Caldera Client-Server

Caldera Client-Server is a distributed environment where each RIP station can submit or/and process requests submitted by clients. See more information on client-server models.

Calibration Curve

It is a curve that allows us to go from a general state (uncontrolled) of the printer to a controlled and restricted state. After this, we will be able to control ink and color coverage CMYK. In this state, 50% of ink means 50% of the maximum density achievable in the print configuration. This technique creates a linear ink coverage, and that’s what we call the linearization step in EasyMedia.

CIE L*a*b

Also called CIELAB. CIE stands for “Commisson Internationale de l’Eclairage”, French for International Commission on Illumination. It is a device-independent color space that serves as a reference for human colors in various industries. L* defines the lightness; a* defines the magenta to the green axis; b* defines the blue to the yellow axis. The CIELAB color space positions itself among an infinite number of colors by using and measuring L*, a*, and b* values. See more.

The cubical CIE Lab color space - Researchgate.net

CIE Standard Illuminants

For colors to be correctly described and defined, it is important to identify, in detail, the illuminants that are being used. Illuminants are a scientific representation of an abstract light source. Standard illuminants allow the comparison of colors under various lightnings. It is possible to define them using letters or letter-number fusion. For example, if they are defined using CIE illuminant D series, which defines the various phases of daylight, we can use D50, D55, and D56 to label them. Standard illuminants allow the comparison of colors under various lightnings. See more.

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Color Management System (CMS)

A Color Management System (CMS) is a Software that assures color conversions based on ICC profiles and the color rules set for each print configuration. It is used in different devices like scanners and printers. The role of CMS is to generate a consistent display of colors in a particular device. The perception of colors depends on the device being used. Printers, for instance, have a different color profile than the one found in cameras. Therefore, the function of CMS is to identify these profiles and display colors according to them. See more.

CMYK

Used in printing, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black is a mode of composition of colors based on the principle of subtractive colors. In theory, the sum of equal cyan, magenta, and yellow produces the black color but it results in poor black distribution. The black ink (K) is added to create true black or to manipulate shades and grey components. See more.

Color Calibration

It helps in generating a better manipulation of color management systems. It is a process that consists of putting a device in a stable state for image reproduction: with stable and linear channels, and without bleeding or artifacts. As we apply color calibration, the printer adjusts itself to a mode of consistent and accurate color printing. Thanks to color management systems, it is possible to identify devices' different color profiles, which leads to a more accurate color calibration. See more.

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Color space

It is a specific group of colors found in multiple devices. RGB, for instance, uses red, green, and blue to display other colors. Displayed mostly on computers or TV monitors, RGB creates additive colors other than the primary colors (primaries) to create a color space. As for printing, the color space known as CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) is used. This color space allows us to generate the preferred color by using layers of the four colors. See more.

Continuous Tone

The term is associated with a type of image that contains an endless number of colors in each pixel. This makes it more consistent without being distorted by dots. This type of image contains one single tone, which delivers them, unlike halftones,  from a fragmented dot pattern. See more.

You can see the difference between continuous and halftones in the images below:

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Contrast

It is the difference between the strongest and the weakest density of the image. In computer graphics, the contrast is connected to the distribution of the black pixels in the picture. The lower the number value, the more closely the shades will resemble each other. The image concerned with this value tends to look drab and dull. See more.

Delta E

It is the difference degree we can find between two colors in the L*a*b color space. The Delta E metric is used for understanding how the human eye perceives color difference; the minimum Delta E the human can see is equivalent to 1.0. Professionals as well as customers need to understand the Delta E metric because it allows them to know whether a specific device, a printer for example, achieves accuracy. The lower the Delta E value is, the more accurate the color displays can get on screens or devices. See more.

Density

It is a measure of the ink's darkness level on paper. In the case of reflective media, the lesser the light reflected, the higher the density. In the case of transparent media, the lesser the light showing through, the higher the density. In other words, density allows us to see the image's ability to absorb light by adding some shades. You can an example of ink densities below:

Digital printing

It is the printing of a computer file directly on the media. This printing method stands in opposition with printing techniques such as offset which uses intermediate plate engraving that needs to be created, replaced, or archived. Thanks to digital printing, it is possible to transfer PDF files, for example, directly to digital printers to print on the chosen medium. See more.

Dmax

It is the darkest tone a device (printer, scanner, monitor...) can reproduce. It is usually measured with values such as 1.7, 2.0, and 2.3 which enable us to define the quality of the images reproduced by the device. A poor Dmax value results in very pale and dull images. Dmax values can be tested during printing procedures. See more.

Dmin

Having the same features found in Dmax (shades/black), Dmin allows us to define the lowest density in a specific image (highlights/white). A poor Dmin will cause a drastic decrease in image quality. Dmax (full black) and Dmin (full white) are used interchangeably to distinguish between the minimum and maximum density in a given image. See more.

DPI

It is a measure used to define the number of dots per inch in a digital print. Higher DPI means higher quality. For instance, it is possible to fix the issue of halftones by increasing the size of dots per inch. When printing, choosing a printer with a high DPI is securing quality and better image processing. See more.

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