27 Spot Colour Limit

[davidc13798426]

Hi,

I'm on Illustrator CC 19.2.1, Mac OS 10.10.3

We're a sign maker and have a 6 colour large format output device - CMYK augmented with light versions. It produces good results in CMYK, and using those extra inks produces some surprisingly good results at some of the harder to match pantone spot colours. To get spot colours out of the printer, we have to put spot colour information in.

What we wanted was a colour chart showing a full range of spot colours and their CMYK equivalents on one sheet so we have a permanent lookup, using pantone solid coated (C), alongside pantone colour bridge coated (CP), the latter switched over  to CMYK.

Here's the problem, on output we can only produce a print PDF that holds 27 spot colours, the rest are switched over to CMYK. We had no error warning whilst making the file, no errors etc. First sign of a problem is final checking the output PDF files and finding most of the spots are now CMYK. Opening into Illustrator, all the spots are present and correct.

So, we have a good reason to want this full set of spots, we have a printer that will support them, but Illustrator / Acrobat doesn't appear to support.

Is anyone aware of a workaround, besides clipping down to prints of 27 colours?

Many thanks,

davey.

[Srishti Bali · Accepted solution]

Hi davidc,

Illustrator does have a maximum limit of 27 Spot Colors. I would request you to share your suggestions to our Adobe Illustrator Feedback.

This is the best way of communicating to the Engineering and Product Management teams regarding issues and suggestions so they can be implemented in future releases.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Regards

Srishti

[The Branding Hive]

I am having this same issue.  It would be nice to know what the solution was in this forum.

[Monika Gause]

The solution is to use fewer spot colors.

[Tamara21764505djx5]

That is a terrible solution. 

[Bobby Henderson]

Other than trying to print out the equivalent of a Pantone swatch book, why would any design need as many as 27 spot colors?

[Ton Frederiks]

https://printplanet.com/threads/27-colors-limit-in-acrobat-9-output-preview-tool.7755/#post-90626

[Doug A Roberts]

https://printplanet.com/threads/27-colors-limit-in-acrobat-9-output-preview-tool.7755/#post-90626

By @Ton Frederiks

Is there a reason they'd need to be defined as spot colours in Dov's scenario?

[Monika Gause]

When they get printed on a 6-ink printer, then yes. You get better conversion.

[Ton Frederiks]

In theory Lab should do it, but global colors defined as Lab become RGB in an RGB document, Spot is the exception.

[Tamara21764505djx5]

We are printing proofs for a couple of can mechanicals ganged up on a 12x18 sheet. Each can flavor has a couple PMS colors (5-6). I cannot even export a pdf to show the client all of the cans all together on one board. There are many reasons that you would need to show a lot of spot colors. Especially if you are a consultant for color in the print production space.