Advanced Color Management
Automation and Control

ZePrA Smart Color Server optimizes PDF printing data and image files via DeviceLink profiles

ColorLogic’s ZePrA Color Server and intelligent DeviceLink Profile Sets make precision color transformation a snap. The built-in configuration wizard simplifies the setup of any number of needed color management workflows. File processing is hot folder driven enabling automated color management. ZePrA can also be managed in Enfocus Switch.

ZePrA supports color conversion of PDF, TIFF, and JPEG data for the CMYK, RGB and Grayscale color spaces and provides extensive spot color management support.

ZePrA Smart Color Server can be integrated into an existing workflow for immediate results. ZePrA’s easy-to-use interface simplifies the process of creating custom DeviceLinks with SmartLink for any workflow.

Advantages of ZePrA at a glance:

• Simple, clearly structured user prompting built-in Wizard setup

• Multi-threading and 64-bit for extraordinarily high speed file processing.

• Superior Device-Link and color conversion and transformation.

• Outstanding support for Spot Color Conversion with detailed reporting.

• Correction of gradation curves for process and spot colors requirements.

• Extensive file processing support: PDF/X-1a, X-3, X-4, X-5n, X-6, TIFF, PSD, JPEG

• Supports integration with Enfocus Switch workflow automation.

• Normalize to document color space or output intent

• Normalize and convert colors to new output condition

• SaveInk or optimize total area coverage

• Direct color conversion to new output condition

Selectable Ink Optimization
Set up workflows to apply specific color conversions and high-quality ink savings.  ZePrA provides a range of intelligent Device Link Profiles sets for limiting the total amount of color (TAC) for various printing standards, e.g. ISO, Fogra, ECI, Ifra, Gravure (PSR), GRACoL, SWOP, SNAP.  

The ColorLogic Ink-Saving DeviceLink Profiles for preserving the separation characteristics while at the same time replacing some Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow with Black. ZePra and CoPrA now have Ink Saving support for Multi-Color and Spot Color print work.

This leads to far better transformation than classical ICC-based conversion with strong GCR. There are SaveInk profiles for three different intensity levels to stabilize the printing process and harmonize color with possible printing characteristics.

In addition, options are available for the targeted handling of spot colors, the definition of PDF-specific settings and, from Version 2.0 on, the new capability to apply correction curves to process and spot color channels with the help of the brand-new Gradations module. 

Gradation curves can later be applied to CMYK and spot color channels. The application of gradation curves completes the process of preparing data for printing. Shortly before going to press, almost every printing process calls for a printing characteristic that is stored in the RIP of the platesetter. This printing characteristic primarily serves to ensure compliance with printing standards and to compensate for imponderables in the printing process, these being brought about by a host of printing parameters, not least also by the substrate and the ink. These printing characteristics can now be directly included in the data to be converted. This function also allows you to make last-minute changes. Working with ZePrA is so easy and so powerful.

Managing Spot Color Libraries

Select the tool Spot Color Libraries from the sidebar to access the window Manage Spot Colors. To measure spot colors from color fans, print samples or Corporate Identity Colors use a spectral photometer or enter them manually. It is also possible to import existing color tables with spot colors. Supported formats are Named Color ICC profiles, Photoshop ACO color tables, text files in CGATS format or CXF files. The color values can be present as Lab or spectral data. Spectral measurement data is preferable as it permits the best internal calculation.

The upper part of the dialog Library shows all available libraries and the number of spot colors of a library. Additionally, the revision number and expiry date of PantoneLIVE libraries is displayed (with the PantoneLIVE icon). Login if necessary to update the libraries.

After double-clicking on the selected library the spot colors will be shown in the lower part of the window. In order to improve the performance – especially with extensive and many libraries – spot colors will only be available when they are actually used in the processing of jobs or by double-clicking on a library.

Notes: PantoneLIVE libraries are protected and in ZePrA they can not be edited, extended or removed. The PantoneLIVE dialog for importing Pantone spot colors into ZePrA is available directly in the dialog Spot Color Libraries.

Tip: Adobe Photoshop users can export color tables with LAB color values from Photoshop in the form of ACO files. X-Rite Pantone Color Manager program users can export tables as Named Color ICC profiles or CXF files which will have the actual LAB values but not the spectral values.  

Extend ZePrA with Photoshop Extensions

Introducing Push-2-ZePrA

Push-2-ZePrA is an Adobe Photoshop extension that allows color converting an image file
selected in Photoshop with ColorLogic’s color server ZePrA from Photoshop.

Convert PSD files using DeviceLinks

Depending on the color server settings high-quality color conversions with DeviceLink profiles will be performed leading to better color rendering of images than typical color conversion with Photoshop.

Never leave Photoshop

The converted file will be opened up in Photoshop so that you do not need to leave Photoshop in order to get the best possible color converted images.

How can Your Company benefit from
ZePrA Color Management Automation

Workflows can be configured very flexibly and very simply in ZePrA. The following are some typical applications of ZePrA for automated color management tasks:

• Digital printers want to make their printing data look similar to offset printing.

• Printers want to automate the color conversion of data from different prepress suppliers in order to standardize the separations in the print job and harmonize differently separated image files on a form.

• Prepress companies have an extensive stock of press-ready legacy copy and want to convert the data to a new printing standard or a different printing process without encountering problems on the press as a result of re-separated data.

• Printers and print providers can re-separate entire documents with incorrectly or inadequately separated data for the required printing standard or the in-house standard.

• Printers can reduce the amount of ink used by applying ColorLogic SaveInk profiles.

• Print providers or printers want to standardize mixed-color files supplied in PDF/X-3 or X-4 format to get CMYK, and possibly a spot color, without disruptive RGB color spaces.

• Media-independent documents can be converted to different maximum printing color spaces and maintain the color appearance.

• Printers and print providers want to convert spot colors to CMYK in order to be able to print them in 4C.

• Printers want to adapt the gradation of spot colors to compensate dot gain.

• Image agencies want to provide large numbers of untagged image data with a defined profile in automated fashion.

• Service providers for the packaging printing sector want to separate PDF files automatically via a multi-channel profile (MultiColor ICC profile).

• These are just a few workflow scenarios for ZePrA.

Technical Features and Requirements

ZePrA makes it easy to set up several workflows for your day-to-day
production tasks and supports all the latest PDF standards.

System Requirements 

macOS®

• macOS® 12 Monterey, macOS® 11 Big Sur

• macOS® or macOS® Server Version 10.10 and higher

• ColorAnt, CoPrA and ZePrA run on Apple M1 chip systems

Windows®

• Microsoft® Windows® 11

• Microsoft® Windows® 10

specifics

macOS®

• CoPrA, ColorAnt, Measure Tool and ZePrA - 64-bit mode

Windows®

• CoPrA, ColorAnt, Measure Tool and ZePrA - 64-bit mode

Recommended Hardware

• Minimum Dual Core Processor (Quad Core or more recommended)

• Minimum 2 GB RAM (4 GB or more recommended)

• Minimum 1280 × 1024 resolution (or higher) recommended

Call or email us today to learn how integrate ZePrA into your workflow

improve color, reduce make-ready and reduce costs!

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