Hi,

I applied for a job recently and they’ve come back to me with another job, as the original one had been filled.

It involves using RIP software. How hard is it to use? I’ve experience using CAD program’s and I really like the look of the company, so I’d like to know a bit more about RIP software in particularly ONYX.

Thanks

I’m pretty out of touch regarding RIP apps, but if you can use CAD ‘ware, then I shouldn’t think you’d have a huge problem adapting.
Not that there’s any congruency between them, but if you can use fairly complicated design ‘ware, then you shouldn’t find RIP ‘ware difficult to understand. The RIP system I used to use, which was very occasionally, was driving either film output image-setters, or CTP, Computer-to-Plate, whereas you’ll be sending to digital colour printers, so you won’t have to worry about pagination and stuff like that, so it may well be pretty easy to pick up.
I guess this is what you’ll be using: http://www.onyxgfx.com/products/rip-products-2/ripcenter/
Good luck, that’s something I really wish I’d managed to get into.

Any RIP software will be very simple to use. It’ll most likely already be set up and you’ll be using it to set up individual print jobs. Very basic and you’ll be doing it with your eyes shut by the end of the day.

What digital printer will you be using? Some are more user friendly than others. To be fair it’s not rocket science, and i’d imagine you could find it a bit dull after CAD work. God knows i’ve been bored for the last 30 years…..

I’m not 100% sure they appear to have a range of printers from large format to xerox kit. CADs okay its just the staff they come with it, at least people in print are normalish!!

Give it a try. Don’t think you need massive experience these days. Being colour blind might be a major hindrance though! Money isn’t that great compared to good old days and job security in any printers is sketchy, but i’ve managed to hang in there for all these years. Something like a Xerox is really just a photocopier no matter how they dress it up. But Indigo is more like a traditional press and requires far more input from the operator.

A good description i was once told, was that in the print you are either bored or in the ****. Pretty much spot on!

I’ve used various RIP software over the years, its a piece of piss. As mentioned above your essentially just transferring files then working with them thereafter rather than being involved with any opening or altering the contents.

Wheres the job?

If you are using ONYX you will be printing or printing and cutting on some kind of large format press. ONYX is a little more complicated than your average digital press RIP such as Fiery for example.

We have both in the office, I wouldn’t worry too much about it as I would assume they will be training you up on it anyway – otherwise they wouldn’t offered it to you having no experience in it.

…just don’t mess with the colour profiles! 😀

As said above, the hard bit is colour management. What to do if it there’s too much cyan etc, or the profile needs a tweek if the material changes.

As said above, the hard bit is colour management. What to do if it there’s too much cyan etc, or the profile needs a tweek if the material changes.

as a customer and somebody who works in the supply chain before stuff goes to print this is an area that you dont just learn from a youtube tutorial! i know very little but enough to know that somebody who has a handle on how profiles/colour spaces/conversions work and is visually aware enough to see colour casts and know how to deal with them is worth their weight in gold. too many printers just chuck it through and think it’s o.k. as long as there are no ink limit issues, the good ones actually care about about the end result.

Where are you? We have ONYX, Wasatch and a more specific to our trade RIP called DigitalPrint Factory.
Your more than welcome to have a look if your local (Avonmouth)

I have experience of creos and fierys which are used to control Canon,Ricoh,Xerox and Konica Minolta digital press’s (photocopiers basicaly but on steroids with lots of things to twiddle and fiddle with). Its not rocket science but not a piece of piss either especially if you have demanding clients. You should be able to ask the people who service it if you can have a visit from their trainer, a decent company will not charge for this you will also get some training on the machines which is worthwile.
Good luck in the new job you should be fine if you used CAD just ask lots of questions and make some notes

MrSmith – Member
As said above, the hard bit is colour management. What to do if it there’s too much cyan etc, or the profile needs a tweek if the material changes.
as a customer and somebody who works in the supply chain before stuff goes to print this is an area that you dont just learn from a youtube tutorial! i know very little but enough to know that somebody who has a handle on how profiles/colour spaces/conversions work and is visually aware enough to see colour casts and know how to deal with them is worth their weight in gold. too many printers just chuck it through and think it’s o.k. as long as there are no ink limit issues, the good ones actually care about about the end result.

Skills I developed over thirty-odd years in studio and pre-press work, including operating a Crosfield 6250 drum scanner and photo-retouching for the likes of Titleist golf equipment.
If only I could find someone who would appreciate those years of experience.
The number of times I’ve seen photos reproduced where blues are actually purple because there’s too much magenta, but no-one seems to notice.

OP. RIP software is simple if you are the end user. Not so much if you are doing the coding. You’ll be grand.

The number of times I’ve seen photos reproduced where blues are actually purple because there’s too much magenta, but no-one seems to notice.

Not true. It’s easy to print one page perfectly (no matter how large) but when you have 8pp to view with different colours/densities it’s almost impossible to get them all looking perfect. Apart from the obvious ‘can’t print for shit’ answer there’s often a very good reason for some photos to reproduce a bit off. We sometimes sacrifice editorial images in order to get the adverts spot on colour wise. If the ads reproduce poorly the publishers don’t get paid and neither do we so for magazine work adverts take priority (along with front cover).

Countzero,

If only I could find someone who would appreciate those years of experience.

You don’t live in Cambridge do you?

If only I could find someone who would appreciate those years of experience.
The number of times I’ve seen photos reproduced where blues are actually purple because there’s too much magenta, but no-one seems to notice.

^^This… been at the plate for 30 years, quality used to be king, now its price, with a few exceptions, mass print farming companies are a big factor with the likes of Office Depot herding printers together and forcing down prices to create bidding wars between them, it’s become a shitty industry to work in…..dont even get me started on vistaprint 🙁

A dawdle really, get your head around imposition and away you go, you’ll pick up the rest as you go. Saying that if you need to set it up it can be a bit of a head ****, but if your just an operator, it’s just printing stuff, nothing complicated.

might need to get your head around spot colour matching if that’s a requirement(ie getting pantone colours as close as you can on a CMYK printer.)

I live near cambridge richmars! The interview went okay, very friendly interview. Hopefully it’ll turn out well as I’d like to work there.

tails,
Not with a manufacturer of ink jet printers by any chance?

No it’s not with Canon in South Cambs or Xaar in Huntingdon.

Ooh I wonder if it’s the other manufacturer of flat bed inkjet presses in Cambridge? A recruitment agency approached me about a role there a while back. Looks bloody great, gutted that I live too far away. Good luck wherever it is.

Price (or cheapness) is king and quality is expected.
Can’t see a great long term future for the industry to be honest and wouldn’t recommend anyone join it.
I would love to get out of the trade and try something else. One day . . .