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Prepress & Screen Making

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Delivering top quality under tight turnaround times is a balancing act graphics printers perform more and more these days. Customers want high-impact imaging right away, and they require that the prints’ colors precisely match those in the proofs they provide. Successful color management in such an environment requires equipment that can deliver reliable, accurate results quickly and easily.

SA Int’l developed its new SAi Color Solutions as a group of modular hardware and software components that can be individually integrated into color printing workflows or used as a combined suite of products for seamless color management. SAi Color Solutions solution includes a spectrophotometer and software for profiling and color verification.

The SPRINT handheld spectrophotometer features 40-mm Wide-Aperture technology, which allows the unit to scan more than 600 color patches per minute. According to SA Int’l, the device can scan six adjacent colors in the same time it takes competing devices to scan only one. The spectrophotometers wide mouth also allows for high motion tolerance, which SA Int’l says eliminates the need for rulers or guides.

Sprint features LED light, which reduces power consumption and is noted for having a longer lifespan than a conventional bulb. Its spectral analyzer is a holographic diffraction grating, and its sensor is a solid-state CMOS microprocessor. The device supports a spectral range of 380-730 nm, 8-nm optical resolution, and 2-nm (175 bands) physical sampling interval. Minimum and optimum color-patch sizes are 2 mm x 1 mm and 20 mm x 3 mm, respectively. Sprint is capable of automatic calibration by way of firmware-enabled internal reference or by calibration strip. It connects via USB 2.0. Accessories include calibration strip, carrying case, quick-start guide, software DVD, and USB cable.

SNAP profiling software features a wizard-like interface that guides users step-by-step through the color-measurement process to reduce the possibility of errors. Each screen includes on-screen instruction and a help button to provide assistance for the current step. The profiling technology driving Snap is based on the PhotoPRINT Color Profiler. SA Int’l explains that profiles created with Snap follow the ICC standard and can be used with most major software applications.

Snap allows users to modify existing profiles for specific jobs by adjusting advanced settings, such as black start and width, as well as UCR/GCR. Users also may create custom design palettes from any scanned colors. The software is available in three versions: Basic, Plus, and Pro. All three support ICC profile creation, CMYK profiling, spot-color measurement, integration with the Sprint and X-Rite Eye-One devices, profile sizing, and advanced profiling functions. Snap Plus and Pro support profile editing, and Snap Pro facilitates six-color profiling. SA Int’l recommends installing the software on systems with Windows XP or higher, 512-MB RAM, 1 GB of free hard-drive space, CD-ROM or DVD drive, Internet connection, and USB port.

ColorExcel color-verification software is designed to use a simplified interface to quickly compare colors and determine the delta E between them. As SA Int’l puts it, ColorExcel facilitates rapid color comparison of samples printed on different devices or different materials. The software automatically analyzes color-input information and provides a pass/fail indication. Test results can be saved, printed, and e-mailed. User-created Master Files enable operators to dictate color space and tolerances of individual colors, thereby providing custom color standards.

Color Excel also features a built-in calibration routine for a variety of spectrophotometers, color-discrepancy analysis and reporting, compatibility with industry-standard media wedges, and standalone or multi-client support. It also allows for checking of custom corporate colors for consistency and accuracy to protect the printer and client. SA Int’l recommends Color Excel be installed on systems with Windows XP or higher, 128-MB RAM, 20 MB of free hard-drive space, CD-ROM or DVD drive, Internet connection, and USB port. For more information, contact SA Int’l, Int’l Plaza II, Ste. 625, Philadelphia, PA 19113, 610-521-6300, 800-229-9066, fax: 610-521-0111, Web: www.scanvecamiable.com.

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