Information

In the label and packaging industry, spot colors are often used to accurately reproduce brand colors. Especially in spot color printing the color exchange format, CxF, is known for more than 10 years as one of the best methods to capture and to transmit all details of a color. Unlike the conventional ICC profiles, CxF data include the spectral information of the spot color including halftones and transmittance – and therefore allow accurate color calculations and an optimal basis for a precise color reproduction at any time.
However, the generation of CxF data takes enormous amount of time as it requires printing charts, measuring colors for each printing conditions and target values – this might be the reason why its spread is so far limited.
But the number of digital printer increases, printing methods have diversified and a growing need for skill less independent color management solutions that reliably ensure reproducing consistent colors across the fleet – even when switching from a flexographic printing press to a digital printing press, or from a digital printing press to another digital printing press – becomes apparent.
In response to these market demands, SCREEN Graphic Solutions Co., Ltd. (SCREEN GA) and CGS Publishing Technologies International GmbH (CGS ORIS) have developed a technology that predicts halftones from limited colorimetric data by using a proprietary algorithm and automatically generates complete CxF data.
As a result, the entrance in working with CxF data was enormously facilitated and the efficiency for user who already work with CxF data has greatly been improved, because both save huge amounts of time in generating CxF data. Therefore, more companies can benefit of the advantages of CxF as it ensures a holistic communication of a color and provides the best fundament for reproducing (brand) colors on different printing presses, and a flexible and independent color management regardless of the skills of the operator.
The new technology is available for the CGS ORIS CxF Toolbox – the software solution to store, edit and communicate (brand) colors fast, reliable and safe. The setup is very simple, because user just need to output color charts under certain printing conditions and put the color measurement data into the CxF Toolbox. Once the setup is ready, the system can automatically generate CxF data of the particular spot colors or entire libraries without requiring any color expertise. The generated CxF data can be easily embedded in PDF files to be used for a pre-press process.
The CxF Toolbox is seamlessly connected to the CGS ORIS Color Cloud, which is the cloud based solution provided by CGS ORIS to communicate all stored CxF data with the entire supply chain. It guarantees the access to complete color data which are always up-to-date and the availability for each authorized user at any point in time and any place in the world. Even large amounts of CxF data of brands can be organized and communicated with the CxF Toolbox and the Color Cloud as shown with global brand owners with collections of more than 200 brands.
Additionally, the Color Cloud can be used with the entire CGS ORIS Software Suite, like Press Matcher, X Gamut etc., and, of course, can be connected to other workflows and DFE’s that work with CxF data.
SCREEN GA’s newly developed UV inkjet printer for labels, Truepress Jet L350UV SAI, processes PDFs with embedded CxF data and is able to separate them into up to six colors of CMYK + OB (the feature will be available in early 2021). In combination with CGS ORIS's multi-color separation technology, X Gamut, SCREEN GA’s inkjet technology, allows in this manner to reproduce spot colors even with an expanded fixed ink set in a high printing quality.

■ About SCREEN Graphic Solutions Co., Ltd.
SCREEN Graphic Solutions Co., Ltd. is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and suppliers of system components for the prepress and printing industries. SCREEN GA provides a wide range of solutions to meet graphic communications needs, with a strong focus on production-class inkjet printing technology. SCREEN GA digital solutions are known for their ability to streamline printing processes and significantly improve output quality. These exceptional features continue to make them leaders in their respective market segments.

■ About CGS ORIS
Established in 1985, CGS ORIS is a global leader of color management solutions, digital proofing systems and specially formulated media. Headquartered near Frankfurt (Germany), CGS ORIS also has operations in the United States, Japan, Hong Kong and many other countries, as well as sales and support partners throughout the world. For more information, please visit www.cgs-oris.com.

Note: Truepress is a registered trademark of SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd. in Japan and/or certain other countries.