Digital color management

[gig0]

We've been going through drum changes/PM about every 2-3 weeks and afterwords always need to adjust our profiles (gradation tables in the Creo rip) to match the press room (I guess that would be the target profile). This week, we just got in our 2nd KM6501 (w/ Creo rip as well) and I can already see it's going to be a challenge trying to get matching color from both machines. I want to streamline this process and have both machines output matching color without wasting as much time. What are some solutions available and at what cost?

 

[UberTech]

Perhaps you need to get your tech to show you or have a look in the POD user guide for "gamma sensor calibration" and "gamma sensor offset" adjustments. These are pretty deep in the expert menu. The gamma sensor calibration does exactly that and sets up the DMAX of the machine to a specific point. The gamma sensor offset adjustment adjust the laser power so it is consistent for each colour.

Your tech may be already be doing this but I doupt it if your getting this much variation.

 

[hansman]

On our machine we wrote a profile & it still matches.
You should create a test target dial it in (apply a profile) and with regular calibrations it should match.
Something to talk to your tech about
As far as getting both machines to match - choose a target profile then profile each machine using profile-maker or other 3rd party profile software using the measured patches.

 

[gig0]

well I have a USB X-rite spectro --not an automated spectro table or anything.

So lets say we go with the basic ProfileMaker software bundle. How many swatches would need to be scanned (by hand) to match up to a target profile and how long would it take?