Color Managemet and Workflow

[rwolfe54]

I'm in the process of evaluating and adjusting our workflow to achieve more predictable color. Right now our proof to press matching is OK but can definitely be more consistent. Prinergy Connect is our workflow and we print on 1 sheetfed press and 1 web press. I'd appreciate any input on what others are doing in their shops regarding the following:

1. Are you matching proofs to the press or are you setting your proofs to a specific standard and then adjusting plates so the press can match the proofs?
2. If your in a multiple press shop do you run proofs specifically profiled to the press they run on or do you just have one "high-res proof" setting that all presses try to match?
3. Are high-res proofs printed on one grade of paper or do you proof on different grades of paper depending on what the final piece is going to be printed on?
4. Is the refine process (specifically color matching) different for pages depending on what press they print on?
5. Are ALL images color converted and optimized during the refine or just images that are RGB to CMYK?

Thanks

 

[Bloodsaler]

Actually I want ask what proof system you use,different color management for different presses is easy said than done,if you insist do this,the whole workflow or the production run could be a mass.So when you do that, you have to ensure that different press have differnt conditions,and you can`t change it to a equal level,so you decided to do this.but it`s a hard task~
And I didn`t catch you mean proof printed on one grade of paper.are you use digital proofing system?The proof paper actually not defined by ISO12647-2~

 

[gordo]

1. Are you matching proofs to the press or are you setting your proofs to a specific standard and then adjusting plates so the press can match the proofs?

Unless you have a business reason to deliver a unique print characteristic you should set your proofer to an industry standard then make your press align to the proof.

2. If your in a multiple press shop do you run proofs specifically profiled to the press they run on or do you just have one "high-res proof" setting that all presses try to match?

One proof target then make your presses align to that proof.

3. Are high-res proofs printed on one grade of paper or do you proof on different grades of paper depending on what the final piece is going to be printed on?

The proofing paper should have a similar optical brightening agent content similar to your press paper. Ideally it would also have a similar finish (matte/gloss) and texture.

4. Is the refine process (specifically color matching) different for pages depending on what press they print on?

Not sure what you mean.

5. Are ALL images color converted and optimized during the refine or just images that are RGB to CMYK?

Most printers receive CMYK images from their customers and pass them straight through the workflow, create a proof, and get sign off from the customer. Some print shops have the ability to reseparate incoming CMYK images to optimize them for the target print condition - but do not change the color. A very few receive RGB images and convert them to an appropriate CMYK image.

best, gordon p

 

[Bloodsaler]

Most printers receive CMYK images from their customers and pass them straight through the workflow, create a proof, and get sign off from the customer. Some print shops have the ability to reseparate incoming CMYK images to optimize them for the target print condition - but do not change the color. A very few receive RGB images and convert them to an appropriate CMYK image.

best, gordon p

does the reseperate process is a kind of ink saving way?something like UCR or GCR?

 

[rwolfe54]

Actually I want ask what proof system you use,different color management for different presses is easy said than done,if you insist do this,the whole workflow or the production run could be a mass.So when you do that, you have to ensure that different press have differnt conditions,and you can`t change it to a equal level,so you decided to do this.but it`s a hard task~
And I didn`t catch you mean proof printed on one grade of paper.are you use digital proofing system?The proof paper actually not defined by ISO12647-2~

We are using KODAK MATCHPRINT Inkjet Proofing System on an Epson 9880. Kodak has a few different types of paper we can use. They have a Type 1, Type 3 and Type 5 paper for the different paper brightness. Typically on our web press we run a Number 3 paper, and on our Sheetfed press we usually run a Number 1 or Number 2 sheet. So the question I was asking was about running a proof on a lower brightness sheet for our web and running our Sheetfed proofs on a brighter sheet? Or do most people just pick a single type of media to run their proofs, no matter what type of press/paper the final job will be printed on?

 

[gordo]

does the reseperate process is a kind of ink saving way?something like UCR or GCR?

Yes reseparation can be used to save ink - but it can also be used to simply bring all the separations to a common standard/total ink coverage. That's why it's often called an ink optimizing solution rather than an ink saving solution.

best, gordon p

 

[rwolfe54]

Gordo, thanks for the input. I hope I can clarify a few things.

Unless you have a business reason to deliver a unique print characteristic you should set your proofer to an industry standard then make your press align to the proof.

Like what was done with Matchprints and Cromalins? So is there no reason to profile your press anymore?

One proof target then make your presses align to that proof.

I think my confusion comes from having both Web and Sheetfed presses. Would we run proofs to SWOP for our Web press and GRACoL for our Sheetfed press?

The proofing paper should have a similar optical brightening agent content similar to your press paper. Ideally it would also have a similar finish (matte/gloss) and texture.

See my response to Bloodsaler

Most printers receive CMYK images from their customers and pass them straight through the workflow, create a proof, and get sign off from the customer. Some print shops have the ability to reseparate incoming CMYK images to optimize them for the target print condition - but do not change the color. A very few receive RGB images and convert them to an appropriate CMYK image.

Right now we are doing just that, leaving everything "as is" from the customer and just converting RGB to CMYK. The problems we have are in how some images are separated with different TACs, GCR and UCR settings. They might print fine for one press but not the other. Since we don't really know how most of our images were converted, our thought would be to run everything through a process plan that would optimize everything for the press that would be printing the job. That way all images would have the same optimized TACs, GCR and UCR settings. Is that ideal/possible?

 

[Bloodsaler]

Actually our company has web and sheetfeed too.And we use EFI colorproof system.Only use one type proofing paper,didn`t seperate the job that should print on web or sheetfeed in our prepress workflow.For most of our web product,some pages have to be color matching the sheetfeed pages,so it`s difficult to seperate them~And till now,this kind of workflow doesn`t feedback any wrong~

 

[gordo]

Like what was done with Matchprints and Cromalins? So is there no reason to profile your press anymore?

There was seldom ever a need to profile presses. That was a phase in the early days of color management consultants who rarely understood the impact of their recommendations.

This posting on my blog explains the strategies:
http://qualityinprint.blogspot.com/2009/01/press-and-proof-alignment.html

I think my confusion comes from having both Web and Sheetfed presses. Would we run proofs to SWOP for our Web press and GRACoL for our Sheetfed press?

The choice of print characteristic is determined by the market application rather than press type. If you are doing publications on your webs then SWOP is your target and your proofing for that work should conform to SWOP and your presswork brought into alignment with SWOP.



I read your response to Bloodsaler. OBA content may not be reflected in brightness. Ideally you would use a proofing paper that reflected the paper you're actually running, but often people would rather look at a pretty proof than a realistic proof.

Right now we are doing just that, leaving everything "as is" from the customer and just converting RGB to CMYK. The problems we have are in how some images are separated with different TACs, GCR and UCR settings.

That's confusing. If you are doing the RGB to CMYK conversion then you shouldn't have that problem.

Since we don't really know how most of our images were converted, our thought would be to run everything through a process plan that would optimize everything for the press that would be printing the job. That way all images would have the same optimized TACs, GCR and UCR settings. Is that ideal/possible?

Yes.

best, gordon p