The Proof Is in the Package
As digital proofing system installations in packaging environments increase, thermal halftone and inkjet devices are finding their place—often side by side.
April 2007 by Jean-Marie Hershey
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Think the proof is in the pudding? Au contraire. The proof is in the package, and thereby hangs a tale. Almost by definition, package proofing is fraught with specific challenges; among them, the need for can’t-miss color accuracy and the use of both traditional (board, corrugated) and non-traditional substrates, including hard-to-handle materials like clear plastic and metallic foil. Despite all the buzz about monitor-based proofing, most package printers continue to provide what most high-value brand owners still demand: a hard copy contract proof output on the actual substrate to be used for the package, or an accurate inkjet simulation, each rendered as closely to the way the item will look when it finally hits the retail shelf in living Pantone, custom, brand, or corporate color.
As digital proofing systems installations in packaging environments increase, thermal halftone and inkjet devices are finding their place (often side by side) in packaging workflows. Whether inkjet proofs are acceptable beyond the conceptual and interim stages of package production will continue to be debated, but there is no doubt that increasingly capable inkjet technologies are giving traditional digital halftone proofers a hard run for their money.
Inkjet or thermal? That depends.
Achieving the closest possible match between the proof and the printing press is the objective here, of course, with the larger goal of ensuring a predictable, repeatable printed result throughout the print run. Effective package proofing solutions are engineered to remove variability from the process and integrate easily with digital workflows. In addition, they will be able to accurately reproduce trap and overprint characteristics, together with the fine lines and text that are critical in package design. Inks or dyes, media, RIPs, and color management tools (whether built in or not), all play important supporting roles.
Digital (thermal) halftone proofers use screening and high resolution to match screening and resolution on press, typically offering CMYK and special Pantone colors, in addition to extended color sets like Hexachrome and Opaltone. Most important, thermal halftone devices claim to limit dot gain and achieve a high degree of repeatability by proofing directly on the packaging substrate. Prepress features include halftone patterns, calibrated inks, and built-in press profiles. Although the price of halftone proofing devices continues to come down, they are still more expensive than inkjet devices and use proprietary, rather than off-the-shelf, consumables. And while digital halftone proofing is a fairly mature technology by now, improvements in automation and an expanded range of format sizes suggest that an old dog still can learn a few new tricks.
As digital proofing systems installations in packaging environments increase, thermal halftone and inkjet devices are finding their place (often side by side) in packaging workflows. Whether inkjet proofs are acceptable beyond the conceptual and interim stages of package production will continue to be debated, but there is no doubt that increasingly capable inkjet technologies are giving traditional digital halftone proofers a hard run for their money.
Inkjet or thermal? That depends.
Achieving the closest possible match between the proof and the printing press is the objective here, of course, with the larger goal of ensuring a predictable, repeatable printed result throughout the print run. Effective package proofing solutions are engineered to remove variability from the process and integrate easily with digital workflows. In addition, they will be able to accurately reproduce trap and overprint characteristics, together with the fine lines and text that are critical in package design. Inks or dyes, media, RIPs, and color management tools (whether built in or not), all play important supporting roles.
Digital (thermal) halftone proofers use screening and high resolution to match screening and resolution on press, typically offering CMYK and special Pantone colors, in addition to extended color sets like Hexachrome and Opaltone. Most important, thermal halftone devices claim to limit dot gain and achieve a high degree of repeatability by proofing directly on the packaging substrate. Prepress features include halftone patterns, calibrated inks, and built-in press profiles. Although the price of halftone proofing devices continues to come down, they are still more expensive than inkjet devices and use proprietary, rather than off-the-shelf, consumables. And while digital halftone proofing is a fairly mature technology by now, improvements in automation and an expanded range of format sizes suggest that an old dog still can learn a few new tricks.
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