Process

Prepress is the phase that comes just before making the plates or cylinders and right after the design phase.

The purpose of this step is to convert the digital design – created by the design agency – to the specific printing technique (ex.: offset, rotogravure, flexo, …). In this phase, the technical possibilities and/or limitations of the used printing technique, will be taken into account.

Some examples of tasks performed here are converting colors to the correct color profile, applying trapping, optimizing the barcode for readability, making a Step and Repeat, …

‘Step & Repeat’ means that we place the individual packaging under and next to one another
until the printing plate is optimally filled. That allows us to use all the available space.

Epson proofs have almost become the standard in our sector. The name comes from the
Epson printer, a digital printer that prints colours onto calibrated white paper, thereby
faithfully reproducing the final print in flexo or intaglio. To make this simulation, the printer
uses a mixture of many different colours. Of course it is good to know that at the end of the
day, it is still a simulation. Keen on an even more realistic colour proof? Then we can also
create colour proofs on foil using the latest technologies. These proofs are a little more
expensive and they have longer delivery terms. It goes without saying that we will inform
you well ahead of time if we feel it would be useful for you to opt for these proofs.

The Rask Portal allows you to easily communicate with us and always have a clear overview
of the status of your project. You can set up an order yourself simply by completing a few
details and sending us an initial file. We will set to work and send you a reworked version. If
any corrections are required, we can exchange and save them online, in the Rask Portal.
Once you have approved them, we create the printing plates. You always have access to an
overview of your orders in the online archive. It goes without saying that your documents
are strictly protected and not accessible to third parties.

Flexo printing using flexo printing plates that are mounted onto a cylinder results in a gap
between the beginning and the end of the printing plate. This image shows how this gap
appears on a printed roll of foil: (add link).

The gap can occur per image or per outline. If we print foil with a printing length of 130 mm
on a 390-mm cylinder, there can be a gap every 130 mm or every 390 mm. The first page of
the attachment shows what this looks like in practice.

We can also close this gap in print, as illustrated on the second page.

Step 1: the background colour that should be open.
Step 2: the extra colour that is used to close the gap in the background colour.
Step 3: the two colours joined in print. The green colour closes the gap in the blue colour.

In this example we have used two contrasting colours to illustrate this method. You can also
use a separate base or background colour (blue in the example) as a PMS colour and build
up the colour you are using to close the gap (green in the example) with CMYK. Please note
that a PMS colour and a CMYK structure always look a little different and you will see this
difference in print.

A mock-up is a scale or full-size model of a design or product that is made during the design
or production phase. You can use mock-ups for demos, training sessions, evaluations or
promotions. A mock-up also comes in handy at trade fairs and during sales meetings, to
present a product.

Packaging is usually made up of different colours applied separately. Trapping ensures that
no white borders appear between the different colours. We achieve this by making some
colours slightly wider in the digital file (a few tenths of a millimetre), so that there is a small
overlap between the colours. That guarantees that the colours fit together nicely and no
white gaps appear in print.

A registration difference is a small deviation in the various colours to be printed. The printer can minimise this by setting up the machine correctly. However, minor differences are sometimes unavoidable due to stretching of the substrate, tolerance on the printing plates or other reasons.

A colour profile is a digital file listing the colour properties of a specific printing technique (or
even a specific machine or ink) in combination with a specific substrate. These profiles are
created by the printer. First, a special testing form is printed, which is then spectrally
measured. Then, these measurements are converted into a colour profile using specific
software.

Colour profiles are subsequently used to produce a reliable colour proof that takes into
account the properties of the printing technique/substrate combination. In the prepress
phase, they are used to convert images from one profile to another. This limits the colour
differences in the end results of various packaging produced using different printing
techniques.

Outside printing means we actually print on the outside of the film. First we print in white (in
the case of transparent film) and then we print the colours on top. This is an excellent
printing technique for outer packaging or packaging where the barrier properties of the film
are less important. With this method, the ink is always on the outside of the packaging, so
there is no contact with the packaged goods. A typical side effect is that the packaging looks
a little less shiny, as ink always looks ‘more matte’ than the film itself.

In the case of internal printing or sandwich printing, we print on the inside of the foil. This
means we first print the colours and we finish off by printing white. Then we laminate it with
a second layer of foil with glue. We use this printing method for individual packaging,
packaging where high barriers have to be used or packaging made of sturdy material. This
type of packaging is thick and shiny because the ink is enclosed between two layers of foil.

Pantone colours on proofs are only displayed correctly if the following conditions are met:

• the colour falls within the colour range of the proof printer
• the colour is optimised for use with the proof printer and the proof profile

There are two specific cases where an extra check must be carried out on the printing press,
as well as a simulation: if you want to use a percentage of the colour and if you want to print
over the colour or mix it with other colours.

Finally, there is also the phenomenon whereby not every pantone colour can be printed as
depicted and prescribed by Pantone. In this case, the colour may be correct on the proof,
but not feasible in print, resulting in a visual mismatch.