With the global launch, GMG’s Flexoproof upgraded Version 5 soon has become the de facto software standard in the flexo and packaging industry.

The demand for a digital proofing system is higher in the flexo packaging sector as the product portfolio in flexo and packaging printing is characterised by multiple substrates and colour diversity. This is where the GMG Flexoproof 5 plays a crucial role in producing a high-end digital proof which is acceptable by fussy clients.

Since its launch, GMG has established more than 20 GMG Flexoproof users in India. This includes print firms like Pragati Pack, Manipal Technologies, Thomson Press, Comart Lithographers, Repro India, KalaJyothi, Mail Order Solutions, Almats Branding Solutions, Parksons Packaging, Global Printers, Kamsri, Anaswara, ST Reddiar and Sons, UPSL, Chennai Micro Prints, Amara, Anantha Vikatan and Sujilee in commercial and packaging segment. Uflex, Paper Products, Prime Tech, Betts India, Arabian Packaging, Dunes and Schawk in the flexo and gravure segment. While Mathrubhumi, Malyala Manorama, Deccan Chronicle, Dinakran, Sakal and Hitwada are the newspaper houses which deploy it.

Afsal Kottal, business director at Percept Print Solutions, the Indian representative for GMG, says, “FlexoProof is designed for packaging print converters to empower them with predictability that was previously thought unattainable. It is a pioneering technology developed to calculate colour profiles by simulating combination of spot and process colours.”
 
Flexoproof’s USP
The Flexoproof 5 has embedded features which help improve the quality and repeatability of high-end proofs.

According to Kottal, the Flexoproof generates digital proofs and can print up to ISO 12647-2 standards. In real terms this can guarantee an approval for process standard offset certification.
Flexoproof enables high quality prints on matte, glossy, newsprint, uncoated and special papers. Even though these prints are produced on different presses, the end results of the colour is constant.

Parksons Packaging, has plants located at Daman, Chakan and Rudrapur. All the plants are equipped with fleet of different machines which produce top quality print. It is very important for a print firm like Parksons to adhere and produce the print jobs with same colour consistency.

Kottal says, “Besides the use of multiple substrates, Flexoproof enables substantial saving of inks which is up to 15% on sheetfed and 25% on web offset press. The software helps in eliminating set off, faster drying, reduce wastage and help printing machines match proofs. The software achieves quick return on investment within 15 months.”

Sakaal, one of the regional newspaper in Maharashtra has implement the Flexoproof software. According to the production team of the newspaper daily, the Flexoproof has helped them to reproduce the ads which is one of the most critical parts in the newspaper printing.  If the colours are not reproduced as per approved proof then the newspaper ends up losing the revenue.
  
Production reliability
The Dotproof module in GMG Flexoproof processes not only industry-standard data formats, but also the original one-bit data of the imagesetter RIP. These data are colour-profiled, which means they retain the original screen information, and output in contract-proof quality.

Kottal says, “This allows dependable and timely checking, i.e. before platemaking, to detect any interpretation errors, incorrect overprinting or trapping settings, tonal breaks and moire effects. In this way, the individual tone reproduction curves and dot gains of a wide variety of presses, or the occasionally coarse screens used in flexo printing, can already be reproduced in the proof.”

Comart Lithographers, the Mumbai-based is the pre-press bureau of choice to most of India’s leading advertising agencies, consumer brands and publishing houses. Its pre-press services include hi-resolution scanning, image editing, artwork creation, digital proofing, imagesetting and colour separation.

Fred Poonawala, director at Comart Lithographers, says, “Being pre-press service provider it is very important for us to create proofs before actually approving the final print product. It is also very important becuase the proof should match the final printed sheet. Especially, in case of advertising agencies.” 

Flexibility with integration
The GMG Flexoproof solution offers a high level of integration in numerous common workflows, such as Nexus from Esko. The separations of the imagesetter RIP are adopted automatically, colour interpreted, and realised on the proof printer.

Kottal says, “After printing the proof, GMG Flexoproof automatically makes the data available to the workflow again for further processing. It allows direct processing of 1-bit imagesetter data and errors are detected before platesetting or the start of a press run.”

ROOM concept
Flexoproof has a unique RIP once, output many (ROOM) concept. The concept enables to optimise and create synergistic effects, since once-only data processing in the imagesetter RIP means that the processes are more tightly networked and throughput is increased. This has a direct influence on profitability.

Substrate reproduction
Individual substrate structures, such as paper fibres or corrugated board structures, can be created in the system and thus reproduced in the proof. The nature of the structures is irrelevant, be they paper fibres, embossed structures, corrugated board patterns or the like. Unfavorable printing conditions, such as printing on wood pulp paper, can additionally be simulated with the help of variable image noise. The effects of register variations and missing dots can also be reproduced by GMG Flexoproof.

Extensive spot colour functions
GMG Flexoproof supports all common spot color systems and processes up to 64-separations in one image. The HKS library, the Pantone formula guide/ Goetz library, and the DIC colour guide are included in the scope of supply. The spot colours are stored in a central database that can be edited and expanded by the user. For proof output, a special algorithm is used to calculate the overprinting properties of the spot colours, which are reproduced in the correct colours as a result.

This is particularly important for simulating duplex jobs, or using colour models, such as hexachrome. The opacity of the spot colours and the order in which they are printed can likewise be specified at will. White under printing can be defined as a colour of its own.

Customer speak
Mumbai-based Mail Order Solutions has invested in GMG Flexoproof to enhance its proofing solutions for its clients.

Mehul Desai, chairman at Mail Order Solutions, says, “After seeing the proof, we want our customers to get the exactly the same feeling as they would get after seeing the final print product. We have been very particular about colour reproduction and GMG Flexoproof will help us in maintaining the same standard.”

Desai added, “We wanted a software which could offer flexibility and ease of operation plus it is equipped with special features. GMG provided the answer.”

SPECIFICATIONS
Operating system Microsoft Windows 2003 server, 2008 server, XP professional, Vista, Windows 7
Memory 4GB RAM, 750 GB hard disc, 5 GB free hard disk space for software installation
Display 1024 x 768 dpi resolution, 32 bit colour depth
Contact Percept Print Solutions
               S Nagarajan
               +91 44 28330856, +91 9884085101/ gm.chennai@perceptprintsolutions.com
               www.perceptprintsolutions.com

THE ALTERNATIVES
Serendipity Blackmagic
Integrated real dot technology ensures proofs retain their original halftone screening, while features including press ICC matching, dot gain compensation, unlimited spot colours and colour verification guarantee proofing fidelity.
Operating system  OS X 10.5.8 or above
Memory 2GB of physical memory
Display 1024 x 768 dpi
Contact RSG Solutions, +91 22 42225400 / nitesh.mahendrakar@rsgsolutions.co.in

               Cadgraf Digitals +91 44 28269021 / sales@cadgraf.com

ORIS Color Tuner
 Winner of the GATF InterTech Award, the Oris Color Tuner was the first system of its kind to be certified by SWOP, Fogra, Sicograf, PPA and 3DAP. It includes setup wizards, automatic colour matching and automatic printer calibration all within a web-based environment that provides colour-matched job control and output.
Operating system  Windows 2003 Server, Windows Server 2008, Windows XP Professional, Windows Vista, Windows 7
Memory  Intel® Core 2 Quad, Q6600 or similar, 2.4 GHz, 2 x 4 MB Level 2 (L2) Cache
Display 1024 x 768 dpi
Contact Venus Infotech +91 22 24960150

               Basis Systems +91 11 22723099 / hemanshu@thinkprint.in