Spot Color Handling

Spot Color Handling

Understanding Spot Color Handling in PrintFactory

PrintFactory offers advanced spot color handling to ensure vibrant, accurate results that adapt to specific ink and media combinations. This article explains how PrintFactory manages spot colors, including its default settings, customization options, and fallback processes.

1. Spot Color Mapping Overview

PrintFactory handles spot colors differently from ICC-based RIPs. Instead of converting spot colors through a Lab process, it maps them directly to the full gamut output. This ensures spot colors are managed independently of the Device-Link conversion, providing greater flexibility.

2. Default Spot Color Handling

By default, PrintFactory adopts a cleaning policy for spot colors that are outside the gamut of the ink/media combination:

  • Spot colors are "cleaned" for maximum vibrancy, avoiding contamination or "dirtying" that can occur with ICC-based systems.
  • This default behavior ensures that spot colors remain vivid and more visually pleasing.
  • Users can disable this setting and apply one of 5 Delta E policies if preferred.

3. Supported Spot Colors in File Submissions

PrintFactory supports up to 59 spot colors in a single file submission. Spot colors are processed in the following order of priority:

  1. PMM (Printer Media Mode or Profile)

    • Spot colors defined in the PMM take precedence, as these are assumed to have been visually tuned for specific output.
    • Pantone and other spot colors can be adjusted within the PMM by modifying CMYK output values.

  2. Libraries Folder

    • If a spot color is not found in the PMM, PrintFactory searches the Libraries folder for .cxf tables:
      • Mac: User/Shared/PrintFactory
      • Windows: Users/Public/PrintFactory

  3. Pantone Spot Colors

    • If the spot is a Pantone color, PrintFactory uses Lab values from M0, M1, or M2 tables based on the PMM’s spectrophotometer filter settings.

  4. Custom Spot Colors

    • For custom spot colors not found in the PMM or Libraries folder, PrintFactory uses the Lab value associated with the spot.
    • If no Lab value exists, vector input values from the reference or Print Standard are used.

4. Adjusting Spot Color Preferences

PrintFactory allows customization of spot color rendering parameters to meet specific requirements. Users can modify these settings for greater control over spot color output. For more information, refer to the official guide:
Spot Color Preferences

By following this hierarchy and leveraging customization options, PrintFactory ensures accurate and efficient spot color management across a wide range of printing applications.

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