ICC Calibration And Specials With Inkjet Proofing

Following its preview at Ipex 2006, Compose has announced the release of Star Proof version 5, which will be available from the July 1.

Following its preview at Ipex 2006, Compose has announced the release of Star Proof version 5, which will be available from the July 1.

Features include a new ICC calibration system to complement the existing density based option, which allows the user to choose the calibration process best suited to individual requirements.

Alongside the new ICC calibration system is the release of ICS Certify.

ICS Certify is claimed to allow for proof certification to industry standards such as Fogra, Gracol and SWOP.

The reports generated from ICS certify can be printed, saved to PDF or printed to a label printer for attaching too the relevant proof.

ICS Certify is available as a stand-alone application, or as part of a spectrophotometer and label printer bundle as part of a proof certification package.

Gretag Macbeth I-one and X-rite DTP 20,41,45 and 70 models are all supported, said Compose Systems.

Star Proof uses the RIPped and screened files to produce what are claimed to be sharp, high quality inkjet proofs using popular file formats, such as 1 Bit Tiff and Barco and Esko Len file format.

Star Proof uses the screened and calibrated raster files to show the effects of the flexographic platemaking and printing process.

Star Proof V5 has the facility to compensate for the loss of small highlight dots in the transfer of image to the plate substrate.

By entering a micron 'dot lost' size, the incoming pre-RIPped jobs will have those and any smaller dots removed from the proof to ensure the end result is a true representation of the final printed sheet, said Compose.

The amount of micron 'dot lost' can be individually assigned to each colour channel.

Star Proof is claimed to give users the facility to produce a proof with the dot gain controls required for flexo printing.

Normal dot gain controls are unable to handle the high dot gains of 15 per cent - 35 per cent associated with printing on certain substrates, said the company.

Star Proof's 'extreme' dot gain facility, applies a border of one or more pixels around the proofed dot to show what will really happen on the press.

Star Proof is also claimed to allow the input of special colours in Lab or CMYK values, via spectrophotometry or manual input.

Once entered, the special colours can be adjusted in a Lab environment, or using density increments of 0.01 per cent.

Star Proof is also said to utilise the full colour gamut of the inkjet device to enable special colours to be matched exactly.

All colours are held in a central database for future use and reference.

Compose Systems added that due to the individuality of each job, the flexographic and packaging market has a strong requirement for adjusting the sequence of colour, which may change form job to job.

Due to the fact that Star Proof uses the same RIPped and screened files, which are used to expose the plate, it is able to change the order in which the files are processed to create the final proof.

This feature allows both CMYK and spot colours to show the effect of overprinting, ink trapping and opacity.

By adjusting the order of colour to reflect the printing sequence, Star Proof creates a proof that will mimic the particular press conditions, enabling the proof to correctly show the result of the final printed job, added Compose.

Files prepared for certain substrates may be reduced in size along one axis to compensate for elongation or plate stretch on the press.

By entering the amount the files have been reduced by, Star Proof will bring the RIPped and screened file back to the correct size, so ensuring that the proof is produced to the correct ratio.

Star Proof is available in Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish Languages.

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