2012 AIA Expo Wrap Up

Thanks again to all of the AIA members, participants, vendors, and partners that made their way to the BPI booth this year.  What a great show it was!

This year was certainly an upswing from the last couple, as the AIA members were attending in full force.  We all certainly hope this has to do with the AEC market taking a turn for the better.

At the BPI booth, we saw a focused interest in the Construction Information Management software solutions.  This ranged from online bidding sites to sophisticated software applications which allow you to track workflow documentation on projects from initial design through closeout.

However, getting the most attention was the scan to file document site where BPI scans old valuable plan sheets into a portal and delivers the documents in a digital searchable format. We thank everyone for their great feedback and interest in this regard and look forward to cleaning out all those ‘closets’.

We also want to call attention to the lucky winners of our Sports Canvas giveaway. The winner of the print and clip coupon giveaway was Bill Simpson of FCM Corporation. Thanks, Bill, and congratulations! Following Bill’s lucky streak with the final 3 giveaways was Steve Harms of Tri-North Builders, Chad Wright of Northwestern Mutual and Jim Fryk of LaMacchia Group.

Congrats to all the winners and thank you all for your support at the Expo.

Did not attend 2012 AIA?  You can still partner with BPI, the complete source for all your large format document needs.  Call one of the locations below to find out more about our Color Services, Construction Information Management, or to have a demonstration on the new Canon iPF760 MFP.

Behind the Scenes – PDF Challenges

Over the years there have been a number of updates to the PDF file format.  During that time, we have documented steps to improve PDF printing to your KIP device.

If you are using the Windows driver to print PDFs, you must use the KipScript part of the driver.

If you want to have this default to KipScript, you will have to change this option on the server under “Devices and Printers.”  Keep in mind that most of the time KIP defaults to KipGL after installation. This seems to be the prevailing issue with PDF printing and you should always check this first.

Basically, if you print from Adobe or any other PDF reader, use KipScript. Printing from AutoCAD Revit is when KipGL should be used.

Also, the port for the Windows driver must be set to 8421. If the driver is shared from a server, you need to check it there.

Follow these steps to check it.
1. Open the Start menu, then go to “Devices and Printers.”
2. Right click on the printer and select “Printer Properties.”
3. Click on the “Ports” tab and scroll down until you see the plotter IP address.
4. Click “Configure Port” and you should get a window like this.

5. Check the Port Number and make sure it’s set to 8421. Click OK to close once finished.

Make sure that the monpath1/Request folder is cleared of all old print jobs. Then, check the WinUntd.ini file and make sure that if you have a newer controller this line reads TRUE. MultiThreadPDF=True. Remember to close Unattend before you clear the queue and change any .ini settings.

Some things to consider to speed up PDF processing…
If you are using the Windows driver out of Adobe for most or all of your PDF printing, it is recommended to check the box “No Transparency” in Printnet’s Printer Config. This shuts off the controller’s “Flattening” process, which is used when a PDF file has layers. Think of layers as having multiple images layered on top of each other. In order to print the image, the software has to combine these images together to get the proper output. This greatly increases processing time for each PDF file that has layers enabled.

When printing through the Windows driver, the driver flattens the image out before it sends it off to the printer. As the raw print job is already flattened, it doesn’t need to go through the flattening process again on the controller, so having this box checked turns off that function, decreasing processing speed and increasing print speed.

However, if you are using Request or Printnet for most of your PDF printing, this box should be unchecked to keep the function turned on. The Request software DOES NOT flatten PDFs, so the controller has to do the flattening and must have this function enabled by having the box unchecked.

If you start seeing large black boxes on your prints, this means that you probably sent the PDF from Request and the “No Transparency” box was checked, turning off the flattening function. The controller cannot flatten the PDF so it turns some layers into black blocks. Because most people use a mix of Request and the Windows driver, this box usually should be left unchecked. It slows processing time down, but ensures you get the proper output. If you would like to see faster processing times, you can use the Windows driver and check mark the “No Transparency” box. Or you can always send flattened PDFs without layers.

Color Production – Success Story

As BPI’s Color Production evolves, we have learned a few things from some very experienced clients. Everything is a driven by the client’s needs.  In the past months, we’ve been spending a significant amount of time learning the color production world.  Specifically, in asking the proper questions so that we can exceed your expectations when we deliver the final product.

Recently we produced a 53-piece project with an assortment of pieces that varied in size. The size was specific–down to the 1/1000^th of an inch. This was an intricate piece of the project because the pieces we were producing needed to fit in existing frame work.  The slightest difference in size would have kept the prints from being perfectly fit into existing hardware.  If the fit wasn’t perfect, the client wasn’t able to represent themselves in the highest regard of professionalism.  Failure was not an option.

Our Color Production team worked long, hard hours to meet the demands of the job within the required schedule. After the proofs were accepted, the real work began. During the production of the project, our team realized that the material that was to be used would not aptly fit the client’s requirement.  Rather than produce what we were asked to do, we intervened and pitched our reasoning on using a different material.

This accomplished two things:

• We were again able to prove that BPI is a partner in these projects vs. simply being a production supplier. We work in your best interests because they are our best interests as well.
• BPI was also able to prove our professional knowledge of color production requirements. BPI was able to back up our sales pitch with professional results, and results were exactly what we accomplished.

The job was completed on time, on budget, and above the standards that were asked of our team.

In the end, we’ve earned a long term partner and have the opportunity to share this success with other potential clients so that we can expand on our opportunities in the color production world.

Do I Need a Service Contract?

You’ve just purchased that new $20,000 Digital Print System and you’re wondering if you really need a service contract on a brand new machine. Before you decide, you have to ask yourself two very important questions:

1. Do you have people in-house that know how to maintain and repair the equipment and have experience doing it?
2. More importantly, how critical is the equipment to your business?

If equipment downtime means loss of production or lost client opportunity, it’s possible the cost of a single equipment breakdown may exceed the cost of a service contract.

Another point to consider is print quality. If print quality is especially high on your “important list,” a service contract is undeniably valuable. To maintain 100% perfection on your prints can be an expensive endeavor without a service agreement.

Digital printer systems require regular maintenance, which can be expensive when paid for on a time and materials basis. These costs do not cover emergency repairs and breakdowns. When you have a service contract, part of the service is preventive maintenance which can help reduce unexpected breakdowns and machine downtime.

Most contracts also cover:

• Emergency repairs
• The cost of parts and labor
• Maintenance items
• Parts such as fuser rollers, gears, bearings, stripper fingers, and corona wires, which all need periodic replacement
• Parts such as circuit boards, power supplies, photoreceptors, and LED heads, which are all expensive parts should any of them fail unexpectedly

Software upgrades and support have become increasingly critical in the ever-changing computer world. They are usually included in a contract as well.  The labor to install the software may not be covered.

Most plans offer response time guarantees, with the most common time frame typically being 24 hours. Some plans offer response times as brief as 4 hours. Billing cycles can also vary from monthly to quarterly to annually.

Many clients view service contracts as insurance policies. In some respects, they are; however, service contracts truly cover a whole lot more. Service contracts provide predictability in planning and budgeting. In advance, clients can be aware of service and maintenance costs and avoid unexpected future expenditures that occur without a contract.