Grayscale PDF not printing Grayscale

[pfj]

ALL THE POINTS GO TO Graeme NZ !!!!

After changing all of my settings to match yours my problem is finally fixed. A million thank you's.

Thank you to everyone who chimed in along with way!

 

[Graeme NZ]

Just curious why you have ISO Coated as your source profile? The tech the came out and set us up told us to use Gracol (but he also admitted that he had no idea why and that we should do whatever we want).

The reason why we have ISO Coated as our source profile is the same reason that your technician gave!

I'm still pottering about with the various settings to see what difference are made here and there but since we are very busy mail house it's hard to find the time.

Also, some of these settings make it look like we would be better off with our black intended files to be CYMK files that are only using K. Correct?

And yep, it's best to have all content your files in a CMYK clourspace - I don't trust the RIPs enough to let to figure out what is colour/Black. The above settings are a good safety net to catch the odd bit out, but it's not foolproof

Incidentally - the above settings are very handy for when you are printing from MS Word. As Word is rubbish it works in an RGB colourspace, so anything grey will always get processed as a rich CMYK grey by the RIP if your settings aren't as above.

Glad to have helped!

 

[Danny Whitehead]

Just curious why you have ISO Coated as your source profile? The tech the came out and set us up told us to use Gracol (but he also admitted that he had no idea why and that we should do whatever we want).

It's likely to be determined by where you are. GRACol will represent a common standard for offset litho printing in North America, whereas ISO Coated (or FOGRA39) is the more common standard in Europe.

 

[Possumgal]

Do you have Command Work Station? There is a setting in the colors to print greyscale only. I've had to use it as our Fiery will see a CMYK 100% black from Illustrator as a color click. If I change the black to greyscale black in Illustrator it won't do that.