Software - Colour Management

GMG has released GMG ColorServer 4.8, an updated version of its popular colour management software.  New features include adjusting data to match proofs to actual production stock, and printing directly to a Windows printer from a PDF file hotfolder

GMG ColorServer provides superior, easy-to-use, colour management. It delivers consistent and repeatable colour results to all output processes - offset, gravure, and digital print as well as online digital displays. It automates the transformation of RGB, CMYK, spot colours and mixed data to a standard, definable output colour space. With GMG ColorServer, data from different sources will behave identically on the press. The result is a marked reduction in makeready times and paper waste.

GMG gamut mapping ensures that colours are ideally converted between different colour spaces. GMG’s DeviceLink approach avoids drawbacks of ICC technology, such as reseparation of the black channel. A completely new set of profiles makes GMG ColorServer 4.8 a plug-and-play solution that covers all-important international printing standards.

“Given the nature of content distribution, while GMG ColorServer is used predominantly for print, we are finding that many companies are also using GMG ColorServer for online colour, converting files to RGB. Just as brand and product colours must match in a printed brochure, packaging or display, they should also reproduce as accurately as possible on a monitor’s web page or mobile device,” explains Michael Farkas, GMG Marketing Director.

“While we have added many new features to GMG ColorServer 4.8, GMG has two new, particularly helpful tools,” adds Farkas. “The first is the Paper Adaptation tool, our solution to help print houses overcome the problems of a mismatch between the paper tint of the proof according to ISOcoatedV2, GRACoL, JapanColor or any other standard, and the white point of the actual paper they will print. With this tool you just pick the colour of your substrate and ColorServer will adapt the data to match the proof. This solves a common problem experienced at almost every printing facility throughout the world. Also, GMG ColorServer can now output files from a PDF hot folder directly to any Windows printer.”

A number of other features for the conversion of PDF files have been updated within GMG ColorServer 4.8. The most significant improvements include:

 

• The separation of spot colours to a late binding CMYK: It is now possible to accurately convert spot colours into a large printer gamut.
• Improved Image compression: All flattened images can be treated with either ZIP or JPEG compression, considerably reducing file size.
• Revised sharpening is done in the target colour space of the last colour management step, typically in CMYK, and can be set more precisely.

In addition to the Paper Adaptation Tool, GMG ColorServer 4.8 contains all new RGB-to-CMYK separation profiles that are now part of GMG normalisation.

“GMG ColorProof 4.8 takes an important step into the future of colour management. We have been listening carefully to our customers,” concludes Farkas. “Not only have we added requested features. We acknowledge that our customers are getting involved in more facets of print - digital printing is certainly a significant trend that requires careful attention to colour. However, our customers are also offering more online services, requiring their own careful colour management. Our customers understand that GMG ColorServer is an all-encompassing solution.”

GMG ColorServer 4.8 is available immediately through the company’s extensive global network of resellers.

One of the UK’s largest large-format printing companies, Service Graphics, has rolled-out GMG ColorServer colour management across the whole of its Chessington production site to streamline and simplify production - regardless of the particular digital printing device used. Part of the St. Ives Group, Service Graphics’ four state-of-the-art production locations around the UK offer a wide range of large-format and grand-format print services for exhibition stands, bespoke retail and display solutions and building wraps.

“Prior to installing GMG, we had a number of issues in matching colour output across our printing machines,” says Alan Clark, studio manager. “In order to best service our customers, we have built up perhaps the largest range of wide-format print equipment within the UK display and exhibition industry. With so many devices, processes and substrates, it was always a challenge to produce identical results across devices.” Service Graphics have an impressive range of wide-format machines from manufacturers such as Canon, Durst, HP, Inca Digital, Nur and VUTEk.

Always at the forefront of cutting-edge technology and amongst the first in the UK large-format industry to use GMG colour management software, Service Graphics installed GMG ColorProof, ColorServer and SmartProfiler a number of years ago. Initially used for bespoke projects and offered as an enhanced service to their demanding blue-chip customers only, after time it became clear that GMG ColorServer was the correct solution to roll out across the whole of Service Graphics’ Chessington production site. “We chose GMG as much for its ubiquity within the industry – more and more of our customers were supplying us with GMG proofs – as for the enhanced quality and consistency that the product offered when compared to what we were using at the time,” says Alan.

“We fully implemented GMG ColorServer as a solution to two issues. One was to reduce the amount of manual colour correction we needed to do for profile-to-profile conversions and to bring customer files to within machine performance criteria. The other was to align output capabilities across all of our printing machines. Since deploying GMG ColorServer all of our devices are now in precise colour alignment with each other and across any substrate. Furthermore we have been able to free up available resources in our Studio due to the reduction in manual colour correction work – a direct consequence of using GMG ColorServer. The savings in production time, manual processes and reduced material wastage have been enormous.”

The process of profiling each device is made easy by using GMG SmartProfiler, a “wizard” that allows even non-experts to create high-quality ColorServer profiles quickly and easily.

Streamlining colour management across devices brings numerous benefits. “We can monitor output from a central location and have full control and can implement far more precise internal management and audit processes,” continues Alan. “We have the confidence and assurance that when we get repeat jobs throughout the year, we can quickly and easily reproduce the result – even if the new job is on a different substrate.”

Apart from the internal productivity gains at Service Graphics, the implementation of GMG ColorServer is delivering quantifiable customer benefits too. ”Since GMG proofs have become the de facto standard for many of our clients, the ability to match results across devices and media has meant that our customers have the assurance of consistent results regardless of print process. Many of our clients are used to working with magazine or offset litho printing companies. Now, with GMG ColorServer they can enjoy output consistency whether it’s a magazine ad, a graphic on self-adhesive vinyl, or a wrap covering an entire building.”

Toby Burnett, managing director of GMG UK, comments,“In an increasingly diverse production environment, the challenge to deliver accurate and consistent results across both multiple digital devices and substrates becomes a growing issue for many print services providers. GMG ColorServer standardises colour separation across disparate devices and substrates, removing colour output inconsistencies.”

Yorkshire, UK-based Wold Top Brewery recently chose the Process Metallic Color System from Color-Logic to produce packages which make their brand stand out on store shelves.  According to brewery co-owner Gill Mellor, “The package designed by Color-Logic increased our gift sales by one-third in the 2012 Christmas season and elicited favorable comments from retailers and customers alike.  Just looking at the pack, everyone assumes we have a gold foil box.”

Commenting on the project, Color-Logic director of sales and marketing, Mark Geeves, comments, “Brand and product managers large and small are using the Color Logic process to differentiate their products from competitors in the marketplace.  Several recent marketing studies indicate that 80 percent or more of purchasing decisions are made in the store, based on shelf appeal.  We are pleased at the increased sales volume Wold Top Brewery realised using our design and production technology.”

Color-Logic develops colour communication systems and software tool sets for a variety of special effect printing applications.  Color-Logic provides brand owners, product managers, corporations, and their advertising agencies the ability to differentiate themselves and their clients with a simple print production process that yields dramatic results.

Color-Logic decorative effects utilize the existing workflows of printers and designers, yielding dynamic results without the use of special equipment.  Color-Logic supports the value of print and works with designers and printers to enhance their printed media.

For more information, please visit www.color-logic.com

Color-Logic has announced it will soon be shipping the 2013 version of its popular software for metallic printing and special effects.  Customers under maintenance contract will receive the 2013 version at no additional charge, effective 1st March 2013. 

The 2013 version of the Color-Logic software is fully compatible with Windows 8 and Adobe Creative Suite 6, and includes improved training tools and a simplified design interface. The new version will include full Chinese capability, in addition to German, French, Italian, Spanish, and English, which are already standard.  Also included is extensive collateral material which licensees can use to quickly and easily demonstrate their Color-Logic capability to clients.

Richard Ainge, Color-Logic chief technical officer, comments, “The 2013 version of our popular Color-Logic software is fully compatible with the latest versions of Adobe software and all current operating systems.  We continue to add new special effects and to provide Color-Logic users with press-ready files to develop their marketing campaigns using our powerful creative materials.”

For more information, please visit www.color-logic.com

GMG has announced its support of the new Windows 8 operating system with the latest Version 5.4.2 of its GMG ColorProof. As a result, the operating systems Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 with Service Pack 1 or higher are now supported.

Version 5.4.2, and thus Windows 8 support, is also available for GMG DotProof and GMG FlexoProof. Likewise compatible with Windows 8 is ProofControl 2.0, which is used to check the color accuracy of proofs and also verifies spot colors in the new version. Consequently, the complete proofing solution from GMG can now be used with the latest operating system from Microsoft.

Users of GMG ColorProof 5.4 and customers having a maintenance agreement can download the new version for free from the Support area of the GMG Web site. A chargeable update is available for users of older versions.

More detailed information can be obtained from your graphic arts dealer or via info@gmgcolor.com.

GMG and matchmycolor LLC have entered a cooperation agreement designed to enhance precision and efficiency in global colour management.  The new partnership connects all participants in the colour supply chain, including brand owners, designers, printers and converters.  Applying its own model, GMG uses unique spectral colour data from matchmycolor to improve the accuracy and quality of colour proofs.

Suitable for all print processes, substrates and applications, the combined systems cover every stage from design, through specification, production, approval and certification, right to supply of the finished product. Fast, seamless data communication channels are now in place, allowing users everywhere in the world to manage colour products and transmit information instantly.

Judy van de Langkruis, managing partner, matchmycolor LLC, explains, “Our innovative cloud-based colour communication software ideally complements GMG colour management software. The respective industry players have complete ownership of colour data as well as full control over both spot and process colours, and this helps them to achieve high and consistent product quality."

"This partnership allows a more integrated and consistent colour workflow with GMG colour management solutions for packaging service providers, including prepress and designers.  Mutual and new customers in the packaging industry will greatly benefit from this close cooperation”, adds Victor Asseiceiro, Director Business Unit Packaging at GMG.