Alwan CMYK Optimizer

Nilesh Ahirrao of Aurangabad-based Graphic Prints, says, if you desire to print quality plus reduce costs then this software is definitely made for you.

29 Oct 2014 | By PrintWeek India

Describe your company.
Graphic Prints is an Aurangabad-based offset printing company, which specialises in labels and cartons, though bulk of the jobs are in labels. The firms was established as a letterpress unit in 1979. The print shop is equipped with a four-colour Komori 426,which was installed in 2007 as well as pre-press and post-press kit. 
 
What does the software do?
Alwan’s CMYK Optimizer, as the name suggests, optimises the colours (CMYK) and ink weight characteristics in the artwork without changing its visual appearance thereby saving ink significantly. It works on the principle of Grey Component Replacement (GCR).  The software analyses the entire artwork to identify the areas in which dots of all the four colours, CMYK, are present. It then replaces some of the CMY dots with black reducing the total ink consumed without affecting the visual appearance.
 
Why did you choose this particular software?
We were looking for an automated solution that would enable us to accept complex jobs such as those with 80-90% dots. 
  
What features do you particularly like?
It comes with a hot folder feature that I am impressed with. One needs to place the PDF file to be optimised in this folder and then the software automatically does the needful and places the print-ready PDF file in a specific folder that can then be used for making plates.
 
Is there anything that you wish it had that it doesn’t?
Nothing in particular. With every new update newer features are getting added into it.       
 
How reliable is it?
We have been using this software for the last one year. We haven’t faced any crashes yet.
 
How easy is it to use?
It is an extremely easy to use piece of soft-kit. Any person with bare minimum knowledge of computers can handle it.
 
How much time or money has it saved?
The software has earned us savings in terms of ink, which sums to about 15% per job. The makeready wastage has come down from 80 to 35 sheets per job on an average. Also, the printed copy has more of black ink which is cheaper than colours that it replaces.
 
Has it won you any new work?
With Alwan CMYK Optimizer in our arsenal, we are able to do complex jobs with heavy ink coverage, which we earlier refused to accept owing to our lack of confidence to deliver the job. 
 
Would you say that it offers value for money?
On this front, I would say the initial cost is slightly higher.
 
Were there any difficulties experienced during the installation or after?
No. It was a smooth affair.
 
What about the pre and after-sale service?
The service support from AGS is prompt.
 
Who do you think the machine is right for?
If you desire to print quality plus reduce costs then this software is definitely made for you.
 
Under what circumstances would you buy another?
If at all, in future, we expand our facility and this one copy proves insufficient, then we will surely go for another copy.
 
Conclusion
User’s verdict
Speed 5/5
Quality 5/5
Reliability 5/5
Value for money 4/5
Supplier’s Response
Vishnu Kamat, associate vice president, Advanced Graphic Systems, says, “The Alwan CMYK Optimizer software is a powerful tool which adds a lot of value to the printing process. Graphic Prints has been using the software for close to a year now and have been very happy with the results. The saving of 15% in inks have ensured that it has a faster ROI. With the expertise from AGS in implementing the solution and creating a handshake with the other solutions like the ink presetting (CIP3) and EasyTrax automated measurement supplied by AGS it has helped Graphic Prints to achieve better quality than before.”
Contact
Vishnu Kamat
Advanced Graphic Systems
vishnukamat@agsindia.com
+91 9223191789
www.agsindia.com