The CMYK Table Maker helps you to gain control over how a CMYK separation is performed in AVA. Intended to provide better data on the c, m, y and k layers, these can then be used as part of a spot separation.

Results from the CMYK Table Maker are not intended for CMYK production processes. For this, you should get a production profile, and use the Separate Menu > With Profile... feature.

Creating a CMYK separation using the Table Maker

1. Go to Separate Menu > CMYK Table Maker… The following window will open.
2. Start altering the generation of C,M,Y and K with the various options.
   • Maximum Ink Coverage - refers to the total ink cover of all 4 layers. As each layer can cover a maximum area of 100%, the maximum total of C, M, Y and K is therefore 400. This value should be changed depending on the thickness of the paper used on the press. For example, if you are printing to an Epson, the paper used is often quite thin, so a high number in the Maximum Ink Coverage will result in the paper becoming soggy from excess ink. In this case, the Maximum Ink Coverage should be set no higher than 200.
   • GCR (Grey Component Replacement) - uses black ink to replace portions of cyan, magenta and yellow ink in coloured and neutral areas. This is because when cyan, magenta and yellow inks are mixed together they do not produce a perfect black because of impurities present in printing inks. To compensate for this, some of the C, M and Y ink is removed and black ink is used in its place. The proportion of C, M and Y removed is the GCR percentage. The higher the GCR amount, the less ink is used on the output. The default setting is 20.
   • Maximum Black - the maximum amount of black used (which will be in black areas of the design). The default setting is 84, so black areas will have a black coverage of 84%.
   • Black Generation - controls how much black ink is used. You may wish to avoid using black ink in light colours as it produces obvious black dots on the output. For example, select None to use cyan, magenta and yellow only or Light to use a dusting of black with the other colours.
   • Colour Correction - the make up of C, M, Y and K in the CMYK separation is affected by changing the values in the CMYK table.

For each unit of cyan in the separation, the C, M, Y and K values in the first row of the table will be output. For each unit of magenta in the separation, the C, M, Y and K values in the second row of the table will be output, and similarly for yellow, the third row is used and for black the fourth row is used.

For example, if you want to add 20% cyan in magenta areas, tick Colour Correction and enter 20 to the M row of the C column.

3. Once you are finished, give the separation a name on the left hand side of the window. To use these settings for future separation work, click the Set As Current button. A tick will appear beside the name of the table, and these settings will be used when you select Separate Menu > CMYK.

4. To perform a separation with the CMYK Table Maker window open, click the Separate button.
   • Use the + button to add a new separation table
   • Use the – button to remove a selected table

The following button is used to duplicate selected separation tables:

Arrange the separation tables into alphabetical order by clicking the column header above the list of available tables.