Scanvec has developed a new software program, Inspire, for the sign making industry, providing solutions for a variety of operations that today involve buying a number of separate programs.
The software does nearly everything required to make computerised signs, including graphic editing, text editing, processing pictures, operating cutting machinery, wide format printing equipment, and engraving equipment. All can be performed by a PC with the minimum requirements of a Pentium 100 processor and 32MB memory.
Deputy general manager for research and development at Scanvec Eran Lavin said the product is based on an object oriented database they have developed. This program has stored within it all the graphic objects in the design, and all the operations performed on the original objects.
The heart of the program is a number of editing tools connected to one type, or a number of types, of objects. The connection enables the program to suggest to users the most suitable tool for editing the graphic object being designed, making their work easier.
Furthermore, there are tools handling operations that allow for the editing of previous operations. This facility is called ‘Flashback’, and is at the stage of patenting. It enables an object to be edited even after it has been through many phases of work, and to automatically restore it.
The company believes it has developed the best program of its type in the world, though they admit it suffers a few teething troubles, such as the program’s speed of response. As the size of the work file increases, the speed of response declines, and the average speed achieved today is similar to the previous generation of Scanvec programs, CASmate-Pro. Even so the company says that users at test sites, who utilised the ‘Flashback’ function, reported a 90% improvement in the time usually required for design.
The company’s sales department believes the program’s commercial potential is in the sign making industry. They estimate that 250,000 sign making companies operate round the world. Of these, some 200,000 are computerised, and they comprise the main potential market for the program.