Color Correction and Matching Across Multiple Machines

[dlndesign]

I run a Teckwin Flatbed Roll to Roll, Seiko 74s and 2 Epson Gs6000. We have a few jobs from time to time that use all three machines for different elements of a project.

But when it comes to color correction, typically I can get my Seiko and Epson to match up close enough. But I am always thrown a curve ball when it comes to the Teckwin.

I understand they are all different ink sets, but is there anyone that knows of a good color adjustment method that seems to work for the most part.

I am trying to avoid testing, adjusting and testing again. I'd rather be printing!

Thanks.

 

[mudmedia]

Im interested in hearing a response as well...Whats funny is this morning I was on Spectraflows website and was reading how they have a team that comes out and will set all your stuff up to work with each other with a price im sure..But I think it can be done its just a matter of what tools / steps are needed. Look forward to reading about it!

 

[BPI Color]

I have not worked with a Seiko or Teckwin. Maybe next year . Here's the catch, if they are not all being handled through the same RIP then the answer is most likely, no. Every RIP does things just a little differently. You might be able to push things a little closer if your workflow(s?) are set to the same print strategy (ie...all images converted to the same profile, spot color matching tables enabled, same rendering intents, etc...) Also, are you using all canned profiles or have you performed your own profiling? Machines deviate from factory settings, materials have different saturation points and different white points, etc... You have a real can of worms and I don't envy you at all. That being said, there are some real color pros in the biz (Mike at Correct Color comes to mind) who have a lot of experience with different machines, RIPs and materials. They'll come in profile all your machines and materials and (in Mike's case) even show you how it's done. It's pricey. But, if you measure the cost against lost time and materials over the next 5 years, might be an eventual bargain.
Good luck...

 

[IronHawk]

I run ONYX for my Seikos and our flatbed guy runs ColorGate for his Fujis. We are normally close but it always comes down to what you are trying to avoid. Test, compare, adjust, test, etc...

For us it doesn't take too long to do because it is normally a couple of tweaks and we are there. In an ideal world we'd be synced up and equalized but I don't see it happening without a large investment as the guys above have mentioned.

 

[signswi]

If you're looking for a method to match colors across multiple equipment types and inksets you should take a look at G7.

 

[ForgeInc]

We struggle with this all the time, but we are kinda nazi-ish about accurate color with certain clients. From what we've found so far, there is no easy, quick method if you want very accurate, consistent color across machines, across medias. Best thing we do is create our own profiles for every media, every machine. Even then, we still have to manually tweak color builds on the front-end using charts and color rings to help us get there.

To top it off, we have also been told by our printer service techs that inks can vary slightly from batch to batch, so you also have to re-linearize every time you add ink from a different lot. It's a constant battle!

 

[cwb143]

Stick around it gets better.

 

[DIGIXTRA]

Color matching across machines...

Hi all,
My 2 cents... If you have a color device measurment such as The EyeOne and software such as Profile Maker you could make color matching across all printers. However as you all know the ink gammut is different between manufacturers so you will end up that the color will be slightly different. Sound contradict but it is true. So Fuji came up with a solution and they call it The G7 standard (if I remember correctly). To be a certified G7 site Fuji will come to your shop and profile all the printers. They then use the one that have the lowest (ink) gammut as the common gammut to build the ICC for other printers. Now all your print will be matching across printers. Make sense right?
I particularly do not like this approach as you pay for the best printer and end up throwing away the best feature of the printer...
Hope this could help
Regards
K. Tran

 

[genericname]

To be a certified G7 site Fuji will come to your shop and profile all the printers. They then use the one that have the lowest (ink) gammut as the common gammut to build the ICC for other printers. Now all your print will be matching across printers. Make sense right?

That's what I thought the process would do. Kind of pointless to have LcLm or O and G running on any machine that'd have its gamut chopped by a straight up CMYK machine, let alone the change you'd see going from one type of ink to another.

Why not just profile all your printers individually, and use them each for different types of applications? That way, you maximize your printers' performance, get more impressive results, and each printer has their own area of speciality.

 

[Rooster]

You need to create device link profiles. In order to do that you first need to profile each machine and then you wind up throttling back the most colourful printer to be no better than the worst colour printer.

http://www.freeprocesscontrol.com/devlink.htm

 

[Perks]

sRGB?

 

[dlndesign]

Actually looking into G7 currently, but as Kahi Tran mentioned, you pretty much dumb down all of your printers to your lowest end printer to match across the board. I have been pushing for specific projects to keep on one machine and make that dedicated, but I am working backwards on a number of items on my "List Of Things TO DO!", so I'm getting there, but its slow and coming. I appreciate all of your feedback, and who knows maybe I will get one of those color pros in here if it makes financial sense.