Activity 14: Create a Device Pool

Background

With curve-controlled devices, you can include more than one device in a device condition. This is called a Device Pool. The devices in a Device Pool must have the same device type and device condition properties.

After you create a device pool, the devices are pooled in all color setups the device condition is used in. If you remove one device from the device pool, the device is removed from the device condition in all color setups where the device condition is used.

In the device condition, one device is the promoted device. The name of the promoted device appears in bold. The color response of the promoted device will be used as the color response of the device condition. A device can be promoted only after it is characterized.

Pools allows you to prepare common files for output to any press in the pool, even if the presses have differing dot gains. Each device's device curves, computed by ColorFlow, will align any press in the pool to the promoted device, allowing you to print on any press interchangeably.

Tasks

Goal
To create a device pool by calibrating two curve-controlled devices in the same device condition in a color setup.

Task 1: Set up several devices in a PCO or SCO

This procedure assumes that you have already defined the color setup GRACoL C1 2006 as part of a previous activity.

1. In ColorFlow, from the Color Setups list, select the color setup named GRACoL C1 2006.
2. Add a new offset press device named Press B.
   1. Select View > Devices or double-click anywhere in the Color Setup Viewer panel.
      The Devices dialog box appears.
   2. Tip open the Add Device section 
   3. In the Device Type list, select Offset - Sheetfed.
   4. In the Device Name list, type Press B.
   5. Click Create
   6. Drag and drop Press B from the Devices panel to Press A in the Color Setup Viewer.
      This creates a press pool with Press A as the promoted device.
3. Click the Measurements icon  to characterize the device.
   In a real-life situation, you would create a chart, output from Prinergy, print on the press and measure the chart. For the purpose of this training, you will import a sample data file from the ColorFlow installation folder:   
   1. Click the Measurement tab at the top of the Device Measurements window.
   2. Click the Import... button under the Active Measurement section.
   3. In the dialog box that appears, keep the default Linear (None) value for Print Curve: and click OK.
   4. Browse and select \Program Files\Kodak\ColorFlow\SampleData\Measurements\SheetFedPress.cgt
   5. Click Open to create a color response for the device.
   6. When complete, click Close.
      ColorFlow generates custom device curves for Press B to match the color response of Press A, which is the promoted device in the device condition.

Task 2: Configure a Prinergy Process Template to output for the target press

1. In Prinergy, create a new job, and name it as XX Output to Device Pool (where XX = your initials).
2. Refine GrayBalanceTestFile.pdf with 1stRef-Normz.
3. Create a new Loose Page Output Process Template, and name it Output to Device Pool
   1. In the Output To list, select Virtual Proof.
   2. Select the ColorFlow Color Relationship Management check box.
   3. For Halftone Output Mode, select Print Production.
   4. In the Snapshot list, select Current State.
   5. Check the Allow unassigned color setup or color setup mismatch checkbox.
   6. In the Color Setup list, select GRACoL C1 2006.
   7. Device Condition, Output Version, Plate Setup and Plate Line should all have values populated from the Color Setup. P
   8. Uncheck the Show all print devices checkbox if it is checked, to hide all Proofing devices. Press A should be default press selected.
   9. Click on the Device Drop Down Menu. 
   10. Select Press B and save the Process Template.
4. Output the file using Output to Device Pool Process Template. 
5. Colorflow will apply curves to make the color response of Press B match the color response of Press A (the promoted device).

Task 3: Promote a device in the device pool

If you promote a device, the color response of the promoted device becomes the color response of the Device Pool.

1. Return to the GRACoL C1 2006 ColorSetup in ColorFlow
2. Click the Measurements icon for Press B bar.
3. Click the Measurements tab at the top of the Device Measurements window 
4. At the bottom right side inder the Active Measurement section, click the Promote Device... button.
   You will get an warning: This action will update curves and profiles in color setups using the device condition. discarding adjustments. continue?  Click Yes to continue.
5. Click the Close button at the bottom of the Device Measurements window.
6. ColorFlow will now recalculate all DeviceLinks and Curves to match all Pool Devices, Color Inputs and SCOs to the promoted device.
   Press A will now match the color response of the Press B, which has become the promoted device in the Device Condition PCO.

Outcome

You have created a Device Pool to align multiple presses to the same device response, configured an output Process Template to output to a specific device in the pool, and changed the promoted device in a pool.