rich black - banner printing issue
donovan1 (59 pencils) | Thu, 2011-02-24 07:15we receive so called print-ready files from different people to print on large PVC format -- usualy PDF, TIF and JPG. our digital printer is HP Scitex XL1500. it needs at least cmyk = 10 10 10 100 for rich black to print without leaving unwanted white stripes in black parts of the printed banner.
now, if the customer provided a pdf with black = 0 0 0 100, i have to forcefully open the file -- risking unwanted changes -- and adjust the black to something like 10 10 10 100, then export the file again.
if the customer privides a file with black = 100 100 100 100, i have to do the same, to save some ink, especially when banners are very large.
as you can imagine, it takes time and nerves, while other jobs wait in queue.
do you have a reasonable solution to this problem, to save time, nerves and ink?
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It's the old catch 22 (or maybe 23) - you basically have a few choices, none of which work perfectly...
Do what J just recommended - somewhere in your instructions insert the rich black rule and say you can't guarantee client files that do not comply. The drawback being you'll still get files with 100K and if you don't fix them - you'll probably lose the client if they're not happy with the end result.
If you're luckly, you might have a feature available in the RIP software that allows you to automatically switch all blacks to whatever numbers you want. The drawback there is you might get some funky results when it switches something to rich that you didn't really want rich.
Option 3 is to fix the files. The drawback being... you have to fix the files.
Most places I use have the rule in option 1 - then they fix the files that don't comply anyway and eat the time loss.
It may be helpful to understand c10m10y10k100 -- does not -- will not -- cannot -- translate to c10m10y10k100 when your RIP sends the file to the inkjet. What you are describing is a color management issue rather than a production issue. You'll want to get a consultant to make custom profiles for your inkjet/rip which will give you accurate color that won't overink.
However, if you're just happy as a peach doing things in a CMYK model, Pitstop from Enfocus is something that you'll be interested in adding to your Acrobat. I believe it will allow you to select all blacks and globally change their CMYK mix.
http://www.enfocus.com/product.php?id=855
Without my sense of direction, I don't know where I'd be.
Pitstop rocks.
living on dreams and custard creams.
It's best to send it back to the client. Your sales representatives should be providing your clients with a media kit of some sort that details your file requirements including your rich black settings. It's MUCH better to have the client correct the work than you - as you know, you could be held accountable for any errors if it resulted from your opening the file to adjust the settings.
we ar at the tail, and we get the files from the sales representatives, that's why we usualy cannot ask the customer to provide other files.
maybe 10 10 10 100 does not translate correctly, but it makes a difference to 0 0 0 100. actually, since we got the Scitex im doing the ripping instead of the printer operator. it's not nice but that's what the bosses decided.
i' m going to dig deep into the rip software to find if it offers some black color management.
Reading the specs on the XL1500, you should have either a GrandRIP+ by Caldera or a Production House RIP by Onyx. What is this Scitex IM you're referring to? I suspect this is not meant to drive inkjet printers.
Without my sense of direction, I don't know where I'd be.
Custom profile for the rip is your answer. I used to beta test for Sun Systems in the mid 90s when large format inkjet's were just coming on the scene.
We ended up with a custom workflow that would convert everything to RGB and the rip would do the rest.
Terrell Thornhill
e-zign Design Group
i'm using ProductionHouse 7. it's not a user friendly software but its reliable.
I've used that RIP. It's a good brand.
In the meantime, until you can spend some dough to get an optimum solution, you'll want to experiment with the output profiles in your RIP.
Right now, your RIP is transforming your CMYK from an assumed CMYK profile, likely US Web SWOP. It needs to be set to the same CMYK you use. The next part is the output profile which describes the media you're printing to.
Choose different output profiles and send small swatches with a 100,100,100,100 black. With luck you'll find one of those output profiles does not over ink.
Without my sense of direction, I don't know where I'd be.
Brilliant advice. Pre-press master you are.
living on dreams and custard creams.
Much thanks! Just when I thought nobody was listening.
Without my sense of direction, I don't know where I'd be.
I always pay attention to both you guys because you're still doing production and those days are long behind me. It's nice to have some idea as to what's going on out there.
You must wake up every day and thank your lucky stars (that your out of production)! ;-)
Without my sense of direction, I don't know where I'd be.
Yes and no. I miss some aspects of production... It's left brain problem solving vs the right brain aspect of design for instance. You're kept up to date on all the new software and hardware. The thing I miss the most is you can walk away from it at the end of the day - finish up the jobs and go home with a clear head, then start a new day tomorrow. That's virtually impossible for me now with regular jobs continually cycling in and out.
The downside is eventually you just get tired of fixing other people's work. At least that's what happened for me.
As mentioned, Enfocus Pitstop is a good solution for post processing PDFs, if you don't have this you could open the pdf in illustrator (you may need to request the fonts from your client) once opened i would outline all fonts, change your blacks selectively as you wish then save back as PDF. Opening in illustrator does carry a risk, but its easy to check against the original to do this i rasterise both pdfs in photoshop (the original and my altered illustrator version), put them on separate layers and use the layer transparency slider on the top layer, any alterations will jump out at you as you move the slider, hot tip!
best of luck!
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i am agree with the above user who has said living on dreams and custard creams .
make money
First, create a spec sheet and/or create a page on your website that is painfully obvious so that anyone who has questions can get the information they need without having to pickup the phone or email you.
Second, without hesitation respond to the client/designer and have THEM correct the issue but be kind enough to walk them through the process the first time if necessary.
If you continue to provide this service WITHOUT charging, you're doomed to continue to have to suffer the consequences. Educate your clients / designers and you'll make both your lives and production more efficient. See our homepage for a general example (link below).
Jimmy // Full Color Printing
Try Automatic printer switcher ,the automatic Printer Switcher will monitor active windows and swap the default printer depending on what application you're printing from.
Web design Atlanta