Fusion Systems' PPS 3.1 Live at 'Frederick News-Post'

By: E&P Staff The Frederick (Md.) News-Post recently went live with the latest release of Publication Proofing System (PPS) 3.1 from Fusion Systems International in Portland, Ore.

The Web-based proofing solution simplifies and strengthens communication across departments at the News-Post's new $44-million, 120,000-square-foot production facility, where everyone from sales reps to the publisher can review any page of any publication before press time from anywhere on their local network (or extranet) using standard Web browsers.

Editorial staffers use PPS to check page-jumps and flow throughout sections and special editions, enabling optimal use of column space and quick last-minute adjustments. Managers use PPS during meetings to review layout and overall format quality of pages.

PPS provides an intuitive interface to display full page proofs by publication title, date, section, and zone. Any number of publications can be individually accessed through unique passwords.

Advanced single-page file processing allows pages to be RIPped individually, in any order, and for any number of publications, as they are released from the pagination system. Real-time prepress production status reporting and press-accurate soft-proofing is provided throughout the new facility and remotely.

PPS makes it easy for users to see real-time progress of any publication from their workstations. It can be configured to allow commercial clients to see only their pages and publications in order to approve proofs.

Digital proofs automatically display pages just as they will look when printed, according to Fusion. Accuracy is ensured, it says, because proofing files are created from the 1-bit TIFF separations to be used in post-RIP page pairing and/or commercial work imposition. As PPS proofs are approved (automatically or manually), the originating high-resolution screened separations are forwarded for automated page pairing and final output.

PPS proofs can be e-mailed for review, collaboration, and final approval. PPS also can facilitate e-mail distribution of page proofs as e-tearsheets for advertisers.