Specifications
The Digital Fine Print Course
Printing a Fine Print
RIP Ink Limiting
Traditional RIPs permit most printer functions to be customized and controlled by the
user. However the user then has to take responsibility for setting up and maintaining the
RIP. For example, setting up a Traditional RIP involves:
1. Creating a new 'setting' or 'environment' for the media being used because each media
will require different settings for optimum (and economical) output.
2. Establishing and setting the total ink limit (C+M+Y+K) and maximum black ink limit
(K only) for that media. This is usually determined experimentally by printing an 'ink limit
test chart' - which is usually included as part of the RIP software - and then visually
inspecting the printed test chart to determine when the media has become saturated.
It takes a bit of experience to visually determine this ink limit. Sometimes a densitometer
is used in this determination. UCR (Under Colour Replacement) or GCR (Grey Component
Replacement) settings also need to be taken into account, because high GCR will put
down less overall ink while achieving many of the same colours.
Determining the ink limits is the crucial first step in setting up a Traditional RIP. ‘Black
Box' RIPs do not allow user set ink limits, or they only provide 'preset' environments lim-
ited to a few types of media, which may not be the media you are printing on. In these
cases choose an 'environment/preset' for a media that you either know is similar to the
one you are using, or just 'sounds like' the media you are using - eg. Heavy Matte Canvas.
The better RIPs include helpful, well written and accurate on-line guides that walk you
through these steps. In some cases there will also be a 'Calibration' or 'Ink Limits' menu
item in the RIP software so these procedures can be carried out semi automatically.
Copyright Les Walkling 2012
39/50