Prepress partnerships

16 November 2010



Leading suppliers of prepress software and systems are pooling their resources and expertise to advance the technology, writes Mike Taylor.


GMG has extended its partnership with Sun Chemical to further integrate access to Sun’s SmartColour database in a workflow that combines EskoArtwork pre-production tools and GMG proofing solutions for labels and packaging.

SmartColour, a database of real ink-onsubstrate colour results, eliminates the need to fingerprint spot colours on production presses in order to obtain accurate colour results on proof. The EskoArtwork Color Engine connects to the SmartColour database and manages SmartColour ink information, using the full spectral ink profile data to calculate spot colour overprints.

Under the new partnership, GMG will integrate the EskoArtwork technology to connect its ColorProof proofing system to the SmartColour Engine.

At any stage of the packaging pre-production process, from design to print, SmartColour ink profiles can be used to communicate colour information more efficiently, preview spot inks on screen and produce colour-accurate inkjet proofs. Brand colour accuracy is achieved without the expense of spot colour press trials, and without erroneous colour expectations.

SmartColour spot ink definitions assigned in a packaging job, including brand owner colour definitions, will be automatically recognised by the GMG proofing solution. Production jobs stored electronically contain a reference to SmartColour data so that recurring jobs are processed quickly and consistently.

GMG has also partnered with X-Rite to develop a new line of X-Rite-branded automated print quality control and standardisation solutions for the graphic arts industry.

The four new, wizard-driven, software solutions will allow pressroom operators and print buyers to track a job from contract to delivery to ensure consistent quality and standards compliance. These solutions will support all of X-Rite prepress and printing instruments, and will be offered exclusively through X-Rite’s worldwide network of sales partners.

The new, jointly developed, solutions include four different packages. PressOptimizer, for mid-size to large offset printing houses, offers an easy-to-use solution for effective process control and press standardisation. It can ‘significantly increase’ print quality, even on older presses, and allows users to achieve the same colours on different presses. PrintCheck is designed to meet the quality control needs of small to mid-size offset houses. It informs the printer when a press is operating within a defined standard.

PrintCheck Reader is targeted at print customers and print buyers. It is a free downloadable software that allows users to easily import print quality data for further verification of print quality. PrintCheck Review is targeted at professional print buyers (brand owners, advertising agencies, publishing houses, packaging designers) who wish to check print quality themselves.

GMG will continue to support existing customers of GMG RapidCheck and PrintControl. Together with ColorServer and InkOptimizer, PrintControl continues to be part of GMG’s ProcessControl bundle, the standardisation bundle for sheetfed printers.

In another partnership, Epson Europe and EskoArtwork have provided a dedicated digital front end (DFE) for Epson’s SurePress L-4033A digital label press, launched at IPEX 2010 in May.

EskoArtwork has worked closely with Epson to develop a front end that optimises the performance of the versatile SurePress L-4033A to produce cost-effective, short run, high quality labels. The press is a 6-colour narrow web digital machine that prints on a range of paper and film up to 330mm wide, at speeds up to 5m/min. The ‘easy-to-use’ DFE has several established EskoArtwork technologies, such as a high-performance RIP and Kaleidoscope Colour Management, giving flexible workflow management and control for efficient, accurate and consistent output.

Sophisticated colour management tools enable ICC-compliant multi-colour profiling and ‘guarantees wide gamut colour accuracy’, including special and spot colours. The production flexibility of high-volume label printing is said to be matched in the short run SurePress, including the ability to support step and repeat, versioning and customisation.

The open architecture of the DFE enables the short run label press to fit easily into existing digital workflows. The DFE will be supplied with every Epson SurePress L-4033A in Europe.

Printer gives 98% Pantone coverage

Epson’s new Stylus Pro 4900 17 inch production printer is claimed to set new standards in colour precision proofing. It boasts ‘outstanding’ colour consistency and accurate colour matching, and can reproduce 98% of all Pantone colours.

A wide colour gamut, Epson’s 11-colour UltraChrome HDR inks and Advanced-TFP printhead are said to give a professional finish every time, and are identical to the inks and technologies used in Epson’s larger format production printers.

Automating the production of remote proofs doesn’t mean a compromise in quality with the Epson automatic colour certification and calibration. The optional in-line SpectroProofer is claimed to ensure consistent, repeatable colour accuracy when using different media, rapidly measuring control strips and colour charts when creating ICC profiles and print verification results.

The Stylus Pro 4900 promises a big boost in productivity, with a production speed of 46m²/hour and minimal maintenance requirements.

Prepress kit for single source

UK specialist in single-serve portions Single Source has upgraded its prepress department with equipment provided by Marlowe Graphic Services.

The pre-owned ECRM Stingray 63 imagesetter has been combined by Marlowe with a StudioRIP software to image TIFF files to film, which are subsequently exposed to flexo printing plates. The new system replaces an ageing Agfa Accuset and RIP which was not suited to the format required by the company’s recently acquired Uteco Emerald 1,200mm flexo press.

Operations Director at Single Source Paul Mainwairing says: “Each single-serve portion is held within a printed sleeve, and 25 million of these are produced on our flexo press every day. The recent upgrade in the press required a re-think in the platemaking department, and while a computer-to-plate product might have been ideal, we could not justify the expense. However, our prepress support partner, Marlowe Graphic Services, suggested a wider format imagesetter coupled with the excellent StudioRIP software product.

“The software gives us significantly more control over the production of files. We have now calibrated the new press and imagesetter solution and we are getting significantly improved results against our previous equipment.”

Direct laser engraving flexo CTP system

The new B2 Direct Laser Engraving (DLE) flexo CTP system for label and packaging print applications from Fujifilm combines a new plate and multi-channel platesetter to eliminate the multiple processing steps required with existing laser ablation mask (LAM) technologies. Efficient thermal decomposition reaction in the exposed areas of the plate, together with multichannel imaging technology, is said to result in higher productivity.

A highly-cured plate, manufactured using a special polymerisation reaction, results in sharp and fine image reproduction, according to Fujifilm. DLE technology is said to eliminate the need for costly UV exposure and development equipment. It is eco-friendly as it is completely free from VOCs and solvents while, as there is no need for a lengthy plate drying process, both energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions are reduced.

Fresh from Flint

Flint Group Flexographic Products has launched a digital version of its nyloflex Sprint water washable flexo plate.

Designed to meet the high quality requirements of the narrow and mid-web markets, Sprint Digital offers high resistance to UV inks and varnishes and ‘a remarkable performance’ in printing of finest elements, up to 60 line/cm. Excellent ink transfer characteristics and low dot gain are said to ensure outstanding halftone printing.

Next year, Flint will launch a UV exposure technology for flexo plates that offers significant advantages over existing technologies. Currently in beta testing, it will enable digital flexo plates to achieve 1:1 file-to-plate imaging, improving print image reproduction.

Said to be easily integrated into existing digital workflows, this new technology creates ‘flat top dots’ and high line screen imaging without the use of any lamination step or inert gas technology.

Making makeready faster

Soma Engineering has developed a system to automate impression and register settings. Falcon II is a modular system consisting of two processes: Automatic Impression Setting and BST International’s Smart Register system. It can be applied to any Soma press with any repeat range and also retro-fitted to existing machines.

The Automatic Impression Setting program sets the printing pressure at the start of a job without the need for dedicated print marks. it is said to reduce waste at start-up by as much as 70% and cut makeready times by up to 50% - allowing both long and short printing runs to be processed economically and with significantly improved profit margins.

Impression and register for a 10-colour job on average can waste between 150-180m of material substrate; Falcon II reduces waste down to a standard 45m, according to Soma.

“Print runs are becoming smaller and turn-around cycles shorter so makeready times must be minimised in order to produce jobs efficiently and gain a competitive edge,” states Soma’s Brand Manager, Pavla Kusa, adding: “Falcon II is the next step towards our goal of fully automating and speeding up the makeready process. It increases press utilisation because job setting is the same for short and long print runs. The BST system is well proven to assist the operator to set accurate registration points. And the Falcon II system has been fully tested by our technicians and is now operating in the field.”


‘New standards in colour precision proofing’ from Epson. Epson

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Epson
EskoGraphics
GMG
Sun Chemical
Marlowe Graphic Services
Fujifilm
Flint Group
Soma Engineering

Epson Epson


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