Kodak

My friend Jim has been a prepress operator for over two decades. I’ve been testing software for almost as long. When I test, I try to image myself as being the operator. I’ve talked to Jim many times to help me get into character, and we’ve talked about how Kodak Proofing Software makes life easier for a prepress operator.

As a prepress operator it is a challenge to keep customers such as Mr. Sun, of Happy Golden Smile fame, happy. Jim earned a reputation as being the guy on the floor that could match color. After years of running a spectrophotometer back and forth, he wanted a solution that provided him with the confidence that the color is right, without spending all his time measuring. Kodak Proofing Software does just that, allowing him to service more customers than ever before. When I imagine that I am Jim, I believe these are the five reasons I love Kodak Proofing Software.

1) Easy Color Standard Set Up: the color engineers at Kodak combine profiles, and color bars into an easily installed configuration file that has the color standards that I use (such as FOGRA, SWOP and GRACoL). They have these setups that replicate the print conditions that my customers use, which are easily downloaded from eCentral. I download the file for my proofer and media, and simply install. Then when I select a layout that has a color bar for one of these standards, the hot folder automatically selects the right profile for the job.

2) Spot Colors: Those same engineers make Spot Color Libraries, which are optimized for my setup. This includes Pantone® libraries for the typical target press I want to match. Measuring spot color libraries is a time consuming and costly process. It is great to know that somebody has already done this for me.

3) Automated Calibration: I can schedule my calibrations for when I am not around, and the proofer is not busy. Kodak Proofing Software has an iterative automated calibration that uses an inline spectrophotometer. I set the calibration for a very fine tolerance, and my proofer takes care of calibration for me. I start the day knowing the proofer is ready. For the first few weeks I carefully reviewed the detailed calibration report. Now I completely trust the calibration pane: if the software indicates that my setup is calibrated, I know this to be true.

4) Certified Color: The way I like to work, all my jobs have a color bar. Kodak provides a feature (Certified Process for Color Confirmation) that measures my color bars, and when they measure up to the color standard, the software prints a label with a check mark and measurement details right on the proof. I can hand off all those proofs with the check mark, as contract proofs. That’s really my job. I also generate a detailed color report as a reference for myself, the manager, and the customer who wants detailed information. These reports make me look like a genius. Each day I review job report, which shows me the information I need to know about all jobs, and gets me the information I need quickly. After my first few days of working with certified process, I couldn’t image working without it.

5) Consistent Color: By using proofing media from Kodak, I know this media has been used on the same model of proofer that I use with the same type of ink. Once I have setup a configuration, I will be able to hit that color standard consistently. I don’t worry that a new batch of paper or ink will invalidate my setup.

These are the main reasons why my friend Jim the prepress operator is happy, and if Jim is happy: I am happy.

Inkjet proofing has been utilized as a reliable standard for sometime now. Visiting and speaking with many customers, I am surprised by how little these devices are utilized to their full capacity. Sure, proofs are charged for as part of a standard job, but if the inkjet is sitting idle other than producing proofs you may want to consider some other options.

Consider that in the pressroom, equipment capacity is watched closely. If the press has idle time, you frequently push to obtain more work and fill this idle capacity. The same attitude should be used in relation to your proofing equipment.

Ancillary Work Opportunities

If proofing devices are sitting idle you may want to consider a dual use for them. Short run wide-format work provides an ideal opportunity for you to sell this downtime and turn your excess proofing capacity into a profit center.

As an example, if you have a customer you are producing printed brochures for have you explored what there use will be. If, for instance, they are printing them for a trade show, perhaps there is an opportunity to produce signs, banners or table items for the show.

It is worth the time to review your clients’ business and explore if there are additional opportunities to fully utilize your inkjet investment.

New Market Opportunities

In addition to filling excess capacity with current customers, you should also consider new opportunities and markets available to you by expanding in wide-format opportunities.

There is a wide-variety of inkjet media available that is targeted for use in Photo and Fine Art. An evaluation of your target market area will help to identify potential new customers that you may be able to acquire as a result of producing wide-format fine art work. Additionally, it may lead to other traditional printing projects as a result.

The market today is highly competitive and requires you to explore all possibilities beyond those just in the pressroom. Do a quick review of the equipment in your shop, especially with inkjet, and ask if there is any capacity you can still utilize and how you want to utilize it. You may just find that there is further revenue potential already sitting in your company that you can put to good use today.

Maybe you’ve already heard about color fusion applications? These are applications that combine the power of color offset printing with the versatility of color digital printing, usually inline on an offset press. It’s fascinating technology because it gives owners of offset technology that is still performing well a chance to add some digital technology to the production line and create a new class of offering for their customers.

With Color Fusion in your tool kit you have the same power transaction printers found when they began to offer solutions that combined transactional and promotional content - TransPromo. With Color Fusion you use offset for what it does best – establish the brand – and use the color digital technology to version and target based on data you have about your customers (see my last post).

To create Color Fusion applications takes more than just an offset press and a digital technology. It takes compatible technologies that maintain a specific look to the final printed piece. If you’ve ever received a direct mail piece with an offset base imprinted with at 300 dpi, with laser or inkjet, you probably noticed the difference. Recipients notice too, and they get that they were a “fill in the blank” and not really a valued customer that you know well.

When you add the Kodak Prosper S10 as the imprinting technology the differences fall away. The ability to imprint with offset class variable data, in full process color, opens options for every direct mailer. Go ahead and create a complex, graphically rich offset framework, but use Color Fusion techniques and a set of Prosper S10 print heads to handle variable CYMK and you can create direct mail with custom images, graphically enhanced messages, and even customer tacking using QR codes and PURLs to create an interactive experience.

Want to know more?  Drop me a note: pat.mcgrew@kodak.com – we’d love to share your success story!

Differences In Spectrophotometers

In prepress applications spectrophotometers are an essential tool in verifying your color management. However, there are differences in how spectrophotometers are designed which can lead to different measurement results depending on which model you use. As a rule of thumb, you should always try to use the same spectrophotometer or same model of spectrophotometer for all your measurements, in order to get the most consistent results.

For example, in proofing, you should use the same spectrophotometer to characterize your print condition, to calibrate your print condition, and to verify your color management. See also Color Process Control in Kodak Proofing Software

Design Considerations

One of the design principles common to all spectrophotometers used in the graphic arts industry is that the angle between illumination and capture is always 45 degrees. For example, the illumination could be at 0 degrees and the capture at 45 degrees, or the illumination could be 45 degrees and the capture at 0 degrees. Whichever technique is used does not make much difference.

Most spectrophotometers use a high pressure incandescent bulb, but some will use one or more White LEDs. In order to achieve a D50 color temperature (the standard in the graphics industry) a mathematical transform of the measurements results is used to normalize the measurements with respect to the actual spectrum of the lamp. However, this only works properly if the ink and/or media do not have optical brighteners. In order to handle optical brighteners an ultraviolet filter is used on the lamp to minimize fluorescence.

Diffraction Grating

Typically used by Gretag Macbeth®, a diffraction grating splits light into different colors or wavelengths and an an array of photo-detectors is used to measure the intensity of light at each wavelength. For example, in the i1 spectrophotometer an incandescent lamp emits light that is reflected off of a ring shaped mirror. This focuses the light onto the measurement surface at a 45 degree angle of illumination. The ring shape ensures light is coming from all sides of the measurement point. The light collector is at a 0 degree angle from the surface and directs the light via fiber optic cable to a diffraction grating.

The main advantage of this technique is that when everything is working properly the results are very stable and accurate. Some things that can be a problem though are shock and temperature. For example, if your were to drop your spectrophotometer and it hit the floor with enough impact the photo-detector array could shift with respect to the diffraction grating and thus skew your results thereafter. Generally more modern designs are more resistant to shock by using more robust mounting designs. Similarly, temperature changes can cause expansion/contraction and also shift the result.

Dichroic Filter

Typically used by X-Rite, a dichroic filter to selectively pass a specific wavelength of light and reflect all others. In this design the illumination is at 0 degrees and light is captured a 45 degrees from the surface by a ring shaped mirror. In this case the captured light shines through a wheel with a series of dichroic filters spaced around the circumference. Behind each filter is a photo-detector.

The main advantages of this design is that it is more resistant to shock and temperature issues. The main disadvantage is that there can be variations in the amount of light reflected from various positions on the ring shaped mirror. This problem is usually offset somewhat by using a pattern of filters that dampens the effect. Another problem with the filter design is that the spectral response of the filters can vary a little batch-to-batch, which can cause variation in measurement from device to device.

Interestingly enough more modern X-Rite devices are using the diffraction design.

Specular Reflection

Another issue that causes differences in spectrophotometer designs is how well the device handles or reduces the effects of specular reflection. This becomes more of an issue when more glossy media is used for proofing and production. Typically specular reflection effects are minimized by the appropriate internal geometry of the device and controlling the reflected light path to the collector.

Maybe you've already heard about color fusion applications? These are applications that combine the power of color offset printing with the versatility of color digital printing, usually inline on an offset press. It's fascinating technology because it gives owners of offset technology that is still performing well a chance to add some digital technology to the production line and create a new class of offering for their customers.

Let's start with the basics. If you are a web offset printer you may already have some technology in place that let's you add addresses or other limited personalization in place. In most cases the best you can do is add variable data and images in monochrome, usually in black. It's a great option for marketers because it provides a mechanism for personalizing and customizing, but it has some limitations. The biggest is that it is monochrome!

That changes when you add Color Fusion to your tool kit, and the Kodak Prosper S10 CYMK configuration provides the solution. Think about this option for loyalty applications. What many loyalty applications have in common is the need for highly saturated color that showcases the brand. Think of casino loyalty and retail loyalty programs that showcase the brand and the products or options for how to cash in on that loyalty. Adding personalization today usually means burning the points via transaction records and perhaps some limited messaging.

Imagine what happens when you can add full color images that spotlight the types of products and services the customer has already shown an interest in! Instead of just writing about things they may be interested in, show a picture... and have enough variation in the database that different types of customers get different images! The truth is that with the Prosper S10 CYMK solution you can create a Color Fusion application that will impress the end recipients because the personalization will be seamless.

If you want to know how Color Fusion can work for you, let us know! We're standing by with lots of ideas that can help you grow your business.

Want to know more?  Drop me a note: pat.mcgrew@kodak.com - we'd love to share your success story!