Overview
RasterMaster is a high-performance RIP (Raster Image Processor). It is designed for seamless integration into industrial and commercial printing workflows. RasterMaster handles rasterization, advanced color management, and screening processes, ensuring accuracy, speed, and flexibility across diverse printing environments.
Its architecture is modular and scalable, optimised for multi-threading and automation. RasterMaster is particularly suited for OEMs, print manufacturers, and software developers who need a customizable, professional-grade RIP engine.
Functionality
- Printengine supervisor: Developed for Memjet printers (DuraLink, DuraFlex, DuraBolt), but adaptable for other technologies.
- Rasterization: Generate high-quality continuous-tone raster images in RGB or CMYK at custom resolutions.
- Color management: Full ICC profile handling, grayscale & black preservation, and device-link profiles.
- Color replacement: optimise the output by adjusting how a specific color (e.g., PANTONE) is rendered.
- Screening: Custom-developed dithering engine, optimised for speed and precise halftone reproduction.
- Core editing capabilities: Preview generation, rotating, resizing, and positioning.
- Headless operation (CLI-based): Enables full automation and server-side integration without requiring a GUI.
- Multilayered composition: Output generation based on multiple graphical inputs. With four blend modes, multiple bilevel images can be combined before submission.
- PDF-focused processing: Optimised for PDF workflows, ensuring maximum performance and reliability within this format.
- Performance-optimised architecture: Designed to prioritise processing speed, achieving faster rendering even for complex jobs.
- Security of licensing: Hardware-bound activation enhances security and ensures stable, consistent deployment.
Workflows
- General printing workflow: Input graphics → rasterization → ICC-based color conversion (→ color replacement) → screening → bilevel CMYK output.
- Color profiling workflow: Profile creation and fine-tuning with per-channel ink limitation, CMYK-to-CMYK replacement, and device-link generation for more accurate color management results.
- Spot color replacement: Built-in workflow for Pantone and special colors, including spectrophotometer-based matching and ICC/ICM profile generation.
Supported formats
- Input: PDF (RGB, CMYK, mixed).
- Output: Bi-level data, ORF (Ophrys Raster Format, optimised for processing/analysis), and BMP (for visualisation/debugging).
System compatibility
- Operating Systems: Windows 7+ and Linux (kernel 6.0+). macOS (planned)
- Recommended hardware: x64-based system, Octa-core CPU @ 4.5 GHz (AVX-512), 64 GB+ RAM, 1 TB NVMe SSD.
Advantages
- High-performance: Leverages modern CPU vector instructions (AVX-512 and SSE) and multi-core scaling for accelerated image processing.
- Integration-friendly: Command-line interface for scripting and batch processing.
- Color accuracy: Full ICC workflow, grayscale & black-only preservation, and spot color replacement.
- Flexible integration: Compatible with OEM systems, industrial workflows, and offline environments.
- Offline operation: Hardware-bound perpetual licensing for fully offline integrations.
Software components
- RasterMaster RIP engine: Headless RIP engine with CLI
- RasterMaster Submission Manager: JSL for ABT stream, IAPI for ZX stream, multilayered canvas with four blend modes for composing the final output.
- RasterMaster Service: REST API, RasterMaster UI, Job management, and other printer integration for submission.
- RasterMaster UI: preview, rotate, resize, position, and print. It optionally contains RasterMaster ColorMatching UI + DeviceLink generation.
- DeviceLink Generator: Used for ink limitation in the RasterMaster color profiling workflow.
- Machine ID Generator: Used for licensing.
- RasterMaster RasterViewer: Standalone app for ORF file inspection
RasterMaster RIP engine
The core application is responsible for converting PDF files into printer-ready bilevel data using the appropriate color profiles.
It is a command-line-only application without a graphical user interface, designed to ensure maximum performance and facilitate easy integration into automated or headless systems.
RasterMaster Submission Manager
This application is responsible for sending bilevel data to the printer in a compatible format.
Its secondary function is to support a multilayered canvas workflow, where multiple bilevel images can be combined before submission. The following four combination modes are supported: overwrite, bitwise OR, bitwise AND, and bitwise XOR.
Currently, the application supports data submission via Memjet’s JSL and IAPI libraries. For other printer technology support, please contact us.
RasterMaster Service
When RasterMaster is not used in an integrated (headless) setup, this application serves as the high-level orchestrator for both the RasterMaster RIP engine and the Submission Manager.
It provides a simplified, user-friendly interface for operating the system, eliminating the need for direct command-line interaction.
This application is essential for users who prefer a graphical or guided workflow over low-level control, making it ideal for environments where ease of use and accessibility are top priorities.
RasterMaster UI
This control UI provides access to essential pre-print functions, allowing the user to prepare and fine-tune the output before sending it to the printer.
Available features include:
- Rotating, scaling, mirroring, and positioning of the content
- Selection of color profile(s) for color management
- Choosing the target printer from the supported devices
- Setting the number of copies and configuring sorting options
- Executing the print job once all parameters are in place
The UI is designed to simplify complex printing workflows while giving users complete control over key print settings. The interface is web-based, and if enabled, it can also be accessed from an external computer, making centralised operation across a networked environment possible.
If Color Matching functionality is available, its interface is also accessible through this panel.
DeviceLink generator
This helper tool is used during color profiling and color matching workflows.
It generates device link profiles that define ink limitation rules or specify color replacement pairs used for color matching.
Machine ID Generator
This application generates the hardware identifier required for licensing. Based on the generated identifier, a license key is created.
The license is hardware-bound, meaning it is valid only for a specific system configuration and allows for minor hardware changes.
For more details on the licensing mechanism, refer to the documentation.
RasterMaster RasterViewer
This helper tool verifies and debugs the RIP result bilevel data file. It can display any combination of color channels and show statistical information and metadata.
RasterMaster ColorMatching UI
This application is used to fine-tune existing color management by improving the color accuracy of a selected spot color.
Given a print job with a graphic, a finalised color profile, and associated device link profiles, this tool enables users to optimise the output by adjusting how a specific color is rendered, bringing it closer to the intended or real-world reference (e.g., PANTONE colors).
This process is known as color matching or spot color replacement.
The result is a new Color Replacer Device Link Profile, which can be added alongside other profiles and used in future print workflows.