I can't get the right red

[PolarBear]

Hi,
I am having trouble getting my Mutoh printer to print a good deep red. I have a cmyk color of 0,99,100,0. The customer has a sample of this supposedly printed on the same vinyl I am using (oracal 3651) and it is a beautiful deep red. When I print to that same color code on my printer, it is a dull, orangish color.
We tried taking a picture of the sample and printing that picture and it comes out the same as the print swatch from the cmyk code.
I am relatively new to using this and having to setup for colors, so I am a bit lost on what to check and what to setup to fix this. So, here's the information I found that seems like it applies.
I have done a good cleaning on the printer.
I am using Flexisign set in cmyk variable dot color mode,Graphics 2 print mode, no color correction set.
This is a mutoh valujet 54 inch printer.

Can anyone direct me to what I need to do to get that good vibrant red? Also, can you give me any ideas on where I can do some reading on what the settings are and how to get good color setups so I can avoid these problems in the future?

Thanks in advance,
Lori

 

[HaroldDesign]

Your red may actually more true, but with less ink saturation. That color break is not a deep red. It borders on having an orange hue. What does a gray-scale look like from each printer? My guess is his has a magenta cast, and yours is either true or slightly cyan.

 

[SignAnnex]

I would try downloading and installing the correct media profile for the 3651 on which you're printing (import preset in production manager) from Oracal's website: http://www.oracal.com/icc/Mutoh_ValuJet_1304/flexiSign/VJ1304_Flex_Orajet3651G_EUltra_720.zip

 

[SummitSignsandmore]

Try "Fire Red" from the Avery A8 swatch.. Its a good red.. not orangey

 

[PolarBear]

Ok, that has given me some stuff to try.
I thought I had that profile installed, but I downloaded, installed, and reprinted just to make sure. It didn't change the color.
I don't have access to grayscale info from the previous printing, but mine might have a slight cyan cast. What can I do to change the saturation since you mention that might be the problem?
I will try the fire red to get a good red, but the customer was specific that this is their "signature" color and that we need to be able to do a perfect match to meet their branding needs.
Any ideas what to try next?
Lori

 

[tsgstl]

print out a pms chart with the same profile.
then pick the one that fits your fancy.
change your red to the new one

 

[PolarBear]

I have printed the color chart as my first step and I don't have any good clean red that is anywhere close to his to choose from.
Lori

 

[Kev41]

Hi may be wrong but you say

"I am using Flexisign set in cmyk variable dot color mode,Graphics 2 print mode, no color correction set"

if that statement is correct then your profiles are doing nothing, switch colour correction on and try again.

Hope i am right & this helps

Kev

 

[bob]

To what are your rendering intents set?

 

[bob]

Hi may be wrong but you say

"I am using Flexisign set in cmyk variable dot color mode,Graphics 2 print mode, no color correction set"

if that statement is correct then your profiles are doing nothing, switch colour correction on and try again.

Hope i am right & this helps

Kev

Doubtful. The OP probably meant 'color mapping' not 'color correction'.

The best color, not necessarily the best match to something, but the best color, is usually obtained with no color correction. That's why, generally, one should set their rendering intents to 'No Color Correction' for everything except bitmaps. Set bitmaps to 'Perceptual'.

 

[PolarBear]

Bob,
you are correct and I mistyped that. I have bitmap set to perceptual and the rest are on no color correction.
Lori

 

[mark galoob]

The problem you are having is that you are trying to color match with a digital printer. You might spend hundreds of hours trying to match this color and never get it right. Whenever a customer wants me to color match I tell them my hourly rate and and they never accept. I have never been successful color matching. We have a color chart and I let cust choose there color and move on

Mark galoob