Colour I printed 2 weeks ago does not print the same today?

[gabagoo]

This has to be one of the most aggravating issues I run into. I don't even know how to really explain it but I shall try. Abput 3 years ago this particular client I was doing large stripes on their vehicles which consisted of a teal and black...after doing the vehicle using the same files I always used they complained that the colour was wrong. I went over and looked it over and indeed this 321 teal colour was indeed a little too greeny. I went through so many files and testing to figure out how it had changed and eventually found a file that printed the proper colour and we re-did the truck. I then took that file and made a new file for that customer and saved it in Flexi as there colour and every time I do work for them now I bring that file into my work space and eye drop that colour onto the graphics...no problems until yesterday. I did the exact proceedure and printed some lot signs for them, which I had done not 2 weeks ago. The printer finished and I looked at it and sure enough it has gone back to the wrong teal. I went back to my computer and checked the colour and it was correct. I then rebrought the colour sample back in and ran a test and again it printed the wrong colour. I then went to this Onyx pantone colour chart that someone downloaded for us ( thank you whom ever you were as it really helps) and I went to the 321 teal...copied and pasted it and then used the eye dropper tool and ran a test...Once again it printed the wrong colour. I am so confused at this point... I don't generally have a problem like this with any other customers files. I remembered that the last time I ran lot signs for them I had an extra so grabbed it and looked.... and as I thought the colour is dead on, and I did save that file so opened it and just ran a small portion of the colour and again it is printing a different colour and it is always the exact same colour that is just wrong... Ran a print test and everything clean and no missing nozzles. I use the same brand of vinyl...everything is the same except the colour is wrong. ugg any suggestions are welcome.

I use Flexi 21 and print on a Mimaki jv150.

 

[signheremd]

At the top of Flexi is the Soft Proof button. If that is on when you send to print one time and off when you send the print the next time then the colors will shift. Soft proof Icon is near dead center at the top of Flexi and looks like a computer monitor with a color wheel on the screen. It is meant to help see the likely color printed, but why it affects the file when you send it I don't know. I suspect it changes it to RGB as it exports. But try turning it off (or on if it is currently off) and print again and your color will likely be good.

 

[P Wagner]

Soft proof has no effect on what is printed. When enabled, soft proof enables the display to more closely emulate the printed output.

 

[gabagoo]

No soft proof will not change anything...Thanks for the help though

 

[signheremd]

Soft proof has no effect on what is printed. When enabled, soft proof enables the display to more closely emulate the printed output.

Soft proof can cause a color shift when printed. Especially in light blue and green colors. If you send one file over with it off and a second one from the same file with it on, there is often a color shift. We have experienced this several times and the solutions was to click it off or on and resend it...

 

[Solventinkjet]

The fact that it's printing the same, wrong, color no matter what file you use points to a printer issue rather than a software issue. It's just odd that you're not seeing color shifts on other jobs. Printers do have color drift over time but 2 weeks is pretty fast for it to change noticeably. Has the shop environment changed drastically in that time? Big swings in humidity and temperature can cause color shifts.

Also, even though your test print is perfect, it's possible one or more of the colors is dropping out quickly during the print. Take a close look at the beginnings of your prints and check to see if the color shifts. If the color looks good for one pass but then the next one looks greenier, you might just have a bad dampers or other ink flow issue.

 

[signheremd]

No soft proof will not change anything...Thanks for the help though

Actually it does if you have it on when you first sent the job to the printer (RIP software) and then had it off when you send the second job to the printer (RIP software). Once the job is in the RIP software Soft Proof will not change it - only when you switch before sending it. This has happened to us on several jobs - colors impacted were light blues and greens.

 

[signheremd]

Another possibility is the file format you send the job to the RIP software. For instance, if you sent it as a pdf. the first time and an eps. the second time you could experience a color shift on some colors. This is an easy one to check and rule out

 

[gabagoo]

Another possibility is the file format you send the job to the RIP software. For instance, if you sent it as a pdf. the first time and an eps. the second time you could experience a color shift on some colors. This is an easy one to check and rule out

It was an eps file that was imported then I make all the colour changes...the old file was a flexi file which printed fine 2 weeks ago. I then opened up flexi 25 just to see what it would do and the same...and I don't really use that upgraded software at this point so there are no pre sets that I could have accidently monkeyed with.

 

[gabagoo]

Actually it does if you have it on when you first sent the job to the printer (RIP software) and then had it off when you send the second job to the printer (RIP software). Once the job is in the RIP software Soft Proof will not change it - only when you switch before sending it. This has happened to us on several jobs - colors impacted were light blues and greens.

I'm going to see what is set and run the opposite to see if it prints any different...let you know soon

 

[gabagoo]

Nope...same thing...soft proof doesn't seem to affect it

 

[dercar]

I’m not sure where exactly that setting is changed, but judging by how consistently the printer is behaving, most likely your rendering intent settings have been changed.

My guess is that it is now set to Perceptual, while before you were printing with Relative Colorimetric.

 

[gabagoo]

I’m not sure where exactly that setting is changed, but judging by how consistently the printer is behaving, most likely your rendering intent settings have been changed.

My guess is that it is now set to Perceptual, while before you were printing with Relative Colorimetric.

Maybe I accidently changed it...where does it reside in the software as I doin't play around too much with things like that.

 

[dercar]

I can't tell you. I don't use such a RIP.
I made a guess based only on the symptoms of your problem.
I'm sorry.

 

[gabagoo]

I just found another colour on a colour chart and used that one... I will now call that the official colour and save it in it's own file to use until the next time it decides to change things up on me lol.

 

[somcalmetim]

Do you have any large chunks you can check if its the same color at the start and end of the print? A clogged orange capping station on my VG3 cause it to start ok then starve for O ink and imperceptably fade to a slightly different shade over the course of a print...only when held end to end could you tell it faded...
We also just had some dodgey past expiration blue ink clog a head and cause weird symptoms...

 

[Mike Paul]

I imported a couple old file of the same job in Flexi last week and they printed different.
Found out one came in as RBG and the other CMYK.

I also had a three panel job to print a few years ago but had to change out the laminate roll, exact same laminate Oracle 290G but it came from a different lot number and the panel with that one was quite a bit darker.

 

[ElfringbE]

Good morning,
Print out one of the attached PDFs to see where the grey balance, setup for 48", 54" or 60" media
Good luck