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Nyheder om farver og prøvetryk - fra GMGcolor.com
Tuesday, 7. August 2007
GMG introcuces new products for print standardisation
GMG has taken over distribution of Tucanna's Print Control Pro and RapidCheck software who are market leaders in print standardisation in the world. These innovative software will allow easy standardization of presses as well as allow print buyers to verify print results in a few seconds...





PrintControl Pro: a software tool for standardizing the press from start to finish
The significance of process control in the graphic arts industry has grown substantially in recent years. Only with a reliably controlled process it is possible to produce the necessary quality and at the same time achieve high profitability. More effective and sustainable process control will acquire even greater importance in the future.
It is increasingly the case that the companies involved in the process of producing a print product are far apart - in some cases being based in different countries or even on different continents. Tools are needed that offer the businesses involved the possibility of uniform communication and compliance with international standards.
The establishment of international standards, such as the ISO 12647-2 standard, promotes good process control. The ISO standard defines the necessary parameters to ensure that a reliable match between proof and print is possible.

Since conforming to these guidelines in daily work is not exactly child's play, there is a need for software tools that enable the printer to comply with these parameters. PrintControl Pro makes it far easier to adhere to the guidelines. PrintControl Pro illustrates the complete printing process for the printer by following a series of defined steps. A detailed numerical and graphic analysis supports the printer's work. The graphic representation of key parameters simplifies process control on the press and in platemaking. This ultimately enables the printer to guarantee a standardized printing process with predictable printing results.


RapidCheck – Printing process control at a click of the mouse
Proofs are produced as an inexpensive way of giving the customer a preliminary impression of what the colors will look like in the subsequent print product. The proof is typically signed by the customer and serves as the "contractual basis" for the subsequent print product, which is why it is also known as a "contract proof". The task of the printer is to reproduce the contract proof identically in production printing. Time after time, however, this proves to be impossible - and the reason is not always clear. Is the proof incorrect or are there problems with the press?
To rule out problems with the proof, GMG offers a proof verification tool ProofControl, which establishes beyond doubt and in a matter of seconds whether the proof is within the specified tolerances. If this is the case, a label is printed out that documents the quality of the proof and is stuck onto the proof. The printer then knows for sure that he has a reproducible proof in his hands.
If he then also knew that his press was operating within the defined tolerances, there would be nothing else to stand in the way of reliable production. The tool he needs for this purpose is called RapidCheck. After all, only with a standardized printing process can predictable results be produced.

What is RapidCheck?
RapidCheck is a solution that examines whether all printing parameters comply with standards ISO 12647-2 and 12647-3 or user-defined in-house standards. A single measuring procedure is all it takes to acquire the relevant data, analyze them and present them in graph form. A report is generated automatically and can be printed out. In the event of deviations from the specified tolerances, the printer can quickly make the necessary corrections on the press and thus ensure compliance with the selected printing standard.


Process Control Bundle – RapidCheck + PrintControl Pro
This is the perfect combination of both tools for checking and reporting and for the standardization itself. This is the by far most selling solution of the three packages.


The highlights about the products are:
• Ease of use – We have taken technical processes and made them simple - simple to do and simple to understand. You do not need a physics degree to use the tools available in PrintControl Pro and Rapid Check, as is the case with most of the other solutions.
• Functionality – These are full-blown applications, not Excel sheets. If you follow the steps, you get excellent results in record time. If you talk to most consultants, they spend a week or more standardizing a printer. With PrintControl Pro and a well behaved press you can do this in a day.
• Iterative curves – We have a very powerful iterative curve generator. If things aren’t right on the first shot, we recalculate the curve and refine with each step. Other tools are limited to just working with a linear plate. Even in the realm of fine-tuning, we can zoom in on the curve, add and subtract any points, visualize multiple colors while only working on one color, a very good smoothing algorithm which gives an excellent curve, etc.
Two nice interactive tutorials which can be downloaded from the support section of the webpage http://www.tucanna.com/ demonstrate the functionalities.
• Direct device connection – Other apps are using third party applications to measure and then import data, or have a limited connectivity to only an i1. We support the i1, DTP 500 series, SpectroEye, DensiEye, Techkon SpectroDens, and iCPlate for plate reading. This wraps up all of the current handhelds on the market.
• Reporting features – We automatically generate clear, easy to read, reports from both applications. All results are explained in non-color scientist terms so that anyone from printer to the print buyer can understand them.