Start the Exercise:

In order to determine your color tolerance, the colors on the pages of this exercise were built to display the given delta E (00) differences under a D50 Illuminant. Ideally this viewing environment should be a certified color viewing booth with proper light bulbs. Look at the Purple Rhem indicator on the outside of the Delta E Exercise envelope. This patch should show on continuous color, there should be no stripes visible. If stripes are visible, light is not correct, and Color Tolerance Exercise should not be conducted until the lighting is corrected. If a suitable light booth cannot be used, as a last resort move to a non-tinted window to assess if the stripes disappear. If the stripes disappear, perform the exercise in this environment.

Color Tolerance Exercise Directions

Follow the comparisons starting below. Be realistic in judging whether or not the job would pass or fail based on recent actual jobs. You may want to determine two different tolerances, one for Process Color (higher tolerance) and one for Spot Color (lower tolerance). Process color tolerances are naturally higher then spot color tolerances because process builds are made from multiple ink combinations and spot colors are made from one ink (less variability). Do not judge if you see a difference (you should see a difference between every target), you want to judge where you would “accept” the difference.

#1. Compare

   to:  

If Acceptable go to #2;
If Not Acceptable go to #6

 #2. Compare:

   to:  

If Acceptable go to #3;
If Not Acceptable go to #9

 #3 Compare:

   to:  

If Acceptable go to #4;
If Not Acceptable go to #11

 #4. Compare:

   to: 

If Acceptable Your Color Tolerance is a 9 delta E;
If Not Acceptable, your color tolerance is 7-8 delta E.

 #6. Compare:

  to:   

If Acceptable go to #7;
If Not Acceptable go to #8

 #7. Compare:

   to:  

If Acceptable, Your Tolernace is a 3 delta E (00);
If Not Acceptable, your tolerance is a 2 delta E (00) :

Caution: these are very tight Tolerances for Print reproduction and without state of the are process control AND color management, you cannot maintain this.

 #8 Compare:

   to:    

If Acceptable, Tolerance is 1 delta E, no print reproduction technology can hold this level of tolerance in 2014.
If Not Acceptable, you are every printers worst nightmare, and I would fire you as a client.
This tolerance is not possible in graphic arts.

 #9. Compare:

   to:   

If Acceptable, your Color Tolerance is 5 delta E;
If Not Acceptable go to #10

 #10. Compare:

    to:   

If Acceptable, your color tolerance is a 4 delta E;
If Not Acceptable (you changed an answer from earlier) and go to #6

 #11. Compare:

   to:  

If Acceptable, your tolerance is 6 delta E;
If Not Acceptable, you changed an answer and go to #9

Summary:

Thanks for completing the exercise. Any questions or comments can be directed to David Hunter by email : david@chromachecker.com. This exercise can be customized for any organization wanting to compare known corporate colors within a customized tolerance. Just email details for the customization to david@chromachecker.com for a quote.