Dear all

 

I am new here.

 

We recently got an Ink save software from a leading provider. We processed a number of pages using the ink saving software, RIPped it and obtained the percentage coverage area of each ink in the page and compared it with same pages without processing in the ink save software. The figures are impressive. From the RIP data we found the software saves 20-30% ink in Cyan, Magenta and Yellow and around 30% increase in black ink. The ink saving varies with the settings we feed the software.

 

But the downside is the more ink save we give, the colors moves more towards gray. I used an IT8 7.3 target for testing. I had the CMYK target processed with the application and another without processing. I placed them one above the other in a page so that the patches will be in same ink zone. The page is printed in a coldset web offset press. I measured the L*a*b* values of all the patches of both targets and compared them. Those patches which are modified by the application showed a Delta E variation from 2 to 7.

 

I feel anything above 3 Delta E is above tolerance. Please share your views

 

Regards

Anand