Color Calibration

[Proofread People]

Two part question:

1) I typically calibrate our printer whenever I run vehicle wraps, murals, long lengths of solid color, customer requests test prints or whenever our HP 570 Latex flags me. I've also been advise by one rep to recalibrate every time we change materials, which could be 4 or more times a day. How often is everyone calibrating their printers?

2) I have never successfully color calibrated digital "clear vinyl" or Window Perf. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance

 

[P Wagner]

1) The Color Calibration should be run when loading a new roll which has a different white point than the previous roll, or when prompted by the printer. The CLC is intended to bring the printer into a repeatable baseline state for the loaded media.

2) Use of the on-board measurement instrument is limited to opaque white medias, so color measurements with the on-board color device on translucent/ transparent medias, as well as window perf are not supported. Some users use surrogate medias in place of the actual media to work around this.

 

[FrankW]

If using clear vinyl on a white backing, you should be able to calibrate it (profiling in opposite dont make sense). Windows Perf is hard to calibrate anyway.

 

[ColorCrest]

I typically calibrate our printer whenever

"Calibrate" begs the question; "Calibrate to what, exactly?" If it's a factory or automated process, what does the result actually look like? How does one verify the process truly delivers what is expected? What are the expectations anyway?

More later.

 

[Proofread People]

1) The Color Calibration should be run when loading a new roll which has a different white point than the previous roll, or when prompted by the printer. The CLC is intended to bring the printer into a repeatable baseline state for the loaded media.

2) Use of the on-board measurement instrument is limited to opaque white medias, so color measurements with the on-board color device on translucent/ transparent medias, as well as window perf are not supported. Some users use surrogate medias in place of the actual media to work around this.

I tried the surrogate method but no luck. I ran what should have been PMS Cool Grey 11C on 3M 8150 (transparent vinyl) and it came out "purple". When I used 3MIJ40C white and transparent vinyl, the cool grey came out fine so at a loss with the 8150. We ended up with the IJ40C Transparent for ADA and directory signage. It has been quite the challenge to match between 1st surface painted items and 2nd surface digital items...

 

[Proofread People]

If using clear vinyl on a white backing, you should be able to calibrate it (profiling in opposite dont make sense). Windows Perf is hard to calibrate anyway.

thanks, we're going to try a clear vinyl with a paper backer instead of the clear backer, lol you think?

 

[FrankW]

thanks, we're going to try a clear vinyl with a paper backer instead of the clear backer, lol you think?

You could be successful with linearization, but as long as the white backing do not simulate the situation of the final application, you will not be successful with profiling (matching colors).

 

[Proofread People]

In my experience, I'd print the color that your are after first. Do enough iterations that you are coming close to the intended color. Then match the paint to that color. Paint mixing has a much broader range of potential colors, so going from print to paint is easy, but trying to bang 4 colors into a 8 color formula is going to leave results with much to be desired.
I'm curious, when printing on the clear 8150, did you just tell it that it was a different media, or were you using the profile generated by the clear. Biggest issue with profiling clear is that it is not yet on it's substrate, which is the actual white point (same problem happens with a white backed clear, if your white point on your substrate is different than your print media, it's nearly pointless). If you're applying to a clear piece like a window or acrylic panel, you should be able to use almost any profile. If you're mounting on white material, find the media with the nearest white point, and use that profile when printing for a closest end result.

Point well taken, I tried "faking" it out by color calibrating with a white vinyl (IJ40c) then running the 8150, the Pantone Cool Grey 11 still turned "purple". So we ditched that and stuck with IJ40C. I'm stepping in 2 different puddles with this Cool Grey 11 for the same job. So next question, are folks out there color calibrating their printers every time they change materials? I ran a calibration on IJ40c in the morning and by the afternoon, I wasn't hitting the grey again ( between those 2 runs, I had changed materials to IJ180 CV3 for some other runs then back to IJ40C but did not recalibrate.
So maybe I have to color calibrate every time I change materials. Good grief, I'm going to have a coronary, we have walls to cover for a university.

 

[Proofread People]

What sort of printer are you running? I'd be surprised that an hp, for all its faults, doesn't hold a calibration for 24 hours, that's just unworkable.

HP 570 Latex. I think I have to recalibrate each time I change rolls to a different media

 

[balstestrat]

I don't know what's wrong with your setup but that definitely is not normal. Usually you can do it once a month or something like that (for every profile you want to keep fresh).
Either you have something terribly messed up or some printheads are well over used etc.

 

[Proofread People]

So is your printroom climate controlled? Age of materials/printheads/inks within reason. Are materials stored in a controlled environment. Is the area excessively dusty? How many square yards or meters have you run through the machine. All these things could be contributing to inconsistent print colors.
What RIP are you using too?

Nope not climate controlled, hah what a concept. I'm in a warehouse setting with a 18' ceiling, close to a workshop and a bay so temperature fluctuates throughout the day We're heading into fall and winter so humidity shifts and I notice my optimizer doesn't cure, some prints are still tacky on heavy ink runs. Any one have that issue?

 

[Proofread People]

So is your printroom climate controlled? Age of materials/printheads/inks within reason. Are materials stored in a controlled environment. Is the area excessively dusty? How many square yards or meters have you run through the machine. All these things could be contributing to inconsistent print colors.
What RIP are you using too?

I don't know what's wrong with your setup but that definitely is not normal. Usually you can do it once a month or something like that (for every profile you want to keep fresh).
Either you have something terribly messed up or some printheads are well over used etc.

Right? I usually calibrate when it flags me or whenever I run long runs of solid color (wraps or murals). We're running Onyx Thrive 22. Printheads were recently changed so only 300 or so shots fired. We've always had issues with medium greys so for now just going to recalibrate every time I change to different media...

 

[caribmike]

Two part question:

1) I typically calibrate our printer whenever I run vehicle wraps, murals, long lengths of solid color, customer requests test prints or whenever our HP 570 Latex flags me. I've also been advise by one rep to recalibrate every time we change materials, which could be 4 or more times a day. How often is everyone calibrating their printers?

2) I have never successfully color calibrated digital "clear vinyl" or Window Perf. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance

I've never once calibrated my Mimaki in all the years I've owned it. We've never had a color complaint.

 

[Proofread People]

I've never once calibrated my Mimaki in all the years I've owned it. We've never had a color complaint.

How nice for you, we have some very particular customers

 

[Proofread People]

Folks in the caribbean seem real laid back...

I wouldn't mind being on a tropical island right now, one without a printer to be concerned about . Full stream ahead, the job is rollin', rollin', rollin'

 

[Proofread People]

Not here, have you tinkered with your optimizer settings? I did at one point trying to get something to print better and I quickly went back to default settings.

Right now, it seems to be behaving but I'll keep that in mind the moment it starts to act up. Thank JB.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

HP latex is the Donald trump of printers. Ok for a bit, then start having problems and the ones that bought into it jump in with excuses for the problems. Eventually, it starts asking for more and more money just to keep going but eventually it loses support and ends up on the curb. A few people remain to pick up the pieces and make it work again but it's a futile effort.
Anyways, your problem is that you have a latex printer.

 

[unmateria]

Every new roll I edit white point on ICC and 2-3 linearization (curing them fast at 50C).
I also run a custom test print EVERY day, specially to check ink bleeding/tackiness or bad greys.
Anyway, im a maniac on that... Most customers just want to look vibrant and cool colours, and nothing more.