Heidelberg To Offer Special Preview Of Near-Neutral Calibration Tool At IPA Technical Conference

KENNESAW, Ga. – April 15, 2008 – Heidelberg USA will unveil its near-neutral calibration tool, scheduled for release later this year as part of the Prinect Color Toolbox, at the 2008 IPA Technical Conference in Chicago April 22-24. The new functionality, based on open ICC standards, will enable different output devices to calibrate to a common visual appearance – giving customers consistent color from any press.

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“The traditional way of calibrating is to pick a dot gain target and calibrate to a dot,” said Mark Tonkovich, Heidelberg’s product manager for CtP and proofing. “Our near-neutral utility uses profiles or user-defined reference values to calibrate directly to the neutral tone characteristics of the reference profile itself, meaning the greatest possible color accuracy. It gives our customers a clear and simple way to calibrate their CtP device so each press will give the same print result.”

Near-neutral calibration works by comparing a profile made from an uncalibrated press sheet to a known reference (or standard) profile, then calculating appropriate plate calibration curves to create the neutral ramp. “One of the great strengths of near neutral is the ability to use an industry-standard reference file, or for users to create custom reference files based on their own unique printing conditions,” said Chuck Koehler, senior demonstrator for print quality standards.

A perennial challenge in the industry is delivering a common visual appearance from different output devices. Near-neutral calibration means that print consumers, from ad agencies to design firms, can be assured of consistent color from any press — a bonus for print shops trying to secure their business.

“It’s much easier to calibrate using one common profile for different presses or output devices,” Koehler said. “Dot gain calibration does not always equate to a common visual appearance on different presses. The near-neutral tool will allow our customers to easily calibrate to the industry standard profile or other reference file of their choosing.”
A working model of the new tool will be on display in Chicago. Heidelberg’s near-neutral calibration tool is in the final stages of development and scheduled for release by the end of this year.

In addition to the “sneak preview” of near-neutral calibration functionality, Heidelberg also will demonstrate new profile and quality features of its just-released Prinect Color Toolbox 3.0. “The Prinect Profile Tool employs new and improved algorithms to generate ICC profiles, which provides more accurate profiles,” Tonkovich said.

Prinect Quality Monitor is a quality control tool used for both short-term and long-term quality assessment. Heidelberg has improved its long-term assessment functionality by allowing the capture of up to 10,000 data sets, which provides an excellent and accurate long-term analysis tool for printing, proofing and plating.

These latest offerings are part of Heidelberg’s Prinect family of integrated workflow solutions. To learn more about Prinect, visit www.heidelberg.com.

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
With a global market share for sheetfed offset printing machines of more than 40 percent, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) is the world’s leading solution provider for commercial and industrial customers in the print media industry. Headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany, the Company focuses on the entire process and value chain for popular format classes in the sheetfed offset and flexographic printing sectors. Apart from printing presses, the product portfolio includes plate imaging devices and finishing equipment, as well as software components designed to integrate all print manufacturing processes. In addition, Heidelberg offers a wide range of spare parts, consumables, used equipment and services, along with extensive training programs provided by the Print Media Academy. Furthermore, the Company assists its customers’ investment plans by offering financing concepts.

Heidelberg is most active within the major OECD industrial regions and is expanding its involvement within growing markets such as Asia and Eastern Europe. With development and production sites in six countries and some 250 sales offices world-wide, the Company offers services to more than 200,000 customers around the globe. Heidelberg generates 85 percent of global sales through company-owned sales offices and well above 80 percent outside of Germany. In fiscal year 2006/2007, Heidelberg achieved sales of Euro 3.803 billion referring to the divisions Press, Postpress and Financial Services as well as a net profit of Euro 263 million.

As of March 31, 2007, the Group employed 19,171 staff worldwide.

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Chris Baucom
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