iCPlate2 Mode vs FOGRA Measuring Bar (FMB) compliance

[mglouis]

The iCPlate2 has two modes, iCPlate2 and FMB, for calculating dot area. Why two? Who uses which and why?

Thanks,
Matt Louis

[mglouis]

I will share why we settled on FMB mode.

I read the same plate with an iCPlate2 in "x-rite" mode and "FMB" mode, plus I took measurements with an X-rite 530 with the "filter" fixed for cyan measurements. I compared deltas from our reference curve, which was derived initially from a ccDOT and a few iterations of G7 updates which took course over the course of a few months, so the wanted plate values are effectively the result of press measurements rather than plate readings.

We use Rampage so there are 25 fulcrums in our plate scales.
When adding the deltas from all three measurements sets, the 530 = 7.6, XriteMode = -6.4 and FMB = 1.6, so the bias of FMB mode most closely matches our reference curve.
The Min delta was 530 = -0.5, XriteMode = -1.3, FMB = -0.8.
The Max delta: 530 = 1.6, XriteMode = 0.8, FMB = 1.1.
The range: 530 = 2.1, XriteMode = 2.1, FMB = 1.9.

We decided on FMB mode because it most closely matches our reference curve and we wanted to introduce as little change as possible by introducing a new platereader into the shop. Since Techkon instruments have a FMB mode so there is potentially the added benefit of better inter-instrument agreement across brands. While this doesn't benefit me personally at this point in time I generally like the idea of standards and use them when possible.

-Matt Louis