Prinect Color Toolbox

Profile Tool

Calibration Tool

Quality Monitor

Profile Toolbox

Rapid profile adjustment
One does not always want to build up a new profile from scratch. It is often sufficient to adjust an existing profile. Prinect offers Mini Spots for this purpose. These are small measuring elements, which are printed during normal production. Building on an existing profile and the measuring data of the Mini Spots means that a profile adjustment can be calculated within a short space of time and is then already available for the next set of plates.
 
Any fluctuations related to the equipment can be recognized and smoothed out with a connectable profile smoothing. This makes Profile Tool the ideal tool for the creation of generic profiles to describe a printing standard.
 
 
ICC output profiles for the proof
The creation of profiles for the proof is optimized in order to achieve the best possible color adjustment. The iterative proof correction makes it possible to achieve a level of accuracy in the profile, which reduces the average color deviation of the proof from the print to an absolute minimum. An integrated color calculator converts spot colors to the CMYK values of the proofer. This means that the expanded color space of the proofer is fully utilized. The PANTONE and HKS color tables are included in the software package.
 
Color measurement and correction
The Profile Tool measures true spectral values in the color fields. All the desired values such as Lab, XYZ, CMYK or density can easily be calculated from this. The program can therefore use values, which have been measured once, in many ways. Optical brighteners in papers, which are interpreted by measuring devices as shades of blue and would therefore lead to errors in the profile calculation, are corrected by the Profile Tool on a spectral basis.
 
 
Calibration and profiling with one proof run
Normally a test sheet can be printed first to compile an ICC profile, if a process calibration has been carried out previously. The Profile Tool can also calculate good profiles from the measuring data of an uncalibrated print taking account of the calibration data of Calibration Tool. This means it is no longer necessary to print and measure test sheets repeatedly, which is time-consuming. This saves not only time and materials. It also helps to cope with color management in the overall printing process rapidly and with certainty.

Device Link Profile
In many cases it is necessary to align the print customer's documents directly with one's own production environment. Profile Tool has the functions necessary to do this. This also includes UCR/GCR functions in order to use less colored ink to achieve the same impression of color. This means that the gray balance can be stabilized and color fluctuations avoided. In addition, it is possible to limit the maximum inking of every object, whereby the color adjustment on the printer can be managed more easily and quickly. Fine-tuning is generally carried out with device link profiles. The Profile Tool creates extremely sophisticated device link profi les for use in the Prinect workflow. There is no need to buy an expensive additional solution for this purpose, as all the necessary functions are already integrated into the profile. Process conversions can therefore be carried out from one CMYK printing process to another with a high level of quality.
 
 
Separation of up to seven colors
By using the optional multi color extension, it is possible to produce color separations for 5-, 6- and 7-color printing. The inks for this can be selected in a sequence, which makes sense in colorimetric terms. This means that frequently used color models such as Hexachrome or HiFi Color are supported to the same extent as customer-specific models.

Calibration Tool

A central data pool
In a company with several platesetters the curves for each output device can easily be arranged and managed. If several platesetters of the same type and using the same materials are deployed at the same time, Calibration Tool can be used to organize a central data pool. It is possible to feed the RIP platesetter stations with the right curves for each job from there - creating ideal conditions for consistent quality at each station.
 
 
Simple application of calibration curves
The print parameters such as type of paper, ink used, solid tint densities and printing press are stored with each calibration curve. Calling up the right curve is controlled by indicating these parameters. Calibration Tool offers only those curves, which are actually suited to the print parameters in the job. This not only makes operation easier, but also helps to avoid errors.
 
The actual dot gains are generally described by process standards. A range of standards is already provided with their dot gain curves. It is possible to define one's own process parameters individually for corporate standards. The resulting process curves can be smoothed out in order to compensate for measuring errors.
 
In addition, Calibration Tool offers numerous editing functions to compile new curves, which are superimposed on an existing calibration. If one parameter changes, then a test sheet does not have to be printed and measured from scratch. All that needs to be done is to calculate the changes using the existing curve. A new, adjusted curve is then available for the next set of plates.
 
 
Rapid calibration with Prinect Image Control
The interaction of Calibration Tool and Prinect Image Control color measurement system provides superb rapid and precise calibration with Mini Spots. The measuring elements are assessed in one go and after a few seconds the measuring data are available for a calibration adjustment.
 
 
RIP-independent installation
Calibration Tool does not have to be installed on the RIP station. It is also possible to set up a separate calibration station in which the curves are measured and compiled centrally for the connected RIP platesetter stations. By additionally installing Profile Tool, this station can be upgraded to a central color management workstation within the company.

Quality Monitor

Measure and compare
Numerous keys, linearization strips and entire test sheets can be measured out with spectral photometers, densitometers or plate measuring devices. Quality Monitor permits comprehensive comparisons between two sets of measuring data, e. g. the deviation between the proof and print or print standard or the deviation in a print run.
 
 
Assess
The assessments can be viewed in many different ways on the screen or issued as a printed report. Color space comparisons between two sets of measuring data can be represented in two or three dimensions.
 
 
Long-term analysis supports quality and standards
Several sets of measuring data can be read in and compared. They make it possible to analyze color behavior over a longer period of time. It is therefore possible to document a quality standard and color fi delity is no longer a subjective sensation.
 
 
Proof report for your customer
Quality Monitor supplies a report on the color accuracy of the proof. This report can be handed over to the customer in the form of a certificate together with the proof.