Canon / Fiery Calibration Procedure -All ColorPass and ImagePass Series

[teckat]

Canon / Fiery Calibration Procedure -All ColorPass and ImagePass Series

When printing to toner-based print engines such as color copiers, many environmental factors affect the color output of the device. Changes in temperature, humidity, and substrates can substantially alter the color of prints over time. To keep print quality consistent from the first to the last, users must be able to measure the current performance of the print engine. The RIP can compensate for changes in conditions as long as it is aware of the copier's status. Calibration gives the RIP the information it needs to make the necessary adjustments. The best way to ensure consistent color is to calibrate using a tool called a densitometer. A densitometer measures the current toner density levels of the print engine. For copiers that support scanning, the RIP device also enables users to calibrate off the copier glass using ColorCal, a fast and easy solution. Once the base measurement is taken, the RIP will make the necessary adjustments to ensure that the copier performance meets its target. Canon recommends that users calibrate anywhere from once a day to once every week, depending on their needs and environment.



Calibration Procedure


1. Clean/Adj optics. Clean/inspect optics and white plate/roller. Perform CCD Adj. Some older machines will be CCD Adj (without paper) and newer machines will be DF-WLVL 1-4 with good quality white paper.


2. Perform Full Auto Gradation. Now that the optics can properly read the data calibrate the copier. Perform this adjustment on the media being used to print onto. Bright white (98-100) 24lb-28lb is recommended for plain paper over using 20lb bond for more accurate color reproduction. If the customer is using card-stocks perform adjustment on this as well. Generally 32lb-60lb cover is Heavy 1 and 61lb-80 cover is Heavy 2.


3.Calibrate the Fiery RIP. Enter calibration mode on copier through Printer, Settings, Functions, calibration, enter Fiery.1 for the password and press OK. If you do not have a densitometer choose the Standard Color Cal Measurement page method under set-up. Use a clean Grey Scale positioned in the top center of the letter size portrait area of the platen glass. Press Calibrate and Yes to print the Measurement Page. Place printed page over the Grey Scale and press Yes and then done to measure. After successful measurement press Yes to overwrite and to it affecting all users.


4. Print out a Test Page and Configuration Page. Under Printer, Print Pages, Test Page the Configuration. After verifying print quality place these with the COMPLETED Service Log attached to the machine.


5.Verify Customer Knowledge on Calibration Procedure. Ensure that the customer is aware of Steps 2 and 3 for increased quality/reliability and service time.

[Cashmere]

Thanks for putting out this info! Really helped!

[Canuck]

I just wish that the end users would understand that calibration is important(imperative actually) to accurate color reproduction. The whole color printing industry is based on standards,consortiums,models,etc. To conform to these the machine must be calibrated accurately. "Color looks ok" means nothing. And to have the print engine reproduce accurately, it must look at its own output on a certain media and make the necessary adjustments(full gradations). Looking at itb patches alone won't cut it for true accuracy(Quick gradations). And extremely important as stated,reader spotless and calibrated. If the reader is out,full gradations are inaccurate, and calibration of the RIP is inaccurate. Just like a chain is as strong as its weakest link. Too many techs assume that because these newer machines are digital, that they neglect the reader(I still call em optics...). Yes they do shading correction when you hit start,but if all the white references,white plates,etc... are out of whack,soiled,etc..it will effect colors when they are scanned in for Pascal(gradation) during full gradations. Ok in a text world of 6 percent coverage. Total calibration of the entire unit(I call it "baselining") will keep having to "tweak the machine" down to a minimum

[KenB]

Good info here!

We also like to work with a "benchmark", where we work with the customer to create a document that contains what is important to them: certain photos, logo colors, etc... that typify what they normally print. Sometimes we create more than one. This is especially true if they use various media types. (All too often, the paper is overlooked as being the culprit when colors "just don't look right".)

Ideally this should be a pdf file, so that any tech can print it from their notebook. I like to keep a copy of the file, as well as a copy of it in the hold queue, if there is a Fiery connected. A printed version of it needs to remain with the machine. It is also import to document which driver settings are used when printing, as they can make a HUGE difference, even if all settings are defaults. That info needs to also stay with the example page.

When service is performed, the benchmark doc should be printed and compared to the "good" example.

This way, the customer can't come back with "It looked different before", when you have no idea of what "before" looked like.