GRAPH EXPO 2004 CHICAGO -- October 12, 2004) - Creo Inc. and KBA North America Inc. are demonstrating Creo Spotless(tm) printing live in the KBA booth (#1054) at Graph Expo in Chicago, IL, USA, October 10-13, 2004. Spotless printing is a revolutionary solution from Creo that delivers the visual impact of spot colors using process inks instead of spot inks. The Spotless solution comprises two products: Spotless 4 for CMYK, or Spotless X for 6-color printing. Both are designed to make spot color replacement easy and accurate; helping printers to dramatically reduce the use of special inks in their press room. Ultimately, Spotless printing benefits the printer's bottom line and helps them to provide greater value to their customers. Creo Quote... "Spotless printing leverages the process stability of Creo SQUAREspot thermal imaging with the color stability and image fidelity delivered by Creo Staccato screening," explains Mark Nissen, Spotless product manager, Creo. "Spot colors are automatically converted to process colors, with the particular print conditions (such as press, paper, and ink set) taken into account. Not only does this eliminate the costs involved with running special inks in the pressroom, and allow a broader spectrum of colors to be used on a single job, but printers can also instill a higher level of confidence in their customers by accurately predicting - in prepress - what the colors will look like on press." Spotless technology has the potential to change the way printers view their businesses, and the fact that it can be demonstrated live on a tradeshow floor is indicative of its stability and readiness for implementation. Visitors to the KBA booth can see Creo Spotless X software running on a Creo Prinergy workstation. Spotless printing is running live on the new version of the KBA Rapida 105 B1 (41") sheetfed press. The demo job incorporates 26 spot colors, which are converted to process colors before printing. Spotless 4 software... -- Uses a conventional CMYK ink set to create screen-tint builds that accurately emulate spot colors within the process-color gamut, easily and reliably; -- Converts spot colors (originating in standard libraries or measured from physical samples) to process builds automatically; -- Eases proofing by accurately presenting on-press color at the proofing stage; -- Allows printers to offer customers more color options than before; designers can specify dozens of spot colors in a single file to increase the impact of their printed materials; -- Facilitates accurate client-side proofing with a desktop proofer in a remote location. Spotless X software... -- Increases the range of spot colors that can be represented in the proof and on press; -- Reduces inefficient, costly wash-ups; split fountains; multiple press runs; and custom-ink blending; -- Uses a CMYK-based customizable six-color ink set; -- Provides value to the packaging market where bright colors help move product, and where jobs using different colors can be ganged on a single sheet; -- Increases printers' operational efficiencies and helps them provide a customized service to clients; -- Permits a choice of any ink set - even a client's corporate color - to add new process colors to provide optimum performance. Spotless software can also be used with other six-color systems, such as FMsix and PANTONE Hexachrome, making these products easier to use and enhancing their capabilities. Spotless places these solutions in a composite workflow, allowing automatic color management and trapping. It also makes proofing the results of these products much easier and more accurate. At Graph Expo... See Spotless live demonstrations at the KBA booth (#1054). A selection of printing samples produced using Spotless printing technology is on display at the Creo booth (#4006) at Graph Expo.