CP7.0 · Colour Printing 7.0: Next Generation Multi-Channel Printing

We propose a training and research project within the Marie Curie Initial Training Network (ITN) call, led by Gjøvik University College (HIG), in collaboration with five full network partners and six associated partners from academia and industry throughout Europe. The project is entitled “Colour Printing 7.0: Next Generation Multi-Channel Printing” and addresses a significant need for research, training, and innovation in the European printing industry.Through our project, we will not only take the colour printing field to its next generation of technological advancement, by fully exploring the possibilities of using more than the conventional four colorants cyan, magenta, yellow and black, focusing particularly on spectral properties, but we will also train a significant new generation of printing scientists (seven ESRs and two ERs) who will most certainly be able to assume science and technology leadership in this traditional technological sector. The main variables in printing technology are the ink, the paper, and the marking technology employed by the printer. While many aspects of these are well known and extensively studied, there are four key areas of science and technology which future advances in multi-channel printing depend on:1.Spectral modeling of the printer/paper/ink combination2.Spectral gamut prediction and gamut mapping3.The effect of paper optical and surface properties on the colour reproduction of multi-channeldevices4.Optimal halftoning algorithms and tonal reproduction characteristics of multi-channel printingRelated to the above research areas are the need to have optimal methods for ink selection, and methods for the evaluation of reproduction quality. Together these areas form a large problem domain that cannot be addressed by a single manufacturer or research group, and the proposed project will bring together leading researchers with expertise in the different strands of this problem domain.