Color Management

In printing today, with the rapid digitalization of prepress and with CTP systems increasingly becoming mainstream for the platemaking process, the processes themselves are steadily becoming vastly more efficient.
The pressroom reality, however, is that meeting special demands related to color still depends on human abilities, i.e., the skill and experience of the operator.
Even though color management systems have long been advocated, many printers still hesitate to put CMS into practice. Why?

Exactly what is a 'color management system'?

Although colors are very well defined, the color proof sheet output by a digital proofer such as a high-end DDCP or inkjet is approaching the color reproducibility of the of fset press, so a color management system supports the creation of an efficient printing environment where printing is easy and tasks such as color matching are minimal.
It is beneficial from the press operator's standpoint, because with this proof sheet, nearly all colors come out right by using just standard density printing on the press. Yet it is also a fact that many operators are still not satisfied with these systems.

CMS is useless! Because...

• Problematic CMS: Operator 1
  Standard density printing just doesn't work!
  When printing with standard densities, the colors are different from the proof. The only solution is to judge by eye and adjust ink key and sweep.
• Problematic CMS: Operator 2
  CMS is useless because even if we get the right colors once, the colors will be different on a repeat job with the same settings!
  Colors matched correctly three months ago, but now they are completely different even though the conditions are the same as last time.
• Problematic CMS: Operator 3
  Colors differ by machine even if the same plates are used!

These operator observations are based on experiences, but reflect common misunderstandings of color management...

Answers to

• Operator 1
  Are you implementing in-house standardization so that OK colors are obtained with solid-color density control?
• Operator 2
  Did you establish the company's standard values (target value and permissible value) and are you operating daily to maintain printing jobs with these values?
• Operator 3
  Do you know the reproducibility difference by machine?
  Is your standardization based on this?
  Are your presses maintained correctly and periodically?
  ‘Isn't it just approximating a printed color to the target sample?

The Essence of Color Management System

With today's digitalization, numeric control is making strides and the importance of maintaining the stability of each process is increasing. This is 'printing standardization. ‘The key words in the answers to the operators (mentioned above) are to what degree is printing standar dization implemented? This is because whether or not printing standardization is implemented greatly affects the introduction of CMS.
The operator has long performed color matching as a part of normal operation. When printing standar dization is put into practice, however, the operator's role changes.

Printing standardization:

The essence of CMS
Conversely, properly introducing CMS will go beyond just proofing and color matching and lead to putting printing standardization into practice. This will enable a bottom-up review of each process in the flow of work across the printing business and permit a structural engineering of the essential parts of the printing company.
Putting CMS into practice clarifies the roles and responsibilities for each process.

CMS clarifies each task and responsibility...

Color Management Benefits

• More accurate matching of printing to color proof sheet.
• Reduced print quality variation and greater consistency.
• Color proof is completed in prepress, eliminating difficult adjustments in platemaking and printing and streamlining the entire process.
• Elimination of excess ink due to density control and far fewer printing problems such as rubbing during sheet transfer and blocking at delivery.
• With shorter drying time, printed items quickly are passed to the next process.
• Cost reductions thanks to less paper waste and reduced ink consumption.
• Improved workplace environment and better work morale due to standardization.
• Reduced differences in skill levels due to standardization of work.

Building a Color Management System with the DoNet Concept

DoNet is a digital workflow concept centered on digital-ready, high-performance printing presses - the final output device of printed items - based on the manufacturer's viewpoint of supporting printing standardization. For linkage with prepress and postpress equipment, Komori assures world-class JDF connectivity and conducts frequent connection testing with systems from other manufacturers and vendors. This way, Komori implements open architecture thinking with the first priority on users' operating environments.
To achieve further optimization, Komori has specified seven ‘issue areas’ and developed products of fering solutions for these issues - Color Management, Operator Support, Short Makeready, High Speed Printing Stability, Material Loss Reduction, Production Process Optimization, and Environment Standardization.

DoNet Systems

Color Management

• PDC-SII [Print Density Controll-Spectrophotometer]
• K-ColorProfiler [K-ColorProfiler]
• K-ColorMatchPro [K-ColorMatchPro]
• PDC-LITE [Scanning Density Control System]