Should the press "match" the proof? Or should the proof "match" the press? There is a great deal of confusion among print suppliers, buyers, consultants, and even some vendors on this important question.

The two main strategies

There are two main print production strategies the printer can adopt: targeting an industry defined specification for presswork and/or targeting a shop-specific specification. Either strategy will impact everyone in the print production process so it is critical that the decision is based on a complete understanding of the consequences. Once the business decision is made, presswork and proofing can be brought into alignment so that color expectations can be effectively set and communicated.

Strategy One: Targeting an Industry Defined Specification - the press aligns to the proof

Ideally, printers who do not control 100% of the digital files entering their pressroom would target an industry-defined specification as a way of bringing some degree of order to the various inputs that they may receive. In this case the proof is the target and the presswork is brought into alignment with it. This strategy is most appropriate in a distributed printing environment where prepress and scans from a variety of sources must conform to a common print characteristic. Examples are magazine and newspaper advertising or brochures that will be printed at a variety of locations.

This strategy enables prepress tradeshops and production graphic designers to prepare image scans and digital artwork appropriately even when they do not know which printer will be doing the final presswork.

Aligning the press to the proof is embodied in the traditional, analog film-based, laminate proofing systems with the most popular implementation for offset printing being SWOP. In this production workflow print purchasers produce one set of digital files and proofs, and send the set to the various print locations. The proofs, using current digital halftone as well as inkjet proofers, are made in a standardized manner according to the registered SWOP application data sheets (ADS) to ensure conformance to the SWOP specification. It is then the printer's responsibility to align their presswork, by whatever means are appropriate, to the supplied SWOP proof.

Strategy Two: Proofing to a Shop-Specific Presswork Target - the proof aligns to the press

With this strategy, the presswork color is the target and the proof is aligned to it. This strategy would most commonly be used in a non-distributed printing environment where prepress and scans are completely controlled by the printer or where the printer has a close relationship with the print specifier. Examples include brochures, collateral materials, annual reports, corporate brochures, art reproduction, and so on. This strategy is often used by printers wishing to differentiate their presswork from their competition. In this case print purchasers don't care about aligned color across presswork at multiple locations but instead are concerned that their particular project looks as good as possible in print. The presswork is unique — either to the individual print shop or even to a specific press in the shop. The printer may print with higher ink densities, higher contrast, finer halftone screens, or perhaps, custom ink sets, depending on their customer's specific needs. This strategy may also mean that prepress and separations are customized in order to take the unique press condition into account.

A Third Strategy Option: Multiple Targets

Just as one size does not fit all - one print characteristic may not suit all. In today's highly competitive print environment, it can make competitive sense for a print shop to leverage the flexibility of digital proofing and plating systems to offer multiple print characteristics to their print buying customers.

Effectively they would select/offer the color flow that is most appropriate for the needs of their customers - presswork aligned to an industry-defined specification proof for certain projects. Proofing aligned to a unique shop-specific print characteristic for others. This involves greater complexity in workflow, however, once set up can provide the printer with tremendous flexibility in differentiating themselves and better meeting their customer's expectations and needs in print.

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