Software - Colour Management

Palette Master Powered by X-Rite offers direct access to monitor controls for increased calibration accuracy

X-Rite Incorporated has announced a long-term strategic technology partnership with BenQ, a global human technology and solutions provider headquartered in Taiwan, to bring increased sophistication and simplicity to monitor calibration for photography and graphic arts professionals. Palette Master Powered by X-Rite, when used with an X-Rite i1Display Pro display calibrator, allows users to gain direct access to BenQ display hardware without the intermediary intervention of the computer’s graphics card. This delivers more accurate calibration of the BenQ PG2401PT monitor. Both X-Rite and BenQ are exhibiting this solution at Photokina, being held in Cologne, Germany, 16-21 September 2014. X-Rite will be located in Hall 4.1, Stand J029 at the show, while BenQ will be located in Hall 4.1, Stand D017.

“We are extremely pleased to be partnering with BenQ to deliver this unique professional monitor profiling and calibration solution,” said Jan Keller VP OEM Sales of X-Rite. “BenQ’s PG2401PT monitor is the first product in BenQ’s ProGraphics series of printing-certified monitors with both G7 and FOGRA certifications. Giving users the ability to quickly and easily bypass their computer’s graphics card to directly profile and adjust the BenQ display results in more accurate calibration, which in turn means that from design intent through soft proofing, colours will display accurately.”

The combination of BenQ’s professional certified monitor, X-Rite’s industry-leading i1Display Pro and Palette Master Powered by X-Rite represents an industry-first opportunity for professional and 'prosumer' photographers and graphic arts professionals who have adopted digital workflows and are interested in ensuring consistent colour, right the first time, right every time, throughout the capture, creation and production process.

“Another important aspect of this solution for prosumer and professional photographers is having 99% visibility of the Adobe RGB colour space for colour-critical work like photo editing,” added Keller. “This means that the monitor accurately displays the tones and hues that fall within the Adobe RGB colour space captured by their camera in the raw file so users can apply appropriate edits to match their printer's colour gamut. The result is better overall results for both printed and digital edited photo files.”

“We chose to work with X-Rite in this exclusive partnership because we recognise X-Rite’s market-leading position and strong technology in monitor calibration and profiling,” said Peter YF Huang, General Manager of BenQ Technology Product Center. “We are excited to be bringing this innovative capability to our photographer and graphic arts customers and believe this is one more powerful reason for choosing BenQ monitors over competitive monitors that cannot offer this level of control with the simplicity of our combined solution. We look forward to further collaboration with X-Rite to bring even more innovation to the market.”

For more information about X-Rite solutions, please visit www.xrite.com. For more information about BenQ, visit www.BenQ.com

 

GMG’s popular proof quality assurance tool is updated to support the latest SWOP and GRACoL profiles, as well as the more defined D50 measurement standard

GMG, a leading developer and supplier of high-end colour management software solutions, announces the immediate availability of an updated version of its GMG ProofControl quality assurance tool.

GMG ProofControl is an easy-to-use quality control application that ensures digital colour proofs meet a predefined standard. Used as part of a colour-managed production workflow, ProofControl is an integral component to help print service providers provide the most accurate simulation against a vast range of international output standards such as ISO, ECI, SWOP and 3DAP, or any user-defined quality standard.

When paired with a third-party spectrophotometer (either an external device or the integrated spectrophotometer increasingly found in professional-grade print engines) GMG ProofControl measures the colour output, comparing the result to target values stored within its database. If the measurement readings are within a predefined tolerance, a small adhesive label is printed and fixed (typically) on the back of each calibrated proof, providing a quick visual assurance to all project stakeholders that it has been produced to within acceptance standards.

Enhanced measurement and standards support for GMG ProofControl 2.1

GMG ProofControl v2.1 now includes support for the more tightly-defined, D50-based, ISO 13655:2009 standard. Using a measurement device that supports M0 (no UV cut), M1 (No UV cut, D50) and M2 (UV Cut) filter settings, such as the X-Rite EyeOne Pro2, users can select the appropriate measurement parameters when creating either profiles adhering to international standards such as ISO 13655, or to the user’s own unique print standard.

GMG ProofControl v2.1 also includes presets for the new SWOP and GRACoL standards SWOP2013C3 (CRPC5), SWOP2013C5, GRACoL2013 coated (CRPC6) and GRACoL2013 uncoated (CRPC3). These new standards profiles are based on ISO/DIS 15339-2 with its specification of a limited number of Characterised Reference Printing Conditions (CRPC), which are device-and-process-agnostic colour space references requiring M1 measurement conditions (ISO 13655:2009).

“GMG ProofControl allows print service providers to provide guaranteed and quality-checked output standard for their digital colour proof production, regardless of device, standards criteria or print process,” says Birgit Plautz, Manager Technical Services, GMG. “Continuing technological advances allow the industry to continue to refine and develop ever more accurate and definable output standards. GMG ProofControl v2.1 embraces these new standards and measurement conditions, allowing our customers to offer best-in-class digital output to the end user, supported with a quality assurance certificate that confirms the expected output tolerances.”

GMG ProofControl is available worldwide through GMG’s network of authorised dealers.

GMG has released GMG ColorServer 4.9, an updated version of its automated colour conversion software with new levels of functionality.

GMG ColorServer automates the colour normalisation of PDF files, providing highly accurate CMYK to CMYK, RGB to RGB, RGB to CMYK, CMYK to RGB and spot colour to CMYK conversions while preserving the integrity of the black channel. The result is a standardised and simplified colour management model that delivers consistent print results across any print process and substrate.

PDF/VT-1 File Format Support

New for ColorServer 4.9 announced today is support for the PDF/VT-1 variable-data printing (VDP) file format.  PDF/VT-1 is a highly-optimised file specifically designed for the efficient digital printing of a wide range of variable data and personalized content such as transactional/transpromo (credit card bills, bank statements, etc.) personalised direct mailshots, catalogues, photobooks, coupons, tickets, etc.

Part of the challenge of variable-data printing is the often extremely fast file processing requirements to ensure just-in-time delivery to the latest generation of high-speed digital printing presses. GMG has addressed this issue with ColorServer 4.9 from two directions. Firstly, the current 32-bit version of the application has been greatly optimised to deliver extremely fast file processing times – up to 3,500 variable-data PDF pages per minute can be individually colour-managed using ColorServer 4.9 (depending on hardware configuration, job specification, etc.)  Secondly, for even higher performance GMG is releasing a 64-bit native version of ColorServer 4.9, which in effect offers almost unlimited file processing capabilities to feed even the most demanding variable data applications.

Improved paper adaption tool

The Paper Adaption Tool in ColorServer allows print service providers to recalculate a file’s colour data against a particular support material, even if the particular proof simulates a different final stock. For example, the Paper Adaption tool could adjust your print data to match an “ISOcoatedV2” proof, even if your production material is different.

With ColorServer 4.9, the Paper Adaption Tool has been improved by offering a better quality of profile simulation, as well as the ability to offer custom gamuts for particular substrates.

CMYK to RGB conversion

While colour retouching is usually applied to a file while still in its RGB values, often print service providers are only supplied with CMYK files (maybe even a multitude of CMYK color spaces – ISO, SWOP, GraCOL, etc.) making the task of colour retouching that much more challenging.

ColorServer 4.9 offers an extremely accurate CMYK to RGB lossless conversion process that enlarges the colour space back to the file’s original Adobe RGB values. This allows for colour space normalisation within an RGB-based image database, only performing the device/process specific CMYK conversion at the final output stage.

Support for Konica Minolta measurement devices

GMG ColorServer 4.9 supports the new FD 5 and FD 7 spectrophotometers from Konica Minolta. These devices have been growing in popularity recently mainly due to various new European standards (such as Fogra 51 and Fogra 52) which are more often evaluated with Konica Minolta devices.

Support for the latest IDEAlliance output profiles

The latest GRAcol 2013 (CGATS 21 RPC-6) and SWOP 2013 (C3 and C5) profiles from IDEAlliance (idealliance.org) have been integrated into ColorServer 4.9.

Special upgrade promotion for existing GMG ColorServer users

As part of a special GMG promotion, existing ColorServer users who upgrade to v4.9 will receive 5 free rolls of 24 inch GMG ProofPaper semimatte 250. The upgrade promotion runs from now until 30th September 2014.

“GMG ColorServer 4.9 takes our expertise in colour transformation, management and simulation to higher levels and new markets,” says Birgit Plautz, Manager Business Unit Graphic Arts at GMG. “The inclusion of a powerful, quasi-real-time colour managed workflow based around the PDF/VT-1 format offers a compelling value proposition to variable data applications such as transpromo and document management, which we are very excited about. At the same time ColorServer 4.9 includes a raft of new or enhanced features designed to deliver real-world benefits to any print services provider looking for a fast, accurate and easy-to-use solution to rationalise output to a definable color space independent of any particular print process or device.”

The Color-Logic file format necessary to print the widely used Process Metallic Color System is now supported by Esko visualisation software.  As a result, brand managers and their designers can see the dramatic Color-Logic special effects and metallic colours on their monitor as they will appear on the finished product.  The Color-Logic format changes are part of Esko Studio Suite 14 release, which includes Visualizer 14.

Discussing the mutual effort leading to the Esko/Color-Logic collaboration in this area, Color-Logic Chief Technical Officer Richard Ainge says, "The Color-Logic Design Suite enables brand managers and their designers to add decorative effects to packages and collateral literature at a fraction of the time and cost previously associated with metallics.  This Color-Logic partnership with Esko enables brands using the Esko Studio Visualizer to see the Color-Logic special effects on their finished product.

"Color-Logic products now get to market faster and at lower cost, because designers can see the effects of metallic inks or substrates on their monitors at the concept stage and can create the white ink masks necessary for holographic and metallic substrates.   Esko users can utilise the entire Color-Logic Design Suite tool set, including changing substrates for visualisation when printing on metallic substrates with white ink or with metallic ink on regular stock in a fraction of the time required by traditional methods.

"The upgraded Esko Studio software is particularly useful for visualising the effect of Color-Logic BEST Offset Silver Ink when conventional lithographic packaging is being designed, plus Esko Studio can now import and recognise Color-Logic spot colours.  With the upgraded Esko Studio software, package designers can view the Color-Logic effect in three-dimensional models, adding layers such as varnish, embossing, and other special effects as desired.  A demonstration and training video, including installation instructions, is available to currently paid-up Color-Logic licensees." 

X-Rite Incorporated has announced the availability of eXact Scan, a new option that extends the functionality of the X-Rite eXact spectrophotometer platform. eXact Scan adds unmatched speed, flexibility and new quality control tools to the market-leading eXact colour measurement instruments for the printing and packaging industries.

When combined with InkKeyControl software from X-Rite, eXact Scan enables colour management at a low cost of entry, enabling printers to extend the useful lives of their presses. InkKeyControl allows printers to achieve faster make-ready and improve quality control through control of ink keys. It displays real-time measurement results in a graphical red/yellow/green “traffic light” report, which enables press operators to quickly manage changes as they print.

Warren Werbitt, CEO of Pazazz Printing in Montreal, a certified G7 Master Printer that specialises in conventional offset printing up to 56 inches, digital printing, flexo and digital labels, packaging, wide format and mobile solutions, said, “We first migrated to the eXact to make the transition from using print density in quality control to the more accurate spectral readings.  In addition, with the Scan Option, we have more capability to deliver the higher quality  our customers expect. eXact Scan adds value to the eXact platform far beyond its incremental cost...  With eXact Scan, we can now comfortably hold on to an older press that we were not ready to update or retire.” Pazazz was a beta test site for eXact Scan.

The eXact Scan Option extends the instrument’s ability to accurately read conventional and non-continuous strips for quality assurance applications, such as flexo printing for packaging. Also, it is the ideal solution for offset litho printers that have large capital investments in older presses that aren’t equipped with in-line colour measurement capabilities.

Dan Magnia, the print and packaging market manager for X-Rite, said, “X-Rite eXact has been well-received in the marketplace. Building on that success, we developed eXact Scan in response to suggestions from our customers about how to add even more value to the instrument. With expected high product demand, X-Rite is proud to offer a loyalty program to current eXact owners so they can be the first to take advantage of upgrading their equipment to include this new capability”

With a few simple steps, pressroom personnel can install the new eXact Scan chassis and software to greatly extend the ability of the eXact spectrophotometer to accurately read different length colour bars on a variety of printed materials.

X-Rite eXact, including the Scan Option and all associated software solutions, is available immediately on a worldwide basis through X-Rite channels and directly from X-Rite.  For more information about X-Rite eXact and other X-Rite solutions, please visit www.xrite.com/eXact.

X-Rite has reported that 63 attendees participated in a special Innovation Day event dedicated to print and packaging and held in Istanbul, Turkey, on May 7th. The event was hosted by X-Rite Pantone distribution partner Odak.

“During this landmark event in Istanbul,” says Simone Viscomi, Regional Manager Turkey and MEA of X-Rite, “we were able to share exciting innovation news with a large number of color professionals, who were able to see live demonstrations of X-Rite Solutions for the first time. The audience was especially intrigued by PantoneLIVE, and to hear about the adoption by brand owners and converters of this cloud-based ecosystem that delivers precise spectral data for brand and other colours.” With a growing number of global brands, including P&G and ASDA, specifying the use of PantoneLIVE throughout the colour supply chain, attendees appreciated the opportunity to learn about this unique offering and how it can be applied to their businesses and those of their clients.

The X-Rite eXact platform was also featured at the event. This next-generation handheld instrument enables accurate colour measurement in prepress/premedia and in the pressroom, with measurements often accessible with a single click using the instrument’s colour touch screen. X-Rite eXact can be customised to the needs of each individual user, making its use fast, efficient and effective regardless of the experience level of the user. In addition, since it requires no cables or wires for operation, it can easily be moved around the plant as needed.

Attendees also learned how ColorCert: X-Rite Edition closes the loop for exceptional colour management from customer file through to production, maintaining quality across multiple technologies and multiple sites. “ColorCert is a cloud-based solution that delivers statistical process control for defining, monitoring and communicating production quality, across the plant or around the globe,” adds Viscomi. “In a global colour supply chain, this is critical for brand owners, printers and converters alike, and is easily integrated with PantoneLIVE, X-Rite eXact, and other standards-compliant instruments and software, fitting easily into almost any environment.”

Pantone also played a key role at the event, showing applications featuring its 2014 Color of the Year, Radiant Orchid, as well as revealing colour trends that can be expected in 2015 in fashion, home décor and more.

“Attendees learned how Pantone continues to support designers with a wide range of tools,” says Clizia Capecchi, Marketing Specialist for Turkey and MEA, “including the latest CAPSURE, a convenient pocket-sized colour measurement instrument that allows designers to capture colour inspiration from any surface, material or fabric – even small, patterned, multi-colored textures and textiles – and match it quickly and accurately to a PANTONE colour. Scanned colours can be annotated orally with CAPSURE’s built-in microphone for convenient on-the-spot capturing of details about colours and ideas inspired by those colours.”

“We were extremely pleased with the turnout for our Innovation Day event,” Ayla Çuhadaroğlu, General Manager of Odak concludes. “X-Rite’s support in developing and delivering content was invaluable, and our customers appreciated direct access to their expertise. We are looking forward to the next Innovation Day event for Print and Packaging in October 2014!”