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GMG announces the commercial availability of OpenColor: the most accurate way to predict spot color print simulations
Nov 7, 2012 12:00 AM
Spectral-based technology, years in the making,
creates high-quality multicolor profiles simulating the printing behavior of
diverse printing variables—without the need of ‘proprietary chart based’ press
fingerprinting
November 7, 2012, Tübingen - GMG,
a leading developer and supplier of high-end color management software
solutions, announces the commercial launch of GMG OpenColor, a software system
that offers precise and predicable spot color simulation—and with less effort
than other systems.
While producing accurate color proofs for most print applications is a
relatively easy process —particularly when using GMG ColorProof—creating
accurate proofs for packaging is still quite difficult. Package printers are
increasing use of multicolor printing. Yet, standardization does not exist
because spot colors and custom ink sets with more than four colors are
typically used, along with a wide range of print processes and substrates. Many
times, these sets are comprised of solely spot colors, without CMYK. In addition,
brand owners expect tight color tolerances and reliable results for their brand
colors, which require a good understanding of overprinting—the behavior of inks
when printed on top of each other. And, offset doesn’t overprint like
gravure—ink film thickness and trapping properties are very different. Thus,
printing and packaging companies spend an extraordinary amount of time
fingerprinting their presses for all possible job variations, which includes a
wide range of substrates, from paper to foils. This process is expensive,
cumbersome and unreliable.
“Everyone in the packaging supply chain, from brand owners to design firms to
package printers are dealing with a wide range of printing challenges,”
observes Victor Asseiceiro, Director, Business Unit Packaging. “They have to
work with a wide variety of printing conditions with alternating numbers of
colors, including CMYK and spots. GMG OpenColor offers an easy-to-use proofing
solution. Brand owners have very high color accuracy expectations, no matter
where something is printed. GMG Open Color is designed to address this complex
and error prone problem in package production.”
GMG OpenColor offers precise and predicable spot color simulation and
overprinting behavior or color interplay. It creates high-quality multicolor
profiles simulating the printing behavior of diverse printing technologies and
media types—if necessary, without use of ‘proprietary chart based’ press
fingerprinting. Its unique, spectral-based color model results in better colors
simulations than any other proofing solution available.
New spectral modeling algorithms are coupled with spectral ink measurements
that analyze spectral properties of each ink color, as well as the substrate’s
colorimetric properties. The measurement information is applied to a specific
printing process (flexo, offset, gravure). Then process specific information is
added (ink rotation, trapping, screening, etc.), and the final press condition
is simulated. The process of profile creation is reduced from days to minutes,
without expert knowledge. And, if needed, additional accuracy can be attained
by taking additional overprint readings to meet the quality requirements of the
customer.
GMG Open Color offers significant timesavings and predictable print results.
With GMG OpenColor, one single proof can accurately simulate all colors of the
design. This reduces the complexity and the number of proofs. It subsequently
simplifies the color communication process between the partners in the supply
chain. Color matching at press is easier and it eliminates test runs at the
press and improves customer satisfaction due to predictable results and saves
costs.
Different versions of GMG OpenColor to choose from
OpenColor comes with options for different printing technologies, including
offset, flexo, or gravure. Each option contains its own specific profile
creation algorithm. While selection of one printing technology is required, it
is possible to license all options.
GMG OpenColor is available in both a Basic or Plus version. The Plus version
offers additional features for even greater quality to meet process control
demands. These include:
• Use of the Create Profile Wizard for full control of the profiling process
• The ability to manually edit profiles; for example, substrate overprint
behavior or dot gain corrections.
• Enhanced print charts for even more precise overprint simulations. Spot
colors can be characterized with charts that contain overprints.
• Export of static MXN profiles for offline use or to prevent profiles from
dynamically—or unintentionally—changing.
“With GMG OpenColor, once prediction of overprint behavior of inks is
available, prepress companies and converters can eliminate colors within a job,
reducing press stations without compromising critical brand colors. While done
today, this process can be very expensive and is often created by trial and
error,” explains Asseiceiro. “Accurate proofs help to prepare data, flexo
plates and gravure printing cylinders correctly. The risk of having to stop the
production because of wrong plates is significantly lower. The best part is
that OpenColor offers simple proofing with easy profile creation—anyone can do
it.”
About GMG: GMG is a leading developer and supplier of high-end color
management software solutions, founded in 1984 and located in Tuebingen,
Germany. With more than 25 years of experience in the graphic arts industry,
the GMG brand is synonymous with a guarantee for high-quality solutions for
everything to do with color. GMG's goal is to provide complete solutions for
standardizing and simplifying the color management workflow in order to achieve
consistent colors on all media types and with any printing technology. Today,
more than 11,000 systems are in use among customers around the globe. These
span a wide range of industries and application areas including advertising
agencies; prepress houses; offset, flexo, packaging, digital, wide format and
gravure printers. GMG is represented by branches and authorized dealers the
world over.
About GMG solutions: Based on the 4-D color-transformation engine, the
proofing solution GMG ColorProof provides the most accurate way of calibrating
digital inkjet proofing devices to produce contract color proofs precisely
matched to the printing process. GMG DotProof® enables users to generate
contract quality halftone proofs, using the original bitmap data of the output
RIP. GMG FlexoProof is specifically tailored to the needs of the packaging
industry, simulating any kind of substrate structures and creating
contract quality halftone proofs. GMG OpenColor offers precise and predictable
spot color reproduction and creates high-quality multicolor profiles based on
its unique spectral color management technology. GMG ProofControl guarantees
reliable and complete quality control of digital color proofs based on a
defined standard. GMG ProofMedia is a range of proofing-specific substrates
manufactured to strict tolerances specifically for color critical applications.
www.proofr.com is an internet platform
enabling online proofing services in GMG quality through a worldwide network of
remote proofing locations. GMG ColorServer, with automatic hotfolder technology
and based on the Adobe® PDF Library, provides fully automatic color conversions
for all printing processes - CMYK-to-CMYK, RGB-to-CMYK and RGB-to-RGB. GMG
InkOptimizer automatically reduces chromatic colors, thus providing cost
savings by reducing unnecessary ink usage, along with better print stability on
press. GMG FlowConnect enables the complete integration of the color management
solutions GMG ColorServer and GMG InkOptimizer into current workflow systems.
The GMG SmartProfiler wizard allows the profiling and calibration of different
output devices, such as digital presses or large format systems, easily and
quickly. United in this one application, the GMG ProductionSuite offers the
entire range of functions required today in a modern wide-format production
environment: efficient job preparation, data preflight, color management,
identical repetition, lower cost through reduced ink consumption, etc. GMG
CoZone is a modular, cloud-based solution for professional media and color
management users to interact with clients and suppliers to approve, manage and
deliver design work and multimedia files.
