"Pantone Process" Inks

[Werby]

I posted this in the Ink & consumables forum last week but didn't get much response so thought I'd post in Color Management. I apologize for cross-posting!

What exactly is the difference between Pantone Process Inks (PANTONE Process Cyan, PANTONE Process Megenta, PANTONE Process Yellow, PANTONE Process Black) and "standard" CMYK process inks? I work with a designer who insists her work should be printed with Pantone Process inks, not "Standard CMYK". She is under the impression that Pantone Process inks will produce a wider gamut or will reporoduce "better" in some way. My understanding has always been that a CMYK image will look the same with either "kind" of inks.

I had actually made this inquiry of Pantone a couple years ago, and they supported my position that there isn't any such thing as "pantone process inks" and that the shading for all CMYK primaries is governed under ISO 2846-1. However, not only does the designer persist in her belief that these are different inks, she has 2 different printers and another vendor who agree with her and insist that printing with "pantone process" produces better results than standard CMYK. One of the printers said they mix their own "pantone process inks." Is this really a thing? Is it perhaps just a higher quality ink? Do any of you know what they are talking about?

 

[dabob]

A long time ago in a land far away my pressman grabbed pantone yellow instead of process yellow . . . what a mess that made of the job . .. thank God it was a little run . . .

 

[Stephen Marsh]

As this is the Colour Management forum, let’s take a look at Lab values…

100% Y in Fogra39:

L: 89
a: -5
b: 93

vs.

100% PANTONE+ Yellow C:

L: 89
a: -2
b: 110

The ink forum is probably a better place to have answers on the opacity/transparency of the PANTONE+ “process” inks and their trapping/overprinting with each other.


Regards,

Stephen Marsh

 

[Correct Color]

Stephen,

But keep in mind that there used to be a Pantone Yellow C, and a Pantone Process Yellow C. Although it looks like they may have dumped "Process" Yellow -- and Magenta and Black -- along with the Hexachrome colors when they went to Pantone +.

The Lab value for the old Pantone Process Yellow is:

L: 90
a: -5
b: 100

Not all that far off the Fogra value, particularly if you assume differing white points.

However if they did indeed dump "Process Yellow", end of argument for the OP.

"Sorry, all-knowing client, I'm sure you're right. But of course Pantone doesn't actually make ink. They only sell licensing. And they don't license that color anymore. However, not to worry, by definition, any "process" color inks will work."

 

[Stephen Marsh]

Stephen,

But keep in mind that there used to be a Pantone Yellow C, and a Pantone Process Yellow C. Although it looks like they may have dumped "Process" Yellow -- and Magenta and Black -- along with the Hexachrome colors when they went to Pantone +.

Mike, you are correct – I was not considering the legacy PMS system, like Pantone – I have moved on! :]


Stephen Marsh