.pdf flattening

[QualityPrint]

We have an issue where a .pdf was flattened using post script settings for the proof but the job was plated using .pdf 1.3 settings. The issue now is that the customer approved the proofs and we are tasked with matching the file that is being plated to the proof. We are only seeing an issue of layering where there is a transparency covering the process. We use Oris to run our proofer and prinergy for our plating. The ideal solution would be to get the job to plate the way it proofed so we don’t have to individually color correct each image. The image is looking washed out on press and in the flattened file but it proofed with nice contrast. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Dov Isaacs]

Quite frankly, a print publishing workflow based on PDF 1.3 (typically used by PDF/X-1a) is close to a dozen years out of date. Modern PDF print publishing workflows are based on PDF/X-4 (itself based on PDF 1.6) using ICC color management with live transparency. ICC color-managed RGB is converted to device colors and transparency is properly blended at the RIP. You don't “flatten transparency” anytime earlier in the workflow. Any reasonably modern (last 10 years) RIP/DFE/Proofer supports such workflows.

All that having been said, I suspect that the original content is well out of gamut for the printing conditions. Gamut checking should start in the authoring programs (such as InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop) or even in Acrobat (using Output Preview), not on the press.

- Dov

 

[abc]

'where a .pdf was flattened using post script settings for the proof'

By this do I take it you printed postscript to the Oris, and now you are sending a 1.3 pdf to Prinergy?

 

[Glenn McDowall]

wondering if by "flattened" they are seeing colour shifts due to converting/not-converting spot colour to cmyk rather than actually anything to do with transparency flattening.

possible solution for matching results would be to print the Oris Postscript to file and refine the .ps in Prinergy.