mcp-print 0.2.0

MCP server for professional print and color workflows — 2400+ Pantone colors, CMYK/RGB conversion, ink/cost estimation, ICC profiles, spot color separation, and more.

mcp-print

MCP server for professional print and color workflows. Gives AI assistants the ability to work with 2400+ Pantone colors, CMYK/RGB conversion, ink and cost estimation, ICC profile analysis, spot color separation, barcode coverage, Delta E color difference, and paper weight conversion — all offline, no API keys needed.

Who is this for?

• Print designers checking Pantone-to-CMYK conversions without leaving their editor
• Prepress engineers estimating ink costs, verifying color accuracy, and analyzing ICC profiles
• Packaging teams converting paper weights, comparing spot colors, and costing print runs

Install

pip install mcp-print

Configure with Claude Code

Add to your Claude Code MCP config (~/.claude/settings.json or project .mcp.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "print": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["-m", "mcp_print"]
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Code — all ten tools below will be available immediately.

Tools

Tool	Description
pantone_to_cmyk_tool	Convert a Pantone name to CMYK + HEX (2400+ colors, fuzzy matching)
pantone_search_tool	Find closest Pantone colors by HEX or CMYK proximity
cmyk_to_rgb_tool	Convert CMYK values to RGB + HEX
color_delta_e_tool	Calculate Delta E (CIE76) between two CMYK colors
ink_consumption_tool	Estimate ink usage and cost for a print run
print_cost_estimator_tool	Full job cost: ink + plates + makeready + run
icc_profile_info_tool	Parse ICC/ICM profile metadata from a file
spot_color_separator_tool	Recommend spot vs process colors for a design
barcode_ink_coverage_tool	Ink coverage % for Code128, EAN-13, QR, DataMatrix
paper_weight_converter_tool	Convert between GSM, lb text, and lb cover

Usage Examples

Once configured, just ask Claude naturally:

1. Pantone lookup (with fuzzy matching)

"What's the CMYK breakdown for Pantone 485 C?"

Works with any format: "485C", "pantone 485", "485 coated", "Warm Red".

{ "name": "Pantone 485 C", "c": 0, "m": 95, "y": 100, "k": 0, "hex": "#FF0D0D" }

2. Find closest Pantone to a HEX color

"What Pantone colors are closest to #DA291C?"

{
  "matches": [
    { "name": "Pantone 485 C", "c": 0, "m": 95, "y": 100, "k": 0, "hex": "#FF0D0D" },
    { "name": "Pantone 485 M", "c": 1, "m": 93, "y": 99, "k": 2, "hex": "#FA0E03" }
  ],
  "search_type": "hex #DA291C"
}

3. Color conversion

"Convert CMYK 100/44/0/0 to RGB"

{ "r": 0, "g": 143, "b": 255, "hex": "#008FFF" }

4. Ink estimation

"How much ink do I need for 10,000 A4 flyers at 35% coverage on an offset press?"

{ "ink_grams": 327.44, "ink_kg": 0.3274, "cost_estimate_usd": 8.19 }

5. Full print job costing

"Cost estimate: 5000 copies of an A4 flyer, 4-color offset, 120gsm, double-sided"

{
  "total_cost_usd": 628.14,
  "cost_per_unit_usd": 0.1256,
  "breakdown": { "ink": 11.34, "plates": 280.0, "makeready": 200.0, "run_cost": 136.8 }
}

6. Color matching QC

"Compare our brand blue (100/72/0/18) against the proof (98/70/2/20) — is the Delta E acceptable?"

{ "delta_e": 3.41, "interpretation": "fair — noticeable difference" }

7. Spot vs process recommendation

"Should these colors be spot or process?" (with a list of CMYK values)

{
  "spot_colors": [{ "nearest_pantone": "Pantone 485 C", "delta_e": 0.0, "reason": "Close match..." }],
  "process_colors": [{ "nearest_pantone": "Pantone 375 C", "delta_e": 8.2, "reason": "No close match..." }]
}

8. ICC profile inspection

"What color space is this ICC profile using?"

{
  "profile_name": "ISOcoated_v2",
  "color_space": "CMYK",
  "device_class": "Output (Printer)",
  "version": "2.4.0"
}

9. Barcode ink coverage

"What's the ink coverage for an EAN-13 barcode at 37mm x 26mm?"

{
  "coverage_percent": 52.0,
  "recommended_ink": "Process Black (K: 100)",
  "print_method_suggestion": "offset — good resolution for medium modules"
}

10. Paper weight conversion

"What's 80 lb text in GSM?"

{ "value": 118.42, "from_unit": "lb_text", "to_unit": "gsm" }

Pantone Database

The built-in database contains 2400+ Pantone colors covering:

• Numeric series (100-699): Yellows, oranges, reds, pinks, purples, blues, greens, grays, browns
• 7000 series (7400-7547): Extended gamut colors
• Special named colors: Black, White, Warm Red, Reflex Blue, Process Blue, Cool/Warm Grays 1-11, Hexachrome series, and more
• Three finishes per color: Coated (C), Uncoated (U), and Matte (M)

Fuzzy matching handles typos and format variations — "485C", "pantone 485", "485 coated" all find the right color.

Development

git clone https://github.com/mcp-print/mcp-print.git
cd mcp-print
pip install -e .
pip install pytest
pytest tests/ -v

License

MIT