Color management is a crucial aspect, even more so when it comes to short runs and frequent job changes. Defining targets, digitizing information and working with advanced systems are the advice of Carlo Carnelli, General Manager of ColorConsulting srl
Let’s talk about printing defects: which topics do you deal with most frequently in your company?
The defects we face mainly concern colorimetric variations compared to a standard, particularly those of the color spots compared to what was defined by the client, and mismatch between the color proof and the printed output, especially for process colors. These problems mainly emerge during machine start-up, while more rarely, partly due to shorter print runs, differences between reels occur during production. Another relevant issue is the uncertainty of the target to be reproduced, especially with Pantone colors, where the printer often incorrectly rely on the paper guide, which is different in nature from the one used by the customer, instead of using the digital reference.
When considering web control systems for flexo, what are the most common problems encountered by your customers?
The color calibration during the start-up phase is definitely the most important challenge highlighted by our customers as They frequently operate high-performance machines that facilitate waste-free registration in a very short time but then spend several minutes if not hours and several metres of material to get the color correct.
In your experience, what could companies do to reduce printing problems?
Digitising customer requirements, such as targets and tolerances, together with production information, such as type of plates, double-sided adhesive, anilox and machine setup, makes this data easily accessible to the prepress, plate mounting, color kitchen and printing departments. This, together with an on-board quality control and correction system, can lead to faster starts and ensure consistent quality both during the print run and in subsequent reprints, as already implemented by some companies.
Looking to the future and technological innovations in the industry, are there any problems that could be solved and soon become a ‘thing of the past’?
Color setup at start-up and the management and reduction of the returned inks could soon become a thing of the past, thanks to three key innovations: digital color proofs allow perfect spot color reproduction in addition to the already established color tone reproduction; on-board color correction systems are becoming simpler and more reliable; systems for reusing returned inks have now reached a level of automation that they can be used even by operators with little experience
