EFI Color Profiler Spot Color Question....

[kdw75]

We have two machines that we calibrate and profile with the same options and settings. One is a Xerox C75 and the other is a Versant 2100. For the most part they match very well, except when it comes to at least one spot color we run constantly. I haven't checked other spot colors, but Pantone 158C is the one that is different on each machine. On the Versant 2100 it matches the 4-color buildup of 158 in the Color Bridge Pantone Book. On our C75 it matches the Pantone 158 Spot color.

Can anyone tell me why this might be? I can't find any options set differently on either machine.

 

[gordo]

Assuming the paper is the same (OBAs) it may be that the gamuts are different in the Y/M hues.

 

[kdw75]

Assuming the paper is the same (OBAs) it may be that the gamuts are different in the Y/M hues.

Same papers. If it's the gamuts, is there a setting during profiling or calibration that would be able to fix this, or is it just something you accept?

 

[[email protected]]

Same papers. If it's the gamuts, is there a setting during profiling or calibration that would be able to fix this, or is it just something you accept?

If you have the Graphic Arts Edition license which I assume you would have you tried altering the spot color's cmyk formula? I'm thinking you know all this and are still having difficulties but here's a good introductory video from EFI on the subject.

https://youtu.be/pwsrzUQkw8E

You might also consider having your Xerox analyst invite their EFI regional support specialist visit your shop to help you out. With two Xerox production engines in place I would think you've earned that level of support at the least.

 

[mastegman]

Digital presses are notoriously variable and even though you are calibrating each press to the same target there will probably be visual inconsistencies between them. As a result, the preferred method of matching spot colours on a digital press using the Fiery RIP with the Graphic Arts Package is using Spot-On which allows you to 'twerk' the appearance of any spot colour conversion based on a visual assessment of the printed result...

http://www.efi.com/products/fiery-s...-suite/fiery-color-and-imaging/fiery-spot-on/

 

[Danny Whitehead]

Is the source profile the same, and is spot colour matching switched on for both machines? If so, does the spot colour print the same on both machine if you turn spot colour matching off? This will bypass the built-in/custom spot colour libraries that mastegman referred to, and either use the CMYK values defined in the swatch, or convert from its Lab values to the output profile. It could also be possible that different CMYK builds may have been set for each machine for that spot colour, so it's worth checking that.

It could also be that one of the C75 is simply more capable than the 2100 of matching the actual spot. In which, what you do depends on whether you want consistency between machines, or for each machine to print as close to Pantone 158 as it can.

 

[kdw75]

I appreciate the links. I will sort it out by modifying it to match the color book. I really don't understand why 10 machines wouldn't match perfectly as long as they are all calibrated and profiled.

 

[namelessentity]

Hell, half the time I can't even match a spot color to my last run without needing to go back into the Canon version of SpotOn. I would definitely agree with mastegman in that digital presses are very inconsistent, even with proper calibration and profiling.

Also, I'm surprised your C75 is hitting that color. The book says it's not CMYK achievable.

 

[Danny Whitehead]

Also, I'm surprised your C75 is hitting that color. The book says it's not CMYK achievable.

Which book? It's a pretty dull orange compared to notorious 021. I can't even see a change on screen when I convert from Pantone's Lab values to FOGRA39 CMYK, so I expect a pretty good match is possible.