Ink Coverage

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AdareSEC
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Ink Coverage

Post by AdareSEC »

Hello All!

My manager requires an accurate breakdown of ink usage PER printing plate. I know that PitStop can show a total coverage but this information is not sufficient.

Is there any way that I can produce a report from a supplied PDF that shows the % of ink (CMYK + Pantones) required to reproduce the PDF on press? I have looked at purchasing PressPerCent - Mac based app - but would prefer to stay within PitStop if at all possible?

Man thanks.
Zoranj
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Re: Ink Coverage

Post by Zoranj »

If you want accuracy, you should get it from your workflow that generates plates.
Workflows typically have printing/plating curves that will change amount of ink per separation, sometimes drastically compared to PDF.
You might even run certain amount of GCR/UCR in your workflow which will drastically change ink coverage.

If you get this information ahead of the workflow from Pitstop, I am afraid information will not be that accurate, unless you know for a fact that no other changes happen in the workflow after the Pitstop report.
Just my 2 cents.
abailescollins
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Re: Ink Coverage

Post by abailescollins »

PitStop has an 'ink usage' report that will give you the amount of ink per separation.
But as stated you'll have to allow a +/- tolerance for press and printing method.

If you open up a preflight profile it's in 'General', under 'Preflight Report' and it's the 'inks' option.
It's off by default.

It gives you a per page and total document value.
Head of Product Management @ Ultimate
abc@imposition.com
AdareSEC
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Re: Ink Coverage

Post by AdareSEC »

Many thanks for the replies.

Zoranj: The ink coverage report will be used to give an estimate cost to clients at the proofing stage prior to print.

abailescollins: I will have as look at this now.

:D
AdareSEC
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Re: Ink Coverage

Post by AdareSEC »

Thanks again for the speedy replies!

As mentioned by Zoranj, the report can never be completely accurate at proof stage as there are so many variables; press, substrate, curve etc. and in our particular line of work we show many none print elements at on the PDF - foiling, perforations, labels as spot inks - but our estimator is happy that this will give him an “indication” of ink usage. ;)

Have a good weekend people.
jdold
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Re: Ink Coverage

Post by jdold »

Hi
I'm really could use this for the same reasons but am unable to find this action.
Is there any chance you could throw on some screenshots of where EXACTLY I could get to this action.
Using Acrobat Pro DC now and do not see Preflight report under General in actions.

Please.
Thank you.
RytisT
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Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 3:18 pm

Re: Ink Coverage

Post by RytisT »

jdold wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2020 10:32 pm Hi
I'm really could use this for the same reasons but am unable to find this action.
Is there any chance you could throw on some screenshots of where EXACTLY I could get to this action.
Using Acrobat Pro DC now and do not see Preflight report under General in actions.

Please.
Thank you.
It's not an action, it's a preflight option, look in preflight profiles, not actions.
Malcolm Mackenzie
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Location: London, UK
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Re: Ink Coverage

Post by Malcolm Mackenzie »

I've attached the preflight to get ink stat's.
If you want the most accurate results, as mentioned you need the PDF to be as close to the Ripped file as
possible. I have this running with some customers who Rip the file with a color server in switch then get the
ink stats.
Malcolm
Attachments
Ink coverage.ppp.zip
(1.74 KiB) Downloaded 460 times
jdold
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Re: Ink Coverage

Post by jdold »

Awesome. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.
Thank you both for the quick responses.
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