User's Manual

Introduction
4
Introduction
HP Indigo Labels and Packaging Color Kit powered by Esko includes:
• software to measure color charts.
• software to generate profiles (both native and ICC).
• a ‘Color management Module’.
• a database with charts, profiles and inks.
About this manual
This manual explains all the tools in Color Kit. It explains all features in detail You may want to pro-
ceed straightaway to how-to section in section 9, which guides you through a step-by-step calibration.
Therefore some illustrations might appear in both the reference section as in the step-by-step section.
What is Color Kit?
HP Indigo Labels and Packaging Color Kit powered by Esko is a complete color system. It offers
profiling tools to profile presses and proofing devices and offers all required features to create, modify
and execute profiles.
In addition, Color Kit uses a central color database which digitizes all color knowledge. This database
can be used for output to any devices using FlexRip. For the HP Indigo press the color database
provides full color conversion automation and eliminates the need for operator intervention to prepare
conventionally printed jobs for digital reruns. It is the ideal platform to optimize press uptime and
number of jobs run on the HP Indigo digital press.
Color Kit goes well beyond ICC capabilities when special colors (Pantone and brand colors) are
concerned. Color Kit profiles are 100% spectral profiles providing, in addition to LAB values, much
more information about color behavior and characteristics than ICC profiles and ICC based color
management systems.
To profile devices (proofing devices, conventional and digital presses) Esko's Color Kit uses special
measuring charts for up to 7 color processes. This can be used to create a profile of the HP Indigo
digital press using Indichrome or Indichrome + green. This profile is stored in the Color Kit database.
Measure color charts
Color Kit comes with its own layouts to measure CMYK and multi-color profiles but you can also
measure IT8 or ECI2002 charts. Interfaces with the most common spectrophotometers are available.
Generate profiles
From measured charts, both native Color Kit profiles and ICC profiles can be generated.
Note: The Color Kit module is not an actual CMM that can be used
on a MAC.
A database
Color Kit keeps track of all the proofer, press or ink profiles in a database. Thanks to this database, it
is possible to tell when the profile was made, which chart (and how many patches) was used to make