Creating a Custom Control Strip for Production (Step-by-Step)

1. Access Capture Inspector: Log in to the ChromaChecker web interface and navigate to the Capture Inspector section. Click "Add Control Strip." (The direct link is: https://chromachecker.com/controlstrips/en/add)

2. Define the Patches: Add patches one by one, choosing from various options:

   Upload (CGATS): The easiest way to recreate a previously measured strip. Upload the CGATS file, and ChromaChecker imports the patches.

   Add Library: Import color standards directly from your ChromaChecker Color Library. Be mindful of assigning specific names.

   Add Substrate: Include patches for substrate measurement (including "Printed White" for opacity).

   Add CMYK/nCLR: Define specific CMYK values for process color patches. You can link an nCLR ICC profile to automatically populate the correct color names (CMYKOGV, etc.).

   Add Spot (Named Color Placeholders): This is highly recommended for production flexibility. Add placeholders for up to 12 spot colors without specifying the actual color. This allows you to reuse the same control strip for different projects. Remember, in Packaging Inspector, these placeholders are assigned at the Project level, making the operator's job much faster and less error-prone.

   Add RGB/Lab: Define patches using RGB or Lab values if needed.

   Add DUD (Do Not Measure): Use this for non-measurement areas within the strip that the instrument might otherwise try to read.

3. Organize and Optimize: Use the available tools to reorder, delete, rotate, or mirror patches. The "Scramble" function can optimize patch order for better contrast (avoid this with placeholders and DUD patches, as their final color is unknown).

4. Save the Control Strip: Give it a short, descriptive name and save it in a relevant subdirectory within Capture Inspector.

Key Considerations for Production

• Placeholders: Leverage placeholders to create versatile control strips adaptable to various projects. This significantly streamlines project setup.
• Contrast: Ensure adequate contrast between patches, especially if not using separators. Scramble can help.
• Separators: While sometimes necessary for specific instruments, separators reduce measurement accuracy by averaging values. Use them sparingly.
• Test Prints: Always print a test of your control strip on a regular printer to verify size, layout, and readability before using it in production.
• Instrument Compatibility: Consider the requirements of all measuring instruments that might be used with this control strip.