Packaging Digital Printing Color Management (I)

Packaging is an important part of the printing and publishing industry. The next generation technology for packaging prepress technology is digital direct printing, namely digital printing. It is the trend and direction of digitalization and networking of printing technology. Digital printing is a completely digital production system. The digital process runs through the entire production process, from the input of information to the printing and even the binding output. Among them, the printing colors are not matched and there is an inconsistency, which is still one of the most troublesome problems for all printing companies. In accordance with the Open Color Management Standards developed by the International Color Consortium ICC, the paper combines the structural features of digital printing and analyzes the related color management technologies.
1 Color management based on ICC standards to accurately transfer and reproduce color information between different devices has always been an important subject and research topic pursued by the color management system. In order to meet the needs of the open printing system and the development of electronic publishing and web publishing, several international companies in this field have established the Integral Color Consortium (ICC) and established relevant standards for the color management system. Towards an open and standardized direction.
The color rendering mechanism and color rendering characteristics of different devices are different, and the color rendering space is also different. That is, the definition of color is related to the device, so that a deviation occurs when the color information is transmitted between different devices. Introduce a device-independent color space as a reference standard for various device-dependent color spaces. The device-dependent color space of any peripheral device can be mapped to this device's independent color space, and all computer and application software vendors support this. - Device-independent color space, then combining different vendors' color processing devices into a complete open system and maintaining color consistency becomes easier.
The color management work mode is: starting from the color in a device's color space, combining the device's color characteristics to convert it to a device-independent color space, and then combining the color characteristics of the target device, and then converting to the target device color space . In this process, color consistency is ensured by using a device-independent color space as an intermediary. ICC stipulates that the conversion of the color space is the task of the operating system. It contains the device feature description file Profile of different peripheral color rendering features, and provides the necessary data for these conversions. In the operating system, a "color management framework" is set up as shown in FIG. 1 to complete the most important functions of operating system color management, such as the organization of device feature description profiles, support for different color spaces and their conversion. This framework provides an interface for different color management methods. These methods are the core of a color management system that performs image-to-output device-specific color space conversion.

2 System features of digital printing Packaging designers are very much looking to work in such an integrated environment. The system can realize the perfect combination of box-type design and image, perform 3-dimensional preview, and even predict the actual placement effect of the box type on the shelf.
The need for this structure-graphics integration workflow is demonstrated in several aspects of production. For example, it is now possible to achieve direct color inkjet proofing of a carton carton using a box prototype. Through the combination of CAD and image design, and with color proofing, the same product can be produced and actually produced on a prototype box.
A direct platemaking process requires a matching prepress control system. Digital printing integrates prepress, printing, and postpress. From a system control point of view, it is a seamless all-digital system. The digital printing system is like a "combine harvester." The entrance of the system (ie, the input of information) is digital information, and the exit of the system (ie, the outflow of information) is an information product of a desired form such as a printed matter, a book, a magazine, and the like. It is a complete print production system consisting of a control center, a digital press, stapling and cutting sections. All operations and functions can be pre-set according to requirements and then automatically completed by the system. Digital printing has on-demand production capabilities, and can produce customized information products based on specific requirements. (To be continued)