Need Help Need some guidance in profiling under Onyx ProductionHouse 12

[Rongage]

Hi all:

I am in the process of trying to reprofile some of my papers under Onyx ProductionHouse (PR) 12. I want to make sure that i get this as close to right as possible. So far, my search is not going well regarding where certain things need to be set (or not set) in the various stages of build up the profile.

The printer I am using here is an HP Designjet Z2100 - a 44" aqueous printer with 8 ink channels. The Z2100 has the built-in photospectrometer.

The biggest problem I have is that it looks like the ink is coming out quite heavy - it takes quite a while (even on "instant dry" media) for the ink to be touch-safe. I also have to often pull the heads out and clean the contact pads from excessive ink. I have noticed that if I leave the settings alone, then the profiling print generally ends up with so much ink that the samples smear during the sampling stage.

For a specific example, in the Ink Restriction dialog, is there a target ink volume, spectral density or even just plain-ole density that I should shoot for in adjusting these after the swatch is read in? I get the whole idea about adjusting the clipping levels on each of the channels - that one was fairly easy to grasp.

Calibration is pretty straight forward so no problems there.

Ink limiting - that one is looking more like a black-art than anything really scientific. Are there any tips or tricks that one should use when trying to figure out where to set the ink limits (for example, look for first block that shows signs of puddling and go back x number of blocks for your level)?

Profiling is also pretty straight forward - though I do wonder if there is any value to use randomized sample placement as opposed to the linear placement.

Thank you everyone for your help here!

Ron Gage
Westland, Michigan

 

[ikarasu]

Heres a good thread on ink limits.

Understanding Ink Limits

I don't have an Aqueous printer... but it should be like a Solvent. The ink limits limits how much ink gets put down on the paper - Generally you want to stop it wherever it becomes black, anything higher than that is a waste of ink. That should fix your too much ink issue.

As to the rest... Theres a ton of settings, each ting does something different. For your first profile, I'd go with everything as default, and limit your ink to where it needs to be limited (Via the above link). From there you can adjust all the other stuff you mentioned, if your not happy with the results. Most of the settings are "Advanced" settings... If you dont know what it does, do a lot of research, I've made 10-15 profiles and theres still lots of stuff I don't know what does, and still have a hard time getting certain colors. I know my profiles could be better. You wont get perfect profiles unless you hire someone whos actually been trained, and does it for a living, so long as you go into it knowing that... And you're ok with wasting media/ink playing with all the settings, you'll likely get good results.

 

[dypinc]

You should also be able the Z2100 as an RGB device which will have built in ink limiting. I have always found that with Aqueous printers (especially more than 6 ink ones) can be quite a challenged to profile it as a CMYK device. Do you have the option to do pre ink limiting before you start the ink limits per channel stage? And, is there a reason you really need to address it as a CMYK device.

I have tried CMYK Profiling Aqueous printer with a few different RIPs and have found a big difference in how they handle ink limits. Some have been pretty easy but others near impossible. Never tried profiling an Aqueous printer addressed as a CMYK device with Onyx so I am not sure what options it has to do pre ink limiting.

 

[Bly]

Ink restrictions are automated in Onyx. Print and read the swatches.
Ink limits are the only part of the process that requires human interaction really.
Set the limits at the point where the patches are dark enough.
Any more and you're just wasting ink and liable to give the problems you're describing.

Ignore the post above about profiling as an RGB printer.

 

[dypinc]

I am surprised that Onyx does not have the capability to address the Z2100 Aqueous as an RGB device. Most RIPs that I have looked at can address almost all Aqueous printers as RGB devices. Makes in much easier to get the full gamut of these printer that way. Profiling these printers as a CMYK device you really have to know what your doing and even then getting it to look as good as when addressing them as an RGB will probably not be achievable unless what your want is a proofing device for offset or digital presses.

 

[dypinc]

I just checked and Caldera, Colorgate, Fiery XF all support the Z2100 as an RGB-Contone device.