Being Punctual Saves Your Press Day
David Koteski, VP, Arandell Prepress
Everyday at Arandell we encounter files from multiple sources that will not reproduce well on press. The cause may be a mismatch between the color separation and printing process, the amount of black generated when converting RGB to CMYK, or a disparity between the ink values in the file and the press and paper requirements.
Often times a printer does not know far enough in advance which press a job will print on; therefore it is not possible to provide press profiles for the CMYK separation process.
CMYK Optimizer allows a prepress provider to automatically check and correct, and dynamically balance the colors and ink weight characteristics of incoming files. Files are adapted to suit the printer’s actual press conditions to ensure accurate rendering of the approved proofs.
The advantages to preparing files/images to specifically fit a printer’s specifications include:
- Preflight and CMYK file standardization
- Output files compliant with the printing requirements
- Improved color balance
- Reproducibility of proofs by the printer
- Standardization of files in accordance with ISO standards and ICC profiles
- Generation of files that are compliant with PDF/X1a and PDF/X3 formats
It is important to begin having these discussions with your printer prior to your photo shoot. With proper preparation and communication among the photographer, separator and printer, the final printed results will exceed everyone’s expectations.
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