Agfa Introduces the IntelliNet NewsFlow for Newspaper Industry; Advanced Digital Workflow Management System To Be Demonstrated At NEXPO.

ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 23, 1998--Agfa today introduced IntelliNet NewsFlow - an automated digital workflow management system designed for the newspaper industry - into the U.S. market at NEXPO, the Newspaper Association of America's 70th Technical Exposition and Conference. NewsFlow is open, scaleable and modular software that can be configured to suit any film-based or computer-to-plate based production requirement, ranging from small local newspapers to national dailies

NewsFlow provides newspapers with a workflow management and page distribution system for either single- or multi-site systems. NewsFlow manages and automates the workflow by ensuring that the correct pages are output at the correct site on the correct output device in the correct position. At the same time, it provides the production status across all sites with icon and list views that are easy to use and see.

"NewsFlow is the way forward for any newspaper publisher or printer who wants to benefit from a digital workflow," said Jack Knadjian, director, Newspaper Systems Solutions at Agfa. "We now have a real digital workflow system that is providing solutions for customers right now." NewsFlow already is installed at more than 30 newspaper sites in Europe.

Among the many features of NewsFlow are:

--Publication Management: NewsFlow can operate with multi-edition publications, each with multiple sections containing different page versions to be sent to different regions.

--Importing of Production Plates: The automatic management and distribution of page elements is based on production plans, which can be downloaded from the front-end system or entered via an easy-to-use Production Planner. From the Production Plan, NewsFlow knows from the filename associated with each page element factors such as what kind of file, and which separation, title, version and edition it is. It can then automatically recognize and process all incoming planned images, and report the progress of each image to the operator.

--Production Status Monitoring: The status of each production run can be viewed on any PC running NewsFlow. If required, the current status of each individual separation of each page can be displayed. The operator can hold, release or change the priority of any separation, section or title. These statuses can be visually displayed in icon form.

--Storing for Re-output or Archive: When a page has been transmitted to remote sites, or has been outputted to a recorder, NewsFlow retains the image until the production run is cleared. This image can easily be re-outputted in the case of media damage.

--Page Distribution: The Production Plan automatically directs the distribution of each image to the site, or combination of sites, that it is required to be sent to. If the communicating link to one of the sites is not functioning, NewsFlow will automatically attempt to send the image to that site until it is up and running again.

--Load Balancing: NewsFlow can share the workload over devices such as RIPs and recorders. When sharing over RIPs, it distributes PostScript to each RIP and ensures that no page is waiting while there is an unoccupied RIP. When sharing over output recorders, it exerts the necessary constraints that separations from the same page are sent to the same recorder. It can also decide which recorder to send to on the basis of the number of images already sent. This will even out the usage of consumable media such as film, plate or chemicals.

--Image Manipulation: Images may be rotated, positioned, mirrored, flipped, inverted or resized. Different manipulations can be set up for different workflows, titles, separation types, or odd and even pages.

--Fault Tolerance: NewsFlow can share its image files and its central information with other PCs. This means that if any PC in the system goes down for any reason, NewsFlow can continue with the production run.

--Interfaces to Input and Output Devices: NewsFlow interfaces to RIPs or any other device that produces standard TIFF output. Pressfax and Pagefax scanners and Wydnet can also act as image inputs. NewsFlow can output to a variety of devices, including Pagefax and Pressfax recorders. 650CTP platesetteres, Wydnet and Agfa Avantra, Polaris and Antares recorders. As these images are held in standard formats, they can easily be backed up for future re-use.

--Electronic Plate Make-Up: This module performs automatic page pairing and electronic double burn of page elements. It can also annotate on the non-printing section of the plate with bar codes or text.

--Proofing/Viewing: Soft-proofing of each separation and automatic proofing to printers is supported for certain file types. Since the proofing is generated from the raw bitmap, it gives a true indication of the final film or plate. This is part of the "RIP once, output many times" philosophy of NewsFlow. Each proofread image can be held until an operator enters an acceptance of that image after examining the printout. There is also the ability to view and request a color print-out for color composite outputs.

NewsFlow runs on standard Windows NT 4.0 hardware, using standard networking and communications equipment. Images are held in standard formats and the Production Plan interface format is an open document. The system is open and even major tasks such as upgrading the communications links, networking, or adding RAID storage devices within a Windows NT environment will be accommodated by NewsFlow.

NewsFlow is flexible. Major changes of prepress configuration - such as adding or upgrading RIPs, swapping out film for CTP, adding extra monitoring stations and proofers in remote offices on the network - are all able to be handled by the NewsFlow system.

About Agfa

The Agfa-Gevaert Group is a worldwide manufacturer of imaging products and systems, with annual worldwide sales of $4.5 billion. Agfa-Gevaert manufactures and markets products and systems for the electronic and photographic prepress, medical, and technical diagnostic and amateur and professional photographic markets. Headquartered in Europe, Agfa-Gevaert is wholly-owned by Bayer AG. In the United States, Agfa operates as a division of Bayer Corporation, with headquarters in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey. Bayer, headquartered in Pittsburgh, has major businesses in chemicals, health care and imaging technologies. Agfa is on the World Wide Web at http://www.agfahome.com.

(Product names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies.)

EDITOR'S NOTE: Color images of Agfa products are available for download from Agfa's press site on the World Wide Web at http://www.agfapress.com or by contacting Karen Moore at Miller/Shandwick Technologies at 617/536-0470. In addition, product and company information can be found on Agfa's home page on the World Wide Web at http://www.agfahome.com.

    CONTACT: Agfa Division, Bayer Corporation
              Peter Broderick
              [phone], ext. 5903
              [e-mail]
               or
              Miller/Shandwick Technologies
              Karen Moore
              [phone]
              [e-mail]