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What is the meaning of Color Density and CMYK?

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3nh share the density meaning and CMYK information to all customers in printing industry.
What is the meaning of Color Density and CMYK?

First of all, let's understand the density. To be precise, it's the color density. The density represents the ink's ability to absorb light. For printing three primary colors CMY, the thicker the ink layer is, the stronger the ink's ability to absorb light is, and the higher the density value is (the density will hardly change as the ink layer thickness increases to a certain extent).

What's the standard of density? Sometimes we often hear that the C / M is 1.45-1.55, y1.05-1.1, k1.75-1.85. Are these standards?

After all, the control of density value is for better color reproduction, matte, bright tone, level and so on. That is to say, we control the density is actually to control the color. For the control of color, there is an international standard iso 12647-2 for offset lithography, in which iso 12647-2 specifies the TVI under a certain state (surface type, printing process) CIE l * a * b * value. If these standards specified in ISO are met, then record the CMYK four-color density value, then this is the standard density of this printing machine. (if the state of multiple presses is basically the same, these standard densities will not fluctuate too much.)

This function is the measure of the ink thickness. For the process colors Cyan, Yellow, Magenta, or Black the desired Density Status (A, E, I, T) needs to be configured. For spot inks the result is given as the density value at the wavelength of maximum density for the spectral curve. This function can be optionally configured to subtract the white base/substrate.

There are four Measurement Conditions for density.

1. M0 (No) – No Filters

Reflectance measured with A Illuminant, previously called: No-Filter, UV-Included.

2. M1(D50)

Reflectance measured with D50 Illuminant previously called: Daylight or D65-Filter.

3. M2(UVC) – UV Cut Filter 

Reflectance measured with A Illuminant excluding UV component, previously called: UV Cutoff Filter, UV excluded.

4. M3(Pol) – Polarization Filter 

Reflectance measured with cross-polarized A Illuminant excluding UV component, previously called: Polarization-Filter.

Here is ISO Status T, E, A, I d

1. Status A is applicable to the measurement of color sensitive materials;

2. Status E is widely used in the measurement of printed matter and materials in Europe,

3. Status I is used to evaluate printed board materials,

4. Status T is applicable to the measurement of color separation printing and printing materials such as paper printing and offset printing.

T-Status density is defined as the response that best matches the original art film used to evaluate color separation in history.

Generally, the default state in China is T status.

3nh launched two models spectrodensitometer YD5050 and YD5010. YD5050 density meter is to compare with Xrite exact advance spectrophotometer while YD5010 spectrodensitometer is to compare with Xrite exact basic model. 

Here are the specification for 3NH YD5050 and YD5010 spectrophotometer density meter

Grating Spectrophotometric Densitometer
Model YD5010 YD5050
Measurement Geometry 45/0(45 ring-shaped illumination, 0 degree viewing angle); ISO 5-4,CIE No.15
Light Source Combined LED Light, UV Light
Spectral separation device Concave Grating
Detector 256 Image Element Double Array CMOS Image Sensor
Wavelength Range 400~700nm
Wavelength Pitch 10nm
Half Bandwidth 10nm
Measurement Conditions Compliance with ISO 13655 measurement conditions;
M0 (CIE Light Soure A)
M1 (CIE Light Soure D50)
M2 (Excluding UV light source)
M3 (M2+Polarized light filter)
Density Standards ISO Status A, E, I, T 
Density index Density value, density difference, dot area, dot enlargement, overprint, printing characteristics, printing contrast, tone error and gray level Density value, density difference, dot area, dot enlargement, overprint, printing characteristics, printing contrast, tone error and gray scale, density scanning
Measurement aperture Customized one aperture:Φ2mm,Φ4mm,Φ8mm optional
Color Spaces CIE LAB,XYZ,Yxy,LCh CIE LAB,XYZ,Yxy,LCh,CIE LUV,HunterLAB
Color Difference Formula ΔE*ab,ΔE*94,ΔE*00 ΔE*ab,ΔE*94,ΔE*00,ΔE*uv,ΔE*cmc(2:1),ΔE*cmc(1:1),ΔE(Hunter)
Other Colorimetric Index / WI(ASTM E313,CIE/ISO,AATCC,Hunter),
YI(ASTM D1925,ASTM 313),
MI (Metamerism Index),Opacity,
Observer Angle 2°/10° 2°/10°
Illuminants A,C,D50,D55,D65,D75,F2,F7,F11,F12 A,C,D50,D55,D65,D75,F2(CWF),F7(DLP),F11(TL84),F12(TL83/U30),F1,F3,F4,F5,F6,F8,F9,F10(TPL5)
Measurement Time About 1.5s
Repeatability Density: Within 0.01 D 
Chromaticity value:within ΔE*ab 0.04 ( When a white calibration plate is measured 30 times at 5 second intervals after white calibration) Except M3 Chromaticity value:within ΔE*ab 0.03 ( When a white calibration plate is measured 30 times at 5 second intervals after white calibration)  Except M3
Inter-instrument Error Within ΔE*ab 0.2 (Average for 12 BCRA Series II color tiles) Except M3 Within ΔE*ab 0.18 (Average for 12 BCRA Series II color tiles) Except M3
Measurement mode Single Measurement, Average Measurement(2-99)
Size(L*W*H) 184*77*105mm
Weight About 600g
Power source Li-ion battery. 5000 measurements within 8 hours
Illuminant Life Span 5 years, more than 3 million times measurements
Display 3.5-inch TFT color LCD, Capacitive Touch Screen
Interface USB,  USB, Bluetooth 4.0
Data memory 10000 pcs 20000 pcs
Language
Simplified Chinese, English, Traditional Chinese
Working Environment Temperature: 0~40℃; Humidity: 0~85% (No Condensation);altitude: less than 2000 m
Storage Environment Temperature: -20~50℃; Humidity: 0~85% (No Condensation)
Standard Accessory Power Adapter, USB Cable, Built-in li-ion battery, User Manual, software(download from the website),White and Black Calibration Board, Protective Cover,Polarization filter box,Locating Plate
Optional Accessory Micro Printer
Notes: The specifications are subject to change without notice.


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