CP7.0

Colour Printing 7.0: Next Generation Multi-Channel Printing

 Partecipanti

Mappa

 Word cloud

Esplora la "nuvola delle parole (Word Cloud) per avere un'idea di massima del progetto.

 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'We propose a training and research project within the Marie Curie Initial Training Network (ITN) call, led by Gjøvik University College (HIG), in collaboration with five full network partners and six associated partners from academia and industry throughout Europe. The project is entitled “Colour Printing 7.0: Next Generation Multi-Channel Printing” and addresses a significant need for research, training, and innovation in the European printing industry. Through our project, we will not only take the colour printing field to its next generation of technological advancement, by fully exploring the possibilities of using more than the conventional four colorants cyan, magenta, yellow and black, focusing particularly on spectral properties, but we will also train a significant new generation of printing scientists (seven ESRs and two ERs) who will most certainly be able to assume science and technology leadership in this traditional technological sector. The main variables in printing technology are the ink, the paper, and the marking technology employed by the printer. While many aspects of these are well known and extensively studied, there are four key areas of science and technology which future advances in multi-channel printing depend on: 1.Spectral modeling of the printer/paper/ink combination 2.Spectral gamut prediction and gamut mapping 3.The effect of paper optical and surface properties on the colour reproduction of multi-channeldevices 4.Optimal halftoning algorithms and tonal reproduction characteristics of multi-channel printing Related to the above research areas are the need to have optimal methods for ink selection, and methods for the evaluation of reproduction quality. Together these areas form a large problem domain that cannot be addressed by a single manufacturer or research group, and the proposed project will bring together leading researchers with expertise in the different strands of this problem domain.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Inkjet printing has, until now, relied on mixing four different colours of ink. Now, researchers are exploring the options for spectral printing with multi-channel inkjet printers that use more than four colours.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Traditional inkjet printers use cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK) inks to produce all the colours that we can print, but they cannot perform spectral printing (reproduction of lighting effects). Using more than four inks will allow for spectral printing, but this advancement needs to be tested stringently before it can be used.

The EU-funded 'Colour printing 7.0: Next generation multi-channel printing' (http://www.cp70.org (CP7.0)) project aims to advance colour printing technology by studying the spectral properties of 7-colour printing. CP7.0 will also provide much-needed skills development in the field of printing technology research.

CP7.0 has reviewed the current state of multi-channel spectral printers, focusing on halftones and spectral reproduction workflows. This research allowed scientists to choose software that could be used in a spectral printer design, called spectral models. A spectral model that includes fluorescence is also being developed.

A method to relate actual image quality to modelled images for half-tone printing was created as well. Researchers are also looking at ways to adapt current half-tone algorithms to 7-channel printing.

In addition, CP7.0 investigated how multi-channel printing could be used for fine art printing. They developed a new ink mixing process that will allow for the creation of new colours. Researchers also explored so-called 2.5D printing, which uses multiple layers of ink to produce a textured surface.

The project has also provided training workshops and conference events to promote skills development in this field. Together with the experimental work, this represents a large step towards the next generation of inkjet printing.