gmg opencolor user manual base... · 2019. 5. 28. · 4 7.6 profilecalculationtime 73 7.7...

GMGOpenColorUser Manual

Imprint

© 2012-2019 GMG GmbH & Co. KG

GMG GmbH & Co. KG

Moempelgarder Weg 10

72072 Tuebingen

Germany

This documentation and described products are subject to change without notice. GMG GmbH & Co. KGmakes no guaranty as to the accuracy of any and all information and procedures described in this doc-umentation. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, in no event shall GMG GmbH & Co.KG or the author be liable for any special, incidental, direct, indirect, or consequential damages what-soever (including, without limitation, injuries, damages for data loss, loss of business profits, business inter-ruption, loss of business information, or any other pecuniary loss) arising out of the use of or inability to usethe software or this documentation or the provision of or failure to provide Support Services, even if GMGGmbH & Co. KG has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

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GMG, the GMG Logo, and GMG product names and logos are either registered trademarks or trademarksowned by GMG GmbH & Co. KG.

All brand names and trademarks are the property of the respective owner and are expressly recognized assuch. If brand names, trademarks, or other material are used without the permission of the respective own-ers, we request appropriate notification. We will immediately stop use of said items.

PANTONE® colors displayed in the software application or in the user documentation may not matchPANTONE identified standards. Consult current PANTONE color publications for accurate color.PANTONE®, PANTONE® Goe™ and other Pantone, Inc. trademarks are the property of Pantone, Inc., ©Pantone, Inc., 2007. Pantone, Inc. is the copyright owner of color data and/or software which are licensedto GMG GmbH & Co. KG to distribute for use only in combination with GMG ProductionSuite, GMG Col-orServer, GMG InkOptimizer, GMG OpenColor, GMG ColorProof, GMG DotProof® and GMG FlexoProof.PANTONE color data and/or software shall not be copied onto another medium or hard disk unless as partof the licensed products.

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Last update of this documentation: 2019-04-18

This documentation refers to the GMG software version No. 2.2.1.

GMG OpenColor User Manual

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1. First Use 5

1.1 System Requirements 5

1.2 Program Installation 5

1.2.1 Installing GMG OpenColor—Check List 5

1.2.2 Activating Microsoft InternetInformation Services 5

1.2.3 Installing GMG OpenColor 6

1.2.4 Configuring Windows Firewall 7

1.2.5 Connecting GMG OpenColorwith GMG ColorProof 7

1.3 Available Editions and Licenses 8

1.3.1 Where Can I View and UpdateMy Licenses? 9

1.4 Starting the Software 10

1.5 Program Preferences 10

1.5.1 Default Profile Settings 10

2. Getting Started 12

2.1 What's New in Version 2.2.1? 12

2.2 Welcome to GMG OpenColor 21

2.3 How Does It Work? 22

2.4 What Do I Need to Do? 23

2.5 Program Overview 25

2.6 Area of Application 26

2.6.1 Supported Proof Printers, ProofMedia, and Print Modes 26

2.6.2 Supported Measuring Devicesand Formats 27

2.7 I'm an Experienced GMG Col-orProof User—What's the NewProofing Strategy? 28

3. How Do I Get a Characterization? 30

3.1 Characterization Levels 30

3.2 Test Charts 31

3.2.1 GMG Test Charts 31

3.2.2 Iteration Test Charts 32

3.2.3 Creating Your Own Test Charts 32

3.2.4 Can I Use Old Charts and Meas-urement Data? 35

3.3 Measurement Data 36

3.3.1 Starting a Measurement 36

3.3.2 Measuring Colors without TestChart 37

3.3.3 Measuring Test Charts 39

3.3.4 OBA Detection 41

3.4 Correcting Measurement Data 42

3.4.1 Automatic Spectral Correction 43

3.4.2 Evaluation of the Corrected TestChart Patches 45

3.4.3 Editing Curves 46

3.5 Creating a Characterization 46

3.5.1 Measurement Condition 47

3.5.2 Printing Process 47

3.5.3 Media 50

3.5.4 Inks 52

3.6 Spot Color Libraries 52

3.6.1 Creating a Spot Color Library 53

3.6.2 Spot Colors and Paper Tint/ White Point 56

4. Using Gradations 57

4.1 About Gradation Curves 57

5. Creating Projects 59

5.1 Projects 59

5.2 Media 59

5.3 Inks/Characterizations 60

5.3.1 Changing the Ink Sequence 60

5.4 Proofing Conditions 61

5.4.1 Noise and Missing Dots 62

5.4.2 White Ink Printing 63

6. Adjusting Your Data 64

6.1 Color Corrections 64

6.1.1 Correcting the Paper Tint 64

6.1.2 Correcting the Target Color andthe Tone Value Curve 65

7. Creating Proof Profiles 67

7.1 Dynamic Profiling 67

7.2 Static Profiling 68

7.3 Publishing Projects and Profiles 69

7.4 Adding Spots That Are Not Usedin Overprints 71

7.5 Change Management 72

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7.6 Profile Calculation Time 73

7.7 Profile Quality and Profile Size 74

7.8 Profile Editing 74

7.9 Halftone (DotProof) Proof Pro-files 75

7.9.1 Ink Settings 77

7.9.2 RIP Compensation Curves 78

7.9.3 Optimizing the Profile Quality 78

7.9.4 Adding New Inks to a Project 79

7.9.5 Adding Project Inks to an Exist-ing DotProof Profile 81

8. Proofing 84

8.1 Printing Proofs with GMG Col-orProof 84

8.2 OpenColor Proof Standards 85

8.2.1 Recommended Calibration Sets 86

8.3 Creating a Manual Job for Proof-ing with OpenColor 86

8.3.1 Changing the Print Order in theManual Job Manager in GMGColorProof 87

8.4 Creating a Workflow for Proofingwith OpenColor 88

8.5 Remote Proofing 88

8.6 Verifying Spot Colors 89

9. Separation Profiles 91

9.1 About Separation Profiles 91

9.2 Creating Separation Profiles 92

9.2.1 Ink Settings 93

9.2.2 Expanded Color Gamut (ECG) 94

9.3 Separation Settings 95

9.4 Creating Color Definitions 97

9.5 How does it work? 97

9.6 Separation in PACKZ 99

10. Database 100

11. Environment Backup 101

12. Troubleshooting 102

13. Glossary 103


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1. First Use

1.1 System Requirements

Our recommendations and minimum system requirements are meant to provide general guidelines for run-ning GMG OpenColor. We recommend systems that meet or exceed the following requirements.

Please note that the ideal computer configuration depends on the number of connected GMG ColorProofinstances and on the level of profile calculation requests.

Processor: Intel® Core ™ i5

Memory: 4 GB RAM, 250 GB hard disk drive

Hardware components: minimum resolution 1024 x 786 dpi, USB 2.0 port

Note The GMG license dongle requires a USB 2.0 port, USB 3.0 is not supported in the current version.

Operating system:

Windows 10 (64-bit version)

Windows 8.1 (64-bit version)

Windows 7 (64-bit version)

Windows Server 2016

Windows Server 2012 R2 SP1

Windows Server 2008 R2

Software components:

Microsoft Internet Explorer 8.0 or higher

GMG ColorProof version 5.6 or higher for using ContoneProof profiles (MXN)

GMG DotProof/GMG FlexoProof 5.8 or higher for using DotProof profiles (MXD)

1.2 Program Installation

1.2.1 Installing GMG OpenColor—Check List

The following list provides you with a summary showing all required steps for successfully installing GMGOpenColor. Please follow the See also links for detailed step-for-step instructions.

Step What to do Description See also

1 Activate IIS Check to ensure the Microsoft Internet Information Services areinstalled and activated.

"Activating MicrosoftInternet InformationServices" on page 5

2 Install GMG OpenColor Depending on license, GMG OpenColor needs to be installed on thesame computer as GMG ColorProof, or can be installed as a stan-dalone server on a different computer.

"Installing GMGOpenColor" on page 6

3 Configure firewall Windows Firewall: You might need to add an exception to let GMGOpenColor communicate through the firewall.

"Configuring WindowsFirewall" on page 7

4 Connect GMG OpenCo-lor and GMG ColorProof

Define the network settings for the connection between proofing andprofiling software.

"Connecting GMGOpenColor with GMGColorProof" on page 7

1.2.2 Activating Microsoft Internet Information Services

Depending on your operating system, the web server software IIS may not be activated by default. Pleasecheck to ensure IIS is activated as described in the following.

1. First Use

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Note IIS needs to be activated only on the computer GMG OpenColor is installed on. It is not required ona computer a connected GMG ColorProof instance is running.

How to activate IIS on Windows 7

1. Open the Control Panel from the Windows Start Menu.

2. Click Programs.

3. Click Programs and Features.

4. In the left pane, click the Turn Windows features on or off link.The Windows Features dialog box is displayed.

5. Activate Internet Information Services.

6. Click OK to start the installation.A progress bar is displayed. After installation, the Windows Features dialog box is closed and the Con-trol Panel is displayed.

7. Optional: To check if the installation has been successful, you can enter the following URL http://-localhost into the address bar of your browser. With a successful installation, you will see the IIS wel-come portal.

Fig. 1 Activating the web server software IIS.

1.2.3 Installing GMG OpenColor

How to install GMG OpenColor

1. Connect the license dongle to your computer.

2. Copy the GMG OpenColor ZIP file to a local drive.

3. Extract all compressed files.

4. Double-click the installer file GMG OpenColor.exe in the main program folder to start the install-ation.

5. After the installation, double-click the LicUpdate.exe file in the program folder to activate the pur-chased license.The license overview is displayed.

6. Click the Update button and browse for the license file you received.

7. Click the OK button to activate the license and close the license dialog.GMG OpenColor is now ready for use.


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Tip You can always check the license information on your dongle in the Options menu (> UpdateLicense). If GMG OpenColor cannot be started due to license problems, double-click the LicUpdate.exe inthe program folder to show the available licenses.

1.2.4 Configuring Windows Firewall

Depending on your configuration, Windows Firewall might ask you at the program start of GMG OpenCo-lor whether to unblock the program or not. If you are not prompted, you might need to manually unblockGMG OpenColor by adding an exception to the firewall, as described in the following.

How to configure the Windows 7 Firewall

1. Open the Control Panel, double-click System and Security.

2. Click Windows Firewall.The Windows Firewall dialog box is displayed.

3. On the left pane, click Allow a program or feature through Windows Firewall.A list of allowed programs is displayed.

4. Add a check mark to GMG OpenColor.

5. Click OK to confirm your changes.

1.2.5 Connecting GMG OpenColor with GMG ColorProof

Note GMG OpenColor is designed to be used in a local network. Proxy servers are not supported. (It is,however, possible to use GMG OpenColor via a VPN connection.)

For requesting and sending profiles, GMG OpenColor and GMG ColorProof can communicate via an httpweb service. Per default, the web service in GMG OpenColor is already activated and only needs to beconfigured if you want to change the default web service port. The connection will be automatically estab-lished as soon as both programs are up and running.

How to connect GMG OpenColor with GMG ColorProof

1. Make sure GMG OpenColor is running and the option Share Application via Web Service (Options >Preferences) is has a check mark. If GMG OpenColor is installed on a separate computer, make surethe network connection is fine.

2. Optional: Change the Web Service Port (default = 8080), if required.

3. Start GMG ColorProof.

4. On the System tabbed page in GMG ColorProof, under Centralized Color Management Settings,enter the OpenColor Server Address. Enter "localhost" if GMG OpenColor is installed on the samecomputer as GMG ColorProof.

5. Optional: On the Database menu in GMG ColorProof, point to Download and click From GMGOpenColor to immediately update GMG ColorProof. (GMG ColorProof is also updated automaticallyin a regular interval. If you do not update GMG ColorProof manually, it could take a moment untilthe connection is established and you can use OpenColor proof standards.)

6. Submit a proof job using an OpenColor proof standard (see "OpenColor Proof Standards" on page 85).GMG ColorProof will automatically request a profile from GMG OpenColor. The job is processed assoon as GMG OpenColor delivers the requested profile.

Tip If the connection cannot be established, enter the IP address 127.0.0.1 into the address bar of WindowsInternet Explorer. If the connection is in principle available, the main IIS web site will be displayed. If theIIS web site is not displayed, please check to ensure IIS is activated and the firewall correctly configured.

1. First Use

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1.3 Available Editions and Licenses

GMG OpenColor is available in two editions: A Standard edition for local on-site use, and a Plus editionfor a server environment. Both GMG OpenColor editions are available with three different preset pack-ages with printing process related preset data for simulating flexo, offset, and gravure environments.

GMG OpenColor Profiler Standard Edition

The GMG OpenColor Profiler Standard edition contains all features of the Plus edition (except the sep-aration option, which can be purchased separately). It can, however, only be installed and used locally,on the same computer as GMG ColorProof and requires a licensing via the same software dongle. TheStandard edition only supports using one GMG ColorProof instance.

The Standard edition requires the following additional licensed options:

At least one profiling preset (Flexo / Offset / Gravure)

One GMG OpenColor Output License

GMG OpenColor Profiler Plus Edition

The Plus edition is designed to be used as a standalone server. With the server functionality, multipleGMG ColorProof instances can be connected to a GMG OpenColor instance, via LAN or a VPN network.Currently, we recommend up to five GMG ColorProof instances connecting to a GMG OpenColor server.

The Plus edition requires the following additional licensed options:


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At least one profiling preset (Flexo / Offset / Gravure)

One separation option for creating separation profiles

At least one GMG OpenColor Output License

Note As the Plus edition targets a server environment with multiple GMG ColorProof instances, processinglicenses ("GMG OpenColor Output Licenses") need to be obtained separately, one for each proofing sys-tem.

License for creating DotProof profiles

l Additional license for creating and exporting DotProof profiles.

Licenses for accessing third-party color databases and systems

Additional licenses can be obtained to access the following third-party color databases and use the storedspectral data to calculate a matching multicolor profile.

l MatchMyColor Colibri

l PantoneLIVE

l DIC ColorCloud

l Hybrid PACKZ

1.3.1Where Can I View and Update My Licenses?

Note Please pay attention to the expiration date of the temporary license you initially receive andupgrade to a permanent license in time. If the expiration date passed and the software cannot be startedanymore, please contact us under [email protected].

All features available in the software are controlled by the license information on the USB dongle. Pleasemake sure that you have all licenses required for the actions you want to perform with the software.

Licenses are updated directly in the software. For more information on available license packages, pleasecontact your local dealer.

How to view the currently installed licenses

1. Make sure the USB dongle is connected to your computer.

2. Start GMG OpenColor.

3. On the Options menu, click Update License.The serial number and a list with all licenses installed on the connected USB dongle are displayed. Itis recommended to note down and safekeep the serial number and license information. The globallicense is the basic license which allows you to operate the software. All other licenses are thusdependent on the global license.

How to load / update a license

1. Start GMG OpenColor.

2. On the Options menu, click Update License.The License Overview dialog is displayed.

3. Click the Update button and open the *.lic file you received via e-mail.

4. Click OK to confirm your changes.The loaded license is immediately effective and listed in the license list.

mailto:[email protected]

1. First Use

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1.4 Starting the Software

How to start GMG OpenColor

1. Connect the license dongle to a USB port.

2. Double-click the GMG OpenColor program icon on the Windows desktop or click GMG OpenColoron the Windows Start menu.The program verifies the license information on the dongle and then starts the application. GMGOpenColor is initialized, loading the application data. The main application window is opened andthe program is ready to use.

Note For the dynamic profile creation, both GMG OpenColor and GMG ColorProof need to be running atthe same time. Using exported multicolor profiles in GMG ColorProof, on the other hand, does not requirea live-connection to GMG OpenColor.

1.5 Program Preferences

After starting the software for the first time, it is recommended to configure defaults and basic settings(Options > Preferences).

Group Short description See also

General Settings You can change the language of the program here. The user interface will beupdated after program restart.For speeding up calculations and processing multiple profiles simultaneously,you can define the number of CPU cores you want to be used by GMG OpenCo-lor. The Automatic setting uses the maximum number of cores minus one (leav-ing one core for other tasks).

Service Settings For requesting and sending profiles, GMG OpenColor and GMG ColorProofcan communicate via an http web service. You can change the Web ServicePort if required.

To make our products even better, we collect anonymous usage informationfrom the application. We do not collect any personal information or data fromprocessed documents. If you do not wish to share this information with us, youcan easily opt in and out at any time with the Allow Anonymous Usage Dataoption.

"Connecting GMGOpenColor with GMGColorProof" on page 7

Default Profile Settings Default settings for the profile creation. "Default Profile Settings"on page 10

Log Settings Error, warning, and information messages related to the system can be stored ina log. It is recommended to use the default log settings (= storing only Errors).

1.5.1 Default Profile Settings

You can define default settings for the profile creation. Define the settings carefully, especially whenusing the dynamic profile creation, as the settings cannot be changed in GMG ColorProof.

Option Description

Maximal Pro-file Size

By limiting the profile size, the number of patches used for profile calculation will be reduced if necessary to meet thelimit. The file size generally depends on the number of channels and on the number of patches.

Note: GMG ColorProof caches profiles locally so that brief network errors have no impact on job processing or print-ing. Transferring large profiles > 30 MB from GMG OpenColor to GMG ColorProof however, can result in high net-work traffic.


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Option Description

Profile Con-nection Space

Default for the Profile Connection Space that can be set in the project (in the Proofing Condition group). If you areusing delta E 76 for proof verification, it is recommended to use Lab as profile connection space. If you are usingdelta E 2000, it is recommended to use DIN99.

ProofingCondition

Describes the color space of the used proof printer, media type, and print mode, like the calibration set in GMG Col-orProof.

Dim to FitProof Media

This option is useful if the white point of the production media is brighter than the proofing media, resulting in anout-of-gamut white point.

If the option is selected, the brightness (not the color) of the white point of the target color space (describing the printproduction) will be lowered to the brightness of the proofing media. Select this option if the visual appearance is moreimportant for you than a proof verification via measured color patches. The option reduces clipping in the highlightsand results in a general darker color of the proof.

If the option is not selected, the proof profile will be calculated with the original white point of the target color space.Select this option if a proof verification via measured color patches is more important for you than the visual appear-ance. All target values that are in gamut will be reached. The out-of-gamut part in the highlights will be clipped andthus could result in a loss of detail.

M0/M1/M2Validation

Activates the validation, whether the same Measurement Condition is used throughout the project. If this option isselected, the application will automatically suggest the appropriate proofing condition for the used measurement con-dition.

Allow Auto-matic ProfileCreation

With the option Allow Dynamic Profile Creation, you can activate or deactivate the dynamic profile creation via GMGColorProof.

Convert AllX-Rite Meas-urements toXRGA

Makes sure that all measurements from X-Rite measuring devices conform to the new XRGA standard.

2. Getting Started

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2. Getting Started

2.1 What's New in Version 2.2.1?

New Feature Where to Find See also

Spot color libraries:For proofing multicolor prints without overprinting spots, it is now possible toexport spot color libraries (in db3 file format) and import them into GMG Col-orProof. This way, you do not need to calculate an n-channel proof profile, butyou can use a standard 4-channel proof profile or a standardized OpenColor pro-file with a fixed ink configuration, for example CMYKVOG, and combine it withany number of spots from the imported spot color library. This efficiently savestime and makes profile management much easier, as you will not need a specificprofile for each proof job anymore.

Project tabbedpage > Proof > Inks/ Characterizations> Characterizations> Export Spot Col-ors as DB3 button

"Adding Spots ThatAre Not Used in Over-prints" on page 71

It is now possible to delete spot colors from a spot color library. GMG OpenCo-lor's fail-safe and efficient change management takes care of dependencies.

Characterizationtabbed page > Inks> Delete button

It is now possible to remove a gradation again after it was assigned to a spot color. Characterizationtabbed page > Inks> Select Gradationbutton

"Creating a Spot ColorLibrary" on page 53

SCTV Support: ISO 20654:2017 defines a metric for assessing intermediate tones of aspot ink. This method for the calculation of Spot Color Tone Value (SCTV) producesapproximately uniform visual spacing of tones between substrate and solid. This metric isnow supported for the calculation and usage of gradation curves in GMG OpenColor. Sofar, GMG OpenColor used the Murray-Davies equation, a traditional method to cal-culate tone values of CMYK inks from density measurements. This calculation method isstill available as an alternative option.

Gradation tabbedpage > CalculationMethod

"About GradationCurves" on page 57


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Ink sequence: When the ink sequence is changed in the project, all characterization datathat is still valid for the new ink sequence will be used for profile calculation. Using allavailable data will result in an even better color match. This improved behavior isapplied automatically when a new profile is created. Already existing profiles will not bechanged and not be marked as invalid when updating the application.

New behavior:

In this example, the two Pantone inks have swapped places. As you can see in the over-print overview on the right side, the overprint information is clearly reduced (fewercheckmarks indicating overprints), but not completely removed. Only overprint inform-ation of inks directly affected by the change will not be used.

Old behavior:

In previous versions, all overprint information was ignored, even information notaffected by the change.

Project tabbedpage > Proof > Inks/ Characterizations

"Changing the InkSequence" on page 60

2. Getting Started

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Color definitions for separations: The feature set of the Separation Rules has been greatlyextended so that you will now be able to do the following.

The maximum number of output inks has been increased from three to four.

Limit the number of output inks, which can be a requirement for special pack-aging applications. Sometimes it might also be better to use less output inks andthus compromise on the color for the sake of increasing the stability of the print-ing process.

Manually edit the output ink percentages.

Following changes in the project used as input color space, you can now updatethe range of available input colors and the target Lab values by clicking theReload from Input Project button. Input colors that are not available anymore,because they have been removed or deactivated in the project used as input colorspace will be removed from the Separation Rule list. New input colors will beadded to the list. Changes to the target Lab values coming from changes applied tothe Media or as a result of Color Corrections on the Project level will be applied.Your target values will be up-to-date and in line with the target values of the proofprofile created from this project.

Project tabbedpage > Separation> Tools & Actions> Separation Rules

"Creating Color Defin-itions" on page 97

Separation profiles: RGB-to-ECG (Expanded Color Gamut) profiles are now also sup-ported by PACKZ.

"About Separation Pro-files" on page 91

And some more exciting news from our GMG team: In recent years, investing more effort in improving theuser experience of our products, we have learned to establish a culture and mindset that embraces userexperience with lean-agile working methods adapted from the Lean Startup movement and Scaled AgileFramework. Our guiding principle of lean UX is continuous exploration—the quest of truly understandingthe problems we encounter in our industry and persistently moving forward to build evidence for potentialsolutions and improving them until we can give the best possible value.

Learning how our customers use our products really helps us to find patterns to improve the quality and fitof our offerings. To gather quantitative data, we collect anonymous usage information from within some ofour applications such as GMG OpenColor from version 2.2.1 on. We do not collect any personal inform-ation or data from processed documents. If you do not wish to share this information with us, you can eas-ily opt in and out at any time (Preferences dialog box > Service Settings > Allow Anonymous UsageData).

You can find more information on this topic here:

https://www.gmgcolor.com/lux.html

https://www.gmgcolor.com/lux.html


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What's New in Version 2.2?


Evaluation and automatic spectral correction of measurement data: You cannow easily apply an auto-correction for measurement data with a push of a but-ton. GMG OpenColor averages duplicates, removes outliers, and smooths themeasurement data. (This feature is available only for characterizations.)

You will get the highest possible profile quality, both for proof and separationprofiles, even if the data quality is limited, for example, due to printer instabil-ities and noise or due to media characteristics. This feature eliminates the needfor an external tool, saving investment costs and time. It also avoids a smoothingbased on Lab values, thus providing an ideal basis for the GMG OpenColor Pre-diction Engine. Proof profiles will achieve a better print-to-proof match, so youmight need less or even no optimization cycles when creating the profile.

"Automatic Spectral Cor-rection" on page 43

Export of imported measurement data: You will now be able to recover the ori-ginal measurement data you imported into GMG OpenColor or measured dir-ectly in GMG OpenColor for further use in other applications. This is especiallyhelpful if you have no access to the original data you imported into GMGOpenColor. (This feature is available only for characterizations.)

"Automatic Spectral Cor-rection" on page 43

Realistic First Printing Dot simulation on proofing for flexographic printing pro-cesses: If the option Hard Edge is selected, the curve steps directly from zero tothe First Printing Dot as defined in the Printing Process, showing the char-acteristic hard edge of the printing process in the proof.

Project > Proof tabbedpage > Printing Process >Hard Edge check box

"Printing Process" onpage 47

More control to purify colors are available for CMYK-to-CMYK separation pro-files: Keep Pure (No ∆E Limit) purifies all colors even if the resulting deviationfrom the characterization is high. (The Purify Colors option has been renamedto Keep Color Pure, but otherwise remains unchanged.)

Project > Separationtabbed page > Profiles >Parameters

"Separation Settings" onpage 95

Support of PANTONE Extended Gamut Coated Guide spot color library

Fail-safe and efficient change management for proof profiles: For a fail-safe use,it is important that profiles are up-to-date with the current project con-figuration.

When the project configuration is changed by a user, the profile cache dynam-ically generated by requests from GMG ColorProof will be automaticallycleaned up. For profiles created manually by a user, you can decide whetheryou want to keep them or not. If you keep them, they will be marked as out-dated.

The change management regards changes to the Printing Process, Media, Inks,Color Corrections, or Characterization that will actually affect the profile. Forexample, when you apply a color correction to a specific output ink, only pro-files using this output ink will be removed or marked as outdated.

Changes applied to the Noise, Missing Dot, and White Ink settings of the Proof-ing Condition and applied to the Ink Settings will always be ignored. This way,you can still keep multiple proof profile variants, for example, when playingaround with the profile settings.

(This feature is available only for proof profiles, not for separation profiles.)

"Change Management"on page 72

2. Getting Started

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Support of CxF 3.0/X-4: The ISO 17972-4:2018 standard defines a universalcolor exchange format in the form of a CxF 3.0 document. You can now usethis standard file format for importing spot color libraries from other applic-ations into GMG OpenColor. The application now recognizes relational inform-ation in the CxF file so that a spot color, which might be characterized by asolid patch and tints of that color, for example Red 50%, Red 100%, will beimported correctly. GMG OpenColor will also read out printing process andmedia information from the CxF file. If the file contains information on multipleprinting processes or media, GMG OpenColor will notify you and you will beable to select the data you want to import.

Furthermore, this version supports the proofing of documents with embeddedCxF/X-4 spectral data using GMG ColorProof version 5.10.1 or higher. GMGColorProof automatically reads out spot color definitions from the document,which can be used in combination with a GMG OpenColor proof standard. Thespectral data definitions are recalculated by taking the proofing condition intoaccount. Please see the GMG ColorProof help or user manual for details.

Import action on Projectand Characterizationtabbed page

Support of new media types for DotProof on Epson Stylus Pro WT: EpsonClearProof Film, Epson ClearProof Thin Film, Epson MetallicProof Film. MXDprofiles can now include a White channel.

"Supported Proof Print-ers, Proof Media, andPrint Modes" on page 26

What's New in Version 2.1.3?

Note End of life for support of 32-bit operating systems. Version 2.1.3 runs on 64-bit systems only.

New Feature Where to Find

Using the new ChannelExtender functionality of GMG ColorPlugin version 1.3, you can use devicelinkseparation profiles to separate the whole design from RGB to your custom ink setup directly in AdobePhotoshop. GMG OpenColor calculates the required separation profiles and sends them to the plugin.

Expanded Color Gamut (ECG) printing, also referred to as Fixed Color Palette printing, uses a stand-ardized set of more than four process inks to reproduce any color used in the design. The inks that areused in addition to CMYK, for example, Orange, Red, Green, Violet or Blue, expand the printing colorspace.

This method allows for a virtually unlimited number of colors in the design and also for nesting printjobs with different color channels, without changing the ink configuration of the printing machine.

Using ECG, design can be more eye-catching, resulting in highly saturated colors. The print result iscloser to the original design. As the ink setup is standardized, printers are saving on make-ready andink costs.

Project page > Separation >Tools & Actions panel > Pro-files > RGB to ECG

In GMG OpenColor, you can now control the behavior of each spot color towards paper tint changes,i. e. proof a spot color either matching the swatch book or simulate how the paper tint will affect thisspot color.

Generally, a color accurate proof regards the paper tint of the production material. The proof profilewill account for the paper tint differences between the material used for the characterization and usedfor the print production. However, spot colors might be printed in a way so that the final print resultstill matches the swatch book. With the new version, you can now control the behavior specifically foreach ink used in a GMG OpenColor project.

Project page > Tools &Actions > Tools > Color Cor-rections > Target Mode


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Add job specific inks to an existing DotProof profile, without additional printing and measuring of testcharts.

You can create a main DotProof profile containing the common process colors used in the printingprocess such as CMYK. The profile can be optimized in iteration cycles to achieve the highest possiblematch of proof to print. For each proof job, you can then flexibly add further spot colors to theDotProof profile, thus creating new profile variants. Printing and measuring test charts on the proofprinter after adding the inks is not required.

This feature allows you to create job specific DotProof profiles with very little effort, saving valuabletime and proof media. As the profiles are based on spectral data and the GMG OpenColor predictionengine, the color accuracy and visual match of the proof will still be the best available in the market.

Project page > Finalize > Addbutton next to the profilename

Create and restore an environment backup: You can now create a backup for the entire GMG OpenCo-lor instance including database, projects, characterizations, measurements, and calculated profiles.

Options > Backup

Separation Rules: You can now define a Maximum Value. Output channel values above this per-centage value will be set to 100%.

Separation Rules > MaximumValue

Improved performance of change management: When changing separation rules, only profiles that areaffected by those changes will be cleaned up and need to be recalculated.



Profiles can now be created without a test chart: The new version enables the measurement of patchesfrom a print control strip, or even solid patches and tint patches on the running printed sheet and tocreate a profile from the captured spectral data, something no other profiling tool can achieve.

Toolbar > Measure

Easily add a new spot color to an existing library by taking a quick measurement. Characterization > Tools &Actions > Measure Addi-tional Spot Color

The OBA detection helps you create characterization data and proofs for media containing opticalbrightener agents (OBA). OBA Usage is automatically detected when measuring the paper tint with ameasuring device that supports to measure M2 and M1 (or M0) measurement conditions. GMGOpenColor will classify the OBA usage as either faint, low, moderate, or high and recommend a suit-able proof media to ensure the highest possible color accuracy and visual match.

Measurement > Tools &Actions > MediaOBA Evaluation

Several measurement improvements, to save valuable work and time:

Verify a scan by duplicate measurements.

Measure a test chart with all supported measurement conditions in one go.

Print and measure test charts without gaps to minimize the test chart size.

Measure mirrored test charts.

GMG OpenColor comes with standard test charts widely used in the printing industry. Pick a testchart from the test chart list and measure it directly.

Find your measuring device faster in the sorted list. See helpful information on the connecteddevice such as the serial or revision number.

Measurement

New characterizations and spot color libraries: PSO Coated v3 (51), PSO Uncoated v3 (52), GRACoL2006 Coated Commercial Sheet (#1), GRACoL 2013 Coated (CRPC 6), GRACoL 2013 Uncoated (CRPC3), PANTONE PLUS Metallics

New proofing conditions: Epson Stylus Pro WT7900 on GMG ProofPaper semimatte 250, Epson Metal-lic Proof Silver Foil, and Epson ClearProof Thin Film

New measuring devices: X-Rite eXact, X-Rite i1iSis 2, Konica Minolta FD-7, Konica Minolta FD-9

OpenColor 2.1 is a chargeable version and requires a new license. It requires application service 1.2.397.

2. Getting Started

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Separation of CMYK to any four output inks

As the next step in Separation profiling you can create profiles with any four output inks of your targetcolor space. These profiles can be applied via the new ChannelChanger.

Tools & Actions: Profiles

Connection to GMG ColorPlugin (Packaging)

With a direct connection to the GMG ColorPlugin, GMG OpenColor enables predictive, on-the-fly pro-filing from RGB/CMYK to any combination of four colors in Photoshop, including a color-accurate pre-view that shows the overprints correctly.

The profiling is triggered via the ChannelChanger in GMG ColorPlugin and is included in the Packagingvariant of the plugin.

Connection to PACKZ

With the direct connection to OpenColor, PACKZ users can now profit of the dynamic profiling pos-sibilities of GMG OpenColor. They can create GMG OpenColor separation profiles to convert entirefiles or selected objects into the target color space of their choice.

You can choose GMG OpenColorProjects for the conversion in PACKZ. The linked Separation Rulescan be edited in a matrix in a similar way as in GMG OpenColor (please see "Creating Color Defin-itions" on page 97).

Note: Requires an extra license.

Tools & Actions: Profiles

Separation Rules

Separation Rules determine how the color space of your GMG OpenColor proof project is convertedinto a target color space. You can edit a Separation Rule widely to adapt the input-output relation toyour specific case:

Define the ink priorities if there exist several possibilities of building your target color.

Remove target inks so they will be compensated by the remaining ones.

Set target inks to 100%.

Create alternative separation rules for each input ink.

Export the separation rules as a .txt file to analyze the color space in Microsoft Excel, e.g. to detect"out of gamut" colors.

Note: Requires the OpenColor Separation module.

Tools & Actions: SeparationRule

Improved DotProof profile calculations

Initial profile calculation and iterations both deliver better results now.

Improved CXF import for files from X-Rite InkFormulation 6 and Colibri ColorTint

OpenColor has now the ability to import CXF-3 files with spectral data from InkFormulation 6 andColibri ColorTint.

New proofing conditions

You can now combine GMG ProofMedia matte 150 OBA paper with Epson Stylus Pro x900 and SC-P7000/SC-P7000 LLK printers for contone profiles.

You can now also combine ProofMedia semimatte 250 OBA paper with Epson Stylus Pro x900 and SC-P7000/SC-P7000 LLK printers for dot proof profiles.

Project > Proofing Condi-tion


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OpenColor DotProof

New functionality to create and export DotProof profiles for use in GMG DotProof or GMG Flex-oProof.

Note: Requires an extra license.

Project > CalculateDotProof Profile

New proofing condition for SC-P7000 LLK

Now you can also create profiles with the Epson SureColor P7000 LLK printers on our high-qualityGMG ProofPaper semimatte 250, GMG ProofPaper semimatte 250 OBA, GMG ProofPaper gloss 250and GMG ProofPaper semimatte light.




OpenColor Separation

New functionality to create and export RGB/CMYK separation profiles (MX4 and MX4x) for use inGMG ColorServer and our Photoshop plugin GMG ColorPlugin.

Following a good press characterization and a matching proof, the next logical step is to be able tocreate corresponding separation profiles for converting documents e.g. from ISO Coated v2 or RGBto your printing condition, or from one custom printing condition to another.

The great thing about the OpenColor separation functionality is its simplicity - existing project dataor ICC standard profiles can be used so that you have no further effort in creating separation profileson top of proof profiles.

Note: Requires an extra license which is already included in the OpenColor Profiler Plus edition(=former Enterprise edition).

Project > Separation tab

PANTONE Plus - 112 new colors

Pantone has introduced 112 new colors to reflect new possibilities of design. To provide our cus-tomers with the latest developments in our software, we included the corresponding char-acterizations in this version.

Database > Characterizations >Pantone Plus Coated / PantonePlus Uncoated

FOGRA39 characterization data

This version comes with spectral characterization data for FOGRA39.

Database > Characterizations >ISO Coated v2 (39L)

New Proofing Condition Epson SC-P7000

Now you can also create profiles with the Epson SureColor P7000 printers on our high-quality GMGProofPaper matte 140 with Matte Black ink.

Project > Proofing Condition

General enhancements and improvements

l Renaming multiple colors can be a tedious task. With OpenColor 2.0.4 we included a batch-renaming with the additional possibility to add a prefix or suffix to all colors within a selectedlibrary.

l More accessible and enhanced Ink Settings. The settings have been enhanced for adding fur-ther information of your printing condition.

l Whenever you change a project, characterization or spot color database, this change will bevisualized on the user interface to make the saving process more transparent.

Characterization > Tools &Actions: Rename Inks

Tools & Actions: Ink Settings

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Significantly faster profile calculation

We worked on our profile calculation method resulting in a much faster static and dynamic profile gen-eration achieving 2.5 times faster calculation speeds on average.

Windows 10 Pro support

GMG OpenColor 2.0.3 runs smoothly on the latest operating system Windows 10 Pro.

Epson SC-P7000 and 9000 support

The SC-P7000/P9000 (Violet) Commercial Edition printers include an all-new Violet ink for expandedcolor gamut, targeting improved spot color matching accuracy. GMG OpenColor now supports thisnew device with GMG ColorProof 5.7.1.




Parallel profile calculation

With a multi-core processor, multiple profiles can be calculated in parallel, thus speeding up the cal-culation time.

Options > Preferences > CPUCores

Adding spot colors to spot databases

Spot color databases can now be extended with further spot color measurements. (Duplicate meas-urements are not averaged, but get added with an incremented number.)

Tools & Actions > Add SpotColor

Third-party database access

Integration of the color database DIC COLORCLOUD.

Options > Tools > DICCOLORCLOUD

Controlled CxF import

If a CxF file contains multiple spectral patch measurements for different applicable measurement con-ditions, you have the possibility to view and select a specific measurement.

Tools & Actions > Import:Select file format *.cxf

Faster processing

Especially profiles with additional calculation effort (e.g. surface finishing effects, or reverse printing)are calculated in less time.



Third-party database access

Integration of the cloud-based color databases Matchmycolor Colibri and PantoneLIVE. Wholecolor palettes can be easily imported and applied.

Options > Tools > match-mycolor Colibri / PantoneLIVE


GMG OpenColor 2.0 offers a substantial upgrade to its innovative and award-winning proofing technology.Fleshed out with a dynamic test chart generator, a measuring functionality, and color correction tools,GMG OpenColor comes as a complete profiling solution that satisfies all demands. Padding the needs ofproduction safety, it offers more transparency and control in terms of a publishing functionality so that only


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approved data goes into production. More skin has been put in the game in terms of a new user interface,transforming GMG OpenColor into an accessible and mature product that is pleasant and satisfying towork with.

Further unique new features for more flexibility, quality, and performance and more details on the key fea-tures are listed in the following.

New Feature

UI redesign

The user interface has been completely redesigned with a focus on clarity and user guidance. To improve the usability, all func-tionalities have been streamlined and reduced in complexity. The previous concept has been reworked to center on a project-basedview which allows more flexibility in handling measurement data and creating profiles, while at the same time providing more safetyin terms of data control and transparency.

New color correction tools

Easy-to-use correction tools for measurement data and profiles. All changes are displayed in a live-preview.

l Improved measurement averaging and compensation of data outliers.

l Curve modulation: The measured color curves are visualized and can be modified and saved as target curves for other inks. Thesame visualization and correction tools can be used to selectively manipulate spot color gradations.

l Media optimization: New tools for adjusting the paper tint.

Test chart generator

Create your own individual test charts optimized for all supported measuring devices and printing processes. Virtually any number ofpatches can be defined in various overprinting combinations and with full control of the separations (differentiation between processand spot colors as solids and tints, etc.)

The test charts are generated as PDF and can immediately been measured within GMG OpenColor.

Measuring functionality

Measure generated test charts directly in GMG OpenColor. Measuring devices are automatically detected once connected and meas-uring can be performed parallel to other tasks.

Data publishing

All color data is centrally stored and managed. To keep control and transparency in terms of which data may be used in production,GMG OpenColor has been equipped with a publishing functionality. This way, only approved data and profiles can be used in GMGColorProof.

There are two different options to publish data to GMG ColorProof systems:

l Project publishingPublishes all color data within a project for “dynamic profiling” in GMG ColorProof.

l Profile publishingPublishes a specific profile for use in GMG ColorProof.

Local profile caching

Dynamically calculated profiles are also stored in the application cache of GMG ColorProof for re-use and immediate access to bridgeoffline gaps or even allow offline work phases.

2.2 Welcome to GMG OpenColor

Proofing for packaging printing is challenging, as standardization virtually does not exist due to the sheervariety of printing technologies, spot colors, and substrates, which define the market. The increasing com-plexity of packaging jobs, often requiring up to six different (or even more) inks, makes the necessary pressfingerprinting and profiling very costly and time-consuming. Especially the overprinting behavior and colorinterplay between CMYK and spot colors poses a major problem in proofing.

2. Getting Started

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Responding to the need for reliable proofs with more than the traditional four process colors CMYK, wedesigned the n-channel profiling software GMG OpenColor. GMG OpenColor is the first profiling softwareto accurately predict the overprinting behavior and color interplay while requiring only little measurementdata. This has been made possible by combining spectral measurements with a patented prediction enginethat applies mathematical models of printing processes to predict what will happen on the press. The cent-ralized data management and the simple user interface make it easy for beginner and expert alike to cre-ate high-quality profiles—ready for immediate use.

In the course of GMG OpenColor development, we found that adding a separation functionality to theproofing capability is the next logical step for ensuring color consistency and accuracy throughout the pro-duction chain. While an OpenColor proof profile shows you how your actual print will look like, anOpenColor separation profile separates your design (e.g. standardized ISO Coated v2 images) to fit yourprinting condition. This way, your printing process becomes much faster and more reliable, as proof andprint are safe-guarded by the same central color management.

Benefits

All-in-one profiling solution: Test chart generation, measuring, profiling, central storage, and profiledistribution.

Multi-purpose profiling: Contone and halftone proof profiles as well as separation profiles.

Patented prediction engine: Fast and inexpensive profiling via mathematical models instead ofextensive fingerprints.

Predictable spot color overprints: Precise simulation of the overprinting behavior and color inter-action of CMYK and spot colors.

Easy fingerprinting: Profiles can be created with less data than traditional methods. Measurements ofdifferent test charts can be combined, even when printed on slightly different substrates.

Color consistency throughout the production chain: Proof and print with the same color managementcapabilities.

Support of diverse printing processes: Accurate proofs for non-standardized printing processes.

Central data storage: All color data can be accessed by multiple GMG ColorProof instances, includ-ing data from third-party databases.

Proof automation: Channel specific profile creation "on-the-fly" significantly reducing the profilingeffort (only contone profiling). Full automation possibilities based on the hotfolder technology ofGMG ColorProof.

2.3 How Does It Work?

GMG's patented technology used in GMG OpenColor enables the most accurate proof simulation espe-cially for (but not limited to) processes involving overprinting spot colors and multicolor printing as oftenused in packaging.

GMG OpenColor uses a characterization of the printing process, media, and inks to calculate an n-dimen-sional proof profile, where n is the number of inks. That means, for a 6-c printing process, a 6-dimensionalprofile will be calculated.

The characterization is based on spectral measurement data. Color patches (paper tint and full tones, tintsand overprints if available) printed according to the specified printing conditions are measured with a spec-tral photometer. You can either measure data directly in GMG OpenColor or import data from 3rd partyapplications.


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GMG OpenColor is able to use as many or as few data as you can provide. The GMG OpenColor Pre-diction Engine will predict "missing" data and thus you will still be able to get the highest possible profilequality from the available information. The higher the number of patches you are using for the char-acterization and the more specific the patch colors fit to the design, the higher will be the accuracy of theproof. But even from as few information as only a couple of measured colors from the printing sheet,without printing specific test charts, GMG OpenColor enables you to create a proof profile with aston-ishing quality. You can also combine your own measurements with spectral data from preinstalled spotcolor libraries or supported cloud solutions.

Profile calculation is completely automated and generally without the need for manual tweaking. Youonly need to measure a few patches, feed in some additional information on the printing process andmedia type, and the rest is done by GMG OpenColor. However, you will still be able to make manualadjustments if you feel the need to do so.

You can either export the finalized proof profile for use in GMG ColorProof or you can automate even thisstep: GMG ColorProof can automatically request a profile from GMG OpenColor based on the color chan-nels used in the job. GMG OpenColor will then calculate the requested profile and send it to GMG Col-orProof. GMG ColorProof will automatically print the proof using the calculated profile, without anymanual user interaction.

Furthermore, you can use the same information you are already using for the creation of the proof profilealso for creating design separations in GMG ColorServer/InkOptimizer or Adobe Photoshop usingGMG ColorPlugin.

2.4 What Do I Need to Do?

Creating an GMG OpenColor profile is done in three major steps:

2. Getting Started

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1. Characterize the Printing Process and Media: GMG OpenColor uses spectral measurement data rep-resenting a specific printing process and media type to create proof profiles.

2. Apply the characterization to a project: Characterizations are stored in the database and are thebasis from which your proof profiles are created. This basis needs to be put into a "container" whichalso contains the target printing condition and the proofing condition. We call such a container a "pro-ject".

3. Publish the project: Each project with a characterization can be published for dynamic profiling inGMG ColorProof. Alternatively, you can create profiles manually within GMG OpenColor, and pub-lish those for static use in GMG ColorProof.

See also:

l "Dynamic Profiling" on page 67

l "Static Profiling" on page 68


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2.5 Program Overview

Fig. 2 Main GMG OpenColor window. 1 Navigation panel with variable number of tabs. 2 Action bar. 3Content section. 4 Sidebar. 5 Property pane.

At startup, GMG OpenColor shows a horizontal navigation panel (1) with two tabs called Projectsand Database. These tabs are static tabs and cannot be closed or deleted, their position is fixed at alltime. The screenshot shows the Projects tab content. You can view the content of each tab by click-ing on the desired tab.

The toolbar (2) provides quick access to often-needed actions such as creating a new project, char-acterization, or test chart. When you click a toolbar button, the application opens a new tabbed pagein the main window.

The content section (3) displays a project list that gives you a quick overview on the status and pro-gress of each project. Use the respective project actions to edit, duplicate, or delete a project.

The main navigation bar on the left (4) helps you filter your projects per status, modification date,and preference.

The property pane (5) provides more information on the item that is currently selected in the list. Atthe upper right of the pane is a search box, which allows you to search for content (full text search).

Tab page overview

Tabbed page Description See also

Projects Shows all projects in progress, finished projects and bookmarked projects. "Projects" on page 59

Database Shows all test charts, characterizations, and gradations. "Database" on page 100

New Project Set up a project as a folder or container for all data you need to proof aspecific print job.

"Projects" on page 59

New Characterization Each measurement you want to use for profiling, first needs to be cat-egorized in terms of printing process, media type and print order.

"Creating a Characterization"on page 46

New Test Chart Create custom test charts optimized for individual printing processes withup to 7 overprints.

"Creating Your Own TestCharts" on page 32

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Tabbed page Description See also

New Measurement Session Measure test charts and strips directly within GMG OpenColor. "Supported MeasuringDevices and Formats" onpage 27

"Measuring Test Charts" onpage 39

New Gradation Create gradation curves to correct the tonality of an ink. "About Gradation Curves"on page 57

2.6 Area of Application

Supported printing technologies

Gravure, Offset, and Flexo printing technologies are fully supported.

Other printing technologies such as screen printing, Indigo digital printing, ceramic printing, toner-based and ink jet digital printing are supported if you are willing to create a full characterization ofthe exact printing condition. As the prediction models employed by GMG OpenColor have not beendesigned for these technologies, you will not be able to create profiles based on single ink char-acterizations without overprint information.

Supported production stock

All kind of “white” substrates, for example, coated paper, uncoated paper, yellowish paper, card-board, white top linerboard, white foil, and transparent foil with white undercoat or backing.

Not supported: Aluminum, metallic foil and transparent foil without white undercoat or backing.

Possible applications

CMYK + spot colors, especially with overprinting spot colors: The design is based on CMYK, but thebrand color is a spot color. The spot color is also used to overprint with CMYK, but the image ismainly separated in CMYK.

Brand identification: CMYK inks are replaced by brand colors, e.g. Magenta is replaced by Red.

Extended color spaces, for example, PANTONE Hexachrome or Esko Equinox

2.6.1 Supported Proof Printers, Proof Media, and Print Modes

To ensure reproducible high profile quality, only a suitable range of printer and media combinations aresupported for dedicated print modes. These proofing conditions are the standard recommendation of GMGfor the packaging industry.

Supported Proofing Conditions (Contone)

Printer Media Print Mode

Epson SC-P7000(with violet ink setup)

GMG ProofPaper semimatte 250GMG ProofPaper semimatte 250 OBAGMG ProofPaper gloss 250GMG ProofPaper semimatte lightGMG ProofPaper matte 150 OBA

720x1440 dpi 10c Photo Black


GMG ProofPaper matte 140GMG ProofPaper matte 150 OBA

720x1440 dpi 10c Matte Black


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Epson SC-P7000 LLK(with LLK ink setup)

GMG ProofPaper semimatte 250GMG ProofPaper semimatte 250 OBAGMG ProofPaper gloss 250GMG ProofPaper semimatte lightGMG ProofPaper matte 150 OBA


Epson Stylus Pro x900 GMG ProofPaper semimatte 250GMG ProofPaper semimatte 250 OBAGMG ProofPaper gloss 250GMG ProofPaper semimatte lightGMG ProofPaper matte 150 OBA


Epson Stylus Pro x900 GMG ProofPaper matte 140GMG ProofPaper matte 150 OBA

720x1440 dpi 10c Matte Black

Epson Stylus Pro WT GMG ProofPaper semimatte 250Epson ClearProof FilmEpson ClearProof Thin FilmEpson MetallicProof Film

720x1440 dpi 6c+OG Photo Black Reverseprint

HP Designjet Z3200 GMG ProofPaper semimatte 250GMG ProofPaper gloss 250GMG ProofPaper semimatte light

1200 dpi 10c Photo Black

Canon imagePROGRAF x350,x450

GMG ProofPaper semimatte 250GMG ProofPaper semimatte 250 OBAGMG ProofPaper gloss 250GMG ProofPaper semimatte light

2400x1200 dpi 11c

Supported Proofing Conditions (DotProof)

Printer Media Print Mode


GMG ProofPaper semimatte 250GMG ProofPaper gloss 250GMG ProofPaper semimatte light


Epson Stylus Pro x900 GMG ProofPaper semimatte 250GMG ProofPaper gloss 250GMG ProofPaper semimatte light


Epson Stylus Pro WT GMG ProofPaper semimatte 250Epson ClearProof FilmEpson ClearProof Thin FilmEpson MetallicProof Film

720x1440 dpi 6c+OG Photo Black Reverseprint

2.6.2 Supported Measuring Devices and Formats

GMG OpenColor can build and measure test charts with n channels and supports the following measuringdevices.

2. Getting Started

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Measuring in GMG OpenColor

X-Rite i1

X-Rite i1Pro2

X-Rite i1Sis

X-Rite i1iO

X-Rite SpectroScan

X-Rite Spectrolino

X-Rite eXact

X-Rite i1iSis 2

Konica Minolta FD-7

Konica Minolta FD-9

TECHKON SpectroDens

Measuring in third-party software and importing the measurement

To offer a maximum of flexibility, you can import measurement data from any kind of spectrophotometer,provided that the measurement data is spectral data.

Select from the Measuring Device list when importing data from a measuring device that is notincluded in the list.

Supported wavelength

Ideally, the spectral data recorded by the measuring device should cover the whole visible range of thelight from 380 nm to 730 nm. GMG OpenColor also supports the use of data covering only a narrowerbandwidth from 400 nm to 700 nm.

Supported file formats

ANSI IT8.7/4 standard for measuring data (.txt)

ANSI CGATS 17-2009 standard for measuring data (.txt)

See also:

l "Importing Measurement Data" on page 40

2.7 I'm an Experienced GMG ColorProof User—What's the New Proofing Strategy?

Basically, the working procedure in GMG ColorProof is the same, whether you are using standard CMYK orOpenColor proof profiles: You create a manual job or workflow and select a proof standard or profile.

The following table lists all differences between working with standard CMYK and OpenColor profiles.

Feature GMG ColorProof GMG OpenColor

Color management CMYK profile + spot color set

CMYK process colors are mapped to CMYK profilechannels. Spot color channels are mapped to match-ing spot colors defined in spot color sets.

Multichannel profile

All image channels (CMYK, spots) are mapped toOpenColor profile channels.

Number of profile chan-nels

4 Up to 15

Characterization data Lab target values Spectral characterization data


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Feature GMG ColorProof GMG OpenColor

Printing processes Standardized printing processes such as ISO Coatedv2

Non-standardized printing processes

Process specific profiling Printing process related information is not taken intoaccount. The same spot color set can be usedtogether with any proof standard.

Various process specific parameters are taken intoaccount such as process and media characteristicsand surface finishing effects.

Overprint simulation Simple overprint algorithm (Choose / Define SpotColor > Multiply Channels)

Complex and precise overprint prediction based onspectral overprint information and process relevantprediction models

Supported proof printersand media types

Wide range supported Printers with extended color space in combinationwith GMG ProofMedia

Reuse of characterizationdata

1-to-1 ratio: Each profile requires its own set ofmeasurement data.

1-to-many ratio: Measurement data can be flexiblycombined to create multiple profiles.

Printing ink sequence You cannot change the print order of CMYK inks. You can flexibly create a profile for any combinationof printing inks, including changing the print order.

GMG FlexoProof Paper texture simulation supported Paper texture simulation not supported

Profiling You can create and edit CMYK profiles in GMG Pro-fileEditor. Custom spot colors can be created andedited in GMG SpotColor Editor, or optimized withthe Spot Color Optimization wizard in GMG Col-orProof.

You can create and edit multichannel profiles inGMG OpenColor using various editing tools. Con-tone profiles can be created almost automatically,on-the-fly. Halftone (DotProof) proof profiles can becreated manually only.

What are the differences in DotProof profiling?

Feature GMG ColorProof / GMG ProfileEditor GMG OpenColor

RIP parameters DotProof CMYK profiles take the RIP compensationcurve into account.

Multichannel DotProof profiles created in GMGOpenColor take the RIP resolution, screen rulingand angles, and the RIP compensation curve intoaccount.

Ink usage - The profiling is very precise due to a defined inkusage.

Iteration test chart To optimize the profile, a standard test chart is used Test charts for optimizing the profile are generatedindividually for each profile.

Spot color dot gain To simulate the dot gain of spot colors, you need todefine gradation corrections in GMG SpotColorEditor.

The dot gain of spot colors is part of the meas-urement and does not need to be created separatelyvia gradation corrections.

3. How Do I Get a Characterization?

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3. How Do I Get a Characterization?To simulate a specific printing condition in a proof or to optimize the separation of a design for a printingcondition, it is crucial to get as much information on the printing condition as possible, which is referred toas characterizing the printing condition.

To do so, spectral color data is measured from prints. It is important that the prints are an exact match tothe real production run, including media, inks, separations, imagesetter and printing machine settings, andpost processing such as varnishing. Any changes in the resources or the process might affect the coloraccuracy.

You will need to either measure prints with a spectral photometer or to import existing spectral dataprovided by the printer. You will also need to provide information on the media characteristics and print-ing process.

See also:

l "Characterization Levels" on page 30

l "Creating a Characterization" on page 46

3.1 Characterization Levels

GMG OpenColor is able to use as many or as few data as you can provide. The GMG OpenColor Pre-diction Engine will predict "missing" data and thus you will still be able to get the highest possible profilequality from the available information.

The color accuracy of the proof will depend on the level of characterization you are using as explained inthe following table.

Characterization level What does it mean? See also

Full characterization A test chart with patches representing all used inks and spotsincluding tints and relevant overprints is printed by the printingcompany using the same media and printing parameters as the pro-duction run. You can send ready-to-use GMG test charts to theprinter or you can use GMG OpenColor to create a custom testchart specifically fit to the design of the print product. Forexample, if Greens are especially important for the design, youmight want to include more green tints and overprints so that thecharacterization is especially accurate in the green area of thecolor space. A full characterization means higher costs and effort,but also provides the most information to GMG OpenColor andthus results in the most accurate proof profile.

"Test Charts" on page 31

Fingerprint, mini strip The printing company can add a mini strip with only a fewpatches to the printing form. The GMG OpenColor PredictionEngine will predict "missing" data. This method often presents agood compromise between a full characterization and using onlylittle information. It is advisable to include a few tints of all pro-cess colors. If the design uses tints or overprinted spots, it is recom-mended to add all relevant color tones as well.

"Test Charts" on page 31

Without test chart—use onlythe color information availableon the printed sheet

You might encounter having difficulties to get characterizationdata from the printing company and might simply be left with theprint product itself. For such cases, GMG OpenColor offers youthe possibility to measure colors from the printed sheet, i. e. fromthe design itself (provided you know the color separation of themeasured tone) and from standard process control strips includedon the printing form. This method requires almost no effort andno additional resources such as print cylinders. Profile creationrelies to a high degree on the GMG OpenColor Prediction Engine.You can also combine a full characterization of the process colorswith a quick measurement of a spot color.

"Without Test Chart—Meas-uring Custom Patches"


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Characterization level What does it mean? See also

Spot color library For widely used spot colors, you can use the spectral data asprovided by the spot color manufacturer. GMG OpenColor comeswith ready-to-use spot color libraries from PANTONE and offers adirect link to major cloud-based spot color solutions. Please makesure that the printing process and media type are in line with thespecifications of the spot color manufacturer. You can also com-bine a full characterization of the process colors with spot colorsfrom a library. Whenever possible, it is preferable to measurespots from the printed sheet.

3.2 Test Charts

A test chart with patches representing all used inks and spots including tints and relevant overprints is prin-ted by the printing company using the same media and printing parameters as the production run. You cansend ready-to-use GMG test charts to the printer or you can use GMG OpenColor to create a custom testchart specifically fit to the design of the print product. Alternatively, you can also import existing meas-urement data from diverse test charts.

For the perfect match of proof and press, we recommend to create individual (product-specific) test charts.Here are some product-specific examples:

Fig. 3 CMYK chart with overprints for toothpaste tube (220mmx 45mm).

Fig. 4 Spot color chart with overprints for flexo label (150mmx 55mm).

3.2.1 GMG Test Charts

Alternatively to creating your own charts, you can also download GMG test charts (*.tif) and measuringtemplates (*.txt) from the GMG support website (https://support.gmgcolor.com/). The following strips andtest charts provide a good balance between size and precision and are optimized for the mathematicalmodel used by GMG OpenColor:

Single ink strips for 1, 3, 4, 6, 8 inks(small version with the following patches: 0/2/10/25/40/60/80/100, large version with the followingpatches: 0/2/6/10/20/30/40/50/60/70/80/90/100)

ECI2002 / IT8.7.4 / TC4 test charts, FlexoChart V2

TCN test charts with 6 / 7 inks for Flexo and Offset/Gravure

https://support.gmgcolor.com/downloads/software-1/gmg-opencolor-2.html


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3.2.2 Iteration Test Charts

To optimize the quality of halftone proof profiles, GMG OpenColor automatically generates matching iter-ation test charts. These charts are generated individually for each profile and fit one page. The patch con-figuration depends of the defined ink usage, the number of channels and the printing process.

See also:

l "Optimizing the Profile Quality" on page 78

3.2.3 Creating Your Own Test Charts

You can create test charts with virtually any number of channels and patch configurations to fingerprintyour press. The test charts can be saved and exported as PDF.

On the Projects or Database toolbar, click the New Test Chart button.


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The test chart generator helps you to find the best patch configuration by automatically selecting the rel-evant patches for your print process, inks, and test chart size (1). The amount of the patches can be con-trolled by defining the Usage (2) of each ink and the overprinting configuration (3).

To see a preview of the test chart or to edit the page or patch size, click Create Test Chart on the Tools &Actions panel (4).

Test Chart Sizes

The basic size and layout of the test chart is set by choosing one of the following test chart sizes. Furtherfactors that determine the test chart size are page and patch size, and the ink settings.

Size Description

Mini-Strip As few rows as possible.

Note: Two rows are default, but further rows may be added to meet the minimum measuring space of theselected measuring device.

Strip As many rows of patches as inks.

Note: If there are too few rows to meet the minimum measuring space of the selected measuring device,further rows may be added.

Page As many patches as fit on one page.

Multi Page Maximum number of patches.

Page Size and Patch Size

When selecting a measuring device, the ideal patch size is automatically set, but can be changed in thepreview of the test chart (> Create Test Chart), just like the page size. This way, you have full control onthe dimensions of the test chart.

Ink Settings

You can define enhanced ink settings to tailor the test chart layout and the number of patches to yourrequirements.

Group Description

Print Order The print order is optional to set at this stage of profiling, but gives you the advantage of being stored inthe PDF metadata, so that you do not have to think about it at a later stage.

To change the print order, select an ink and move it to the desired place. Click the lock icon when youare finished to confirm the set print order.

Usage Every ink channel can be defined the way it will be used, as either Separation, Contrast, Spot or Solidcolor. If you have a design with a spot color that is part of the image separation, define it as Separation(Cyan, Magenta, Yellow or other), if it is not part of the image separation, define it as Spot Color. If it isonly used as solid color, define it as Solid.

Note: Separation channels are sampled most thoroughly with patches, whereas inks that are used as a con-trast or spot color do not need to be fingerprinted with that many patches. Therefore, the usage of theinks influences the choice of patches and the total number of patches in your test chart.

Screening Type Different screening grids serve to avoid moiré patterns. If you want to fingerprint more than four inks, youcan use the same grid for complementary colors, as complementary colors normally do not overprint.

For example, Red can have the same grid as Cyan, and Green the same as Magenta. If the colors stronglydiffer in lightness, however, they should use different screening grids.

Overprints To define overprint patches, either use the Tools on the Tools & Actions panel, or click on single patchesin the patch preview to change the overprinting mode.


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Defining Overprint Patches

There are three possibilities to define the overprint patches of your test chart:

Use the Tools on the Tools & Actions panel (1)

Define the Usage of the inks (2)

Click on individual patches in the overprint preview (3)

In our example, we used Solid Spot Overprints, only including the solid overprints of Red, Green and Bluein the test chart.

Tip Use the test chart preview to check your overprint configuration (> Create Test Chart).

Defining the Test Chart Layout

In the Finalize step, you see a preview of the test chart layout and can adjust it to your needs.

Fig. 5 Finalize Test Chart window.

You can change the dimensions of the test chart (1). The number of color patches will be adjusted accord-ingly. You can add pages to include more patches if not all possible patches fit onto a single page (2).If you create a test chart to be measured in scan mode, it is recommended to add black and white gaps in-between patch columns to make sure the measuring device will be able to recognize the patch borders cor-rectly. If you create a test chart to be measured in manual mode, you can deactivate the gaps to savespace (3).


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Tip Measuring a test chart without gaps in scan mode is possible in many cases. If you are unsure whetheror not you will need gaps , you can make a measurement test run using a proofing paper before sendingthe test chart to the printing company.

Advanced Info GMG OpenColor uses a smart algorithm to fill the available space with color patches. Itstarts wit the most important (full tone) patches and adds patches in the order of priority. Also, dark andlight patches are alternated. This way, it is often possible to use scan mode even when gaps are deac-tivated.

You can then export the created test chart as PDF and send it to your printer. You can then measure theprinted test chart in GMG OpenColor to characterize the printing condition under it was printed.

See also:

l "Managing Your Test Charts" on page 35

l "Starting a Measurement" on page 36

Managing Your Test Charts

Fig. 6 Custom Test Chart List

In the Test Charts list (1), you can manage all custom test charts. Factory-default test charts cannot beedited and are therefore not shown.You can use the button array (2) to measure, edit, duplicate, export, and delete the selected test chart. Theinfo pane on the right (3) will show you more information on the selected item.You can use the toolbar (4) to create a new test chart.

See also:

l "Starting a Measurement" on page 36

l "Creating Your Own Test Charts" on page 32

3.2.4 Can I Use Old Charts and Measurement Data?

Basically, yes. You can use already existing measurement data just as described in chapter "MeasurementCondition" on page 47. Measurement data of the TC4 require a special procedure as described in the fol-lowing.


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How to import TC4 measurements

The TC4 test chart is not considered an ideal choice for characterizing a 4c printing process in GMGOpenColor and has thus not been integrated as a regular option in the measurement import. If you want touse a TC4 measurement, maybe because you have already printed and measured these charts for other pur-poses, you have the possibility to enable this import option by copying a configuration file to the programfolder. Please contact GMG Support to provide you with the configuration file.

1. Please close GMG OpenColor before adding the configuration file to the database.

2. Extract the received ZIP archive to your local computer. It contains a folder named {d409247f-0c84-42fb-a31c-0e7db5bfd376} including a file named _document.

3. Copy this folder from the archive to the GMG OpenColor subfolder MeasureChartDef.

4. After restarting GMG OpenColor, the TC4 will be available in the Test Chart Type list.

3.3 Measurement Data

When you have decided which level of characterization to use, you can acquire spectral measurementdata from the selected test chart or print product.

You can measure custom patches or test charts created in GMG OpenColor directly in GMG OpenColor oryou can import measurement data from other applications.

3.3.1 Starting a Measurement

Tip If you connect the measuring device before opening the New Measurement page, the correct devicetype will already be preselected.

Tip The measurement data can be exported as CGATS file for use with other applications.

How to start a measurement

Depending on the context in which you want to measure the colors, there are multiple options to start ameasurement.

Project independent, before creating a characterization or a project or if you want to create a spotcolor library: On the Projects or Database toolbar, click Measure.Measurement data will be saved as a new characterization and will not be linked to a project. Youcan link it to a new or existing project later.—OR—

Project independent, linked to an existing characterization: Open the characterization from the Data-base tabbed page and click the Measure Additional Spot Color button on the Tools & Action panel.—OR—

If you want to use it as a characterization for a new or an existing project right away: Open the tar-get project from the Projects tabbed page and click the Measure button on the Tools & Action panel.(You will still be able to use the measurement data in other projects.)—OR—

If you want to add a new spot color to an existing spot color library: Open the target library from theDatabase tabbed page and click the Measure Additional Spot Color button on the Tools & Actionpanel.

Project independent, if you want to measure a specific custom test chart: On the Database tabbedpage, browse for the test chart and click the corresponding Measure button.

A New Measurement page opens.


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Fig. 7 New Measurement page.

Before starting the measurement, you will need to select a measurement source (1) and measuring device(2) on the left. Information on the connected measuring device is displayed below the Measuring Devicelist.

See also:

l "Spot Color Libraries" on page 52

3.3.2 Measuring Colors without Test Chart

You can use GMG OpenColor to measure any color patch—directly from the print product, from a singlecolor patch, from a print control strip, or from any patch layout. You only need a hand-held spectral pho-tometer and information on the color separation of the tone you want to measure, i. e. which inks are prin-ted and the tint percentage value, for example, "PANTONE 301 (80%)".

Tip Double measurements of the same color and tint will be averaged automatically.

How to measure

You will need to switch to Custom.

1. From the Source list, select Custom.The Measurement Mode will be automatically switched to Patch.

2. On the Tools & Action panel, click Start Measurement.The measuring device will be initiated for measuring. If manual interaction is required such as whitecalibration, you will be notified by a message.

3. Follow the instructions to prepare the measurement.When the measuring device is ready, the Measurement status changes to Measuring... and you willbe asked to measure the paper tint.

4. Measure the paper tint: Move the measuring device to an unprinted substrate area and press thedevice button to measure.The measured paper color is shown and categorized as Media.

5. Proceed with the color patches: Press the device button to start the measurement and measure allcolor patches in any order.

GMG OpenColor lists the measured patches in the order of measurement. The list is updated after eachreading. Recognized colors are automatically assigned.


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Fig. 8 Measured colors.

You will now need to assign inks and percentage values to the measurements.

See also:

l "Assigning Inks to the Measurements" on page 38

Assigning Inks to the Measurements

You can either read in all colors and then assign them or make the assignment at any other time, forexample, after each reading.

Tip GMG OpenColor will automatically suggest ink names for recognized solid colors such as Cyan,Magenta, Yellow, Black, Red, Green, Blue and automatically fill in percentage values after your firstmanual entries.

How to assign inks

Assign ink names and percentage values to the measured colors to use them for creating a char-acterization.

1. Enter a name for each solid color (2).

2. For each non-solid color, select Tint from the list (3).

3. Select a "parent" solid color from the list (4).

4. Enter a percentage value for the tint (5).

GMG OpenColor will now have sufficient information to add the inks to the database so that they can beused for creating a characterization.


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Fig. 9 Finished measurement and ink assignment.

Measuring the paper tint (1) is mandatory. You can measure and assign as many solids and tints as youlike. You can delete a measurement by clicking the x button (6). When all measurements have beenassigned, you can use them to create a characterization (7). If you are using a measuring device sup-porting multiple measurement conditions, one measurement will automatically generate measurements forall supported

gmg opencolor user manual base... · 2019. 5. 28. · 4 7.6 profilecalculationtime 73 7.7...

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