Color/Quality Control - Software

The sheer variety of flexographic printing techniques has been an undeniable boon to the field of packaging and labeling. It has also been something of a double-edged sword in resisting the establishment of standard criteria and practical process controls associated with color-managed systems. To remedy this state of affairs, the Flexographic Technical Association (FTA) 12 years ago sought to impose order on potential chaos by developing a set of Flexographic Image Reproduction Specifications and Tolerances—better known as FIRST.

Color management (CM) commonly refers to the methods employed to ensure quality reproduction of four-color process printing. From the perspective of the printer, converter, or trade shop, color management is all about reproducing color on a printing press to match a target.

Of all the assets associated with a given brand, color is arguably the most identifiable. And not just any color, but rather the intense, vibrant color that differentiates a company from its competition and is a key component of high-impact graphics designed to grab the consumer's attention and hold it long enough to trigger a purchase decision.

WOOD DALE, Ill.—RUCO Inks of Eppstein, Germany announced the opening of RUCO USA in Wood Dale, Ill. RUCO USA carries the full line of RUCO UV inks. With this new plant comes an expansion of the full UV product line including the 080-UV dry offset ink, a low-migration, ITX-FREE ink suited for printing speeds of 600 pieces per minute, specifically for the decoration of food packaging cups.

TUEBINGEN, Germany—GMG, a developer and supplier of high-end color management and proofing solutions, announced that it has established a subsidiary in Japan. GMG Japan, headed by Kazutami Ando, is responsible for organizing the distribution of GMG’s software solutions, logistics, and technical support.

The role of color process control plays in enhancing reproduction quality and productivity in package printing cannot be overstated. Without appropriate process control, costly rework, waste, and unnecessary delays in production can result, potentially undermining the salability of the product. However, as the old adage says: you can't control what you can't measure.

Among the key influencers driving the implementation of monitor-based soft proofing and online collaboration, reduced costs and shorter time to market are twin forces to be reckoned with. Decreasing the number of hard copy proofs that are produced and shared among multiple stakeholders in different locations simultaneously yields savings in the form of shipping costs, faster customer signoffs, and potentially significant reductions in chemistry, materials, power, and other elements of the hardcopy proofing process

Color management commonly describes measures undertaken to ensure color integrity from design through printed output. “Brand” color management ups the ante, so to speak, by attempting to identify, communicate, and reproduce vivid, accurate corporate spot and brand colors on packaging materials from design concept to shipment.

GHENT, Belgium—The Ghent Workgroup (GWG) has released the first free “Proof of Preflight” specification, designed to allow users to easily verify PDF file integrity. When implemented in a software solution, this best practice specification offers users the ability to review a PDF file’s preflight audit trail, including a digital signature, at any time during the design-to-print workflow. This capability provides users the assurance that they can safely accept a PDF file with a Proof of Preflight. The process verifies which GWG preflight specification was used to preflight the file and also the outcome of the preflight check. Another feature of the GWG Proof of

There can be little argument about the role of proofing in package-printing workflows. An acceptable proof has three essential qualities: it’s fast, affordable, and color-accurate. Achieving the closest possible match between the proof and the printing press is the objective here, with the larger goal of ensuring a predictable, repeatable printed result throughout the print run. A proof that matches the press run saves printers time and money, and generates less waste on the print job, thereby keeping customers satisfied. Trade shops that deliver fast, color-accurate proofs that do not break the bank not only fulfill a commitment to their printer customers, but also