Quality Control Are you a photo lab and need to monitor the quality and stability of your prints? Are you a printer or a com agency and you want to check and validate Fogra or IDEAlliance proofs? Or are you an industrialist in textile printing or any other medium and you need to carry out quality control to ensure the reproducibility of your production? Then the Print Control module is for you and you are in the right place. Print Control - Introduction Quality control is obviously essential to guarantee your customers the regularity and reliability of your proofs and your print production. The printing controls are carried out using charts, standardized control ranges or personalized in CMYK, RGB or spot colors mode. The standardized control ranges are published by professional organizations such as IDEAlliance, Ugra, Fogra, ECI and BvDM or provided by software publishers, such as EFI, GMG, etc. They are sometimes free but the more often paying (La Fogra for example).These are mainly used in the field of Graphic Arts to control proofs printed according to ISO 12647-x standards. The Print Control module The aim of this module is to:- Control CMYK BATs (Good To Draw) in the field of Graphic Arts, in order to validate compliance with reference standards FOGRA, UGRA, IDEAlliance, etc ...- Control stability of your printer to avoid unpleasant surprises when printing. (RGB or CMYK)- Check the quality after a calibration operation. (RGB or CMYK)- Control the uniformity of prints between several printers (RGB or CMYK)- Control the reproduction of your spot colors (PANTONE color charts, vinyl color charts, etc.)- Control the test charts that will be used for the characterization of your offset or digital presses (RGB or CMYK)- etc ... The first step is to create the reference range To generate your chart you can choose between creating a chart in RGB, CMYK or done with spot colors. This module will allow you to create control ranges from colors coming from: - A range of controls to Graphic Arts standards, to verify compliance with the standards of your BAT proofs For more information, see the chapter: Creating a reference for proofing - A measurement carried out on a reference print, to monitor the stability of a printer for example. For more information, see the chapter: Creating a reference from a printed range - A standard range, to carry out a more precise control or to control the ranges intended to be averaged to characterize production presses for example For more information, see the chapter: Creating a reference from a printed chart - A color chart of direct colors, to control the reproducibility of the colors of your PANTONE color charts for example. For more information, see the chapter: Creating a reference from a spot color chart - A color table, to customize and choose the colors you want to control For more information, see the chapter: Create a reference from a custom RGB or CMYK color table The second step is to measure the range generated previously The results of this measurement can be used to validate the printed result using standardized or personalized tolerance values. This module is used to measure and validate standardized CMYK ranges, RGB ranges and IT8 test charts, and all other test charts produced from Coraye's reference creation module.Each control measurement will be added to the reference file in order to keep a history of the measurements made to monitor the drifts of your printer. This module can be very useful to decide if you need to redo a new calibration (for example: if you change the paper emulsion that you are accustomed to using) or to help you make a technical diagnosis in the event of a problem. with your printer.So you can guarantee your customers the regularity of your impressions. To find out more, see chapter:  Controlling a CMYK Mediawedge range The different types of ranges that can be used with Print Control: 1) Standard CMYK ranges to control proofs in the field of graphic arts Coraye offers four types of ranges as standard: Mediawedge 72 patches Fogra IDEAlliance 84 patches Mediawedge 46 patches Fogra IDEAlliance 54 patches 2) RGB ranges to control the stability and neutrality of your prints Mediawedge RGB Mediawedge Gray RGB 3) The test charts offered as standard in the profiling module for more precise control of your prints. ECI2002 CMYK (1539 patches) ECI2002R CMYK (1485 patches) IT8.7-3 CMYK (928 patches) IT8.7-4 CMYK (1617 patches) TC 3.5 CMYK (432 patches) TC918 RGB (918 patches) TC2.83 RGB (294 patches) etc ... 4) The test charts generated from the spot color tables in order to check the accuracy when reproducing your PANTONES or your other color charts. Spot color control requires the use of a RIP that supports spot color management such as PANTONEs.If you use custom spot colors, you must first add the colors you want to check and control, in the RIP color chart. 5) Personalized test charts created from Coraye color tables For more information, see the chapter: Create a reference from a custom RGB or CMYK color table 6) The RGB or CMYK test charts imported in CGATS, IT8, cxf, etc ... formats, for example from the RIPs which control your printers.Create a baseline from a printed RGB Mediawedge To produce consistent, high-quality prints, you need to monitor the stability of your printer.The print control module allows you to create your own references. Launch of the Print Control module Click on the " Print Control " icon located at the top leftThen click on the " Create a reference " button In this example, we will use a “Mediawedge RGB” range as a reference.Select RGB mode Select the "Mediawedge RGB" range Click the " Measure own Lab values " button. A preview of the range is displayed and it is possible to customize the pattern format using the editing tools on the right. To find out more, see the chapter: Customizing charts If your test chart is not already printed, you can export it in Tiff or pdf format to print it. Or use the ranges from Coraye's test image: Click on the "Start reading " button to continue. Make sure your spectrophotometer is connected, then click the " Start Reading " button.Select the reading mode according to your spectrophotometer, then click " I'm ready ". Position the spectrophotometer in its calibration position. Then click on the " Start calibration " button. When the calibration is complete, start measuring the staff. Measure the line indicated by the blue marker. Once the test chart has been measured, click on the " End reading " button. In the information window, only the name of the setting is mandatory.The other information is optional. After clicking on the " Save and Exit " button, the " Print Control .pctrl " file is displayed in the left column. You can now start the range measurement or export the file to save it by right-clicking on the Print Control file. The control of an RGB Mediawedge range is very similar to that of a CMYK Mediawedge. You can use the tutorial "Controlling a standardized Mediawedge range" starting with the chapter " Importing a Print Control File (.pctrl) " To find out more, see the chapter: Controlling a RGB Mediawedge range Creating a Print Control File for Normalized CMYK Proof Before checking a proof test, it is necessary to create a "Print Control" .pctrl file corresponding to the type of range to be measured and containing the reference values. Launch of the Print Control module Click on the " Print Control " icon located at the top left Then click on the button " Create a reference " Select the CMYK color space Printing standards in Graphic Arts are defined in the CMYK color space The list of standardized ranges appears To help you find your reference range, write the name of the standard you want to control in the search bar.Then select the type of range you want to control. As the use of Fogra charters is not free, it is necessary to purchase the "Fogra" option to access "Mediawedge Fogra". Click on the " Use original Labs " button to associate the Lab reference values corresponding to the selected standard. A Preview of the range is displayed and it is possible to customize the format of the chart using the editing tools located on the right.The custom format will be retained when creating the Print Control file To find out more, see the chapter: Customizing the charters To test the pattern, you can export it in Tif or Pdf format. Then click "Next" Creating the Print Control File In this new window, fill in the "Name" field, then click on the "Save and quit" buttonThe Print Control file will appear in the left column. The other fields are optional, they are only used to add information when you are going to create the measurement reports. Editing tolerances Standard targets such as Mediawedges Fogra, IDEAlliance, etc... are already associated with tolerance values.However, it is possible to modify them, delete or add new tolerances. The edition of the tolerances can only be done when no control measurement has been carried out. To find out more, refer to the chapter: Editing tolerances Mediawedge control To start the Fogra Mediawedge control, right click and select "Start control" to start the measurement.To save the Print Control file in .pctrl format, right-click and select "Export" To learn more, see the chapter: Controlling a CMYK MediawedgeControlling an RGB Mediawedge range The Print Control module allows you to monitor the stability of your RGB prints to guarantee your customers consistency in printed reproduction, but also to anticipate technical problems. By default, we offer an RGB Mediawedge type range of 72 patches, but it is also possible to customize your range with the "Color table" module. Importing a Print Control .pctrl file In the chapter "Creating a reference from a printed RGB gamut" we have created a .pctrl file containing the information necessary to check your prints.The first step will therefore be to import this file. For more information, see the chapter: Creating a reference from a printed RGB MediaWedge Once imported into Coraye, the "Print Control" file appears in the left column with a check mark. Start the procedure To start the measurement, all you have to do is right click on the file and select "Start control" If the range is not already printed, you can download it in Tif or Pdf formatTo start the measurement, click on the "Start reading" button Select the measurement options, then click the "I'm ready" button Position your spectrophotometer in its calibration position Click on the "Start calibration" button Measure the range The procedure for measuring an RGB gamut is identical to that of a CMYK gamutFor more details, we invite you to read the chapter: Checking a standardized CMYK Mediawedge gamut For more information, see the chapter: Controlling a CMYK Mediawedge range When the range measurement is finished, the report is displayed.A history of controls is saved in the "Print Control .pctrl" file and appears in the right column when the Print Control file is selected in the left column. To perform other checks, just "Start control" on the .pctrl file ... ... and measure the Mediawedge range. Each new control is added to the history of the .pctrl file.The measurements and the results of the control are stored in the file. Extraction of previously performed measurements Just click on the purple icon. To compare the measurements in 3D, it is possible to display them in the Gamut Viewer Delete a measure To delete a measurement, you must click on the blue icon then on the trash can icon. Creation of a label or report in pdf format Short report label Control report Saving the Print Control file To save the .pctrl file on your computer, right click on the Print Control file then select the "Export" option Control a standardized CMYK Mediawedge range The control of your proofs, with Coraye Print Control, ensures that your prints will correspond to the certification criteria which are based on the ISO 12647-7 and ISO 12647-8 standards (ISO standard concerning the production of proofs). The certificate obtained will guarantee your customers that your proof has been reproduced under the conditions defined by the Fogra or IDEAlliance standards.In this tutorial, we will learn how to measure a Fogra Mediawedge v3.0 range and edit a measurement report to check a proof against the Fogra 39 standard.To perform checks against other standards or other types of ranges, we will use the exact same method. Coraye uses the Print Control .pctrl format to store measurements and range control. The "Print Control .pctrl" file contains all the information concerning the control range and the data associated with it.Reminder: during the step of creating the Print Control file, it is added to the left column of the Coraye interfaceIf this is not present, you will have to import it or create a new one. In the chapter "Creating a Standard CMYK Proof Reference" you will learn how to create your own .pctrl files For more information, see chapter: Creating a reference for Standard CMYK Proof. How to import a Print Control File (.pctrl) The first step is to import the .pctrl files We will therefore start by importing the one from the Fogra 39 Mediawedge v3.0 measurable with the XRite I1 Pro2 spectrophotometer. From Coraye, File / Open file then select the .pctrl file to import. Beginning of the measurement procedure of the Mediawedge range To start the measurement, select the " Start control " command by right-clicking on the .pctrl file located in the left column. The test chart associated with the Print Control file appears Printing the range If the range you want to check is not already printed, you can save it in Tiff or Pdf format for printing in your proofing system. When you are ready to measure the printed range, click on the " Start reading " button. Then select the measurement mode according to the reference standard and the possibilities of your measuring instrument.In our example, we will select the M0 mode corresponding to the Fogra 39 standard. Click on " I'm Ready " to start the measurement Before starting the measurement, it is necessary to calibrate the spectrophotometer. Position the spectrophotometer on its reference ceramic before clicking on the " Start Calibration " button Start measuring the range Position the spectrophotometer on its ruler so that the lines are measured one by one, starting and ending with the blank to the right and left of the range. The line to be measured is indicated by the blue arrows on the left and right on the screen. By hovering over the patches already measured, the information on the Delta E, H and Ch as well as the CMYK values appear (For the RGB ranges, you will see the RGB values appear). Regarding patches not yet measured, only CMYK (or RGB) values will appear when hovering over the patch. Icons located at the bottom of the measurement window Resetting the measurement Enabling or disabling sound during measurement Note that the strength of the beep depends on the sound setting of your computer. Row reading mode (default) In this mode you can change line using the " Next line " or " Previous line " buttons. The "Up" and "Down" keys and clicking to the left of the letter associated with the line also allows you to change lines. CAUTION: If you click in a patch, the software will go into patch reading mode and request a calibration. Patch-by-patch playback mode By clicking on the icon, " Patches reading mode " the software goes into patch by patch measurement mode and requests a calibration. This mode is useful if you cannot measure a line. You can enter and exit this mode at any time during the range measurement procedure. The " Patches reading mode " mode requires equipping the spectrophotometer with its measurement accessory used to measure the samples. In this mode you can change the box by using the buttons " Next patch " to go to the right or " Previous patch " to return to the left. The "Right" and "Left" keys also allow you to move around in the staff. CAUTION: Clicking to the left of the letter associated with the line exits "Patches reading mode" and returns you to "Line Mode" and requires a new calibration of the spectrophotometer. In this mode you can move up or down using the " Next line " buttons to go down, or " Previous line " to return up. The "Up" and "Down" keys also allow you to move around in the staff. By clicking on a box with the mouse, you can directly access the selected patch. When the test pattern is finished, click on " Reading done " to go to the reading report. Reading report The measurement report consists of two parts: The upper part displays the short report The lower part displays the long report Display of results according to prescribed values defined by ISO 12647-7 standards Whether for UGRA, Fogra or IDEAlliance, the tolerances associated with the different standards are automatically updated via our database. It is also possible to customize the report by adding controls. Just click on the " + Add block " button to access the available controls. All unused controls are available to customize the Print Control. Just click on the blocks to add them to the list. To edit or delete a block, click on the three small dots located at the top right of the block. If you modify a standard tolerance set, "-Edited" is automatically added after the name of the tolerance. When you edit a tolerance, a window appears to modify the value of the original tolerance. By clicking on one of the blocks, the colors associated with the tolerance calculation are highlighted in blue in the long report. Printing the label and long report Two types of report are available in pdf format: Label format , ready to print on a Dymo 400 or 450 type printer Labels Type: LW Name Badge Labels, 54mm x 101mm SKU: S0722430 The Full Report , in A4 format, containing the short report and the long report.This report in pdf format may contain several pages, depending on the number of patches measured.It is recommended to print it on a color laser printer. Successive measurements To start successive measurements, right-click on the " Print Control " file, then select " Start control " The second measurement will be added to the history of the " Print Control " file. Information to quantify the difference with the previous measurement will be added in each of the blocks. The history of reports can be viewed by clicking on the blue icon. It is possible to transform the measured values into a color table by clicking on the purple icon. Trend curves From version 1.23.0, an evolution curve is displayed under each parameter to monitor the evolution of your prints. 3D display of measurements from the Mediawedge range The color table generated in the previous step can be displayed in the Gamut Viewer to view the measurement deviations in 3D or to compare the measurements with the reference profile for example. Saving measurements Saving the " Print Control " file is simply done by right-clicking on the file, then selecting the " Export " function. Create a baseline from a custom RGB or CMYK color table As part of quality control, you need to control certain colors in a print.Coraye allows you to customize your control ranges using a color table containing only the shades to monitor. The method is the same as for creating a reference made from spot colors except that you will use RGB or CMYK modes instead of "Spot" mode. Importing a custom color table In our example, we are going to use the "Avery Dennison 500 Event Film" color chart that we made by measuring a vinyl color chart. This color chart only contains spectral and Lab values, but we want to monitor its color reproduction on a digital press printing in RGB with the ADOBE RGB 1998 reference profile. This table, not containing a reference RGB value, it does not allow us to create an RGB repository for the moment Adding RGB or CMYK values to the reference table To create RGB values in the table, we will use the Adobe RGB 1998 ICC profile which is the reference profile used when printing.We are therefore going to import the ADOBE RGB 1998.icc profile into Coraye, then convert the table with this profile. We will get a table containing RGB values associated with all the colors in the table. To create a CMYK repository, you must perform the same operation, but with a CMYK profile Creation of the RGB reference range The next step is to launch the Print module.Then click on the "Create a reference" button. Then select the RGB space To create a CMYK repository, you must perform the same operation, but with a CMYK profile Drag the table containing the RGB values into the "Drag a color table here" area Since the Adobe RGB 1998 reference space is larger than the colors your printer is capable of reproducing, we will create the reference from a gamut that we will print and then measure later.So the reference colors will be the Lab values actually reproduced by the printer. Click on the "Measure own Lab values" button Choose the format of the range according to the spectrophotometer you are using To find out more, see the chapter: Customizing charts Export the range in Tiff (RGB) format to print it on your freshly calibrated printer.When the range is printed, click on "Start measurement". The range is saved in Tif or Pdf format depending on the printing system. Select the measurement parameters according to the spectrophotometer you are using Click on the "Start calibration" button. Measure the lines of your range When all lines are measured, click on the "Measurement Complete" button In the information window, only the name of the setting is mandatory.The other information is optional.Then click on the " Save and exit " button. The new Print Control file appears in the left column. The next steps are to edit the tolerances and check the prints. For more information, see chapter: Editing tolerances To find out more, see the chapter: Checking a rangeCreate a reference from the values of an imported range Just as it is possible to validate a proof with a standardized gamut, it is also possible to check prints with gamuts containing many more reference colors. This method works with both CMYK and RGB tables and is very similar to spot color control. For more information, see the chapter: Creating a reference from a spot color chart CMYK tables must contain CMYK and {Lab or xyz or spectral}values RGB tables must contain RGB and {Lab or xyz or spectral} values Importing a reference range In our example, we will use the IDEAlliance GRACol2013 CRPC6 reference file of 1617 colors.It is also possible to use a PANTONE color chart or a measured RGB chart of the TC9.18 RGB type for example. On the menu bar, click File> Open File Select the reference file then click on the " Open "button Generally, reference organizations such as CIE, Fogra, UGRA or IDEAlliance, to name but a few, provide files in the CGATS standard (.txt or .it8).But Coraye supports a lot more formats. The table appears in the left column Open Print Control Click on the Print Control icon located at the top left of the window Then click on the button " Create a reference " The chosen reference being in CMYK mode, select " CMYK " Drag the imported table onto the " Drag a color table here " area Click on the button " Use the Labs of the standard " The test pattern appears and can be customized with the tools on the right To find out more, see the chapter: Customizing charts Printing of the charter At this step, you can save the chart in Pdf or tiff format to print it later.Click on "Next" In the information window, only the name of the setting is mandatory. The other information is optional.Then click on the " Save and exit " button. The new Print Control file appears in the left column. You can now start the range measurement or export the file to save it by right-clicking on the Print Control file. Controlling an RGB or CMYK gamut is very similar to that of a Mediawedge, except that there are more measurement lines. For more information, see the chapter: Control of a charter Create a baseline from a spot color swatch The "Spot Colors" option of the Print Control allows you to check the color reproduction accuracy of a spot color chart on your printer. Importing a color table In this example, we will use the colors from a tinted vinyl swatch that we created by measuring samples with the "Color Table" module. For more information, see chapter: Color Table It is obviously possible to control the colors of other types of color charts such as PANTONES, RAL, etc. Import a color table containing spot colors List of color table formats supported by Coraye:- Native format in JSON standard (.table)- CXF (.cxf) to share with EFI RIP, XRite, PANTONE, Xrite eXact ... (import / export)- Adobe ( .ase, .aco, .acb) to share with Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign and Epson Edge Print RIP Import / Export)- CSV (.csv) to share with Microsoft Excel, RIP Wasatch (import / export)- Caldera (.lab ) (export only)- CorelDraw (.xml)- NeoStampa (.spt)- CIE CGATS (.txt)- Onyx Postershop (.tab)- Data Color (.qtx) (Only supports spectral data) The imported table now appears in the left column Creating the Print Control Reference File Click on the Print Control icon located at the top left, then click on the " Create Reference " button. Since we want to control spot colors, we will select the " Spot color" pictogram. In this new window, drag the color table into the area: " Drag a color table here ". Click the " Use Standard Labs " button to use the Lab values of the spot colors to perform the check. Printing the test pattern A test pattern containing the spot colors is created, you can customize the format of this test pattern using the editing tools located on the right. To find out more, see the chapter: Customizing charts Export the color table that you used to create the test pattern, in the format compatible with your RIP. This step is important because RIPs recognize spot colors by their names.Then, thanks to internal color tables, they associate these names with their reference values to print them. You must therefore import these reference values into your RIP to best reproduce the named shades. To export the tables, right click on the table located in the left column, then select "Export". Select the export format according to the RIP on which you will install the color table.Tutorials on installing color tables on RIPs are available in "Color Tables" For more information, see chapter: Color Table Export the test chart in pdf format to print it in your preferred RIP. It is not necessarily necessary to save your pdf now, you can also do it during the control step. This pdf contains all the spot colors of your table.Some RIPs are limited by the amount of named tints contained in a document Click on "Next". In the information window, only the name of the setting is mandatory. The other information is optional. Click on " Save and exit " to create the Print Control file. The Print Control file appears in the left column. Reading the test pattern Once the test chart has been printed, start the reading by right-clicking on the Print Control file then " Start the control ". The control of a spot color gamut is very similar to that of a CMYK RGB Mediawedge. To find out more, see the chapter: Checking a range Control a grayscale Checking the gray scale makes it possible to detect any drifts in your printers or to check the quality of a calibration. Indeed, the grays, reproduced in RGB or CMYK mode, are not composed only of black, but are reproduced with all the inks of your printer.To obtain perfect neutrality, it is therefore necessary that the dosage of these inks be controlled and balanced.This should be the case if the printer is properly calibrated and stable.The non-stability of a printer can be due to the following parameters:- Material wear (print heads, pumps, etc.)- Inks (expiry date, quality problem, etc.)- Media- Icc profile (Profile not corresponding to the printing medium, etc ...)- Calibration problem.It is therefore advisable to regularly check your prints as part of a quality control in order to guarantee your customers the consistency and quality of your prints. Creating an RGB Gray Reference Click on the " Print Control " icon, then on the " Create reference " button and select " RGB " mode. Select the gray scale Click on the button " Measure your own Lab values "The first step is to check the neutrality of the gray scale that we are going to print. Gray's test pattern print To print the grey Mediwedge, you can use the ranges from Coraye's test image: Or click on the " Export " icon then select " Export to Tiff " or " Export to PDF " Save the range in Tiff or PDF format in a folder. The test chart must be printed under the same conditions as a normal print to reflect the final result. Gray scale measurement When the range is printed, start the control measurement.Click on " Start measurement " Position the spectrophotometer in its calibration position, then click on " Start calibration " When the spectrophotometer is calibrated, measure the staff.The blue arrows show you the line to measure. Record the reference measurement (optional step) When the test chart is measured, you have the possibility of exporting the measurement of the range in order to view it in the Gamut Viewer for example.To do this, all you have to do is click on the " Export Reading " button and then select " Export table ".Then select the folder to save your saved measurement in the .table format As a reminder, the .table format can be used with the modules:- Gamut Viewer- Color Table- Print Control Viewing the reference measurement in the Gamut Viewer (optional step) It may be interesting to display the result of the measurement of the gray scale in 3D to highlight any dominants. Import the previously saved .table file Display it in the Gamut ViewerIn the example below, we can see that the grays have a dominant which tends towards yellow. Creation of the "Print Control" .pctrl file Click on the " Measurement completed " button In the information window, only the name of the setting is mandatory.The other information is optional. When you have finished filling in the information, click on the " Save and Exit " button. The Print Control file appears in the left column Checking a gray scale against the values of the reference scale. Comparing a gray scale with respect to the values of a reference range can be useful for:- Monitoring the stability of your printer- Checking the emulsion of your media- Comparing the calibration of your printer fleet- etc ... You can now start measuring another gray scale to compare it to the reference gray scale values.Select the "Print control" file in the left column, then right click to select the " Start control " option. To find out more, see the chapter : Checking a range 3D comparison of a control measurement with the reference measurement When you have carried out several control measurements, you have the possibility to compare them visually in the Gamut Viewer.To do this, click on the purple icon located in the "Reference" tab, then on the one located in the "Controls" tab.The measurement tables will appear in the left column. Launch the Gamut Viewer interface to display in 3D the measurements of the previously measured ranges.To better discern the control measures, it is possible to assign a color. It is of course possible to display several measurements at the same time. For more information, see the chapter: Gamut ViewerEditing tolerances As part of a quality control, it is necessary to define tolerances for the print run to be validated. Editing the tolerances of a Print Control file Standard test charts such as Fogra Mediawedges, IDEAlliance, etc ... are already associated with tolerance values. On the other hand, personalized test charts require that we manually define these values.To define or edit the tolerances associated with the Print Control file:- Import the Print Control file (If it is not already present in the left column)- Select it to display the "Reference" tab in the column of left- In the "Reference" tab, click on the blue icon to display the values ​​of the tolerances that you can customize. Modify or delete tolerance values By clicking on the dotted lines at the top right, you can edit or remove a tolerance. If you choose to modify the tolerance, click on the "Confirmation" button to validate the new value. Addition of a new control criterion If you want to add new tolerances, click on "Add proof criteria". Click on the check criteria you want to add.When you delete a check criterion, it is added to this list. Once the control criteria are modified, do not forget to validate them by clicking on the "Save" button. The new control criteria will be applied to all the measurements that are going to be carried out as well as to those that have already been carried out. Control a charter In this tutorial, we will learn how to control an IT8 type chart by measuring the lines in one or more times. The control of a large chart can be useful in the following cases:- More in-depth quality control of your prints- Verification of charts intended for the creation of a profile to characterize an offset machine. Importing the Print Control file To control a large chart, it is first necessary to import the Print Control file created previously in the " Creating a reference from ... " chapters: Then select the Print Control file and right click to select the " Start Control " option. The range used when creating the Print Control file is displayed.It is possible, at this stage, to modify the format of the test chart in order to print it. To find out more, see the chapter: Customizing charts Printing of the charter If the chart is not already printed, export it in Tiff or Pdf format to print it. Charter measurement Once the chart (s) have been printed, let them rest before starting to read.To start the measurements, click on the " Start measurement " button Select the reading and calibration mode, then click on " I'm ready " Position the spectrophotometer in its calibration position Then click on the " Start calibration " button Multiple measurements At this step, it is possible to define the number of measurements carried out per line by clicking on the " + reading "button. This is in order to detect reading errors or to average the measurements for greater precision. Then start reading the charter. Measure the line framed by the 2 blue cursors Hovering over the measured patches will show you the values of Delta E, H and Ch When the staff is completely measured, click on the " Reading done " button. Viewing Reading Report The measurement report is displayed. If you wish to measure other ranges, right click on the Print Control file then click on the " Start measurement " button.Each new measurement will be added to the "Print Control" file and can be viewed later. To find out more, see the chapter: Carry out a check Compare and edit chart measures Before taking the average of several chart measurements, intended for the creation of an icc characterization profile, it is advisable to check the measurements and correct them if necessary. In this tutorial, we will measure 3 identical ECI2002R charts. The goal is to check if there is not too much difference between these charts and to check if measurement errors have not crept in during the reading. Import of measurements made in the " Create profile " module To find out more, see the chapter: Create an icc profile from an average of measured charts The imported measurements will appear in the left column Creation of a reference file Click on the " Create a reference " button The ECI2002R test charts being in CMJN mode, we will click on the "CMJN" button We will choose the "ECI2002R sample A" measurement as a reference to compare it with the other two. Drag the "ECI2002R sample A" measurement into the " Drag the color table here " area Then click on the button " Use the Labs of the standard " Click on the " Next " button located at the bottom of the test chart Name the reference file then click on " Save and exit " The reference file appears in the left column. Make sure the spectrophotometer is plugged in then right click on the reference file then select " Start control " Select the options the options of the spectrophotometer then click on "I'm ready" Position the spectrophotometer in its calibration position Then click on the " Start calibration " button Comparison of a measurement against the reference measurement Drag the "ECI2002 sample B" measurement file onto the "Reading # 1" button When the measurement is loaded, click on the " Measurement finished " button The report is displayed and indicates that there are samples that have an unusually high difference.This may be due to a defective target or to a reading error. In the "Reading report" area we will identify the bad measurements.Two measurements are problematic:- The 18th measurement in column 13 => M10- The 10th measurement in column 14 => N18 We are going to measure them again. When the measurement is loaded, the color hover displays the deltaE values.Click on the color to re-measure. The spectrophotometer will ask you for a calibration then measure the sample on the printed test chart. Check the new value after measurement. Perform the same operation for the second value.Check the new value after measurement. When the measurements are finished, click on the " Measurement finished " button The new report is displayed Carry out the same operation with the other measurement "ECI2002R sample C" The average of the verified measurements can be used to create the icc profile To find out more, see the chapter:  Create an icc profile from an average of measured chartsEpson Quality Control For the lucky owners of an Epson S series (Eco-solvent), R series (Resin) or F series (Sublimation or DTG) compatible with the Epson Edge Print RIP, here is a solution for performing Quality Control using the "Test Pattern" file included in the Epson RIP. Quality control Have you ever had customer feedback due to print quality issues? How much did it cost you in terms of production cost, labor time, transport costs, commercial cost and other costs that are difficult to quantify, being due to the dissatisfaction of your customers? What can the implementation of Quality Control bring you? Checking the stability of your prints. Verification of the color stability of your prints over time Verification of the colorimetry between two emulsions of supports Error detection, such as using a print setting that does not match the media. Control before the start of production to avoid waste The guarantee of a result in accordance with your wishes. The sooner you detect print quality issues, the sooner you fix them and the less it will cost you. The certainty of being able to count on the control of your production will allow you, for example, to produce quality reprints and connections. Looking for a marketing idea for your business? ... Set up quality control and promote it! Creating a benchmark for print control based on the Epson Edge Print RIP test pattern The first step in the Print Control process is to generate reference data from a range printed on a recently calibrated printer. From the Epson Edge Print RIP, you can print a test page containing a Mediawedge CMYK type range. It is the measurement of this range, in the Coraye software, which will serve as a reference for checking the stability of your printer. 1) Adding a test pattern to the Epson Edge Print RIP print queue 2) Printing the Epson test pattern Print the test pattern under normal printing conditions. Creation of the repository with the Coraye Print Control module Reference range measurement 1) Launch the Coraye software, then select the "Print Control" icon and click on the "Create a reference" button. 2) The Epson "Test pattern" test page being in CMYK, select the CMYK mode. 3) To easily find the Epson Mediawedge, type "Epson" in the search field, then select the range. 4) Since we want to create a reference from a print (for example the first print after a calibration), click on "Read my own Lab colors". 5) To start the measurement procedure, click on the "Start reading" button. 6) Select the measurement mode, then click "I'm ready". Important: Make sure your spectrophotometer is connected to a USB port directly on your computer and not to a USB hubThe XRite I1 Pro and Konica Minolta Myiro are powered via the USB port.If the power supply to the USB port is not sufficient, the spectro will be recognized, but during calibration the software will error. 7) Position the spectrophotometer on its reference blank, then click on the "Start calibration" button 8) Measure the 3 lines with the spectrophotometer and its ruler. When the measurement is complete, click "Reading done" 9) Give a name to the "Print Control" file Optional: fill in the fields that will appear on the pdf report. Click the "Save and quit" button to save the file. 10) The "Print Control" file is displayed in the left column. You must now define the control criteria and tolerances - Select the newly created "Print control" file, then click on the "blue pie chart" located in the right column, in the "Reference" tab. 11) Edit each of the control criteria to customize the tolerances. - Click on the "Add proof criteria" button to add verification criteria. 12) Click the "Save" button to save the settings. By scrolling in the lower area of ​​the window, you can view the values ​​of each of the patches in the range. By selecting the different criteria, the patches concerned in the calculation will be highlighted in blue. 13) When the "Print Control" file is configured, it is possible to export it and import it later Control measures To ensure Quality Control, print and then measure the "Epson Test pattern" at regular intervals. To do this, select the "Print Control" file then right-click and choose the "Start control" option to start the reference range measurement procedure. If the file is not present in the left column, import the Pctrl file containing the Epson control strip data. Make sure that the spectrophotometer is connected and recognized then click on the "Start reading" button Range measurement with an XRite I1 Pro or Konica Minolta Myiro type spectrophotometer. When the three lines have been measured, click on the "Reading done" button Coraye's Pctrl file keeps all the history of your measurements, don't forget to export it to save this precious data. The Coraye Print Control module allows: Export an old measurement as a .table file To display the report of an old measurement The display of evolution curves Recording of successive measurements the report in PDF format The "PDF Report" option makes it possible to extract a very complete report of the measurement in the form of a pdf file. The "Sticker PDF" option allows you to generate a short report in the form of a label in pdf format. The procedure for exporting the quality control report is identical to that explained in the tutorial "Controlling a standardized CMYK Mediawedge gamut" Personalization Other RGB or CMYK control ranges are available and it is also possible to customize your own range with spot colors for example. For example, if you need an XRite I1 Pro 3 PLUS, to verify the textile printing, you will have larger patches. The Print Control range can be fully customized.Light cabin control according to ISO3664:2009 standard Light Control is a module for controlling light booths according to the ISO3664: 2009 P1 and P2 standard. Its purpose is to produce a control report on the quality of your light in light booths, viewers or booths located at the desks at printers. .   . Prerequisites This feature can only work with the following spectrophotometers:- XRite Eye One Pro- XRite Eye One Pro ( EFI ES 1000)- XRite Eye One Pro 2 ( EFI ES 2000)- XRite Eye One Pro 3 ( EFI ES 3000) and XRite Eye One Pro3 PLUS The "LIGHT CONTROL" module must be enabled Important: Make sure your spectrophotometer is connected to a USB port directly on your computer and not to a USB hubThe XRite I1 Pro are powered via the USB port,.If the power supply from the USB port is not sufficient, the spectro will be recognized, but at the time of calibration the software will go into error. Please note that some OEM XRite I1 Pros cannot measure illuminants. 1) Creating the LCTRL file First of all, the first step is to create the Light Control file (.lctrl) containing the information associated with the cabin you want to control and the choice of the cabin type P1 or P2. Click on the "Light Control" icon Click on the "Create reference" button Fill in the fields In this new window, fill in the "Name" field, then click on the "Save and quit" buttonThe other fields are optional, they are only used to add information when you create the measurement reports.Define the P1 or P2 standard depending on the type of cabin you want to control. The "Light Control" file will appear in the left column. 2) Cabin Control Connect your spectrophotometer Your spectrophotometer name should appear in the top right corner Important: Make sure your spectrophotometer is connected to a USB port directly on your computer and not to a USB hubThe XRite I1 Pro and Konica Minolta Myiro are powered via the USB port,.If the power supply from the USB port is not sufficient, the spectro will be recognized, but at the time of calibration the software will go into error. Let's start controlling your cabin Select the previously created "Light Control" file in the left column, then right-click to select "Start control" Click on the "I'm ready" button Make sure your spectrophotometer is set to its reference white, then click on "Start calibration" Once calibration is complete, install the light diffusion cap on your spectrophotometer. Please note, you must use the cap to read the light withKonica Minolta MYIRO, XRite Eye One Pro 1, 2, 3 and 3 PLUS. Konica Minolta MYIRO XRite Eye One Pro 3 & 3 PLUS XRite Eye One Pro 2 XRite Eye One Pro Measure the light starting from the center of the cabin. The order of the measurement zones is indicated in the interface You have the option to re-measure by selecting the desired areaThe measurement values ​​are displayed under each measurement area. Once the 9 zones have been measured, click on the "Reading done" button. Note that this remains grayed out until the 9 zones have been measured. Control report Once the measurements are completed, the reading report is displayed At the top right, the control history is displayed and allows you to view previous controls. By clicking on the "PDF" button, you can obtain a report Displaying the report: By clicking on the "PDF" button, you can obtain a label Displaying the label Printing the label on a Dymo label printer To print a label, install a label printer and its driver, then click on the printer icon when you display the label. Saving the ".lctrl" file It is strongly recommended to save your control file to avoid losing it or to share it. 3) What You Need to Know About Controlling Your Cabins The CIE Color Rendering Index (CRI) is a method of determining how well the illumination of a light source on eight samples compares to that provided by a reference source. Together, the CRI and CCT provide a numerical estimate of which reference (ideal) light source most closely matches a given artificial light and how much the difference is.The CRI is a quality index for evaluating an illuminant. It is expressed as a percentage. The higher the value, the better the quality of the illuminant. The color temperature of a light source is the temperature of an ideal blackbody radiator that emits light of a color comparable to that of the light source.Color temperature is a characteristic of visible light that has important applications in lighting, photography, videography, publishing, manufacturing, astrophysics, horticulture, and other fields.In practice, color temperature is meaningful only for light sources that actually correspond fairly closely to the radiation of some black bodies, that is, light ranging from red to orange to yellow to white to bluish-white; it makes no sense to speak of the color temperature of, for example, green or violet light.Color temperature is usually expressed in kelvins, using the symbol K, a unit of absolute temperature. Color temperatures above 5000 K are called "cool" (bluish) colors, while lower color temperatures (2700–3000 K) are called "warm" (yellowish) colors."Warm" in this context is an analogy to the radiated heat flux of traditional incandescent lighting rather than the temperature.The spectral peak of warm-colored light is closer to the infrared, and most warm-colored natural light sources emit significant infrared radiation.The fact that "warm" lighting in this sense actually has a "cooler" color temperature is often a source of confusion. Source: Wikipédia Control your booth or viewing conditions IllumReader can be useful to check uniformity, color temperature, light intensity in a booth and to check the viewing conditions of proofs, objects and prints.In the field of graphic arts, ISO standards have been defined to standardize the viewing conditions of prints.Knowing how to control your light is in a way knowing how to control color. Viewing condition P1 Critical Comparison P2 Practical Appraisal ISO 3664:2009 - VIEWING CONDITIONS Light source• The relative spectral power distribution should correspond to that of CIE illuminant D50.• The UV energy should comply with CIE illuminant D50 (correlated with M1 in ISO 13655). Two levels of light intensity• Critical comparison P1: for example two prints: illuminance 2000 ± 500 Lux• Practical assessment of P2: illuminance 500 ± 125 Lux or exact illuminance setting of the lighting booth to be monitored Additional definitions• Homogeneity (check over 9 zones in your booth)• Surroundings: neutral grey diffuse surface• Viewing angle to avoid reflections