Colour Proofing System Is Top Performer In Tests

EFI's Colorproof XF Version 3.0, proofing system has been ranked in the highest category at the IPA colour proofing round-up for the second consecutive year.

EFI's Colorproof XF Version 3.0, proofing system has been ranked in the highest category at the IPA colour proofing round-up for the second consecutive year.

Further recognition for the system came at the fourth annual colour round-up event in Chicago (USA).

According to EFI, Colorproof XF provided a strong performance amongst the 30 proofing systems being evaluated, many of which are priced at three times the cost.

EFI added that the judges concluded that differentiation comes from connectivity, workflow, adherence to standards and ease of use, on all of which Colorproof XF delivered.

Colorproof XF performed in the top 'acceptable to excellent' level in Delta E and the areas of spot colour visual judging for multi-colour proof, spot colour solid and tints.

Dr Abhay Sharma, a judging member of the IPA board and chair of Ryerson University school of graphic communications management, said: "Achieving low Delta E values is no longer an issue for proofing technology today.

Now it is more about workflow and ease of use." The judges' consensus, as presented by Dr Sharma in the IPA associated conference, was that collectively, inkjet systems have greatly advanced and customers should heavily weigh and evaluate the other elements beyond the inkjet system itself.

In that regard, EFI Colorproof XF greatly outperformed competitors, added EFI.

Alonzo Printing in San Fancisco has just added Colorproof XF to its hybrid production system.

Regarding his use of EFI's products, Jim Duffy, Alonzo's president and owner, said: "When we evaluated proofing systems, we quickly realised that anything other than Colorproof XF gave us a proofing island, requiring needless extra cycles and time we cannot afford.

We needed a system that would readily integrate in to our workflow and show us immediate value.

Colorproof XF is another reason Alonzo has come to rely on EFI for a depth of innovative products and services." For on-demand digital printing, Alonzo Printing deploys Colorproof XF integrated with Fiery-driven Canon engines, EFI Hagen OA, Printer Site Internal and Printer Site Exchange.

Designed for print and pre-press operations, publishers, and creatives, Colourproof XF Version 3.0 includes a new output option for gravure printers, a new production option for wide format production and the Fiery Option, fully integrating Fiery controller technology.

The Fiery Option is said to enable customers to deploy ColorProof XF to proof on an inkjet printer and then utilise their Fiery for colour management and workflow on a production laser-based printing system.

Further, EFI's latest collaborations with native pre-press workflow providers, including Agfa, Artwork Systems, Presstek, Rampage and Screen, would ensure customers' success as they migrate to an offset and digital hybrid system.

EFI said that its compliance with GRACoL, CGATS, ICC, JDF, PDF, PPML and other open standards, and EFI's collaborations with partners, meant that Colorproof XF integrates in to customers' overall print shop operations, including offset and digital hybrid production.

Stefan Spiegel, general manager of EFI's graphic arts solutions, said: "Our strong performance at 2006 colour proofing round-up is an industry affirmation for Colorproof XF.

But we are even more proud of the accolades we receive from our customers, like Alonzo, as they experience the strong impact of Colorproof XF integrated in to their overall workflow to enable greater business success." The IPA, a community of professionals within the pre-media, creative, corporate, print publishing, packaging and in-plant industries, organises the colour proofing round-up to review the options and abilities of colour proofing products.

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