Global Graphics Releases Cortex Workflow Platform

Global Graphics has launched Cortex, a new platform for building digital workflows that it believes marks an evolution in the company's family of core technologies.

Global Graphics has launched Cortex, a new platform for building digital workflows that it believes marks an evolution in the company's family of core technologies.

Global Graphics is the developer of Harlequin and Jaws RIPs, workflow, screening and colour management tools, and a range of PDF SDKs.

It said the technology lies at the heart of many of the world's digital pre-press systems, proofers, large format colour printers, digital presses, multi-function copiers, printers and software applications.

Global Graphics said it has developed Cortex to enable OEMs or system integrators to develop digital workflows or enhance their existing systems.

Its introduction underscores Global Graphics' continued commitment to providing technology to the print industry that also allows OEMs and system integrators to develop unique ways to differentiate their product offerings.

Cortex provides a flexible framework into which components from Global Graphics and other leading technology suppliers can be incorporated.

It takes care of the standard tasks such as: format conversion, pre-flight, imposition, colour management, trapping, interpretation, screening, rendering, file management, message logging, distributed operations, job ticketing and process management; that form a common base in all print workflows.

By building on Global's core technology, the company believes OEMs, systems integrators, and software vendors can easily integrate best of breed technology that reduces their engineering efforts considerably and frees them up to focus on adding value in order to deliver powerful and differentiated workflow systems.

At the heart of Cortex is the next generation of Global Graphics' SOAR SDK, the established Harlequin RIP architecture already familiar to many OEMs.

Within Cortex, SOAR v 4.0 has been expanded, incorporating many common workflow functions and providing a solid foundation, scalable from a simple single server workflow to sophisticated, multi-server distributed RIPs.

Building on SOAR, Cortex provides a number of additional components that perform workflow processing steps.

SOAR is based on CORBA - the standard for open, vendor independent, interoperability between objects over networks - and allows Cortex-based systems to be developed in a variety of programming languages and development environments and deployed on different platforms (including Windows, Mac OS X and Linux).

Consequently products built on Cortex can integrate with other systems and do not lock future developments into a single vendor.

They include Harlequin RIP, Postscript language level 3 compatible and native PDF RIP with support for in-rip trapping, colour management, imposition, and screening, plus native support for PDF/X-1a, PDF/X-3 and high performance rendering.

The JDF Server provides Global Graphics' recently announced JDF technology to workflow developers.

These complementary modules make it easier for developers to implement, customise and deliver a variety of workflows, from a simple Postscript to PDF conversion product to a complete workflow with multiple RIPs distributed over multiple servers, said the company.

Its JDF Enabler not only supports submission of JDF files direct to the Harlequin RIP but also provides a complete API that allows developers to access and control the processing of JDF within the system.

The JDF-enabled Harlequin RIP announced at Drupa this week is based on Cortex and gives OEMs the ability to integrate Harlequin RIP technologies into their JDF-enabled workflows with ease.

An open system with easily accessible APIs and a comprehensive SDK, Cortex is the only development platform today that gives companies the freedom to easily integrate third-party applications to enhance the base technology layer, claimed Global Graphics.

"We are the only company to give developers such a high level of accessibility to our core technologies; and the flexibility to tailor and customise solutions to suit their specific needs," said Adrian Ford, chief technology officer at Global Graphics.

"Cortex releases our partners from the considerable effort required to develop core production workflow functions, and allows them to focus on adding their value and delivering powerful and flexible solutions to market quickly," he added.

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