InkPerformer - How to use it?

InkPerformer is an optional module available since CalderaRIP V9. It requires the purchase of a specific activation key. For more details, go to the Overview article.

This article provides a guide on using the InkPerformer print option, designed to help you save ink while printing.

General set up

1. Open the Print Module for the printer with which you want to use InkPerformer.

     Good to know

   InkPerformer will not work in RGB print mode as in this mode the CMYK separation is done by the printer. For InkPerformer to work, the RIP must control the black ink.
   Also, note that you can load the image into the Print Module before or after setting up InkPerformer.

   
    

2. Open the Colors configuration:
   
    
3. Then go to the Output tab and click on the Enable InkPerformer (if it is unchecked):
   
    

4. Choose the Black Start value (the percentage at which the black ink is added in replacement of the others):

   • 0%: this is the default value, the black is replaced immediately.
   • Low: This value is intermediate and calculated automatically by InkPerformer.
   • Preserved: the profile value is preserved.

     Good to know

   The lower the Black Start value, the higher the ink saving.
   In this sense, the presence of "light black" or "super light black" inks in the printer will result in lower ink savings.

   
    

5. Choose the Saving Level that you want, among Low, Medium, High, and Maximum, High being the default value.
   
    
6. Click on Close. The settings are automatically saved.
    
7. Proceed with printing or ripping as usual.
    
8. In the Spooler module, before the Print/Rip is effectively done, you can see the text "Optimizing Printer Profile" with a percentage of progression. That means that InkPerformer is calculating the new combinations of inks:
   
    
9. The file is then printed/ripped normally.
    
10. Once done, the ink consumptions of the job are available in the CostProof tab of the Spooler:
    

Dual printing mode

The Dual Printing or Dual Ripping is useful for having a quantified comparison between a job done with the InkPerformer option and one without it.

1. Set up InkPerformer as explained previously until the 5th step (where you choose the Black Start and the Saving Level).
    
2. Check the "Rip/Print twice and compute the saving" option, and click on Close.
   
    
3. Send your job for printing, with the print configuration that you want.
    
4. Two jobs will be added in the Spooler: One with the “Normal” description, and the second with the “Optimized” one. The second one is the printed/ripped job with the InkPerformer option:
   
    
5. After the printing/ripping of both jobs, you will see in the CostProof tab the ink-saving percentage and you will be able to compare it with the printing without InkPerformer:
   
   
   This percentage is only visible on the “Optimized” job. In our example, 11% ink saving has been obtained with a Black Start at 0% and a Saving Level High for this print configuration.

Useful articles

• InkPerformer - Overview
• Print Module – Colors – Output (Tab where you need to set up InkPerformer)
• Spooler - Job Information (Tab where you can see the ink savings)
• How to configure CostProof? (Optional Caldera module that evaluates your printing costs by calculating ink and media consumption per print job)