Software - Colour Management

 

EFI today announced the immediate availability of its newest upgrade to the EFI XF software series. Key features include comprehensive cutting-engine support and powerful RGB print workflow. This offers users a one-stop inkjet production solution. The latest spot colour enhancements and extended support of the Epson WT7900 provides the packaging market with a high-quality, cost-effective solution. EFI XF v4.1 integrates seamlessly with EFI Web Control Center, EFI's web-based application for remote control and distribution of print jobs. These new features have been added to all EFI XF products: EFI Fiery XF for large to superwide format, production printing, Fiery® XF for Rastek™, VUTEk® and Jetrion® as well as EFI Colorproof XF.

"Our goal is to help our customers become as profitable as possible", said Stefan Spiegel, general manager of EFI's Graphic Arts Solutions Group in Ratingen, Germany. "The new tools incorporated into EFI XF 4.1 are designed to do just that. We've added remarkable colour output improvements, a dedicated cutting solution and updated PDF print engine and standards support that allow XF-driven printers to be more productive and deliver higher quality in any workflow."

Mario Levers, head of production for Toppack Summen & Bergs GmbH, a leading packaging prepress solution provider based in Ahaus-Wüllen, Germany uses EFI Colorproof XF with the Epson Stylus Pro WT7900 for packaging proofing. "This solution provides the most comprehensive and cost effective solution for packaging proofing in my opinion. The output quality in terms of (spot) colour accuracy and dot quality on both transparent and metallic media, as well as XF's flexibility in handling white printing, is extraordinary," said Levers.

 

NEW FEATURE OVERVIEW

EFI Cutting Engine Support

A dedicated Cut Server provides a seamless connection to 1,200 cutters and routing tables from 70 manufacturers. The software generates cut marks for single jobs, nestings, and step & repeats. It lets users scale, rotate and crop jobs. The Cut Server option can drive up to eight cutting engines at a time.

In addition to the new EFI Cut Server Option, a new "Print & Cut" Option increases productivity by enabling one-step printing and cutting, alternatively cutting-only, on "Print & Cut" supported printers.

 

Enhanced Linearisation

EFI XF 4.1 includes a new wizard for the creation of advanced linearisations for any VUTEk printer/ink/media combination. In addition to improved ease-of-use, the enhanced linearisation provides a unique custom black point definition. It automatically calculates and recommends various ink limits and linearisation parameters while allowing customers to easily and visually verify linearisation settings. The VUTEk linearisation uses the gamut of any VUTEk printer to its fullest and leads to eye-catching colour output, smooth transitions and sharp text rendering.

 

RGB Contone Driver, Linearisation and Profiling

EFI XF 4.1 includes RGB contone drivers for many Epson and Canon printer models. The RGB drivers ensure smooth colour gradations, increased RIPing speeds and simplicity of profile generation.

 

Improved Optimiser Functionality

This new feature optimises matching between CMYK ICC reference and RGB, CMYK, CMYKOG and CMYKRGB media profiles.

 

Spot Colour Overprint & Measurement Devices

EFI XF 4.1 improves spot colour overprint simulation for spot colours on process colours and spot colours on other spot colours. It also includes new support for the Barbieri Spectro LFP Basic.

 

Visual Correction Tool

A new LinTool merges Visual Re-Linearisation and Plate Compensation into one Visual Correction tool that can be saved in either format. It also includes an extra spot colour channel that defines printer white and gloss enhancer gradation curves in vcc files and it defines the gradation curve for all spot colours in vpc files.

 

Enhanced Dynamic Wedge

Enhanced Dynamic Wedge provides an out-of-gamut warning in Job Explorer for spot colours compared against media profile. It also provides job-specific key colours analysis and optimisation of process colours and spot colours, process colours only or spot colours only.

 

Usability Enhancements

EFI XF 4.1 also provides added ease of use with features such as the XF Uploader tool to quickly upload colour files (e.g. profiles, linearization, spot colour tables etc.) to the XF Server; the server file maintenance tool to flexibly define profile, job and output folders; enhanced footer placement; enhanced systems manager and colour verifier GUI, and much more.

 

New Supported Technologies and Standards

 

• Supported Operating Systems:Mac OS X 10.6; -Windows 7
• Adobe CPSI 3019
• Adobe PDF Print Engine 2.0.4004.5
• IDEAlliance ISO 12647-7 2009 Color Control Wedge
• Latest FograCert evaluation test form
• Support of DYMO LabelWriter Series Duo and Twin Turbo for label printing of verification results

 

 

New Printer Drivers

 

• Epson Stylus Pro 2880 (RGB Contone)
• Epson Stylus Pro 3800 (RGB Contone)
• Epson Stylus Pro 3880 (CMYK & RGB Contone, CMYK Halftone)
• Epson Stylus Pro 4880/7880/9880/11880 (RGB Contone)
• Epson Stylus Pro x700 Series (CMYK & RGB Contone, CMYK Halftone)
• Epson Stylus Pro x900 Series (RGB Contone, CMYK Halftone)
• Epson Stylus Pro WT7900 (CMYK Contone & Halftone)
• OKI C910 (1-Bit / Multilevel) / ES9410dn (Multilevel)
• Mimaki CJV30-60/-100/-130/-160 (Windows only / Print & Cut device)
• Mimaki JV33-260 (Windows only)
• Rastek H650
• Seiko ColorPainter H-74s / H-104s

 

 

For detailed information of EFI XF 4.1 visit www.efi.com/fieryxf

 

 

 

X-Rite, Incorporated, the world leader in colour management, measurement and communication technologies, and its wholly owned subsidiary Pantone, the global authority on colour and provider of professional colour standards for the design industries, today announced that it will showcase its latest line of print and pre-press colour management solutions at Graphics of The Americas – February 25-27, 2010 at the Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami Beach, FL.

Graphic of The Americas visitors will also be able to attend a speaker session led by one of X-Rite’s pre-eminent color experts for the Latin American markets: Helmut Schubart. Entitled “Untangling the Color Pretzel Seminar” this session will look color space selection and color sample strategies. It will take place on Friday, Feb. 26 from 10:30am to 12:00pm in the Expo Theater, right on the show floor.

Together with leading Latin American distributor Printex, X-Rite (booth 632 and 634) will be displaying and demonstrating a number of design, prepress and print workflow solutions including:

EasyTrax: a semi-automated, highly affordable quality color control solution for smaller format color presses or those working in a primarily process color environment. It is ideally suited to meet the needs of printers who regularly monitor press runs to ensure they precisely match their customers’ quality requirements, and meet industry specifications and standards. In addition, EasyTrax’s laser alignment method makes it quick and easy to line up the color bar for fast scanning. The unique error detection system will alert the user if the color bar was not properly aligned, ensuring accurate, repeatable results every time.

SpectroEye: this portable, handheld spectrophotometer offers all the functions necessary to accurately measure and control color. It also features all the density measurement functions needed to quickly and easily monitor and control color thickness on-press. SpectroEye integrates digital versions of the most popular color libraries such as the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM® and the PANTONE Goe System.

530 SpectroDensitometer: the latest version of the 530 model spectrophotometer now comes pre-loaded with ISO 12647-2 and G7 process control standard databases and characterization data and the digital version of the PANTONE® FORMULA GUIDE, Coated.

iCPlate2 and PlateScope: X-Rite’s plate control solutions offer the industry’s highest level of accuracy, repeatability, and imaging range, including extreme highlights and shadows. Featuring new firmware and software that support the latest screening and plate technologies and the FOGRA measuring bar standard, this latest version of plate readers offers unsurpassed accuracy and repeatability for the latest plate screening technologies. X-Rite’s plate control solutions support all current screening technologies including AM, FM, XM and hybrid screen types. iCPlate2 and PlateScope are ideal for customers who are disciplined about process control, printing to standards such as SWOP™, Gracol (G7™), FOGRA or ISO, or who are coordinating output between multiple CTP devices.

i1iO Automated Scanning Table: an automated chart-reading scanning table that allows users to measure substrates up to 10 mm thick, including photo paper, fine art rag, cardstock, textile, poly bag and even ceramic. Upgrading to the i1iO is ideal for anyone seeking increased automation. Providing fast measurements for reflective test charts on these types of substrates, i1iO reads more than 500 patches per minute, creating custom profiles in no time.

i1iSis XL with OBC: the i1iSis automated chart reader takes speed and accuracy to new levels. Available in two sizes – standard, which reads A4+ or letter size, and XL for A3+ or tabloid size – i1iSis reads up to 2,500 patches printed on a single A3 page. Its unique vision system automatically corrects chart misalignment and interprets bar codes to prevent chart identification problems. When used in conjunction with ProfileMaker 5 or MonacoPROFILER software, as well as the new Optical Brightener Compensation module, i1iSis is ideal for high-end applications requiring consistent color measurements and visualization of printed output, avoiding time wasted hand-scanning rows or reading individual color patches.

ProfilerMaker 5 Platinum: Allows users to build high-quality, reliable and custom ICC profiles tailored to their requirements. ProfileMaker5 Platinum combines all the key features and flexibility of previous editions of ProfileMaker 5 Photostudio and ProfileMaker 5 Publish, and now also includes the Multicolor plug-in for Adobe® Photoshop™ to simplify color separations and proofing.

MonacoProfiler Platinum: Offers customers expert profiling, diagnostics and editing tools for all of their input and output devices. Delivering precise color output for any technology, MonacoPROFILER supports up to 8 inks and 8 discrete colors, providing the flexibility to color-manage wide-gamut, extended color printers.

Judge II with split lighting to show OBC: The Judge Lighting System is an invaluable tool for evaluating color quality and uniformity. This compact visual evaluation system combines exceptional versatility and quality, in a construction that will meet users’ needs.

ColorMunki Design: this groundbreaking color control solution makes it easier than ever to get accurate color on a display, projector or with virtually any printer. It allows users to grab colors from just about anywhere, including their entire image library. Users can preview how the colors on their palette will look under different light sources and also see how they’ll appear on their printer with the new PrintSafe™ production tool.

PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM: the international reference for selecting, specifying, matching and controlling ink colors.

PANTONE Goe System: features 2,058 new, solid PANTONE Colors to inspire creativity and fulfill the requirements of the fast-changing, technologically advancing graphic arts industry. Also includes modern tools and interactive software to drive collaboration and improve versatility in an increasingly global, multimedia environment.

Throughout the show, X-Rite and Printex will be running limited time offers and promotions for all new purchases initiated during GOA.

 

Advertising agencies, production managers and print buyers are only a free download away from a quick and effective quality check of print products.

GMG, supplier of high-end colour management and proofing solutions, is pleased to announce that the free shareware GMG RapidCheck GO! is now available for download on the company's website www.gmgcolor.com. The tool allows advertising agencies, production managers and print buyers to check the quality of print products and their compliance with required print standards at a click of the mouse.

The need for standardized printing is growing as greater importance is given to compliance with international or in-house defined print standards. Advertising agencies and production managers involved in the production of print products as well as print buyers want tools that enable them to verify quickly whether delivered prints comply with a predefined quality standard.

With GMG RapidCheck GO! users have to perform only a single measuring procedure in order to obtain all the important information regarding the print job in question. The available data is presented in a clearly structured and easily comprehensive ISO/PSO and GRACoL-compliant report. A "green check" is displayed when the print product passes the quality control.

To check the print quality, users need to apply one of the following measuring instruments: X-Rite Eye One, X-Rite SpectroEye, X-Rite 500 Series, Techkon Spectrodens and Techkon RS800.

According to Jan-Peter Homann, consultant for international clients in the field of color management and standardized print production: "the GMG RapidCheck GO! shareware for the evaluation of a print product's compliance with common industry standards offers a range of functionalities only available within commercial solutions, until now. This very easy-to-use tool provides the basis for better and easier communication between print suppliers and clients."

Currently, the shareware version is available in German and English.

GMG, supplier of high-end color management and proofing solutions, is pleased to announce the availability of the profiling solution GMG SmartProfiler in 8 additional languages besides the English and German release. GMG SmartProfiler is a wizard for the calibration and profiling of different output devices, such as digital presses or large format systems.
The brand-new GMG solution is now available with language support for:

• French
• Italian
• Spanish
• Portuguese (Brazil)
• Japanese
• Chinese, Simplified (People’s Republic of China)
• Chinese, Traditional (Taiwan)
• Korean (Korea)

The GMG SmartProfiler wizard allows the profiling and calibration of different output devices, such as digital presses or large format systems, easily and quickly.

“We are pleased to serve more customers worldwide by multiplying the languages offered in GMG SmartProfiler. This will help users to become more quickly familiarised with the product and to take full advantage of its functionalities,” says Christian Schwarze, Vice President of Sales at GMG. “As digital and large format printing are extremely growing markets, the  localisation of a key colour management tool like GMG SmartProfiler, which easily enables users to achieve highest colour accuracy, repeatability and colour consistency with nearly every printing system, will certainly lead to greater penetration of these markets,” adds Schwarze.

About GMG: The software company founded in 1984 and located in Tuebingen, near Stuttgart, Germany, has a worldwide distribution network with local presence in France, Spain, Benelux, Nordic, the UK, Asia and the Americas. GMG has specialized in high-end colour management for the entire graphic arts industry. Today, more than 9,000 systems have been sold across the industry spectrum from ad agencies, prepress houses and offset printers to newspapers, flexo converters and international gravure printing plants. In fact, the GMG ColorProof system has become the de-facto standard of Europe’s extensive gravure printing industry.

About the GMG family of products: GMG ColorProof, a colour management software system, provides the most accurate way of calibrating digital inkjet proofing engines to produce digital contract colour proofs, precisely matched to the printing press. GMG DotProof® enables users to generate contract quality halftone proofs, using the original bitmap data of the output RIP. Specifically tailored to the needs of the packaging industry is GMG FlexoProof, which supports specific flexo file formats and includes a complete Pantone® spot colour library, along with other functions. GMG ColorServer is a tool for automatic colour conversions – CMYK-to-CMYK, RGB-to-CMYK and RGB-to-RGB – for more efficient workflows.

GMG InkOptimizer automatically reduces chromatic colours, thus providing cost savings by reducing unnecessary ink usage, along with better print stability on press. GMG ProofControl is the ideal solution for instant, colour-accurate verification of proofs. GMG PrintControl is one single software for standardising the press from start to finish. GMG RapidCheck is a verification tool to control the printing process at a click of the mouse. GMG Media is a range of proofing-specific papers and films for the most popular inkjet printers. They are manufactured to high tolerances for colour critical applications, available in a range of sizes.
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X-Rite Incorporated has introduced its VS450 spectrophotometer that enables laboratories to accurately control color quality by measuring a wide range of wet and dry samples without touching test surfaces.

The main benefits of the VS450 are:

• Ability to measure samples at a distance without contact, permitting technicians to easily measure cosmetics, wet paint, soil samples and other wet or powdered substrates that prove difficult for instruments that use contact technology
• Line of Sight™ visibility enables technicians to quickly and easily position the sample for measurement
• Active Visual Targeting™ projects a prominent illuminated target ring onto the sample for precise and accurate measurements
• Two aperture sizes of 6mm and 12mm that can easily and quickly be switched with the click of a button, without the need to recalibrate the instrument
• Integrated gloss sensor for gloss measurements on wet and dry samples
• Versatile design improves measurement capabilities on two and three-dimensional objects
• Best-in-class colour accuracy and repeatability

“The VS450 is an industry-changing technology for colour measurement and quality control,” says Kenneth Phillips, product manager in X-Rites Industrial Colour and Appearance Division that developed the instrument. “It is a response to demand from customers operating in industries as varied as the manufacture of cosmetics, paints and chemicals - even unique applications like soil sampling - that have asked for a cost-effective and precise way to measure samples without special sample apparatus, such as Petri dishes or cuvettes.”

Accurate non-contact colour measurement
The VS450 can measure test surfaces of materials such as powders, liquids, pastes and suede leather in their natural, unaltered states to yield better ‘truer’ results. Unlike hand-held or benchtop spectrophotometers currently used in laboratories that must physically contact the sample with the viewing port, the VS450 measures any sample accurately from a distance of about 38mm (1.5 inches). Prior technology relied on pressing glass or clear plastic over test surfaces to protect the instruments from being contaminated by the test samples and altering the test data.

“Not only can the VS450 directly measure wet or powdered samples without contact, but also it provides an easy and effective way to measure and QC samples such as plastic plaques, which can be tedious and time consuming with today’s contact-based devices,” Phillips said.

Consistent data
The instrument is repeatable to 0.025 dEab when used with its 12mm aperture, which means data is consistent when the instrument measures the same part in the same place. Phillips said the VC450 instrument is an extension of the company’s VeriColor® Spectro™ non-contact spectrophotometer, which set the standard two years ago for online non-contact color measurement in demanding industrial applications. The VS450 uses 45/0° geometry and correlates well with other 45/0° instruments and databases.

Targeting the correct sample area
The VS450 also tackles the problem of incorrect data when the measurement is taken in the wrong sample area. The VS450 allows technicians to quickly and easily position the instrument over a sample using its Line of Sight™ design and Active Visual Targeting™ feature, which projects either a 6mm (1/4-inch) or a 12mm (1/2-inch) diameter illuminated ring on to the sample to target the desired measurement area.

Accurate gloss measurements
The VS450 has advanced optics and sensors that accurately measure gloss as well as colors. When used with X-Rite’s iMatch formulation software, the VS450 can help to speed up the initial formulation process because the instrument can compensate for the difference in appearance between dry and wet samples. “This feature is valuable in providing increased throughput when formulating new colors or QC testing production samples that would normally have to be dried for 24 to 72 hours before a color measurement can be taken,” says Phillips.

Employing the same technology as the VeriColor Spectro instrument, the VS450 uses light-emitting diodes (LEDS), which are more efficient and more stable than typical gas-filled illumination sources such as halogen and tungsten. With a predicted life of more than 20 million flashes - many more than illumination systems that rely on flash tubes - LEDs provide accurate results for years before needing replacement.

Ambient light detection
The VS450 also detects and ignores ambient light, such as incandescent, fluorescent or sodium vapor illumination, which can greatly affect results when samples are not positioned properly with prior contact-based technology.

Weighing about five pounds, the VS450 takes up little room on a laboratory work bench and can be quickly positioned on its feet or on its side to measure odd-shaped or bulky samples.

X-Rite has already received orders from customers for the VS450 from major companies worldwide. “We are extremely satisfied with the positive response to this new product,” says Phillips.

GMG ColorProof and FlexoProof XG exploit the expanded color gamut of the Epson Stylus Pro WT7900 inkjet printer up to the maximum, enabling the GMG/Epson proofing system to achieve perfect contone and halftone proofs on transparent or metallic foils.

Tuebingen (November 30, 2009) - GMG, developer and supplier of high-end color management and proofing solutions, is pleased to announce that GMG contone and halftone proofing solutions support the brand-new Epson Stylus Pro WT7900 printer to enable the production of top-quality contract-level packaging proofs.

GMG's ColorProof contone proofing software and the halftone modules FlexoProof XG and DotProof XG ensure that GMG's unrivaled quality and repeatability can be produced even for spot colors and white simulation in flexographic, offset and gravure printing. The Epson Stylus Pro WT7900's new water-based white ink enables high density white tints and accurate overlays needed for packaging proof applications.

Compared to traditional proofing solutions, such as the DuPont Cromalin analogue proofing system and Kodak Approval, or press proofs, agencies, prepress businesses, print houses and brand owners can now produce with the GMG/Epson solution digital proofs at a fraction of the current costs. Due to the ease of use of the GMG software, the required time to create new color profiles and to produce the proofs digitally is reduced dramatically. Users have already given an enthusiastic reception to the extreme simplification of their workflow leading to color accurate print simulation of the print on transparent foils. "This printing system is the best and most economic solution for contract packaging proofs", says Kenneth Hostyn, Proofing Manager at Athena Graphics, prepress specialist for packaging printing. "We experience 75% time savings as all manual steps which previously had been required, became unnecessary overnight." Additionally, costs for consumables are reduced by up to!
90%.

The groundbreaking color management technology implemented in the GMG printer driver provides the best possible color accuracy and repeatability achievable using a digital proofing system. Unlike many competitive products, GMG DotProof and GMG FlexoProof produce genuine, absolutely color-accurate halftone proofs by directly processing 1-bit imagesetter data, so that they can be inexpensively proofed on inkjet printers, and errors detected at an early stage.

According to Dominic Weschle, Technical Consultant for Print Color Management at Janoschka's headquarter in Kippenheim, Germany, "customers have been immediately impressed by the high-quality proofing results on transparent materials and are extremely happy that they quickly see an accurate preview of the final product." This allows for faster communication and prepress approval cycles, which is of crucial importance for suppliers and their clients as product life cycles become increasingly shorter.

High quality remote proofing is another core application due to the unique calibration and profiling technology of GMG. Automated production workflows and highest repeatability of perfect color results guarantee the same high quality of packaging proofs at different locations.

Orders for the GMG/Epson digital proofing system are being taken now with shipments in January 2010.