, ready to be used in production. And, in good HYBRID tradition, it integrates well with the MIS/ERP systems, online shops and databases that its customers use today.
• PROOFSCOPE Preflight Integration
The quality of delivered files is a major concern within the industry, often causing delays and headaches. Although Native PDF improves this by automatically embedding fonts and images into a single document, fast and accurate preflight and correction is still a critical need for many printers. By embedding the new Preflight report directly in PROOFSCOPE, HYBRID makes a truly efficient approach possible. Designers or print buyers who submit files for print production can review immediately any issues in their browser, thereby shortening the production cycle. This results in fewer costly mistakes during production and less manual intervention for CLOUDFLOW users.
• CLOUDFLOW Share Module
HYBRID’s CLOUDFLOW software features a new enterprise file management module which can improve significantly the way that data is shared between different production sites within a company. Built upon very efficient synchronization technology, CLOUDFLOW Share works seamlessly together with all the front-end, back-end and prepress processes for load balancing and production efficiency, all working to ensure that the right file is available to the right person at the right time.
• PACKZ 4.1 Notes
PACKZ 4.1 now supports annotations within PDF files, including notes made in Acrobat and other Adobe applications, as well as more detailed annotations created in CLOUDFLOW PROOFSCOPE. Annotations made during the soft proofing process can be visualized in PACKZ for more efficient file modifications and corrections.
• PACKZ 4.1 Extended Live Objects
By adding support for scripting (using the industry standard, JavaScript), PACKZ 4.1 now supports the most complex Live Objects. This includes dynamic registration marks that automatically adjust for the size and color separations used in a job, automatic information panels which include job metadata and even job and customer information from linked MIS systems or other 3rd party data systems, as well as many other functions. The possibilities are endless, and the library of ‘standard’ functionality shipped with PACKZ will continue to grow in the future as more scripting applications are developed.
• PACKZ 4.1 Dynamic Artwork
By extending the functionality of Live Objects to include barcodes, images and even links to external databases, such as product ingredients or multiple language text repositories, PACKZ 4.1 opens a new world for the creation of dynamic artwork for labels and packaging.
• CERM and Label Traxx Integration
Visitors will be able to see demonstrations of CLOUDFLOW’s integration with several leading MIS systems for labels and packaging, including CERM and Label Traxx. This integration creates a highly efficient end-to-end order approval system which starts at the web portal and automates the entire production flow for users of these systems.
• GMG Open Color Integration
HYBRID and GMG have jointly developed and launched a tight integration between HYBRID PACKZ and GMG Open Color Server to automatically convert individual spot colors used in a package or label design into Extended Color Gamut (ECG) separations for flexo, offset and digital printing. This enables the production of printed packaging with a greatly extended color gamut, without the need for custom spot color inks and long makeready cycles between print jobs.
• CLOUDFLOW PATCHPLANNER for Corrugated Plate Manufacturing Automation
PATCHPLANNER has rewritten the rulebook for making corrugated printing plates, with a highly productive web-based interface that allows multiple operators to create plate fragments, or ‘patches’, and combine these in a tightly packed layout for efficient platemaking. PATCHPLANNER was developed for the AV Flexologic family of plate mounters and will be demonstrated on the AV Flexologic booth at Labelexpo. It also supports manual mirror mounting and automatic plate cutting and marking on any industry-standard cutting table.
“HYBRID Software has always been willing to listen to our customers, and we have really acted upon their input by announcing these key new products at Labelexpo Europe 2017,” says Guido Van der Schueren. “Bringing PACKZ and CLOUDFLOW back to Brussels Expo for the third time with such momentum behind us is very satisfying to me personally and to the whole team at HYBRID. We look forward to sharing this with our current and prospective customers at Labelexpo.”
