Creating Your Own Test Charts

You can create test charts with virtually any number of channels and patch configurations to fingerprint your press. The test charts can be saved and exported as PDF.

How to create a custom test chart

  • On the Projects or Database toolbar, click the New Test Chart button.

The test chart generator helps you to find the best patch configuration by automatically selecting the relevant patches for your print process, inks, and test chart size (1). The amount of the patches can be controlled by defining the Usage (2) of each ink and the overprinting configuration (3).

To see a preview of the test chart or to edit the page or patch size, click Create Test Chart on the Tools & Actions panel (4).

The basic size and layout of the test chart is set by choosing one of the following test chart sizes. Further factors that determine the test chart size are page and patch size, and the ink settings.

Size Description
Mini-Strip

As few rows as possible.

Two rows are default, but further rows may be added to meet the minimum measuring space of the selected measuring device.
Strip

As many rows of patches as inks.

If there are too few rows to meet the minimum measuring space of the selected measuring device, further rows may be added.
Page As many patches as fit on one page.
Multi Page Maximum number of patches.

When selecting a measuring device, the ideal patch size is automatically set, but can be changed in the preview of the test chart (> Create Test Chart), just like the page size. This way, you have full control on the dimensions of the test chart.

You can define enhanced ink settings to tailor the test chart layout and the number of patches to your requirements.

Group Description

Print Order

The print order is optional to set at this stage of profiling, but gives you the advantage of being stored in the PDF metadata, so that you do not have to think about it at a later stage.

To change the print order, select an ink and move it to the desired place. Click the lock icon when you are finished to confirm the set print order.

Usage

Every ink channel can be defined the way it will be used, as either Separation, Contrast, Spot or Solid color. If you have a design with a spot color that is part of the image separation, define it as Separation (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow or other), if it is not part of the image separation, define it as Spot Color. If it is only used as solid color, define it as Solid.

Separation channels are sampled most thoroughly with patches, whereas inks that are used as a contrast or spot color do not need to be fingerprinted with that many patches. Therefore, the usage of the inks influences the choice of patches and the total number of patches in your test chart.
Screening Type

Different screening grids serve to avoid moiré patterns. If you want to fingerprint more than four inks, you can use the same grid for complementary colors, as complementary colors normally do not overprint.

For example, Red can have the same grid as Cyan, and Green the same as Magenta. If the colors strongly differ in lightness, however, they should use different screening grids.
Overprints To define overprint patches, either use the Tools on the Tools & Actions panel, or click on single patches in the patch preview to change the overprinting mode.