Komori has done a lot of work in press automation and process control technology. Digital technology now enables a high degree of integration between prepress and printing processes. Komori also added a color management workflow under the commercial production printing status. At the Drupa 2000 show, this system has been displayed - the Komori Digital Open Architecture Network or Do Net.
The goal of the Do Net system is to perform digital calibration and control of all processes and tasks between the printing press and the page design phase. This process requires all equipment to be calibrated according to conventional standards, and printing results require stability and standards. This is also a key step in the printing industry computer integrated production system (CIM).
Direct plate making is obviously an aspect of the industry, but CTP workflows cannot be overestimated in terms of production efficiency and high-grade print quality. In most cases, it requires the support of a direct digital color proofing. At present, these devices have made great progress in quality. However, problems such as cost and speed are also an obstacle to the large-scale use of CTP technology. The most important issue among these problems is the problem of color matching.
Komori proposed a Do Net solution for this bottleneck problem. This solution not only satisfies the requirements of color matching, but also makes it possible to achieve a stable quality improvement effect on the basis of the color management workflow.
The basis of the color management workflow is to use the output device's profile file in the workflow, such as prepress output devices and printed profile files. The most important profiles are proofing systems, profile files for direct digital color proofers and printers. The color characteristics of the proofs are generally different from the actual printing process. If you do not consider the difference, the color of the printer will be different from the proofs. Komori's Do Net is a complete solution based on a digital, open architecture approach. The system includes a PDC-S spectrophotometer, K-Color Profiler software and ICC-compatible color conversion software (provided by the user) for prepress output devices.
PDC-S is Komori's digital equipment for setting and maintaining colors during the operation of the press. Its accuracy and speed are also ideal tools for creating profile profiles for presses under specific operating conditions.
The device profile file produced by this process uses the ICC standard in the industry. The profile comes from the measurement of 928 color patches on the IT8.7/3 color palette. However, there are too many 928 color patches, so it is somewhat time-consuming to test.
The K-Color Profiler is a K-Color Chart that includes a 420 color blocks that fall to the edge of the rule or to the end of the paper. Therefore, in the normal printing process, the printer's profile file can be measured. The operator scans and measures the K-Color Chart table using a PDC-S spectrometer. The test results are used in the K-Color Profiler software to create a Profiler file in the current printing state. K-Color Profiler software can quickly identify the K-Color Chart table in 5 minutes and obtain the ICC Profiler file, which is very flexible and convenient to use. The resulting ICC Profiler contains all the necessary data for color control and device calibration, including the CMYK dot area rate and colorimetric values ​​of the K-Color Chart table.
The final step in the process is to convert the color of the printing press or digital proofing device and draw out the outstanding areas. This can be done by many other softwares, like Apple's Photoshop plug-in ColorSync Export Module or Toyo Ink's T-Color Genic transfer.
The purpose of drawing the color gamut is to set the printer as the source profiler and the proofer as the output profiler in the ColorSync mode. In this way, in the color conversion, the color space of the proofer will be closer to the printing press, and the purpose of management will be achieved.
For the best print quality, the color management workflow is a key element. Komori's color management system is based on the accuracy of the PCD-S, the speed of the K-Color Profiler, and the strong support of the ICC Profiler before printing.
Color management workflows have great benefits. The prepress preparation time is shortened because of the color problems and the absence of anti-work. The process of printing with standard ink densities is easier and operators have quantitative goals instead of relying on intuition. And ICC Profiler files as standard data can also be remotely proofed. So the printers who use color management bring the entire production process closer to standardized production.