InkZone Loop

InkZone Loop: Automated Color for Everyone
InkZone Loop is the first closed-loop color solution for digital ink control on offset presses from all leading manufacturers. InkZone Loop enables the automatic measurement and evaluation of color bars and then direct, digital feedback of the appropriate ink-key adjustments.

First, Measure
InkZone Loop supports measuring systems from all leading color instrument manufacturers. With InkZone Loop, you pick the measurement technology, and we help you put it to work, automating ink adjustments and showing you a visual representation of each measured sheet. By comparing measured press results against your reference conditions, InkZone Loop alerts your press operators immediately, allowing them to recognize where color adjustments are required. You can make use of the full capability of your measuring instrument, including ink density as well as other printing-related data like dot gain, print contrast, ghosting, slurring, and more. InkZone Loop supports the needs of today's printer, including 4-color process work, as well as support for special and brand-specific colors. You will find that the efficiency of InkZone Loop can bring you a significant increase in productivity and quality, by combining multiple color-checking steps that until now may have been carried out manually, if at all. And with print runs getting shorter all the time, investments that can streamline your processes are increasingly important. Once measurements are complete, InkZone Loop saves all of the measured color data, increasing your velocity on repeat jobs or runs with multiple forms. And the recorded data helps in documenting your compliance with your customer requirements or with international quality standards like ANSI/ISO, PSO, GRACol and G7.

Next, Take Control
With your on-press color results in hand, and with your saved reference conditions, InkZone Loop calculates correction values, which are specific to your printing press. And then, InkZone communicates via a direct, network link to your ink console, regardless of the press manufacturer, the age of the press or its ability to support CIP or JDF standards. So, once the operator checks the color results and the recommended press adjustments, at the touch of a button the ink keys for all printing units can be adjusted automatically. This can lead to results that are clear: a significant reduction in makeready and run waste, higher overall color quality, and consistent, stable production runs.

Benefits in the Pressroom
InkZone Loop's high-performance software and your selected measuring technology can work together to accurately characterize, and systematically correct, ink key settings. These results are much faster, more consistent, and permanently archived, unlike results with hand-held color devices or purely visual color control. Immediately after each measurement, the ink and density values for all zones are displayed on-screen. The operator sees a graphic representation of all of the job colors in a format that is familiar– resembling the ink key graphics of a press console. Of course, the underlying color data can also be seen at a glance. When the operator is ready, the ink adjustments can be carried out automatically. Naturally, there's still an option to adjust ink keys manually on the console, or to exclude certain zones and printing units from the automatic control. InkZone has two ways to set the color reference conditions, with preset customer- or standards-based values, or with the unique (OK sheet) function.

With this second approach, the touch of a button is all that is required to save the status of all ink keys as color reference conditions. Then, each sheet is compared to this goal and the ink keys are adjusted via the closed-loop network, thereby assuring that the customer quality needs are met. With InkZone Loop the operator can spend less time evaluating color and guessing at the ink settings, and more time making those critical adjustments which can make or break the profitability of either a short or long print run.

Benefits in Pre-Media
The same technology that drives closed-loop color adjustments can also be used to actually preset the ink keys of each fountain based on the prepress plate-image data. This allows the press to get up to color quickly, and then stay there with closed-loop color control. In other words, the better the preset, the more efficient the closed loop. In many cases, the press manufacturer's ink preset solutions do not provide optimal results, costing you makeready time and effort. Replacement of existing ink preset systems with InkZone Perfect allows the same high-efficiency solution on all of your printing presses, regardless of their make or model.

Ready for Production in Record Time
The combination of an independent solution that encompasses closed-loop control, measuring technology and a workflow interface is truly unique. With InkZone Loop, you save time and reduce waste. Reference values are attained faster, and it's easier to keep your production within narrow limits. InkZone Loop enables set-ups in record time, even on offset machines from the last millennium. It's the perfect way to protect your investment in existing equipment and system installations. Many printers are discovering that InkZone Loop is one of the best investments that can be made in your business today!

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