Software solutions for colour matching
Mimaki is adding value to the print production process with innovative software solutions. Three new software solutions highlight this approach; the Artista Textile Color Collection; Mimaki Profile Master 3 (MPM3) for advanced printer profiling; and RasterLink6 Version 5.0. All are designed to help printers deliver accurate, repeatable colour across multiple devices and locations, says the company.
In the textile industry, the shift from analogue to digital production is underway. Yet colour matching remains a significant issue due to the lack of a standardised colour chart that enables colour consistency from design through production. Mimaki is filling that gap with the Artista Textile Color Collection, making it faster and easier to achieve the desired colour without wasteful trial and error. Mimaki intends to expand the collection over time, but it initially includes 520 colours for sublimation printing.
Media affects colour appearance, making it difficult to match colour across different media types and using different printers. Mimaki is simplifying this process with the new Mimaki Profile Master 3 (MPM3) colour management software. It enables users to reproduce equivalent colours when printing on different types of media with the same printer, or when printing with different printer models and inks.
"It’s easy to use, requiring no special colour knowledge and speeds the integration of new printers into the mix, ensuring excellent colour matching across the entire platform. This makes it easier to split up larger jobs across multiple printers or produce projects that include pieces printed on a variety of printers, reducing cycle time and increasing quality and consistency," says a spokesperson.
Mimaki’s RIP software, RasterLink6, now includes the PANTONE Color Collection, widely used around the globe for colour matching. This is in addition to the Adobe® Illustrator-compatible DIC colour collection, and Mimaki’s original colour collections including metallic. PANTONE colours in print files are automatically detected and converted to equivalents for faster colour matching on RasterLink6-driven printers.
RasterLink6 Version 5.0 also delivers the ability to set a measured colour as a replacement colour, saving steps in the process. Frequently used colours can be stored in a customised colour collection for fast retrieval.