Why are CMYK colors not the same in all programs?

[ATD Signs]

Hi
Can anyone tell me why CMYK color values do not print he same from one program to another? I have a Roland SP540i, Signlab 8 & Versaworks color swatch library. If I print a cmyk color in versaworks & then print
the same cmyk color in signlab the two colors are different. Should they not both be the same color? Any suggestions or tips, or is this just something that you have to deal with everyday.
Thanks

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

The simple answer is yes, the correct answer is no unless they profiled the same.

 

[Vinyldog]

I have the same set-up only the VW addition of SL and have not noticed that problem. If I print a file directly from the customer or take it through SL8 it prints the same color usually.
However I have printed the exact same file on the SP540, the HPL310 and my HP desk-top printer and gotten three different looks.

 

[P Wagner]

Hi
Can anyone tell me why CMYK color values do not print he same from one program to another? I have a Roland SP540i, Signlab 8 & Versaworks color swatch library. If I print a cmyk color in versaworks & then print
the same cmyk color in signlab the two colors are different. Should they not both be the same color? Any suggestions or tips, or is this just something that you have to deal with everyday.
Thanks

The short answer is that different workflows, including files, RIPs, printers and media product, CMMs, and rendering intents, etc all play a role. The effective term is that CMYK and RGB are both process color models, and they always exhibit device dependent behaviors when rendered to a screen or a printer. The closest you will easily achieve a level of consistency between two different RIPs producing the same color on a halftone device, (assuming that a lot of profile creation work [device-link profiles] has not been done) would be to turn off all color corrections in each RIP (All Color Management Off), and send CMYK values in the file out to the printer directly, without correction or modification by the RIP. In theory, this should produce consistent results, however theory and reality are not always in agreement so even here, there are no absolute guarantees that you will get the same output from each RIP, even with CM turned off.

Paul

 

[greysquirrel]

Give your rip a file with the most possible color and then have your rip convert it to CMYK one time...build your files and work in RGB (after all that's what your screen is producing) and have your Rip convert to CMYK (thats' what it does) may give you a little more consistency and overall gamut.
By limiting your workspace to CMYK, you can actually cut your color space short before it gets to the rip depending what programs you are using...

 

[player]

Rumor has it Signlab is not very good for printing...

 

[TomK]

Rumor has it Signlab is not very good for printing...

Also, last I talked to them, they aren't supporting the newer printers like the HP 300 Series Latex yet, I was told mid 2016 they should have support, with the next release.

 

[Correct Color]

Can anyone tell me why CMYK color values do not print he same from one program to another?

The answer is that that's what color management is for, and that's why you have to have it. Unless you're willing to live with this result.

Bottom line is that CMYK values -- as Castek said -- are "device dependent" and what that means is that the same CMYK values (numbers) will produce a visually different resulting color from device to device to media to media. The only way to predict your results is to have a complete color-managed workflow in place.


Mike Adams
Correct Color