ICC and Media Profiles

[spectralargeformat]

I have a question regarding how media profiles/ICC profiles configure color the way they do.

We're printing on a HP latex l26500 and when we use the hp self adhesive profile that we loaded the colors came out completely wrong (grays look green, shadows were way to dark). We swapped to a "vinyl generic" profile and the colors look MUCH better.

My question is why do the media profiles differ SO MUCH, i know different substrates have different characteristics but it doesn't seem like it would be that different. in the past i've typically found 1 profile that has good color and stuck with that and it hasn't failed me yet. I'd like to better understand it so i can set the profiles up properly. I've searched and found a lot of information about ICC's and such but nothing really explaining why some profiles look so different (and often bad) than others.

 

[Solventinkjet]

Other than the fact that different medias have different white points, ink absorption and different finishes (gloss, matte, luster, satin etc) Profiles that come with your RIP or that you download off manufacturer's websites are made in different environments, using different software/equipment and using different standards. I have used a profile in Denver for years that works great but when I use the same printer, RIP, profile, and inks in Seattle, I had saturation issues and the ink didn't dry nearly as fast. The only way you can control color and other issues is to make your own profiles, for your specific printer, ink set, environment and media. In general you can find a pre-made profile that works great for the most part and that is in fact what most people do. But if you cannot get the results you are looking for, invest in profiling.

 

[P Wagner]

Other than the fact that different medias have different white points, ink absorption and different finishes (gloss, matte, luster, satin etc) Profiles that come with your RIP or that you download off manufacturer's websites are made in different environments, using different software/equipment and using different standards. I have used a profile in Denver for years that works great but when I use the same printer, RIP, profile, and inks in Seattle, I had saturation issues and the ink didn't dry nearly as fast. The only way you can control color and other issues is to make your own profiles, for your specific printer, ink set, environment and media. In general you can find a pre-made profile that works acceptably for the most part and that is in fact what most people do. But if you cannot get the results you are looking for, invest in profiling.

Well put.

 

[CES020]

I wonder why the heat settings are so wrong. If you download the profile from 3M for IJ180 for a latex machine, it blisters the heck out of the material and backing paper. I wonder how 220 degrees works in their lab but not on our machine. I mean it physically damages the material beyond use. Crank it back to 215 or so and it works fine.

 

[P Wagner]

I wonder why the heat settings are so wrong. If you download the profile from 3M for IJ180 for a latex machine, it blisters the heck out of the material and backing paper. I wonder how 220 degrees works in their lab but not on our machine. I mean it physically damages the material beyond use. Crank it back to 215 or so and it works fine.

This has everything to do with the concept of Device Dependency. Every device in the workflow (your printer in this case) is unique, and this inherent uniqueness is amplified by the differences in environment between the environment where the profile was built (Salt Lake City in this case) and your environment. Significant differences in elevation, temperature, and humidity are all relevant to print performance.

 

[CES020]

I understand that on the ink side, but not so much on the drying time. If it varies that much, you'd think they'd have several different profiles to pick from. IJ-35, IJ-40, IJ-180, and even Oracal products all blister badly if I use any of them. We're running it in a 72 degree, climate controlled space. I can't imagine it's that far off at their labs, other than the elevation, and I'd also imagine that 90% of their installs aren't at 6,000 ft or more.

Maybe our machine runs hotter than most?

 

[hbb2008]

ICC profile

Is it necessary or beneficial to remake the profile of each paper type used every 4-6 weeks? I have been told by my colleagues that i am supposed to, but I can not find anywhere on here or in my research that says that it is necessary. Can anyone help?