Relin/Recalibration

[steppy]

Last week our support folks indicated:


"In most environments there is a higher degree of likelihood the proofer will provide more consistency than the press"

and

"It was revealed upon discussions with ***** (vendor), that Recalibration is not
recommended if there is no recognized change in proofing conditions or
quality. The recommended way of recalibration was to start over with
the lin tool."

My questions are:

Do you find your proofer more stable than your press(es)?
If you do recalibrate your proofer, do you use the quicker relin funtion or start from scratch with a complete new profile?
How often do you do this and is it a part of a regular process routine or only when conditions or quality require?
Why provide a recalibration function if when you need it you've been told to not use it?

Thanks,

stephen

 

[mtnman]

Our proofers are more stable than our older web press but our new web press is just as stable.
We stay on top of monitoring our proofers using a proofer check to confirm ink densities and a reference check to compare (using Lab values) a previously saved reference. We re calibrate every 6 months or sooner if we have a problem and check reference again. If reference isn't close enough we re profile.

 

[Lukas Engqvist]

we have a climate control in our proofer room regulating temerature and humidity, eliminating variables is easier with a proofer than a press, and therefore it is also easier to keep the proofer under control.
Linearising is allways the first step, and as long as primaries and secondary colours are consistent you will not need to create a new profile.

 

[juergenroesch]

proofers - namely Epson inkjets - are extremely stable. Still many users calibrate them on a weekly basis for maximum accuracy and to perfectly match multiple units in one location to each other (also helpful in a remote proofing scenario).

But obviously the reliability of the calibration process determines the quality of the calibration. In what Steppy describes the calibration tool available to him might be more of a fluke in the system than the printer he intends to calibrate with it.

If we're about printer stability, then here a few praxis tips from the real world:
- climate control is OK, but many devices can't stand a direct draft. So ensure your A/C unit does not direct the air directly onto the printer as this might multiply the airflow before the print head causing frequent drying up of the nozzles (and you'll waist more in cleaning them)
- optimal environmental conditions are the same as for humans (if you feel your sinuses drying up, expect clogged nozzles as well)
- do a nozzle check before calibrating

- for newer generation Epson printers: follow the "shake cartridge well" instruction on the ink cartridges before inserting them. Also if you have cartridges in the printer for more than 6 weeks, pull them out and give them a good shake.
Don't laugh - we measured drifts in yellow and green of as high as 5 DeltaE (linear) and had customers complaining that they weren't able to get the printers calibrated. After working on that issue closely with Epson, we could identify the settling of pigments in the ink cartridges as the cause. It is not a lot and a good calibration routine can balance it quite well.
...but playing a bit the Marimbas as the label on the cartridge instructs you to isn't so bad - is it?

 

[meddington]

...but playing a bit the Marimbas as the label on the cartridge instructs you to isn't so bad - is it?

I don't know that I'd recommend the marimbas, but maybe the maracas...possibly the rumba shakers

 

[juergenroesch]

Hi Mike,

just checking if you're reading all the way through ;-)

 

[steppy]

Still wondering!?!

Still wondering!?!

Shake, shake, shake!

I'm told we never have a cartridge last six weeks, but, there is some question about whether the cartridges are being shaken. We will try shaking and maybe even remove and shake before we clean print heads and/or calibrate.

I am still curious: are you folks using a maintenance relin tool or do you only do the full linearization/paper profile? It is just nagging at me that if the tool is there why am I being told to NOT to use it?

If list etiquette allows naming specific vendors tools and if it is helpful, I wlll. I don't want to start vendor wars.

stephen

 

[juergenroesch]

Hi Stephen,

don't shake too much ;-) Actually there is so much ink in the pipes that you likely would not see an effect for another 5-10 yards of printing. It takes likely around 2 months for the pigments to "settle" to a level that it becomes measurable. In most cases that's still a way to go to become even barely visible. But you shoul consider the time the ink cartridges spent in a warehouse shelf before they made it to you and possibly you buy larger quantities to get a better price and then you certainly should follow the instructions printed on the cartridges and just give them a bit of a shaking before you insert them. don't take them out every few days and do your dance routines with them ...

The linearization tools used by users here differ depending on the software they use. Some programs have a really sensitive tool which can balance even slight drifts and then don't need any modification to your profile / linearization any further.

Some other products have cruder tools and likely those might be older or more semi-professional products where a re-linearization would throw a profile out of balance so that it has to be remade or tweaked as well.

Normally I would understand it that a re-linearization tool is there to avoid further work on the valuable profile by bringing the system back into tolerance.

Now normally no such tool might be able to get your system back into tolerance if you change the paper.

I know what products several of the posters here use, but I think all appreciate if we keep things on a general level without going into vendor names. Most products underwent in this particular area large changes anyway, so you actually might be able to find a more current update of your own product to have an improved linearization which does what you'd think it should do and keeps your profile valid. As what you're currently expressing sounds more like common issues 3 or 4 years ago.

 

[steppy]

Having lived through an out of ink situation and for better pricing we probably keep more cartridges on the shelf than we need, but, better safe than out of ink. We won't go crazy on the ink dance, but, we'll be sure to shake before use.

Clearly a media change or other significant factor would require a new profile. Our issue has been more in keeping the system in tune with proofs not matching a bit too often. There is also some question if pressroom process control is being maintained. (Yeah I know that can really screw the pooch!).

Our software is from a major vendor, although I understand pieces of the color management tools are licensed from another well known vendor who via acquisition incorporated the tools. Perhaps by the time it trickles down the tools are not the most current. However we have the most current releases from our vendor.

Your replies are helpful and appreciated!!

stephen