APR, SpotOn! Press Introduce Spot Color Tool

GLENDALE HEIGHTS, Ill.—All Printing Resources, Inc. (APR), working in conjunction with SpotOn! Press, is introducing a new pressroom software tool that flexographic press operators can use to target optimum density for spot colors. SpotOn! Flexo is new leading-edge technology that makes it possible to get optimum color reproduction and density information for any spot color, right at your fingertips.

“There’s always been a challenge in printing spot colors because of the lack of density information available to the press operator,” says Richard Black, director of digital solutions for APR. “That is why we have teamed up with SpotOn! Press to create SpotOn! Flexo. SpotOn! Flexo is a software package that utilizes spectral data to determine the best ink density for optimum color reproduction, allowing the press operator to run a spot color to match a customer’s approved color.”

“Creating specific tools for differing types of printing methods has always been a goal of SpotOn!,” says Bruce Bayne, creator of SpotOn! software. SpotOn!, a process control software to aid in printing to specifications, was first released in 2008 and has been used to evaluate printing conditions to ISO and G7 methodologies. “We were pleased to team with APR to create just the right tool for the flexographic market,” adds Bayne.

SpotOn! Flexo compares the spectral data of a color measured on a press pull (using a spectrophotometer) to the spectral data of the reference color. A quick calculation gives the press operator the optimal density to obtain the closest (lowest Delta E) match to the reference color.

There are many time-saving and cost-cutting benefits of SpotOn! Flexo software. A major benefit is the reduced press makeready time trying to obtain the correct color match to a spot or custom/brand color.

Other benefits include:
• More consistency by monitoring the spot colors versus the reference color throughout a run;
• Accurate monitoring to help operators foresee potential issues, such as changes in ink viscosity or pH;
• Timely troubleshooting of doctor blade wear, anilox roll plugging, and plate wear.

SpotOn! Flexo provides the density of the reference color as well as the density from the press pulls and provides the press operator the ‘optimal’ density required to obtain the best color match. A simple user interface also shows the press operator if they are within the color match tolerance created for the specific print job.

Reference colors can be imported from ink formulation software as .mif or CxF files, or they can be measured using a spectrophotometer that reports spectral data. The software supports most major handheld spectrophotometers.

“Companies today place a very high priority on dynamic and engaging packaging that differentiates their products from others on the shelves. Spot or non-process colors are extensively used, but press operators have had few optimization tools,” says Dave Nieman, APR CEO. “So we are absolutely thrilled to offer SpotOn! Flexo as a solution to this challenge. We are confident this industry innovation will change the way flexographic press operators print spot colors.”