Color/Quality Control - Software

Digital technology is rapidly changing the way consumer packages are conceptualized and proofed. Digital drop-on-demand (DOD) proofing using color-calibrated large-format inkjet devices (typically 24˝ to 44˝ in width and roll-fed) has made significant headway in packaging environments. This is because manufacturers continue to develop aqueous, solvent, and UV-based solutions capable of precise color accuracy and increased substrate flexibility at higher speeds and lower costs than ever before. Are there limitations? Of course, and for higher-end, color-critical applications, a digital halftone proof may be preferable, but the quality gap is closing. Digital wide-format flatbed inkjet devices up to 100˝ in width are also finding a

Consider this: It might not have taken our ancestors thousands of years to perfect the working wheel if they’d had access to 3D visualization technologies. Because new designs often incur unexpected problems, a physical prototype is often built to test the appearance and/or function of a new design before starting production. All prototypes have their genesis in two fundamental questions: What will it look like? and, How will it perform? Correctly executed, all prototypes also have in common an ability to speed the design process by enabling marketers, key decision makers, and retail buyers to evaluate new packaging as it will really look and/or

Most people never think of packaging as a life-or-death proposition, but for companies that handle the intricate and complex business of pharmaceutical packaging, that’s exactly what’s at stake. With counterfeiting becoming a growing international problem, the integrity of a pharmaceutical brand and the confidence of consumers in that brand depend to a large extent on the security and traceability of data prior to print. The introduction of new drugs requiring more information drives new layouts to support the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) labeling requirements for pharmaceutical inserts, brochures, directional circulars, and patient information labeling. This makes compliance a critical element of pharmaceutical

Think the proof is in the pudding? Au contraire. The proof is in the package, and thereby hangs a tale. Almost by definition, package proofing is fraught with specific challenges; among them, the need for can’t-miss color accuracy and the use of both traditional (board, corrugated) and non-traditional substrates, including hard-to-handle materials like clear plastic and metallic foil. Despite all the buzz about monitor-based proofing, most package printers continue to provide what most high-value brand owners still demand: a hard copy contract proof output on the actual substrate to be used for the package, or an accurate inkjet simulation, each rendered as closely to

ROCHESTER, N.Y.,—At the upcoming Package Design 07 Conference, Kodak will show package designers and brand owners how a combination of workflow, thermal computer to plate, and digital proofing solutions can help ensure consistent, accurate brand colors and packaging. Co-produced by Packaging Strategies and Package Design Magazine, the Package Design 07 Conference takes place Jan. 30–Feb. 1 at the International Plaza Resort & Spa in Orlando, Fla. In addition to exhibiting, Kodak serves as a sponsor of the three-day conference. “We’re going to the Package Design Conference to talk with brand owners and package designers about how KODAK solutions can help them deliver high impact

These days, the proof isn’t just in the pudding. It’s on screen and on the move, instantaneously bound for far-flung destinations along the information superhighway, a pixilated facsimile of the real thing. The advantages are obvious: reduced cycle time, fewer interim proofs, and a richer collaborative environment, for starters. But how applicable are the principles of remote proofing to the realm of package printing? This month we spoke with Tyler Harrell, solutions and innovations manager, Esko-Graphics; Gee Ranasinha, director of marketing, DALiM Software; Jim Summers, president of GMG Americas; and John Sweeney, vice president, sales and marketing, Integrated Color Solutions to learn just how

NORWELL, Mass.—GMG Americas announced that it has installed GMG ColorServer and GMG ColorProof at Rochester institute of Technology (RIT) for research of color-managed solutions. The system will be used to measure and determine how color management systems react to different graphic elements. The Color Management Systems Lab of the School of Print Media at RIT primarily supports teaching and research activities in color measurement, color quality assurance, and color management systems for digital imaging, print production, and process control. For example, recent reports published by the CMS lab include “The effect of dot gain linearization as a printer calibration criteria on color matching accuracy” and

GENT, BELGIUM—Esko announced the introduction of a targeted range of value-added consulting services geared to deliver expert advice for increased customer value and increased ROI. Esko’s consulting services will draw on its extensive resources in process management and optimization, leading-edge hardware and software solutions, and professional services and training. Esko’s consulting services will be offered to provide solutions to the challenges facing today’s packaging industry. “We know that a company’s success is dependent upon finding ways to work smarter, quicker, and better, and Esko is ready to assist,” says Jef Stoffels, Esko director of corporate marketing. “Esko’s consulting services enable us to share our expertise

Many things make a package effective: size, shape, functionality—and color consistency. In packaging, an essential part of color management is to show what a brand color will look like on press. For package printers and converters, this involves the ability to reproduce color accurately, regardless of inks, coatings, substrates, blankets, plates, or process. The higher the value of the brand asset, the more critical the color. However, because the color spaces of printing presses vary according to ink, inking sequences, and paper grade, consistent color printing is difficult without reliable color management from the time a file enters the workflow until it is reproduced