pressSIGN Color Verification
From Soft-proofing to Proof to Press and Printed Product
pressSIGN-Pro
pressSIGN-Pro measures and controls the printing process for up to 16 color printing to ensure accurate color on press. pressSIGN-Pro features a complete set of analysis tools to help improve press and operator performance by identifying issues with waste and quality.
Each pressSIGN-Pro installation includes the pressSIGN-Pro server a pressSIGNPro client, a pressSIGN-Trends client and pressSIGN-Mobile client. Additional clients can be purchased.
Use pressSIGN's soft proofing facility to visually check jobs in the production or pre-press office live from the press. Improve communication with the chat messaging service.
pressSIGN contains the PANTONE™ libraries and the ability to create custom color libraries. New in pressSIGN is the ability to control spot color tints. Set spot tint targets based on previous prints or use pressSIGN's Visual Linear Targeting (VLT) to achieve the smoothest possible blends.
pressSIGN - Five easy steps to accurate color
Add the pressSIGN-Pro control strip to one of your jobs
Read the control strip with your Eye-One or other measurement device and adjust the densities as recommended for each ink key by pressSIGN-Pro
Read the control strip when dry and update the dry back calculations
Adjust the plate curve as recommended by pressSIGN
Run the next job with the pressSIGN settings and you'll have consistently accurate color
What's new in pressSIGN-Pro
Support for XRGA
Support for X-Rite eXact
Web browser reports
Spot color tints
Jobs allocated to category and sub-category
Pantone® libraries for up to 16 color printing
Measure multi-line color bars
New spot color delta E formulas
Specify ink units and colors per job
New press types added
Automatic adjustment of target Lab values based on paper
Color Bar import from CGATS layout files
Add custom color bars with up to 16 colors, including slur and non measurable(i.e. image) patches
Live update of remote jobs
Live update of remote measurements
PANTONE+ Spot Libraries updated with 336 new colors
pressSIGN Main Features
Scores the measurement against the print target giving a color-coded overall score. Print targets with tolerances and scoring are fully customizable.
Dynamic Density Adjustment (DDA) uniquely predicts the best possible density based on the selected print target and the actual paper, ink, and chemistry.
Auto target adjustment for substrate - the user doesn't need to create a multitude of press targets for each substrate to get best quality of print.
Creates and updates tonal curves using either TVI (dot gain) or patent-pending Bodoni 4CX technology (grey balance). Perfect for all presses, including digital.
Scores the measurement against the print target giving a color-coded overall score and a score for each of the measured criteria. Print targets with tolerances and scoring are fully customizable.
Print targets - all international standards supported. Print targets are customizable.
Spot Colors - includes PANTONE™ libraries, create custom spot libraries and color bars.
Spot Color Tints - use pressSIGN's Visual Linear Target (VLT) technology to set tint targets or measure previously printed tints as your target.
Dynamic Reports - get detailed reports on all aspects of production, compare operators, campaigns and more. Rank performance and follow trends all through a web browser interface.
Use any color bar or create custom color bars for your presses.
Trend analysis reports showing press, operator, shift performance, and wastage of print process for single or multiple jobs.
Monitor performance from any location via the Web on all presses and printing devices.
Soft Proof at the press or in the production office, see the impact of paper color and the actual press measurements on the job.
Check consistency across the press and against the OK sheet.
Connects to all popular scanning spectrophotometers and many third-party closed-loop systems.
Each measurement is scored
Every measurement is given a score and color-coded to make it easy to decide how well the sheet was printed. The sheet is given an overall score, which is further broken down into different measurement criteria. Finally, the production report gives a score for all the measurements in the job.
The job criteria measured and scored are
Primary colors Overprints - Lab and Trapping
Spot colors Sheet consistency
TVI Consistency against an OK or accepted sheet
Grey Balance Paper color
pressSIGN uses ISO 12647-2 tolerances by default, but all tolerances and scoring criteria can be fully customized by the user. The print target can be allocated globally across the enterprise or assigned to specific sites depending on the needs of the enterprise.
Print Targets
pressSIGN supports all international print standards:
ISO 12647-2 ISO 12647-3 ISO 15339 GRACol
ISO 12647-4 ISO 12647-6 Japan Color
Create customized print standards based on CMYK ICC profiles. pressSIGN also allows you to select a profile for the print condition and a separate profile for the grey balance. For example, the customer might require a job to be printed on uncoated paper but have supplied the file with a coated profile like ISOCoatedv2.icc. The ability to set a different target for the grey balance to the print condition allows you to generate correction curves that produce the best possible visual match.
Utilizing an ICC profile as the print target allows pressSIGN to adjust the print target according to the color of the substrate. Printing to the amended target will produce a better visual match to the proof. Export the amended ICC profile to prepress for proofing or soft proofing.
Create a print standard based on a single or set of previously measured printed sheets. It is useful to capture the existing print set up so that it can be replicated for re-runs.
Dynamic Density Adjustment
pressSIGN's Dynamic Density Adjustment ensures that the operator is always achieving the closest color match to the press target whatever the ink, paper, or press environment. On each new job, pressSIGN recalculates the correct density adjustment based on the current conditions. In fact, pressSIGN only needs to read one patch to know how to adjust the density.
The pressSIGN-Pro client shows the operator how to adjust each ink key across the press. The operator is targeting 0% adjustment, which means that if the ink level is either increased or decreased then the Delta E will rise. Instead of trying to hit an arbitrary density target the operator is achieving the best possible color match to the press target. Optionally ink zones can be turned off as part of the measurement and scoring
functions when, for example, there is no significant coverage.
Spot Colors
To ensure brand consistency spot color printing is essential. pressSIGN-Pro can measure and control from one to 16 colors. The spot colors can be selected from either the PANTONE™ libraries or customer created libraries. Custom color libraries can be exported to other users.
The PANTONE™ spot color libraries are included within pressSIGN. Select any PANTONE™ color and pressSIGN will show the operator how to adjust the density to achieve the best possible match on the substrate.
Create custom spot color libraries by measuring the colors, importing color data files like CxF, or type in Lab values. Compare any measurement with the nearest color from the spot color libraries.
Why rely on a visual comparison from a faded Pantone book when all can benefit
from centrally controlled spectral data.
Spot Color Tints
Set the right tonal target for spot colors based on color not density. pressSIGN's Visual Linear Target (VLT) sets the target from your choice of Spot Color whether it isfrom the PANTONE™ or a custom library. VLT
calculates the correct tint target to give the smoothest blend.
Creating a tint target is easy in pressSIGN. There are two options. Measure an existing set of tints and use these to set the target. pressSIGN will then score the measurement, show the operator how close he is to the target and optional adjustments can be exported to the RIP or PDF workflow.
A more effective solution that produces much smoother spot color blends is pressSIGN's Visual Linear Target (VLT). VLT requires no previous printing. Select the spot color from the PANTONE™ or custom library and measure the tints. VLT will provide tonal adjustments curves based on pressSIGN's mathematical
calculation of the ideal tones.
VLT takes into account the substrate and the colorants making up the solid color. As the colorants and the substrate change so the necessary tonal curve adjustments will change. VLT ensures the best possible blend for spot color whatever the conditions.
Measure 1 - 16 color jobs with ease
pressSIGN-Pro clients can measure from one to sixteen colors with pressSIGN showing the operator how to adjust each color to get the best possible match.
No more visual assessment from a formula guide. pressSIGN contains the official PANTONE® libraries. Additional custom spot color libraries can be added by importing customers’ libraries or measuring existing patches.
Color Bars
pressSIGN 5 features a new color bar generator. You can create your own color bars including slur and non-measurable patches.
Measure multi-line color bars such as GRACol P2P, IT8 chart or FOGRA/UGRA Media wedge. Import targets like these based on CGATs layout files and check print performance in many different ways.
Create a chart containing tint percentages from 1-99% in as many steps as required. Export the tonal curve to the selected workflow.
Create a set-up for two pass printing. Ideal for two color presses who want to print four-color work to an international standard.
Automatic Substrate Adjustment
pressSIGN has long been able to adjust the print target to match the actual substrate in use. However this has required the user to create a new print target with each paper stock. A new option in pressSIGN 5 allows users to select automatic substrate adjustment.
The target Lab values are then amended based on the paper. Adjusting the target based on the paper color gives a better visual representation of the original concept and design.
OK Sheet
The new production mode in pressSIGN-Pro lets users set the OK sheet. The consistency against the OK sheet then becomes an additional criteria in the scoring system, with it’s own tolerance. Capture deviations from the original standard as well as monitor the consistency of the measurements during the print run.
Live Update
pressSIGN automatically updates measurements in the Trends clients. When viewing a job on the server from a Trends or Pro client, either remotely with pressSIGN MSIS or locally, each new measurement is added to the list in the ‘Job Window’.
Multi-Print Performance Monitoring and Color Quality Reporting
pressSIGN GPM Video
pressSIGN Global Print Management (GPM)
pressSIGN Global Print Management uses the full power of the internet to measure, control, monitor and evaluate the color printing process between locations anywhere in the world.
pressSIGN GPM can be a cloud-based service or reside locally in a server cabinet. pressSIGN GPM is only available as a 3 year subscription service. The subscription service includes all updates and all of pressSIGN new developments to ensure that all users who can transmit data between sites are on the same version. At then end of the three year period users can renew on an annual or a three year basis.
pressSIGN Global Print Management Overview - this consolidated 3 minute video provides a quick overview on the advantages and benefits of using pressSIGN and pressSIGN Global Print Management.
pressSIGN GPM features a complete set of analysis tools to monitor and improve press, operator and site performance identifying issues of both quality and wastage. Control the print production from one central location, allocating standards, spot colors, tolerances and targets globally or per site depending on the campaign.
pressSIGN GPM is huge leap forward in production control for both multi-site print organizations and brand managers. Analyze the performance of each print facility depending on print process, standard or campaign performance. Utilize the new web browser reporting tool to analyze and compare print sites, campaigns, presses, operators and much more.
Use pressSIGN's soft proofing facility to press pass jobs across the internet. Improve communication between client, brand manager and print supplier with the chat messaging service.
pressSIGN contains the PANTONE™ libraries and the ability to create custom color libraries. New in pressSIGN 5 is the ability to control spot color tints. Set spot tint targets based on previous prints or use pressSIGN's Visual Linear Targeting (VLT) to achieve the smoothest possible blends.
pressSIGN GPM WhitePaper
Each pressSIGN GPM installation includes one measurement client (Pro), one analysis client (Trends) and a client that operates via a web browser. Additional clients can be purchased as needed.
pressSIGN GPM works with all printing processes from one color to sixteen.
Ready to Test pressSIGN on your press? Contact us for a Trial License - CLICK HERE
