How to Quickly Formulate Accurate Ink Color for Packaging

As customers specify unique substrates and ink effects, ink manufacturers are struggling with additional challenges when managing the ink room. A computer-aided formulation solution can consider substrate and viewing conditions to quickly calculate accurate color recipes with a focus on cost savings and environmental sustainability.

Challenges

Formulating accurate recipes and managing inventory brings many challenges:

• Manual mixing requires colorist experience and can take several iterative attempts to get an acceptable color match
• Physical samples can fade or get contaminated and visual evaluation is prone to human error
• Agreeing on a reference can require a lot of back and forth
• Unique substrates and inks pose additional formulation challenges
• Incorrect formulations lead to disposal expenses or must be stored for reworking into future recipes
• Managing ink leftovers is tedious and expensivee

Solution

To quickly formulate accurate ink color, minimize waste, and reduce inventory, ink formulators need a computer-aided solution that includes digital color standards, a spectrophotometer, and formulation and quality control software. While physical standards can be helpful for visual color matching, digital standards provide precise spectral data to create the most accurate recipes in formulation software.

With Wi-Fi connectivity and non-contact operation, eXact 2 Plus takes patch and substrate measurements without contamination and sends color data to InkFormulation Software. InkFormulation Software can use these measurements or digital standards from PantoneLIVE to formulate recipes that consider the substrate to achieve better spectral color match performance and reduced proofing. Once the drawdown is ready, the eXact 2 Plus takes another measurement and sends measurement data back into ColorCert quality control software to verify the proof is in tolerance before mixing the full batch. InkFormulation Software can also store recipes for fast remix and work off leftover ink in future recipes for a more sustainable process.

Results

• Reduces number of iterations to match a color
• Decreases color matching time to a fraction of the current time
• Reduces dollars spent on colorants (dyes/pigments/ concentrates, etc.)
• Minimizes press downtime due to ink color adjustments
• Improves sustainability processes by reducing incorrect mixes, minimizing reprints, and decreasing waste ink disposal cost
• Color matching to spectral reflectance reduces the metameric color difference under multiple lighting conditionse

Use the ROI tool to calculate your return on investment.

How it Works

1. Use an ink assortment from the ink manufacturer or use the eXact 2 Plus to measure a series of proofs of each ink.
2. Establish the standard by measuring a physical sample with the eXact 2 Plus, importing a .cxf file, or accessing a digital standard from PantoneLIVE.
3. Select the inks and substrates to use and whether to include any leftover inks.
4. Use this information to calculate the several color match formulations. These results can be sorted by lowest cost or other performance factors such as Delta E, number of components, spectral deviation, etc.
5. Select a recipe, based on your criteria. It will appear in the InkFormulation Software user interface and can be scaled to meet batch size requirements.
6. This recipe can then be produced and proofed in a lab for testing prior to batch mixing for production.
7. During a print run, use the eXact 2 Plus and ColorCert Desktop Tools to analyze ink color quality. Measured results can be sent back to the ink room for recipe correction, if necessary
8. InkFormulation Software recipes can be easily recalled for future jobs and used in MIS/ ERP systems for estimating, quoting, tracking ink usage, and other purposes.

Featured Products

These products connect for a digital, end-to-end color measurement and management solution.

Autura Ink Software
Accelerate your ink development with Autura Ink, a comprehensive ink formulation and quality control solution for ink suppliers, printers, and converters. As a cloud-based platform, Autura Ink can be accessed from anywhere and provides a single platform for all formulation, storage, approval, retrieval, and quality control needs for offset, flexo, gravure, and screen-printing inks.

eXact 2 Plus
Unrivaled in speed, accuracy, and user experience, eXact 2 Plus can measure the color of ink and paper before, during, and after print production and analyze paper and film substrates with capabilities like Brightener Index Function for fast, accurate formulation. It can also evaluate metamerism, opacity, and absolute and relative color strength for maximum performance and efficiency. Connects with PantoneLIVE, ColorCert, and InkFormulation software for a powerful end-to-end color formulation solution.

PantoneLIVE
A cloud-based architecture to digitally specify and communicate color standards between brands, ink rooms, and printers to ensure accurate and repeatable color on a wide range of substrates, printing technologies, or ink types. Connects with InkFormulation Software and eXact to share digital color standards.

ColorCert Desktop Tools
A modular quality assurance solution that enables print and packaging professionals to create and communicate color specifications and evaluate the color quality of inks. ColorCert directly connects with eXact 2 Plus to send press measurements back to the ink room for evaluation and reformulation.

X-Rite Link
An innovative web-based platform that provides the data you need to achieve optimal performance, whether you own one X-Rite device or an entire fleet. It provides real-time insight into your color measurement devices to reduce manual management, ensure optimal performance, and streamline the service process. Stay connected to your devices so you can have confidence in every measurement.

Achieve Color Success

A digital color solution from X-Rite enables ink manufacturers to produce consistent brand color across different substrates and prove color compliance.