User Manual – Durst

3.1 Add and Edit a new Color Setup

Updated on

In this article you will learn:

  • Which requirements must be met in order to create an accurate Profile
  • How to create a Profile
  • Why using Pre-Linearization makes sense
  • Which methods are provided for Editing an existing Profile.

1. Introduction

To take full advantage of the direct control of the printing system from the Workflow, exact color reproduction properties of the used Substrates must be known to the Workflow. The method of defining the color reproduction properties in the Workflow is referred to as Profiling.

2. General Overview

In order to successfully create a Color Setup for a Substrate in the Workflow, the following requirements must be met:

  • create Inks that are used in the printing system
  • create the Printer that should be used including all Color Configurations that should be used
  • create Substrates for the Printer

When all requirements have been met, start Profiling. To perform a complete Color Setup for all Channel Configurations for the Printer, proceed as follows:

  1. Select the menu Color > Color Setup
  2. Create a new Color Setup by clicking on the +New button in the action bar. Decide whether or not your Color Setup needs Pre-Linearization. Mind the following message, "Which color configuration is required?".
  3. Open the Color Setup by double-clicking it. Depending on the selected Color Configuration and whether Pre-Linearization is needed, the Color Setup will perform up to five steps. If Pre-Linearization is not necessary and the Printer does not have any Light Inks, the Color Setup can be carried out in just three steps.
  4. Click on Step 1: Pre-Linearization and enter the desired percentage value that should be used for the pre-linearization in the Create Pre-Linearization Curves sub-step.
  5. Click on Step 2: Transitions. Carry out the four sub-steps:
    • Print Color Setup chart
    • Measure Color Setup chart
    • Analyze
    • Create Transition Curves
  6. Click on Step 3: Linearization. Carry out the four sub-steps:
    • Print Color Setup chart
    • Measure Color Setup chart
    • Analyze
    • Create Linearization Curves
  7. Click on Step 4: Ink Limit. Carry out the two sub-steps:
    • Print Color Setup chart
    • Determine Ink Limit
  8. Click on Step 5: Profile. Carry out the four sub-steps:
    • Print
    • Measure
    • Analyze
    • Calculate Substrate Profiles
  9. After Profile calculation is complete, go back to Color > Color Setup to view the Color Setup list view.
  10. Select the Color Setup you just created. If you have created a CMYK-OVG profile, click Process in the action bar and select Create Color Setup Variations. There a CMYK only Profile can be automatically calculated from your previous Profile measurements.
  11. If you intend to create prints with black only, you can also select K in the Create Color Setup Variations from the action bar.
  12. In our example, three profiles are available: CMYK-OVG, CMYK and K.
  13. The last step is to select a Default Profile for the selected Substrate. To do this, go to Administration > Substrate and select the Substrate you used for profiling. Under the Substrate panel, select a Default Color Policy for the Substrate.

The steps that must be completed after creating a new Color Setup are available here as well as here.

Which Color Configuration should I choose first?

Even if you don't plan on using all available colors in the printing system start the Color Setup for the Printer by selecting all available print colors on the printer (including the gamut expanding and light inks). Thereby it will be possible to later create sub-profiles from the Color Setup without measuring again.

3. Create a new Color Setup

Once the preparations for Ink, Printer and Substrate have been carried out, the first step is to create a Profile for the Printer, Ink and Substrate combination. Proceed as follows to Profile a CMYKcm Color Configuration with Pre-Linearization:

  1. Select the Color > Color Setup menu
  2. When opening Color Setup for the first time, you will find an empty list. If a Color Setup has already been created, you can select the Color Setup and edit [2], duplicate [3] or delete it [4]. In our case we will create a New [1] Color Setup.

Figure 1: Created Color Setups are listed in the Color Setup list.

Color Setup overview

Search for a Color Setup

Color Setups can be quickly displayed via the filter bar and the search field. The criteria used to filter results in this list are: Base Color Setup, Channel Configuration, Created, Created by, Print Configuration, Printer, Status, Substrate and Tags.

Read about how filters work and how to narrow your search criteria via the search field in the article Using Filters and the Search function.

  1. To create a new Color Setup, click on the +New button [1] in the action bar. This opens the Add Color Setup dialog, which contains multiple parameters pertaining to the Color Setup. The required parameters for a Color Setup include:
    • Printer – printers differ, even if they are the same model, many printers will contain the following parameters:
    • Print Configuration – determines the Resolution, Passes, Print Speed, Backlit options as well as Finishing Type and Dither Mode.
    • Substrate – is defined by surface texture, optical brighteners, etc.
    • Channel Configuration – determines the colors used for printing, i.e. - CMYK, CMYKcm, CMYK_OVG, etc.

Figure 2: The Add Color Setup dialog

Add Color Setup dialog
  1. The option Autogenerate Setup Name from chosen parameters [6] is activated by default in this dialog. Leave this checkbox activated if the Profile name should be automatically generated or needs to maintain a certain hierarchal structure such as, Printer | Ink | Print Configuration | Substrate | Channel Configuration. However, if you want to use a different name for the Profile, deactivate the checkbox and enter the desired name for the Profile under the Setup Name [5] input field. In Abbrev. [7] determine a meaningful abbrevation for the quick search of the Color Setup and a hint in Comment [8].
  2. Then select the entries in order, as this will reduce the options in the following options:
    • Printer [9] – select your desired printer. The Printer should have been previously created in the Workflow.
    • Print Configuration [10] – select your desired configuration.
    • Substrate [11] – select your desired Substrate.
    • Channel Configuration [12] – select your desired configuration. When initially Profiling a Printer-Print Configuration-Substrate combination, you should select the Color Configuration that covers all Process and Light Inks that are available for your printer.
  3. Measurement Device [13] and Measurement Parameter Set [14], the default Measurement Device and Configuration will be automatically assigned, as previously defined under Administration > Measurement Devices. If you need to use another Measurement Device or Parameter Set, please select it in this dialog.
  4. Destination [15] – activate the checkbox Create Pre-Linearization Curves [12] if your Printer Type requires this option. Depending on the Printer Type used, this option can lead to improved Profiles and therefore improved Printing results and is generally recommended – see the Pre-Linearization section for more information.
  5. When you click on Save, the Color Setup is created. You will find the new entry in the list of Color Setups.
  6. To continue Profiling either double-click on the entry in the list or click on the arrow [17] on the far right of the list entry.

For more detailed Information on all Steps concerning Profiling of a Color Setup read the linked Article > Quick Reference.

Figure 3: The Color Setup list with the new Color Setup selected

Color Setup List view with new Color Setup

3.1. Excursus: Pre-Linearization

Background Information

Printer manufacturers deliver their printers with different linear states. This is partially due to the fact that Print Head installation varies from Printer to Printer and may have for example different head voltages. Despite the variables listed above there are other factors that come into play regarding the linearity of a Printer when installed onsite. There are three factors that can play a major role in consistency of print results. These are:

  1. The use of highly pigmented inks: With certain printers, inks with a different number of pigments are used. For example, in order to reduce ink consumption, it may be desirable to use a highly concentrated black or cyan pigment. Inks with highly concentrated pigment can lead to a sharp increase in the steepness of the Linearization curve.
  2. Direct Printing versus Transfer Printing: If two printers from the same manufacturer are installed onsite, where one printer is filled with inks for Direct Printing and the other with an ink for Transfer Printing, the slope of the Linearization curve can differ considerably.
  3. Print Configuration: If a Printer offers a variety of Print Configurations (e.g. different speeds), the linear behavior between the individual configurations may vary significantly due to the different amounts of ink being applied to the Substrate.

As a result, when we combine all these factors, the same printer can vary considerably when it comes to linear performance.

Using the Tau 330 RSC printer as an example, we can see that the linear curve with factory settings looks pretty satisfactory. We can assume that the ink combination, Printer Mode and Head Tension settings are heading in the right direction. As long as these factors do not change considerably, the printer can be regarded as having a relatively linear curve. If this is the case, using the Pre-Linearization step would be superfluous.

Figure 4: The Linearization curve of a printer using the Tau 330 RSC as an example.

Linearization example from a Tau 330 RSC

When measuring the Linearization of a printer that is already linear, the measuring fields from 0% to 100% will be significantly different from each other. This provides a good starting point for creating the compensation curve for Linearization.

If concentrated pigment inks are used or the printing process changes, the printer will often appear to be in a non-linear state. Theoretically if the linearity were to be measured, 75% of the ink coverage [15] would already be printed in the first 0% to 20%, as seen in the figure below. For the remaining coverage (75% to 100% [16]) many color patches (20% to 100%) would need to be used.

If you assume that a measurement value in the range from 0% to 20% [16] is not correct due to a flawed Chart, incorrect positioning of the measurement head or measurement errors in the measurement algorithm, linearity deviations from the acceptable range and steepness will appear. When the linearization is incorrect it is relatively easy to visually identify that the curve is incorrect and will often contain sharp abberations as seen in the figure below.

Figure 5: A non-linear printer when measured may display a Linearization curve similar to the figure below.

A non-linear printer curve

By applying Pre-Linearization, the Linearization curve can be slightly smoothed, which will significantly improve the quality of the measurement data, because the measurement is based on several measurements.

The Pre-Linearization curve is calculated based on a percentage that the user enters. As an example, a value of 20% would reduce the 50% point on the Linearization curve by 20% [17]. The appropriate value that the user should enter depends on many factors, we recommend the following:

  • A value of 10% can be used for almost all Durst printers.
  • For water-based inks, the percentage also depends heavily on the Print Configuration. The faster you print, the higher the percentage used.
  • In transfer printing, 25% to 30% can be used.
  • Reduce the Pre-Linearization value, if the Linearization curve is below the 45° line.
  • We have never had to apply the maximum value of 40% to any printing system.
  • The Tau 330 RSC does not require Pre-Linearisation.

Figure 6: The Linearization curve after applying Pre-Linearization - a slightly higher percentage value would have been appropriate here.

An example of a Linearization curve with Pre-Linearization applied

What we can expect when applying Pre-Linearization

The following results can be achieved when applying Pre-Linearization:

  • Smoother gradients: By distributing the measurements more evenly, the automatic smoothing of the Linearization curve is more effective.
  • A Smoother transition when using Light Inks: If the Linearization curve has a steep increase in light tones, the calculated curve for determining the transition between Light and normal Ink will have a much sharper "peak" (maximum value). This means that the print result may contain a visible ring that can be perceived when a radial transition occurs in this area. Pre-Linearization will smooth out this curve.
  • Reduced ink consumption when using Light Inks: The start, maximum and end values are predefined in the Workflow when calculating transitions, the end value may be set too late if the Linearization curve has a strong peak, when Linearization has been applied, Light Inks may be increased to add saturation. By adding more Light Ink we ultimately "waste" Ink, because we don't need to add Light Inks when printing deep black tones.

As described above automated calculations only work well if the printer is in a linear state. By ensuring the initial Linearization of a printer we can optimize the calculation as well as the application of Inks and by proxy the print results that are obtained from the printer.

4. Editing, Duplicating and Deleting Color Setups

After selecting Color > Color Setup, a list of all Color Setups that have been created is provided. Depending on the number of printers connected to the Workflow and on the Print and Color Configurations used, the number of Profiles can increase quickly. For the sake of clarity, you can reduce your number of entries by applying a Filter [18] or by entering a term in the Search Field [22]. The Status [23] shows the current condition of the Color Setup. The calculated Color Setups can only be used in production when the status Production Ready is used. Setting a filter to Status > Production Ready reduces the list of Color Setups to the Color Setups that can be used.

Once you have found the entry you are looking for in the list, select it. This highlights it in yellow and activates the Edit [19], Duplicate [20] and Delete [21] menus in the action bar.

 

Figure 7: The Color Setup menu where all available Color Setups are shown in a list

Color Setup showing a selected Color Setup

4.1. Edit a Color Setup

There are two main reasons why a user would Edit a Color Setup. You may either want to change or adapt the Name of the Color Setup or add additional information such as Comments or you want to change one or more parameters contained in the Color Setup.

Change or Adapt Name of the Color Setup

To edit the name of the Color Setup or to add a comment, proceed as follows:

  1. Select the desired Color Setup in the list.
  2. Click on Edit [19] in the action bar, where the Edit Color Setup dialog will open.

Figure 8: The Edit Color Setup dialog

The Edit Color Setup dialog
  1. If you want to change the name of the Color Setup, you must first deactivate the checkbox Autogenerate Setup Name from chosen parameters [25]. After doing so you can change the Setup Name [24] as required.
  2. If you want to change the name automatically due to changes in parameters, activate the Autogenerate Setup Name from chosen parameters [25] checkbox and make any necessary changes in the parameter area [26]. Assigning more substrates is possible by clicking on the symbol [27].
  3. Click on Save to close the dialog.
  4. After Saving you will see the following dialog. Confirm the made changes by pressing the Update [28] button. When clicking on Update, none of the measurement data will be overwritten, only the metadata will be changed.

Figure 9: The confirmation dialog that appears after making changes to a Color Setup

The Update Color Setup dialog

Adjust name for changed ink

If a new ink is used in the printer, the administrator needs to select the correct ink under Administration > Printer in the Color Configuration settings. When changing the ink, the name should also be changed for all Color Setups. You can do this in two ways:

  1. Click on Edit after selecting your desired Color Setup and overwrite the ink name in the Color Setup Name section. The Autogenerate Setup Name from chosen parameters checkbox must be deactivated.
  2. Click on Edit after selecting your desired Color Setup and leave the Autogenerate Setup Name from chosen parameters checkbox checked. To change the ink name, select a different entry in the Print Configuration in the Edit Color Setup dialog and then reset it to the previously set value in the second step. This change will automatically adjust the name.

Adjust Color Setup by Editing Parameters

By changing parameters [28] (see Figure 8) in the Edit Color Setup dialog, essential parameters of the Color Setup can be changed. Changing individual parameters will invalidate the Color Setup, as it changes the parameters used for Profiling. In the following cases, some parameters may need to be changed, it should be noted that we do not recommend making changes to these parameters:

  • Using the same Color Setup for a different Substrate – it is not necessary to duplicate a Color Setup to do so. You can do this more easily by assigning other Substrates by clicking on the icon [27] (Figure 8).
  • Using the same Color Setup for a different Printer
  • Profiling with different settings in the profiling steps: Examples would be e.g. a Color Setup with or without applied Pre-Linearization, a Color Setup with different transitions for Light Inks, or a Color Setup with different Total Ink Coverage.

4.2. Duplicate a Color Setup

To enable the reasons described above – which make it possible to change parameters at all – it is necessary to duplicate a Color Setup. To do this, proceed as follows.

  1. Select the desired Color Setup in the list.
  2. Click on Duplicate [20] (Figure 7) in the action bar, the Copy Color Setup dialog will open.

Figure 10: The Copy Color Setup dialog

The Copy Color Setup dialog
  1. Confirm the duplication by clicking on Ok.
  2. This creates a duplicate of the Color Setup which contains all measurement data and creates a new entry in the list of Color Setup at the end of the list with the designation "Profiling name (Copy_1)".
  3. Select the duplicated Color Setup in the list and click on Edit [19] (see Figure 7) in the action bar to make the necessary changes.

4.3. Delete a Color Setup

We also offer the possibility to remove Color Setups that are outdated or have been created by mistake. Proceed as follows:

  1. Select the desired Color Setup in the list.
  2. Click on Delete [21] (see Figure 7) in the action bar, this will open the Delete Color Setup dialog.

Figure 11: The Delete Color Setup dialog

The Delete Color Setup dialog
  1. If  you are sure that you want to delete the Color Setup, click on Ok.
  2. Depending on the number of references that need to be resolved, the deletion process may take some time

Deleted profiles are removed from the system.

Please note that deleting a Color Setup is irreversible. You cannot retrieve the Color Setup from the trash as you can with Articles and Print Items.

Article update: Workflow 1.19.2 – 02/2025

Previous Article 2.2 Color Management in Digital Printing

Color Setup

1. Substrate 3
2. Color Management 2
3. Profiling 1

Other Resources
Print Article
Still Need Help? Contact Us