Hi fellas ! I have a PRO machine, and when I print, cyan and black are ok in the ink values while magenta and yellow I have to double up to get the right colour. I have just started so I didn't do much calibrations. I saw there is a menu in the DI console "Characteristic Curves" with some buttons from M1 to M8. How is the logic : Should I mess with these values and than calibrate the rip or just calibrate the rip and don't mess with these curves ? Another stupid question : I ripped some files with 200 lpi and on magenta two diodes were burning lighter than others. Is there some connection between the lpi and the diode value changing ? thnx in advane...
With M1-M8 you can adjust the precalculation of the inkkeys for different type of paper (running machine coated paper use M1 and adjust as good as possible and for uncoated select M2 and adjust for this paper). So in your case you have to adjust the value for as well magenta and yellow. The calibration in the RIP is to adjust the tonevalue for each color (print test sample and measure/adjust solid area until you are satisfied. Now measure the tonevalues from 1 to 99% and make adjustment in the RIP. The higher the LPI value the better your diodes should be adjusted (if they are adjusted at 150LPI and this is ok and you start printing at 200LPI you still can see difference between diodes, if you adjust at 200LPI and this ok it is still ok at 150LPI). By the way diodes should be adjusted as well for 1270 DPI and 2540 DPI. In the rare occasions I have to adjust diodes I use a HDS screening to adjust and print with conventional screening (HPS).
Yes - switching back to 150 from 200 made some difference. There is only one (nr.7) who is troubling me. All other diode values are approx 10-15 while this one is 70 (was 48 before adjustment). Now it is ok, but I am afraid when it will be next time to increase again. I have read : Don't go over 75 ! I also did some tests for calibration but I must be doing smth wrong. I am using Metadimension 10. So what I did is : Uncheck process calibration and I printed a sample made by me with values form 0-100 for all colors. Than I measured it with Eye-One in Calibration Manager and some curve came up. Than I printed again the same file but with calibration checked. The result was worse than the first one (cyan was missing almost at all) - huhhh
I have no experience with Metadimension but after printing and measuring testchart and reprinting again you should end up with 50% in document 50% on paper. If this is ok then you can apply an extra curve to simulate a certain printing process. By the way did you measured the reprinted "calibrated" testchart again with your eye-one and calibration manager.
Hi Marc Yes I did measure the reprinted "calibrated" testchart again, but I think my main problem is: Getting the solids to the right density. From what I know, on the DI I should read: Bk=1.8, Y=1, C&M=1.4 What I actually read is: Bk=1.4, Y=0.9, C&M=1 I have to increase ink keys every time to get to the right density. How do I do this increase from the RIP, so that I don't have to manually do it at the console ? thnx for reading...
Indeed solid values are much to low. As I mentioned before, you can influence the precalculation of the inksetting by increasing one of the settings in M1-M7 ( can be used for different paper/inktype settings). What brand of ink you are using.
I am a bit afraid to play with curves as the manual is not very clear. By the way, manipulating the curves means manipulating the power of laser diodes ? thnx for helping...
That you have to adjust inkeys a lot more than precalculation is typicly to toyo ink, I have the same ( I also run Classic Colours ink and have a different precalculation correction) but with the different presettings M1-M7 you can overcome this problem so I did this for as well Toyo ink and Classic Collour ink. I print for both inks with the same settings in the rip but on the console I adjusted M1 (classic color machinecoated for me) let's say +10% for black. If a print with Toyo ink I choose M2 wich has a correction of +60% for black. This can and should be done for all colours and is not related to the power values of the diodes.
Thnx Marc ! Now I have a better picture of the issue. I will go ahead and start playing with the curves. Do you have any advice on doing it correctly & quickly ? thnx for reading...
I write down the values the press calculated. If it's far off from with the settings I and with a job I adjust. Otherwise look what it is doing after you print for lets say 5 different job's. If it is consequently to low/high than adjust otherwise leave it.
In order to see the difference of what I am doing: Do I have to reburn new job each time I make a new curve or keep the same job and just run some more sheets ? Thnx for reading...
I have a PLUS model but think it's fairly the same. If you make a correction in M1-M7 or just switch from lets say M1 to M3 you can let the press perform a recalculation, so you don't have to reburn a new set of plates.
Thnx Marc ! This is how the curves look like after calibration. I will smooth them out here and there in the future of course. Apparently there is a level 3 in the machine which allows you to do calibrate the press curves.
