色に関するブログ

The International Standards Organization has defined ISO 12647 as a set of Graphic Arts standards for printing. Included are eight parts: Part 1:  Print parameters and measurement methods Part 2:  Offset lithographic processes Part 3:  Coldset offset lithography on newsprint Part 4:  Gravure printing Part 5:  Screen printing Part 6:  Flexographic printing Part 7:  Proofing processes working directly from digital data Part 8:  Validation print processes wo...

As we always say, with so many places for color to go wrong it can be hard to know how to get it right. This is especially true if you’re measuring or viewing color with a device that is out of calibration or needs service. You can spend a lot of time trying to locate a color problem that may not exist – or even worse, create a new one. One simple way to minimize color errors and inconsistencies is to calibrate, maintain, and certify your devices. At X-Rite, our goal is to make this ...

There are different levels of process control that are used for print. While visual comparisons can be used to provide a rudimentary judgment of a match, they can be very subjective, and thus not very accurate, or repeatable.  Using a densitometer can provide quantitative actionable feedback for the press operator. This can include measurements of solid ink density, tone value increase (also known as dot gain), Ink Trap, and other print characteristics. These are known as mechanical print c...

If you work in the print and packaging industry, standards can help you set clear expectations for clients, solve problems in your workflow, and improve productivity. They can also bring an independent perspective to production. Printers aren’t the only ones who should keep up with standards. Brands who are concerned with quality, price, and speed to market can also benefit because it allows them to compare print providers and choose the best candidate. The ISO and other standards organiz...

Did you read our blog: Are You Using The Right Tolerancing Method? If not, check it out. Today we’re taking the topic one step further to investigate how tolerances are chosen in different industries. A pass-fail tolerance is the amount of color variation that is considered commercially acceptable. In part, tolerances are driven by customer expectations. While color tolerances are very tight in the automotive, plastics, and paint & coatings worlds, they can be much less strict in other...

If you didn’t catch my Industry 4.0: What Commercial Printers Need to Know article, you’ll want to check it out now. Today’s blog is a continuation, touching on the most interesting print color management tie-ins: PQX, iccMAX, mobile control and new materials. Here’s what on the horizon for color-managed workflows. Image courtesy of Esko.com. Print Quality eXchange PQX was a global effort developed by Idealliance, and is now moving to ISO to be issued as a standard. It ...

It’s no secret that if you can hit your color the first time, you’re going to save a lot of time and money. But with printing becoming an increasingly global function, achieving accurate color is more difficult than ever. Many companies have distributed printing plants or operate in partnership with other printers around the world. A job might start with a brand manager in Los Angeles, move to a designer in Paris, and be sent to three different states to be printed on different substrates. Ever...

Many print shops use more than one color measurement instrument, especially for cross-media color reproduction. But if you’ve ever measured the same color with different instruments, you’ve probably noticed that the numbers don’t always match. Why is that? Spectrophotometers measure color by capturing the ratio of reflected or transmitted light from the surface of the sample and comparing it to a known reference standard. The result is a spectral fingerprint for that color. But since calibration...

多くの企業は、測色計やソフトウェアの条件設定に多くの時間と費用を費やしていますが、製品を出荷する際の承認プロセスにおいて目視による視覚評価の重要性を忘れがちです。 適切に使用すれば、分光測色計やカラーマネジメントソフトウェアは、色が許容範囲内であるかを判断するだけでなく、光沢やメタメリズム（メタメリズムの説明は後述）を管理することもできます。しかし、組み立て後、店頭に並んだ後、または消費者の自宅やオフィスに届いた後に適切に見えないような、不満足な製品を出荷してしまう可能性があります。サプライチェーンのどこかの段階で、誰かが部品を並べて、さまざまな光源の下で、出荷の準備ができているかどうかを確認する必要があります。 適切な評価では、製品が組み立てられた際に、各環境でどのように見えるかを考慮する必要があります。標準光源装置（ライトブース）を使用すれば、店舗照明の下での色の見え方だけでなく、最終的な使用環境の照明下での色の見え方もシミュレーションできます。例えば、カーペットメーカーは、ショールームでの見え方だけでなく、白熱タングステンランプ、暖色系蛍光灯、さらには家庭で一般的に使用されるLE...