Product Reviews

FFEI's 3D proofing software allows designers and printers to test a variety of material and finishing options before printing, finds Philip Chadwick

RealVue3D is one of the first major product launches from FFEI since its management buyout from Fuji in 2006. A lot of hopes have been pinned on this 3D prototype software developed by the Hemel Hempstead firm and, according to FFEI business manager for software Mick Lister, the early signs are encouraging. It’s a trailblazer and helps to show our brand – it establishes us, he claims.

FFEI has several strings to its bow: it develops and manufactures CTP devices, it worked with Xaar and Nilpeter to develop the Caslon inkjet press and it has a life sciences division that is developing a human cell scanner. On top of that, it still partners with Fuji and also works with Adobe and Enfocus. Understandably, then, FFEI has gone into the 3D prototype market with bundles of confidence, which is reflected in the product.

RealVue3D takes any PDF file and converts it into an interactive 3D file. It’s a straightforward product to use. Once the file has been converted, it’s a case of clicking and dragging the mouse to turn the pages of a publication or to flip it on its side so you can see a cover or page layout from any angle. You can also experiment with different grades of paper.

The product has been on the market for more than a year and already it has reached version three. Essentially, it has three key markets: designers, printers and publishers. For designers, it helps them to test design concepts. For printers, it gives them the opportunity to demonstrate a range of ink and finishing effects, without having to print a prototype. And for publishers, there is an opportunity to market test the cover of a magazine or a book.

Non-print preview
They can have more confidence before it goes to the shelves, says Lister. It gives you a feel for what the final product will look like. You can zoom in or out of the publication in detail. You can see gatefolds or how a separate varnish will look on the page.

That’s the big sell of the product. While there are alternative systems in the 3D software arena, FFEI reckons that RealVue3D has the edge in that it can present a great deal of detail at a competitive price. The desktop version of the application starts at £595, while it’s an additional £195 for the SFX pack.

The main application gives you the creative and folding options. With SFX, you can incorporate the foils and varnish effects, explains Lister.

And that’s the clever bit. Embossing, metallic inks and varnishes can be added and the effects of that can be clearly viewed on screen, allowing a designer or a printer to test a variety of different finishes.

Once the user is happy with the final look of the publication, it can then be presented in an interactive slide demonstration The whole look of the presentation can be branded with any logo or background – a particularly handy addition if it’s being used as part of a sales pitch.

Easy to use
The multi-platform product runs in Windows or Mac OSX. It creates a Java file that is transportable and can be viewed using a raft of software. RealVue3D comes in three desktop applications: an Adobe plug-in, a Quark extension
or standalone.

A version of the product that can be incorporated into a high-end workflow is also available. RealVue3D Server Pro has everything that the desktop version has, but it can also be incorporated onto a server. It allows multiple users to create prototypes into an automated workflow and enables pages to be uploaded onto the web. But at £6,250, Server Pro doesn’t come cheap.

Despite its versatility, one thing RealVue3D isn’t is an online publishing tool. Lister stresses that the page-turning technology for the FFEI product is strictly for 3D prototypes. RealVue3D is a production tool. Online page turning is a publishing tool. Our product is to test magazines before they go to press.

And this means that, as Lister puts it, companies can save time, money and trees. The cost of putting together a printed prototype is eradicated, which means paper and ink are taken out of the equation. In addition, the product avoids the cost of couriering the printed prototype, which is high both financially and in terms of a firm’s carbon footprint.

By taking the printed prototype out of the equation, Lister says that the intermediate proofing stage is reduced, although it doesn’t become a final proof.

Initially, FFEI expected such a creative product to be seized upon by designers. But it’s another part of the print supply chain that has snapped up RealVue3D, much to Lister’s surprise. Printers have taken the biggest interest in the product, he says. We originally put it together for the designers, but print firms are using it for concept approvals.

Adding value
Lister argues that it’s another opportunity for printers to add value, arguing that they can up-sell their services and demonstrate exactly how adding a specialist fold or a varnish could enhance a publication. It gives them another reason to talk to their clients, he says.

RealVue3D is suitable for all commercial print sectors – magazines, books, brochures and flyers. Currently, FFEI is keen to boost the market presence of the product, but Lister adds that there are aspirations to make it more than just a 3D prototype application.

Our vision is that this becomes the de facto standard in proofing, but we are a long way from that, he admits.

Other future developments could include colour management tools, JDF integration and imposition validation. But Lister says that it all depends on what the customers want – if there are demands for new features then FFEI will look into it.

Since 2006, it’s been a bold new world for FFEI. At present, it looks as if the management buyout has paid off handsomely, with the company using its creative freedom to go into new sectors – a move it wouldn’t have even considered just a few years ago. RealVue3D represents proof that the company is standing strong and with big hitters like Xerox, Kodak and Fuji monitoring the 3D prototype market, then FFEI must be doing something right.

SPECIFICATIONS

Platforms Mac and PC
Price Desktop application:  £595 (SFX package £195) Server Pro: £6,250
Contact FFEI 01442 213 440 www.ffei.co.uk

THE ALTERNATIVES

EskoArtwork Studio
Aimed squarely at the packaging market, Studio allows designers to view a product in either 2D or 3D. Like RealVue3D, it allows users to experiment with a range of finishing options like gold or silver foils, embossing, varnishes or high gloss. It also incorporates store simulation software allowing any user to virtually walk into any store and see how the packaging will look alongside other products. It also shows what effect in-store lighting will have on the product.
Platforms Mac and PC
Price on application
Contact EskoArtwork 01527 585805 www.esko.com

Fujifilm XMF 2.0
Fujifilm unveiled the new 3D element of its XMF Remote platform at Total Print! Expo. Paper stock and the finished look of a printed product are incorporated into the product while users can also proof colours. Fujifilm has also introduced a moveable light source to the software, which allows the viewer to change the lighting position to pick up varnish and other effects.
Platform Mac and PC
Price on application
Contact Fuji 01234 245245 www.futureofworkflow.com

Xerox
While not commercially available (and the manufacturing giant has been tight-lipped as to when it will be), Xerox announced its plans to take the 3D prototype market by storm at Drupa when it showcased an as yet unnamed product. It’s Research Center in Webster, US, has been busy developing the product which will also present a variety of 3D print options for users including texture, folds, binding and finishing.
Platform tbc
Price tbc
Contact Xerox 0870 873 4519 www.xerox.com

Also see:

Star Product: FFEI RealVue 3D
With new plug-ins that help simulate textured papers, special inks, metallics and embossing, this software tool for producing a 3D virtual proof of a finished document from the PDF file, has got more powerful.

RealVue 3D
A 3D print simulation package designed to speed up initial design and approval stages has been launched by FFEI. RealVue 3D is a print approval tool that creates 3D visual simulations of print jobs, which let users turn pages, rotate viewing angles and zoom in on detail.

FFEI plans Graph Expo launch for RealVue
FFEI is set to launch visual simulation software RealVue 3D at Graph Expo 2007 in September.

FFEI at Drupa with RealVue3D product updates
FFEI has announced it will preview a raft of new features and products for its RealVue3D print simulation software at Drupa.