We’re excited to announce the release of SmartDFE™ Version 4.9, now available for download from the FTP site as of early October 2024. This version introduces several powerful enhancements, most notably a completely rewritten Smart Job Cost Estimator (SJCE), designed to take full advantage of the Smart Print Controller (SPC).
Enhanced Job Cost Estimation: Two Key Options
With Version 4.9, job cost estimation is more flexible and accessible. There are now two places to use this functionality:
- Standalone SJCE: Tailored for print sales teams, the standalone SJCE allows for precise job quoting. It shares the same settings as those used to configure the press, using Smart Media Definitions (SMDs) to deliver accurate cost estimates for supported media.
- Integrated SPC Job Estimation: For operators, job costing is now built directly into the SPC workflow. Users can select jobs in the waiting queue, request a cost estimate, and even queue multiple jobs for batch costing. Estimates can be generated for up to six media types at once. Additionally, reporting has been significantly enhanced, shifting from CSV files to polished, Excel-formatted reports.
Though the current version is available for Windows only, the SJCE was developed with Avalonia, a technology that simplifies future cross-platform support, enabling easier adaptation for other operating systems.
OPC UA Interface for Custom Solutions
For those looking to build custom job estimation tools, all the job cost estimation functionality is accessible via the OPC UA interface in SPC. This means you can integrate cost estimation into your own press controller or even develop a cloud-based estimator with ease. The standalone SJCE itself is an OPC UA client, demonstrating the flexibility this interface offers.
Updated Smart Media Manager (SMM)
In addition to the new SJCE, SmartDFE Version 4.9 also updates our quality management tools. Previously, two applications—Smart Media Manager (SMM) for OEMs and Smart Calibrator for press operators—handled media setup and press calibration separately. In this release, these tools have been merged into a single, streamlined application: SMM. Depending on the user role, OEM or press operator settings are now accessed through a simple licensing toggle. This consolidation simplifies the workflow and introduces several usability improvements to enhance the overall user experience.
You can see the full list of improvements here: SmartDFE v4.9 Release Notes (globalgraphics.com)
Be the first to receive our software release updates, blog posts, company and product news. Why not subscribe to our newsletter? Subscribe here