Xerox software displays layout before printing

Xerox has created a technology using 3-D software to help printers view the entire layout of a piece before it goes to print.

This helps with the preparation of detailed brochures and flyers with special folds, which can be a time-consuming and costly process for printers.

Aimed at eliminating one of the most costly bottlenecks in printing, the technology will speed costly document preparation and approval.

With Xerox's 3-D visualisation software, users can see what prints will look like - texture, gloss, folds and binding - before ink or toner is put to paper.

The aim for this collaborative project across Xerox research centres in New York and California is to help customers understand the options available to them, whether they are walking into a print shop or submitting print jobs via the Web.

3-D document visualisation delivers a virtual tour of each customer's desired print job.

Customers watch as the program flips through a colour flip book or opens and folds their greeting card, demonstrating exactly what it will look like upon completion.

The technology is still being refined and is likely to be improved in the future.

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