Process Control Is Key to Effective Ink Optimization

Eliminating film-based workflows in favor of computer-to-plate has helped, but problems persist. The difficulty is especially acute in folding carton production, where the color inconsistency is rooted in super-high-density ink coverage.

By the numbers

According to Welch, problems stem from a fundamental disconnect between the prepress activity involved in creating the file and the needs of the package end-user. Especially troubling, he said, are "generic CMYK separations" that fail to take into account the type of press, ink, ink properties, substrate, and overprint characteristics associated with the job.