Chicago, September 9, 2007 (Graph Expo) - Today's announcement that IDEALink Curve and Alwan CMYK Optimizer will be available in a single package means that G7(TM) proof and press calibration will be within reach of the majority of, if not all, prepress and print providers.

"IDEALink Curve(TM) and Alwan CMYK Optimizer together remove the technical, cost, and resource barriers that have prevented so many prepress and print companies from competing on a fair playing field in terms of production quality," says Dianne Kennedy, Vice President Media Technologies for IDEAlliance, the 200-member strong industry association and a center of influence for the industry. "By combining products designed specifically to make G7 proof and press calibration as easy and affordable as possible; prepress and press professionals will be able to achieve printing and proofing consistency easily and at very low cost."

How it Works:
IDEALink Curve software calibrates and verifies all systems without the tedium and uncertainty of manual curve drawing. It generates dot %-based correction values for most popular RIPs, compares press or proofing systems to GRACoL 7 and SWOP, and allows operators to qualify individual proofs as often as they like.
Alwan CMYK Optimizer's press calibration option, newly available in its 3.0 version of the application, allows prepress operators to import IDEALink Curves and use NPDC (Neutral Print Density Curve) and ICC-based calibration methods to calibrate presses according to ISO 12647-and GRACOL or SWOP specifications. This insures that output files are optimized to standardized print conditions, resulting in improved quality, easier press to proof match and shorter make ready times.
In other words, IDEALink Curve and Alwan CMYK Optimizer together do the complex color calibration and conversion work needed for standardized print quality and faster production.

How to Get It:
The IDEALink Curve - Alwan CMYK Optimizer solutions, both of which support GRACoL G7, will be available via Alwan's color experts partners - see www.alwancolor.com - and at CHROMiX - see www.chromix.com. Alwan Color Expertise will be exhibiting at GraphExpo in booth 4868, CHROMiX will be exhibiting in booth 5147, and both will be demonstrating IDEALink Curve in combination with CMYK Optimizer.

World-Renowned Color Experts Bring Unparalleled Credibility
IDEALink Curve was co-developed by Don Hutcheson of HutchColor LLC and Steve Upton of CHROMiX. Hutcheson is an internationally-respected graphic arts production expert and current Chair of GRACoL (General Requirements for Applications in Commercial Offset Lithography Committee). Upton is the founder of CHROMiX as well as the developer of the award-winning ColorThink utilities and Maxwell color system.

The architect of Alwan CMYK Optimizer is Elie Khoury. Khoury's name became synonymous with color expertise in the 90s, during which time he provided ICC and ColorSync(TM) color consulting to many OEMs, including Apple. Khoury is a member of ICC, ECI and ISO TC 130, and is very active in International Standardization workgroups.

ABOUT G7(TM)
G7, the new IDEAlliance proof-to-print process, is based on principles of digital imaging, spectrophotometry, and computer-to-plate (CTP) technologies. G7 is currently being applied to many types of printing including commercial and publication printing, newsprint and even flexo. This new methodology utilizes the existing ISO 12647 Standards as the basis for good printing. G7 requires printing with inks defined by ISO 2846-1 so that the dry solids measure as close as possible to the ISO CIELab values for seven colors the four primary colors and three 2-color overprints specified in ISO 12647.

About Alwan Color Expertise
Alwan Color Expertise was founded in Lyon, France, in 1997 by president Elie Khoury. His vision has resulted in the company becoming a world leader in standardization and color management implementation. Today, Alwan provides software, consultancy and training to key players throughout the graphic arts industry, from printers to publishers and from software developers to hardware manufacturers. Visit www.alwancolor.com for info.

About CHROMIX
CHROMiX was founded in 1998 to provide technical services and products to businesses in content-production industries. CHROMiX dedicates its efforts to color management and image fidelity, and combines an excellent suite of tools with years of industry experience. With customers, dealers and partners in over 95 countries, CHROMiX is uniquely qualified to serve its customers. More information is available at www.chromix.com, or contact Carolyn Boone at boone(at)chromix.com.

About IDEAlliance
IDEAlliance (International Digital Enterprise Alliance) is a not-for-profit membership organization. Its mission is to advance user-driven, cross-industry solutions for all publishing and content-related processes by developing standards, fostering business alliances, and identifying best practices. Learn more about IDEAlliance at www.idealliance.org.

About HutchColor LLC
With over 38 years of international experience in photography, design, pre-press and printing, and over ten years developing and teaching ICC-based software and techniques, HutchColor, LLC offers a unique level of color management consulting and training to a world-wide client base. The company also supports industry groups like PIA/GATF, GRACoL (IDEAlliance), and PAB.

Americas Helene Smith HSPR Tel +1 321 388 6511 Email: smith (at) helenesmith.com

Europe and ROW
Lutt Willems
Duomedia Public Relations
Tel +32 2 454 85 57
Email: lutt.w (at) duomedia.com

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