11/10/15

G7  – Taking  Control  of  Wide  Format  Print

Ron   Ellis/ron@ron ell isc on su ltin g.co m

G7  and  VLF

• Objectives:
• Understand  G7  and  how  it  is  used  with  VLF
• VLF  and  Color  Accuracy
• Realistic  tolerances
• QC  and  Recalibration  
Procedures
• Multiple  Substrates  
and  VLF

G7  and  VLF

• VLF  print  typically  has  a  

different   use  than   proofing  
or  commercial  print  
applications
• Speed   and   vivid  color  are  
often   more  important   than  
color  accuracy
• Many  VLF  printers  cannot  
match  the  gamut   of  
GRACoL

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VLF  Workflow

• Conversions   and  purpose

• Gamut
• Accuracy
• Quality
• Speed

VLF  Print  Gamut  Examples

• Vutek in  Production   Mode  vs GRACoL

• Epson   GS  vs GRACoL
• HP  Latex,   Roland,   Mimaki,  Durst,  etc.  vs GRACoL
• Epson   11880,   Canon   inkjets  vs GRACoL

G7  and  VLF

• What  works
• High  speed  production  =  G7  Gray
• Slower  higher  gamut  devices  =  G7  Colorspace
• Materials  and  type  of  VLF  will  determine  compliance  with  
colorspace

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G7  Gray  v s GRACoL

• Tonality
• Gray  Balance
• Common  appearance
• Solids
• Overprints
• Colorspace/Gamut

Realistic  Tolerances

• Tolerances   are  based   on  machine  capability

• All  VLF  should  achieve  G7  Gray
• Averages  delta  E  and  controls  are  wider  when  compared  to  
colorspace on  production  machines
• Method  of  verification  relates  to  realistic  tolerances

Realistic  Tolerances  -­ Example

• G7  Gray  =  1.5
• Average   Delta  E  =  4
• Solids,  Overprints  
• Off
• Or   customized  to  
machine

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QC  and  Recalibration

• Measure  control   element

• If  pass  =  print
• If  fail  =  recalibrate*

Recalibration  Methods

• RIP  Dependent
• LUT
• ICC

LUT

• If  device  supports   LUT  adjust   use  LUT  to  return  VLF  to  
gray  balanced   state
• Examples:
• Onyx
• Caldera
• Wasatch
• Colorgate

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ICC

• If  RIP  does   not  support   LUT  adjust   use  ICC

ICC  Recalibration

• Quickly  regenerate   target   to  return  machine  to  passing  

state
• Scanners   or  speed   readers   help
• Low  res  patch   modes  beneficial

VLF  and  GCR

• Many  users  create  profiles  with  high   GCR  to  save  ink  in  
VLF  workflows

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Quick  Profiling  Multiple  Media

• Normal  method   is  to  create  a  new  lin and  then   ICC  profile  
for  media
• On  LUT  supporting   RIP  you  can  often   just  perform  G7  
LUT
• On  many  VLF  RIPS  dupe   the   basic  LIN  and   then  create  
an  ICC  to  get  a  quick  usable   calibration  for  new  media
• Goal  is  a  10  minute  setup  to  use  a  new  media

Substrate  Correction  and  VLF

• VLF  can  also  be  improved  by  using  a  substrate   corrected  

reference   profile
• Multiple  medias  also  can  be  made  to  look  like  one  media  
using  this  method

Questions

• ron@ronellisconsulting.com