Building Color Libraries with your SpectroDensitometer

Question: With four SpectroDens devices on different flexo presses, running three shifts, how can I set up all the color libraries, get my entire staff trained and be assured they are all following the same prescribed procedures?

Answer: Build highly accurate color libraries for the jobs to be run each day. Train your staff on loading the proper color libraries and checking proofs to see if they “Pass or Fail,” and quickly and efficiently correcting any color shifts on press by using the values automatically calculated on the SpectroDens display.

Outcome: Visual inspection of color swatches has been replaced with far more accurate color scans, and customer satisfaction has increased in direct proportion with the color consistency coming off their presses.

Step by Step Procedure:

SpectroDens Calibration Procedure:

1. Press the green button to turn unit “on.”
2. Use up arrow to go to “Calibration.”
3. Turn wheel on charging base so white ceramic tile is visible.
4. Place unit on the charging base.
5. Push green button once to calibrate.
6. Turn wheel on charging base so ceramic tile is no longer visible.

Create Color Book/Library:

1. Connect the instrument to a PC running SpectroConnect.
2. In SpectroConnect, right click your mouse in white area under “Color books” and select “New color book (PC).”
3. A color book named “New book” will appear.
4. On the SpectroDens instrument, use the up arrow to go to “Reference.”
5. Press Enter (sideways arrow) to open the dropdown menu.
6. Use the down arrow to go to “Save automatically” and press the Enter key. A check mark will appear to the right. Hit the red button to exit this menu.
7. Place the SpectroDens instrument over the ink draw down or desired color reference target and take a measurement.
8. The measurement will be automatically named “Reference” with a number appended to the name (i.e., “Reference_24” and will be displayed on the left side of the SpectroConnect software under “References”).
9. Drag and drop the new color to the white area under “Colors.”
10. Rename the color to a name of your choice.
11. Go to the “File” pulldown menu and select “Save color library as.”
12. Name and save the Color book.

Load Color Book/Library on Instrument:

1. Open the color book/library.
2. Drag and drop the color book/library to lower left window, under the Start button.
3. Press the Start button. The SpectroDens will display an “Update” message. Color book/library is loaded when “Update” message is not displayed.

NAVIGATION BUTTONS

Instrument Automatically Selects Reference Color:

1. Use up arrow to go to Reference tab.
2. Press Enter (sideways arrow) to open drop down menu.
3. Use down arrow, select “Search Automatically” and hit the Enter key (sideways arrow).
4. Hit red key to exit drop down menu.

Select Reference Color:

1. Use the up arrow to go to Reference.
2. Press Enter (sideways arrow) to open dropdown menu.
3. Use down arrow to go to Select and hit the Enter key (sideways arrow) to see list of colors.
4. Use up or down arrow and select the color you want. Hit Enter.
5. Hit red key to exit drop down menu.

Measure Sample Color:

1. Use the down arrow and go to “Sample.”
2. Place SpectroDens on the area to measure.
3. Take 3 measurements by pushing the green button, move to a different area to measure, push green button a 2nd time, move to another area and press it a 3rd time.
4. “Pass or Fail” will be displayed on the screen.
5. The lower the _E number the more accurate the color.