HPG has been blogging about color – terms, processes and technology. But the most important aspect of color is assuring that your colors are printed accurately. How do we do this?
Very simply, color control. Color control is the process of blending the inks together, and is tied closely to the CMYK color plate registration. The amount of ink that is released into the units depends on how much ink is needed to achieve a desired look. The ink is adjusted through a control panel on the machine control console. Prior to being placed on the press, each plate is scanned and the data is then transferred to digital “master” that directs the release of ink to pre-set ‘draw down’ values.
Click here for a link to an HPG YouTube video about ink draw downs.
This process is used by HPG for proofing PMS inks. HPG proofs are calibrated to the same specs as the press to insure that the proof the client sees will be a good representation of what the end product will look like. After each proof is made, it is graded for color to insure that it is properly calibrated. If the grade is not high enough, the proof is remade before the client ever sees it.
When you care about your work, it shows. HPG does whatever it takes to make sure each and every printed piece we produce is the best it can be.