ColorGate is to release a new version of its Productionserver colour-control software that supports digital printing of textures such as wood and embroidery effects onto garments.
Productionserver 22, which is due to be presented at Fespa Global Print Expo in Berlin in May, contains new “2.5D technology” which, on suitable printers, can be used to print a range of “realistic” textures that also include art reproductions and Braille.
Information on a design’s colour, height and, optionally, gloss are transferred to Productionserver. This is prepared for the printer layer by layer so that a tangible structure is created by repeated application of colourless or white ink.
ColorGate added that it was currently in talks with printer manufacturers to make this technology usable for specific devices.
The latest Productionserver release also includes support for direct-to-film (DTF) printing for use on DTG printers from Ricoh, Brother and Epson. In the DTF process, designs are printed onto film which are added to garments through heat transfer. ColorGate also offers a wide selection of DTF consumables in its web shop.
The new version also enables automated production in the application areas of textiles, surface decoration, ceramics, packaging and large-format printing. This is through an extensive REST API interface – an app that conforms to the constraints of the web’s REST (representational state transfer) architectural style.
The REST API is an interface for automated and web-based workflows such as e-commerce applications or networked production with a management information system (MIS).
Print jobs and settings can be automatically transferred to Productionserver via this interface. It is also possible to query existing printing systems and their status.
ColorGate aims to make all relevant Productionserver functions accessible via the REST API. It has also added the Color Correction Loop Module in version 22 so that decorators can produce high-quality prints in the tightest tolerances in a fully automated way.
Productionserver is a colour management, RIP and data generation solution for industrial digital printing. Based on 25 years of experience, it now supports more than 1,800 printing systems and has been installed more than 19,000 times.
Other new features include an enhanced preview of individual colour channels, “save” options for user-defined targets, and linearisation and profiling improvements. It also features support for many new digital printing systems which will be posted on www.colorgate.com.
The latest version is equipped with Adobe PDF Print Engine 5.7 to ensure compatibility with the latest design applications from Adobe, especially for transparencies, overprint effects, spot colours and trapping.
ColorGate is also now offering a subscription model for all Productionserver versions in addition to the one-time purchase model. Through the subscription, users receive a complete solution including technical support and maintenance at constant monthly amounts.
Productionserver 22 supports many current printing systems including the Kornit Atlas Max and Aeoon Maikuro direct-to-garment (DTG) printers, HP Latex 700 and 800 series, the Oki Pro 9000 series, the Oki Pro 1040/1050 for on-demand label production, and the SwissQprint Karibu.
ColorGate’s products Proofgate and Filmgate have also been updated to version 22.
The latest version of the Productionserver product family will be showcased by ColorGate at Fespa Global Print Expo in Berlin from 31 May to 3 June 2022.
Visitors will be able to take a look at Productionserver, ColorGate’s Rapid Spectro Cube measurement tool, and ColorGate’s Custom Create web-to-production solution. Customers will also be able to discuss support cases and make licence changes.
Thomas Kirschner, founder and CEO of ColorGate, said he was looking forward to Fespa Global Print Expo. “Personal exchange is and remains indispensable, and that’s why trade shows and face-to-face events are essential drivers of innovation and growth in our industry.”
