Ink jet print method with integrated spot color and process color
The invention relates to a process for producing a printed image on a substrate comprising the steps of selecting eight or fewer process colors from a known process ink color set; providing two or more spot colors, forming a color set comprising the process colors and the spot colors; and optionally printing the image using the formed color set. The ratio of the number of spot colors to the number of process colors is at least 0.5:1.
1. An inkjet printer, comprising:
color channels, with each comprising a respective color ink, six or fewer of the channels comprising selected process color inks from a known process ink color set, and
two or more of the channels comprising spot color inks as corresponding substitutes for non-selected process color inks from the known process ink color set, wherein the spot color inks comprise higher stability pigments as compared to the non-selected process color inks;
wherein the ratio of the number of channels comprising spot color inks to the number of channels comprising selected process color inks is greater than 1:1; and
a driver configured to recognize each of the selected process colors and spot colors, and to substitute at least one of the spot colors for at least one of the non-selected process colors that is listed in a design file.
2. The printer of claim 1 , wherein the printer comprises at least three color channels and three or fewer of the channels comprise selected process color inks.
3. The printer of claim 1 , wherein the printer comprises at least six channels and wherein three or fewer of the channels comprise a selected process color ink and two or more of the channels comprise spot color inks.
4. The printer of claim 1 , wherein the printer comprises six channels comprising spot color inks and two channels comprising selected process color inks.
5. The printer of claim 1 , wherein the printer comprises at least four color channels.
6. The printer of claim 1 , wherein spot colors comprise at least one of spot yellow and spot black.
7. The printer of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the number of channels comprising spot color inks to the number of channels comprising selected process color inks is at least 3:1.
8. The printer of claim 1 , wherein the higher stability pigments have a ΔE of less than 5.0 when tested under Xenon weathering for 4000 hours.
9. A process for printing an image, comprising:
selecting six or fewer process colors from a known process ink color set;
providing two or more spot colors comprising corresponding substitutes for non-selected process colors from the known process ink color set, wherein the provided spot colors comprise higher stability pigments as compared to the non-selected process colors;
forming a color set comprising the selected process colors and the provided spot colors wherein the ratio of the number of provided spot colors to the number of selected process colors is greater than 1:1;
providing an inkjet printer comprising a driver, six or fewer process color channels, and two or more spot color channels, wherein each of the process color channels is associated with one of the selected process colors, and wherein each of the spot color channels is associated with one of the provided spot colors;
recognizing, via the driver, each of the selected process colors and the provided spot colors of the formed color set; and
printing, via the driver, at least one of the process color channels, and at least one of the spot color channels, an image on a substrate, wherein the printing includes substituting, using the driver, at least one of the provided spot colors for at least one of the non-selected process colors that is listed in a design file.
10. The process of claim 9 , wherein the provided spot colors comprise an additional spot color wherein the additional spot color does not correspond to one of the non-selected members of the known process ink color set.
11. The process of claim 9 , wherein the formed color set comprises at least four colors.
12. The process of claim 11 , wherein three or fewer of the colors comprise selected process colors and two or more of the colors comprise provided spot colors.
13. The process of claim 9 , wherein the printed image has a ΔE of less than 5.0 when tested under Xenon weathering for 4000 hours.
14. The process of claim 9 , wherein the formed color set has a color gamut of at least 200,000 units, as measured using Colorthink Pro 3.0.
15. The process of claim 9 , wherein the two or more provided spot colors comprise at least one of spot yellow and spot black.
16. The process of claim 9 , wherein the formed color set comprises at least three colors, and wherein three or fewer of the colors comprise selected process colors.
17. The process of claim 9 , wherein the formed color set comprises six provided spot colors and two selected process colors.
18. The process of claim 9 , wherein the ratio of the number of provided spot colors to the number of selected process colors is at least 3:1.
19. The process of claim 9 , wherein the higher stability pigments have a ΔE of less than 5.0 when tested under Xenon weathering for 4000 hours.
20. The process of claim 9 , wherein the provided spot colors comprise higher concentrations of UV stabilizers as compared to the non-selected process colors.