The Brunner PCP Regulating Strategy and Its Consequence for the Printer on the Offset Press

With Picture Contrast Profile (PCP), Brunner has introduced the first classification system for picture originals. In the future, discussion between printer and customer about color divergence should be more objective and more subject related. In addition, Brunner shows a way of optimizing print quality through grey-stabilization. The logical consequence will be the application of these new developments for new ink-regulation and control systems to printing presses. In the past, ink regulation has been based on individual colors measured on solid density or screen density patches. According to the Brunner regulation strategy, the new priority will be on color balance. Additional information and decision factors will be supplied by the average picture graduation, as well as the solid ink densities. The one-dimensional basis for regulation has become multi-dimensional. For the press manufacturing industry, this revolutionary regulation strategy opens up new ways to make ink control and ink regulation considerable more reliable and accurate. This is especially valid for critical picture originals. The next step will be to combine the stand-alone-measuring system, also developed by Brunner, with our ink control system RCI. As a further step, the integration of the PCP regulation strategy into the complete regulation cycle of the CCI appears to be feasible.