Direct To Film: PMM and White Control

Direct To Film: PMM and White Control

This option requires version 6.8.2. or newer.

Creating printer profiles:

To control the output of DTF printers, PrintFactory uses two DeviceLink profiles inside one single Printer Media Mode file (PMM). Each PMM bundles a complex mix of driver settings together to handle the unique combination of your printer and your media.

The Printer Media Mode (PMM profile) includes:

  1. Printer model-specific driver settings
  1. White layer control
  1. Compensation data for ink limits and linearization
  1. A custom-generated ICC Device Link profile
  1. The media profile is used for device calibration and re-calibration, while the DeviceLink is used to match your production standard
  1. DTF specific image enhancements

Creating a PMM, Check List:

  1. Select Printer and Spectrophotometer
  1. Define media size
  1. Select PMM combination
  1. Specify the media type (white or black/color)
  1. Perform the white calibration (opacity, LPI screen and X/Y offset)
  1. Linearization and ink limit
  1. Measure full gamut (For DTF around 1000 patches is in general sufficient)
  1. Optional: Total Area Coverage correction, the automatic TAC should be fine
  1. Calibrate printer
  1. Create color profile

Create a PMM, by selecting the Add PMM icon.


Select the printer for which you wish to create a profile and click New.


In the Print Settings, configure the driver settings for your specific media/printer setup.



The Print Settings include the ink set and resolution.
The Print Settings are printer specific, and it’s recommended to use the default settings for items like Dot type, Bi-directional and other settings.

White offset allows for a x/y pixel offset (see White Test Chart in the upcoming chapters). The ink settings and dot curves are in general left at default.



  1. Select an existing media or create a new one. The print mode PMM name is automatically populated with the previous selected settings. Feel free to edit if desired.
  1. Media Type: White or Color/Black. This selection will enable an automatic White percentage limit of 50% for White and 100% for Black or colored shirts. Black shirts are typically adjusted to 95% after printing and processing the White test chart. Shape is selected to automatically generate white were there’s ink. 

White Control:

This step is designed to control the white texture, achieve maximum opacity with minimal white ink usage and ensure optimal adhesion.
  1. White slider or percentage, this selection will enable an automatic white percentage limit of 50% for White and 100% for Black or Colored shirts. Black shirts are typically adjusted to 95% after printing and processing the White test chart. The White percentage remains part of the PMM. Any additional white adjustments will be on top of the PMM selected White percentage.
  1. Shape, the artworks shape is used to automatically generate white. This default can be removed once the PMM has been created, either by using an Image Processing Step or when using Editor, Layout or Workflow White settings.
  1. Choke is used to reduce the white under base layer (To avoid White halo effects). The choke can be applied as one of the image steps, Editor, Layout or Workflow White settings
  1. “Print” will create the White Test Chart.

White Test Chart:

With this chart the following White settings are being reviewed: White Max Test, LPI Test and White Offset Test


White Max Test, for black and colored shirts is used to determine the most amount of opacity with the least amount of White ink.



Typical value for white shirts is around 50% and for black shirts typically around 95%.

LPI Test, allows you to print 100% white in varying degrees.

This helps establish the level of LPI (dots) that will adhere to the T-shirt without peeling off. You can then choose your LPI setting depending on the test results.


25 LPI with a 22° angle is a common setting. Keep in mind that double pressing is often used to improve the hand feel.

White Offset Test, the White off set test is to check for any misalignment between Color and White.

A Black rectangle is printed with White underneath. This is to be checked on the film output where Black will be underneath the White.
This is pixel-based, meaning you can shift the White relative to the Color or Black ink by adjusting pixel placement.


Be aware that the shift will only be applied until the output stage, so there's no rip preview.

The next profiling steps are just the regular Linearization, TAC and Gamut chart per wizard (only minor DTF specific recommendations):

Linearization:

The linearization target contains one 18-patch step wedge for each channel/print head.




It is important that the machine outputs this chart and all subsequent charts in the same way as the live jobs are to be produced.

Print, Measure and build the linearization.

After linearization measurement you can review the gamut for each channel. The channels are automatically restricted if required but for DTF this is best left as is.


The ink splitting is only relevant for printers using light inks like light Cyan, Magenta, Black etc. so this step can be skipped.

Total Area Coverage:

Total Area Coverage (TAC) or Total Ink Limit is automatically calculated based on the linearization measurements and the maximum reachable color gamut.
In DTF applications the automatic TAC can be used and the step to print and evaluate the bleed target can typically be skipped.



Gamut Chart:

The last step in the calibration is to print and measure the Gamut chart and then build the DeviceLink profile. It’s recommended to use 1000 patches. 


Image Processing:

The media profile or PMM is now ready to be used.

It will use the White percentage, White generation (shape) and choke specified in the created PMM (Auto White under the Image Processing Section).

The Auto white option (Shape and Choke) can be removed so that White generation can be controlled by Editor, Layout, Workflow or using custom Image Processing steps.





Recap DTF PMM:

A PMM can be set with a default White percentage, White generation and choke. Use case would be to have multiple PMM’s for different purposes not using Image Processing Steps.

White percentage stays with the PMM. The White generation method and choke can be changed by removing the Auto White option once the PMM has been created. Once removed, White generation and choke can be controlled by either from Editor, Layout, Workflow or Image Processing Steps added to the PMM.

For more details on Calibrator settings feel free to check our 3 part Calibrator course on our eLearning section or check the helpdesk for more content.







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