EFI announced the release of version 4.0 of its market-leading EFI Colorproof XF for software colour proofing and Fiery XF for production printing. Patent-pending Dynamic Wedge™, Intelligent Calibration, and enhanced spot-colour simulation provide a measurable advantage for achieving colour accuracy for every job and device, even in remote locations. EFI's new software increases productivity and saves costs by eliminating redundant production steps.
"Printing today requires full control of the entire colour supply chain with maximum productivity," said Frank Hueske, EFI product marketing manager. "EFI's new Colorproof XF 4.0 and Fiery XF 4.0 allows users to manage colour in a new dimension with efficient and fast production tools to achieve standardised, accurate colour effortlessly."
EFI Colorproof XF and Fiery XF V4 automation features ensure accurate set-up and maintenance of a perfectly defined colour workflow from linearisation and profiling to calibration, allowing hands-free overnight calibration.
Dynamic Wedge
EFI's patent-pending Dynamic Wedge™ is a revolutionary technology that checks and initiates optimisation of key colours - including spot colours - based on a dynamically created wedge. Unlike a static wedge (for instance the Ugra/Fogra media wedge), the software always takes into consideration the job's key colours and all spot colours relevant to colour analysis. Dynamic Wedge uses its advanced algorithms to analyse these colours. It also ensures the highest accuracy of output devices onsite and at remote locations. It is an essential tool for controlling key colours either in proofing or wide format production. Its dynamic analysis and tracking of spot colours makes it perfect for the packaging applications. Dynamic Wedge is a critical tool for matching logo and other special colours in CMYK. Another unique advantage of the Dynamic Wedge, which is essential for colour-critical applications, is its ability to automatically verify colour accuracy against standards such as ISO 12647-7.
Printing systems with embedded spectrophotometers will also benefit from the Dynamic Wedge. It fully automates verification and optimisation-for labour-saving colour-quality assurance.
Intelligent calibration
Version 4 of EFI Colorproof XF and Fiery XF also includes a re-linearisation and re-ink-limiting feature, which checks the calibration of output devices and automatically brings it back to its original state when parameters, such as media or ink, change. After analysing the device XF will either launch the re-linearisation or re- ink-limiting/-linearisation for easy and effective printer calibration. This new feature provides a fast and accurate method of ensuring calibration accuracy.
Enhanced spot-colour simulation
Enhanced spot-colour simulation automatically identifies the ideal output values to provide dead-on spot-colour simulations, with challenging low Delta Es.
Automated Proofing with Epson Stylus Pro x900
EFI Colorproof and Fiery XF v 4 prints a label directly on the proof on Epson Stylus Pro x900 printers with embedded spectrophotometer after inline verification. This allows the user to see if the proofs failed or passed immediately. This fully automated feature eliminates the use of a semi-automated measuring device as a first step before printing the label.
Each step of colour measurement from linearisation, profiling, calibration, optimisation and verification, as well as the immediate label printing directly on the output can be executed automatically. This complete workflow automation maximises productivity while ensuring colour accuracy.
"EFI XF v 4.0 solutions, which includes the revolutionary Dynamic Wedge, will dramatically change the current proofing workflow", said Hueske". V4's combination of features provide XF customers with the highest degree of colour control and automation."
Additional improvements include wizard-based licensing, set-up and configuration, Intuitive one-click spot-colour handling, uniform page scaling, easy conversion to grey scale, enhanced tiling and step-and-repeat functions.
EFI's improved proofing and print production tools extend automation with JDF-based communication to EFI's leading MIS and Web2Print Solutions. Support of latest technologies such as Adobe PDF Print Engine v2.0 streamline and enhance workflow communication.
