Beyond Traditional Control -A Paradigm for Automated Color Verification

The use of an all-digital work-flow, from digital camera or scanner through computer to plate or digital press, requires the adoption of a new process control concept. The increasing use of color in the production process requires an automated and objective approach to color management at every stage of the work-flow. This is most evidenced by the variety of new desktop printers, high-end proofing and final output printing options, each with unique colorants. Replicating devices with consistent color performance is one of the most critical requirements when manufacturing equipment for the creation of digital hardcopy output. In addition to automated but otherwise conventional process control methods (machine vision, process monitoring and control, linearization) automated color measurement techniques are needed to extend process control capabilities to include inter-equipment and inter-site process verification and performance prediction. The increased need for unambiguous communication throughout the creation process gives rise to the need for objective measurement methods that fully characterize color performance at each stage of production. These methods will be at the forefront of making control of color matching transparent to the end user. This paper will discuss the various stages of the workflow where automated control of color processes can be implemented, and the benefits derived at each stage: Device manufacture and calibration, device color description, device to device matching, and site to site verification. Solutions will be proposed that provide the automated and objective tools to guarantee consistent color quality throughout the digital imaging process.