Reducing max. ink limit from above 240% to 240%

[Hannes A]

Hello all,

I turn here to seek an answer to the the most persistant of my problems through out the years - how to ceil the maximum ink limit of a PDF to 240% or any other number while it has it far above? Understandably, this is to hold the paper from being flooded. I also understand that the solution should be different regarding the images and the vector information in the PDF.

Regards,
Hannes A

 

[TerryWyse]

Alwan CMYK Optimizer is the perfect solution for this. If you simply want to keep the reduce the total ink limit but are not necessarily looking to maximize the ink reduction/savings, CMYK Optimzier Press Edition would be the version you should look at.

Terry

 

[Elgane]

I guess you always have the option to open it in Acrobat, use the edit image tool, opens it in photoshop, change it there using the way you prefer, save from photoshop and it will update in Acrobat. Same thing with vectors with illustrator.

 

[Louis Dery]

You can also take a look at Callas PDFtoolbox! Great Tool!

Louis

 

[mattbeals]

As Louis said you can use Callas pdfToolbox. But you'd have to use device link profiles for this to work. I have a customer who uses pdfToolbox Server as a "color server" of sorts. Basically what we do is look at the profiles in the PDF or the output intent and apply the correct device link profile. How flexible it is depends on how many different links you have.

But it's relatively simple to do and can cost much less (and be effective) as a full color server. It just depends on your needs.

Here's a sample video that shows you how it would work:
Created by Camtasia Studio 6

 

[rich apollo]

The simplest way to do this is to reseparate the file. Just be sure that the destination profile has a TAC of 240% or less. An interesting cheat is to build two profiles from the same measurement data with differing TAC's. It'll take care of the TAC with minimal color shifts. The only problem with this approach is that you can't protect your black channel.

I disagree with something you said - I'm a firm believer in treating CT and vector data EXACTLY the same.

 

[mattbeals]

Rich, that's assuming that you have the dataset, a tool to create the profile from and the knowledge to build a good profile. It would be a whole lot easier to use device link profiles and probably fit the overall workflow very neatly. But, using the method you mentioned would probably work...

 

[richsweeney]

Could pitstop also do this task?

Could pitstop also do this task?

I see in Matt's video, that he has Enfocus pitstop loaded. Could you make a action list to do this? I recently had a graphic or a flattened pic using 400 coverage, errrr.

 

[mattbeals]

Depending on which version of PitStop Pro/Server you have yes. Contact me off list and we can talk about it.

 

[mattbeals]

You can apply a device link profile in PitStop but you aren't going to get the functionality I did with callas pdfToolbox. At least the few hours I've been playing with PitStop Pro 09 I haven't been able to. I can't even get PitStop to select an object tagged with a profile name containing "GRACoL2006" or the specific profile to be adjusted by applying a device link profile. If I manually select an object and apply the device link then it works no problem.

 

[rich apollo]

Matt,
For the 'cheat', you're correct - some assembly required.

Hannes could start with readily available profiles, however. Here in the US the US Web Coated (SWOP) v2 is a reasonable assumed CMYK colorspace. Since he's going to 240% he's, most likely, running coldset newsprint. There are profiles available from IFRA and SNAP.

By the way, I'd recommend using the perceptual rendering intent for this. The US Web colorspace is larger than the coldset newsprint colorspaces. If you go with a colorimetric rendering intent you'll get clipping.