• Print Conditions is a term that describes all key factors of a given printing process.
  
  
• Finally, Print Conditions are described by the ICC Profile. It is important to remember that none of the following can be changed later without profile recreation. 
  
  
• If a Standard profile is used instead of a custom one (i.e., GRACoL), the perfect match might not be possible. Calibration procedures can reduce distance but not zeroing it.

Substrate

So as you know, the final color is very substrate dependent. Inks or toners used for process printing (CMYK. ECG, ... ) are semi-transparent to enable overprints effectively mix primary colors. The substrate absorbs inks or toners depending on many factors related to the substrate itself. The same printer with the same set of inks will produce different results depending on the selected substrate. Some substrates can absorb much more ink and reproduce more vivid colors. 

Figuratively speaking, the substrate is the fifth color in four-color printing.

Inks/Toners

Most of the printers can be loaded with a different set of Inks/Toners. Each combination may offer a different color gamut, light resistance, durability, price, spectral characteristic, and other features.  Spectral differences may affect the Metamerism Issue - the typical example we have when comparing Ink-jet hard proof with offset or flexo printer. The same color can be formulated differently by different ink vendors - but even the same vendor may offer different variants of inks.

Printing Settings

Printers, in most cases, have various parameters that can control the process. Every technology can have its own  - an example can be the size of the ink drop (ink-jet) is governed by the "Ink Restriction" procedure. In offset, it can be a fountain solution specification or cylinder pressures.

Screening

Producing halftones printing devices uses screening technology - it happens in most cases in the RIP (Raster Image Processor), a pre-press device. Amplitude or Frequency Modulated (AM/FM) rasters can create hybrids. The resolution, dot shape, angle, frequency, and more - all those parameters may affect the final color. 

Dot Gain (TVI), TRC

Printing devices are not linear  - Tone Reproduction Curves (TRC)  are curves - not straight lines. While in most cases, pressure is responsible for transferring the image from blanket to substrate —  halftone dots can increase their size. In conventional offset,  it is typically 10 — 30%. Ranges 0—5% and 95—100% can be partially not printable. Presses manufactured by different vendors have their own native typical TRCs. Press calibration is a process that is for compensate typical differences. 

Print Condition → ICC Profile

ICC Profile can describe all mentioned parameters that define Print Conditions.  It is used in ChromaChecker as a source of the Reference values for printing evaluation. 

Important note

In theory, we should always start by creating a dedicated ICC Profile - that can be used by the designer to prepare the artwork. But it is not practical; therefore, we are using typical standard profiles - and accept limitations from this.  

The most common ICC Profile in the US is GRACoL and ISO Coated in the EU. Both are based on average offset production on Coated paper. ISO 12647 defines more characterization data sets and corresponding ICC Profiles - ChromaChecker ICC Profile Public Library makes all the available to import.

There are two basic scenarios to follow in typical production:

A custom ICC profile used for production purposes doesn't mean that the customer (designer) needs to have access to it. Files created using, for example, GRACoL can be converted by RIPs or Color Servers - but if Printer offers a higher gamut  - the final print will not use it fully. That is why ECG Standard Profiles are used to replace traditional GRACoL.  

Important related topics:

• PC Qualifier -reduce the amount of managed profiles
• G7 vs. E-Factor - understand what is G7 Calibration and what are the benefits and limitations
• TVI or G7 Calibration - what are they doing? 

Print Condition / ICC Profile →  Print Inspector Track 

Print Conditions represented by the Profile are the main criteria for creating separate Track in Print Inspector. There are also a couple of others related to:

• tolerances set 
• specific spot color Assets ( Color Library and/or Palette)
• desired E-factor (more or less demanding customers)
• measurement settings,  calculations settings including SCCA, auto-recognition settings, and other technical details