Thread: Colour Sequence Process Work

Hi,
Im running a SM52 Two colour press, and am mainly producing lots of process
work, can someone advise me of the best colour sequence for this sort of work ? I normally run mag/cyan then yellow/ black. having issues with colour
IE most blues end up purple even though the control strips are correct.
the firm I work for do not have A Densitometer.
And I rely on running the colours to strenght I Feel its a pre press issue but this is falling on deaf ears. Previous printers have all had the same problems.
Any advice any one

thanks MT

I suggest, you use a densitometer to check your density and inkzone as well as dot gain .

I ran a MOZP for years and ALWAYS ran yellow K first with densitometer readings on both, that way you can run cyan and magenta by eye using the matchprint for comparison.

This allows you to adjust in my view, the 2 main colours which affect the final print with very little compensation.

Thanks guys,
Boss is at last looking into a basic Densitometer,as for dot gain Billy your on to it, some thing is a miss and as the press is very new, the boys from the big heidelberg are looking into it. Hey not a gooner! will give that sequence a shot cheers.

Hey dot... there is also a possibility that ink contributes to the "discrepancy" in the color. Some inks behave a certain way when run wet on wet. the same c/m ink may produce different hues when run m/c. Try talking to your ink provider.

Billy's suggestion is the best option for you. There is no other way to check accuracy than by using a measuring device. Once you have a densitometer, it will be easier to guess where the fault lies. When you get the first two colors right, you can then play "by eye using matchprint for comparison".

I like to run C +Y than Black + M because you don't have to wash and because you can control the image with the magenta. But then it all depends on the image you are printing. If this is for example a mostly blue bookcover you should end with cyan. But be sure to density measure the first run! Black, cyan and then magenta,yellow is also a common sequence. Experience is everything in this game!

I've always run cyan-magenta and black-yellow on a two colour press using my pms book for ink denisty. By having different percentage screens in your colour bars (eg: 40% 80%) as well as solids there is no reason not to achieve a sweet print job. I have a colour bar file i designed if you would like i can email it to you.