Ghent - Four Pees, exclusive worldwide distributor of the PrintFactory and ProofMaster software suite, announces the release of version 4.4. The update for the PrintFactory and ProofMaster product range includes additional quality and productivity enhancement features such as the new Printer Media Mode (PMM) format for profiling and calibration and a new white generation tool.

PMM format of calibration
With the new version, the calibration format has changed from DFP (Desktop FingerPrint) to PMM (Printer Media Mode). This change enables the products to facilitate a richer storage format that will support current and future demands. The PMM format is a ZIP file containing at least the file PrinterCalibration.xml, which is a document that describes the content of the PMM and defines the media and mode description, ink-set, driver settings, linearization and its settings and references to all other files. Other files that usually are part of the PMM are ICC profiles, measurement files (like CGATS files), spot color tables, etc.

The PMM offers a new concept compared to DFP, named Variations. A variation is a printer profile generated with specific settings making it possible to have multiple variations of the same Printer-Media-Mode. Every Variation can optionally have its own normalization/standardization profile associated with it.

New White Generation
With this latest version of the Editor and RIP, the white generation method has changed. The new White Generation is faster and more accurate. This is achieved by a new concept called ‘White Layer’. The White Layer dynamically renders every defined object in that layer to the target plate (usually White). Whatever the color of the object is, it will be rendered with overprinting white (or whatever plate is specified in the layer) to the output.
The method of generating white is also defined by the layer and can be changed at any given moment to another method. Multiple layers with different specifications are allowed (the order of the layers influences the rendering and thus also the white).

New Drivers
The release adds support and improvements for more than 40 devices from Agfa, Durst, Epson, Flora, HP, Inca, Mimaki, Mutoh, Océ, Polytype, Roland, Sigmajet, SignTronic, Summa and swissQprint. The complete list of printers, features and bug fixes can be found here.

Compatibility & Availability
PrintFactory and ProofMaster 4.4.0 is fully compatible with Mac OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion), besides Mac OS X 10.6 and 10.7 and the common Windows OS (XP, Vista, 7, Server 2003 and 2008). 
Furthermore the X-Rite i1 Pro v2 measurement device is now supported in Calibrator.

PrintFactory 4.4.0 is a free update for all existing PrintFactory 4.x.x users. For any questions about this new release, don’t hesitate to contact [email protected] or [email protected].