How does Color-Logic compare to MetalFX?

MetalFX® was a metallic color system for offset printing only.  It used one swatch book, printed on an offset press, and could not be adapted to flexo, gravure, heatset, inkjet, digital, or screen printing.  MetalFX is no longer available.  The company is no longer in business.  The website explaining the process (metal-fx.com) can no longer be accessed.  Like other early metallic color systems, MetalFX produced and provided color swatch books to printers and designers for their clients to match.  The MetalFX swatch books were last produced in 2008, which means that any in circulation today would be out of date due to pigment fading and ink discoloration.  Moreover, the MetalFX system was licensed to the printer under terms and conditions stipulating that the printer was only to use MetalFX branded inks.  These inks were last manufactured at the end of December 2009 (see eckart.net), which leaves MetalFX printers with a defunct system that is no longer supported, nor with any available consumables.

Color-Logic® is a new company developing color communication systems creating special effects for print.  The first Color-Logic system launched, the Color-Logic Process Metallic Color System™, encompasses a completely new, patent pending, fully chromatic process spot color space, fully accounting for ink saturation limits, transparency, and intercoat adhesion between the process inks and the new range of Color-Logic metallic inks.  This new system also brings the industry new image separation algorithms to create a much more natural and photorealistic range of metallic images.  Combined with an extensive range of training and support literature, online and personal WebEx training, and Master Class Tutorial Programs, the Color-Logic Process Metallic Color System is a significant advancement in metallic ink communication.  The system was developed to address developments in print technology, not only for offset printing, but to technologies such as inkjet and digital metallic printing—technologies that previously were not available. Color-Logic is also developing other decorative effects systems for the design and print industry.  Announcements will be forthcoming.

Printing process inks over metallics is nothing new.  In fact, printers have been doing so since the late 1980s.  However, unlike previous systems such as MetalFX, the Color-Logic system enables printers to produce their own metallic color charts, for their clients, based on their printing standard, or any ISO standard, or using various specifications such as GRACoL, G7, or SWOP.   Since the printer produces the color charts, the printer controls the system—providing a revolutionary approach to the reproduction of special effect colors systems, including, but not limited, to metallic inks.  The Color-Logic system takes into account several key variables which MetalFX and other systems did not address.  These variables include allowing printers to choose and employ their own paper/substrate, printing characterization curves, process inks, ICC profiles, etc.  So, unlike a generic standard swatch book printed on unknown machines, under unknown conditions, and with just one ink set and paper, printers can now tailor their own metallic charts, fingerprinted to their own equipment, and provide their clients with reproducible effects based on their own machines.
For specific product and process details please visit
www.color-logic.com/how.



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