Printi, a market leader serving small and medium print runs, faces a unique challenge: delivering high quality and competitive pricing while processing a staggering volume of work. With an average of 3,000 to 3,500 files entering their workflow daily, the company realized that scaling its operations required innovation over expansion.
Their solution? A strategic investment in Enfocus Switch and PitStop Server to create a sophisticated, automated prepress ecosystem.
The Challenge: Doing “More with Less”
Printi’s business model is centered on giving small businesses and individual entrepreneurs access to products with high quality and advanced technology—something once reserved for large corporations. To maintain profitability and meet demand, the team recognized that manual prepress intervention was a significant bottleneck.
The core challenge, as described by the Printi team, was to continually "do more with less". The volume of work was growing, but the prepress team needed a way to manage the load without continually growing their size.
Enfocus Switch: The Engine Driving 100% Hands-Off Prepress
The integration of Enfocus Switch, combined with the power of PitStop for preflight and correction, has allowed Printi to achieve a nearly 100% hands-off prepress operation. By centralizing and standardizing file preparation tasks, the company eliminated time-consuming manual work and ensured consistency across all 3,000+ daily orders.
Key Automation Breakthroughs:
- Automated Bleed Application: Previously a manual task, applying bleed to files is now handled by a Switch workflow. This ensures a standardized process, eliminating variations between operators and freeing up prepress time.
- Imposition and Grouping: The entire process of file imposition and grouping is 100% automated, guaranteeing efficiency and accuracy across all print runs.
- Intelligent JDF Generation & Finishing: From a single imposition PDF, Switch extracts all necessary data for post-press. This includes:
- Separating the artwork from any ennoblement (special finish) layers .
- Generating the JDF files needed to automatically run their cutting machines (guillotines).
- One File, All Outputs: The system is designed to take a single source file (the imposition PDF) and automatically generate all necessary file variations for production—JDF, plotter files, proofing files, and thumbnails. This drastically shortens the path from file input to production readiness.
A Healthy Business Philosophy: Automation Over Underused Machinery
Printi’s success is a case study in intelligent capital expenditure. The team emphasizes a philosophy that prioritizes software and integration over just investing in expensive, physical machinery.
I’ve always seen people identifying that investing in a machine was the solution, but they use 10% to 15% of the capacity. Prepress, integration, and software are fundamental to guaranteeing that a factory, a print shop, performs well and has a healthy life.
Alessandro Rufino, Technology Operations Manager at Printi
By choosing to partner with established technology providers like Enfocus, Printi is able to leverage proven, scalable solutions. This strategy allows them to quickly integrate new technologies, like exploring the use of Enfocus Review for remote customer approvals, with the confidence that it fits seamlessly into their existing automated ecosystem.
Result: With Enfocus Switch at the core of their operations, Printi has achieved world-class efficiency, allowing them to meet the demands of a high-volume market while delivering consistent, high-quality results to every customer, no matter the size of the order.
