What is ink optimization?

[RP]  Ink optimization is the process of optimizing the color settings in a print job to achieve the maximum quality possible while using the minimum amount of ink.

What are the benefits of Ink Optimization?

[RP]  The obvious benefit is of course the saving on color inks. Some of the other benefits that can result from putting less ink on paper can be increased press stability, improved registration, shorter make-ready time, reduced fan-out, set-off and drying times, and improved print quality.

What is TAC?

[RP]  TAC is the acronym for Total Area Coverage.  It is the maximum amount of total ink that can be used at any point in an image.  For example, a 220 TAC means that the sum of the percentages of C, M, Y and K components will not exceed 220%.

Can this be controlled in the way ads are built or photos are saved in Photoshop?

[RP]  Yes, you can easily set up your color controls in Photoshop to control TAC.

What should newspapers look for when testing ink optimization? 

[RP]  First and foremost would be quality of output--saving money on ink doesn’t help you if you are getting charge backs to your advertisers because the color or quality of their ad was bad.   All the ink optimization products on the market will save ink so you need to look at the total cost of ownership.  Will the system require constant maintenance?  Will you need to purchase a high powered, dedicated server?  Does the system slow down your production?  All of these equate to dollars that offset the dollars you are saving on ink.  Ideally, newspapers should test in a production environment for some period of time to determine which, if any, product is right for them.

There are a lot of ink optimization software packages available, How does Ink-Miser compare to the other products available?

[RP]  Most of the products on the market today almost require you to be a color specialist to configure and maintain them.  Ink-Miser was designed to be easy to implement and configure and require little to no ongoing maintenance.  When compared to competitive products, Ink-Miser will typically deliver as good as or better quality output with comparable ink saving while having a much lower total cost of ownership. 

Why should newspapers invest in Ink-Miser? 

Why shouldn’t they?  Why would anyone not invest in a product that will help them deliver a better quality product to their customers, pay for itself in a matter of months and continue to save them money every day?  I think it’s a no-brainer.