How to Make Use of Kodak Versamark to Successfully Transform Color Variable Data Printing (II) (

Learn the basics

When transitioning to color printing, if the user understands the workflow and understands how color affects the workflow, the transition will do more with less. Figure 4 shows the various inputs and outputs in the production workflow.

Both of these variables are interdependent, and optimization can greatly improve the quality of color print output. It is worth mentioning that the V-Series printing system - which is actually the case for any printing system - is only a factor that determines the final output color quality. In the workflow, there are a large number of factors that affect the color quality of the press, so to ensure the best output quality, contact Kodak Versamark sales support specialists to select the best technology and equipment for your application based on your production environment. Get the best print quality.

Do not know the input

1. Is the workflow closed or open?

The production workflow involves everything from the processing of job content (including fixed and variable text, graphics, images, and barcodes) to the creation of the final document. Closed workflow refers to the workflow in which all source job content is controlled by the company responsible for production. For example, if a company prints its own bills, it often uses a closed workflow. Such companies design their own forms, own source data, and have the ability to make changes to improve quality when they need to be modified.

In contrast, in open workflows, source job content is not controlled by the company responsible for production. In this type of workflow, the company neither controls the format nor controls the data content; the company cannot modify it, or even have the original job content. In addition, some workflows, especially open workflows, often have very high production deadlines, leaving little room for companies to improve their data quality.

For closed workflows, the transition from monochrome to four-color variable data printing is relatively smooth because the production companies have full control over the source job content. In an open workflow, the production company may not be able to obtain resources such as images created under recommended conditions or generated at the correct resolution.

2, input data format

The format of the input data has a great influence on the smooth transition. When you switch from monochrome to four-color jobs, the format of the input text does not usually change, but some text may specify a certain color. Graphics and images will change greatly because color space, resolution, and design elements have an impact on output quality. (Although this is not the subject of this article, note that graphics and images appear in a variety of file formats, such as TIFF, JPEG, EPS, BITMAP, and PDF.)

Figure 4 Production Inputs and Outputs

Click here for all news photos

3, document composition

A variety of third-party applications (see Table 2) produce printable data for the Kodak Versamark printing system. These applications are different, such as different input file formats, or the ability to support color sources and color elements such as pie and bar charts.

Table 2

Click here for all news photos

The composition of the data used for production will greatly influence the way of modification in production. For example, the background color of a check or business form can be defined in the application software as a unified tint, that is, a specific CMYK, RGB, or grayscale percentage. The application software will convert this flat screen into halftone. In this case, the application software can modify the flat screen by changing the percentage. However, there is a common way to define flat screens, that is, flat screen “pre-aligned” as a bitmap. In this case, the flat screen is not created by the application software, so the only way to change the background flat screen is to replace the bitmap. Taking full account of the format of the data elements and whether they need to be modified in the future will be an important part of production, and should be fully understood in the early stages of transition.

There are usually three elements that need to add color - preprinted forms, text and graphics, and images.

(1) Pre-printed forms

The work of synthesizing and adding colors to a preprinted form usually involves recreating a preprinted form. If you re-create a preprinted table, you can make the variable data and background in the table print at the same time. First, the electronic manuscript for the form is obtained, if no manuscript can be recreated. After the table is created, colors and the original table can be matched using software such as ColorToolkit. This step is only done once. Once the table is created, application developers will insert data streams into it.

Please note that the most effective way to achieve digital color printing of documents is to completely redesign documents. Although any pre-printed form can be easily replaced, this method does not allow the user to fully enjoy the advantages of the V-Series system's variable data color print function.

(2) Text and graphics

Adding colors to text and graphics is similar to table processing. Most of the current logos are provided in color digital format, and color matching is easy with the Kodak Color Toolkit. If the application software can change the text color, the color text can also be easily matched. This method is as simple as entering new CMYK values. The Kodak Color Toolkit also provides this feature.

(3) Full-color (four-color) image

Before the document is exported to a Kodak printer, the four-color image must be converted to a CMYK image and separated. Converting RGB images to CMYK images is part of the printing process, and ICC files are best used in conversions to accurately describe source (RGB) devices and target (CMYK) output devices. If the workflow is different, the tools to perform this process are different, such as can be performed in the controller (Kodak Versamark CS600 or CS300 system controller), or through ICC-compatible RIP, or before the application RIP (such as ADOBEPHOTOSHOP ). After separation, the image is also corrected to produce a linear hue, and the upper ink limit is optimized for paper and workflow.

In addition to understanding what types of elements are involved in color, users also need to consider how the data is used.

4, data reuse

The number of reprints of the elements determines the amount of energy invested in improving the elements. The energy invested, in turn, will have a significant impact on the quality of the final printed product. Some improvements to the data, such as the use of sharpening filters, are very simple; color matching of areas with special colors is also very intuitive. For elements that need to be printed many times, if you devote more energy to it, you can often get twice the result with half the effort. For images that are used only once, do not invest too much effort. Applications such as the Kodak Color Toolkit can support batch processing - many tasks can be performed automatically through the batch processing function. However, for photographic images, it is best to be adjusted by a skilled graphic designer for best results.

5, re-engineering (re-engineering)

In some cases, the print stream may need to be "re-engineered" for four colors (see Table 2) due to time constraints or application limitations - such as adding preprinted forms, adding color to text and logos. , Selectively add images based on marketing rules. At some point, just converting the print stream, such as converting a four-color AFP job to Kodak's IJPDS workflow, will allow AFP color objects to be defined in the correct CMYK colors. Similarly, PDF and POSTT jobs can also be converted to jobs processed on the CS410 controller.