This spectrophotometer offers automated measurement of many types and thickness of media including transparent and reflective, providing durability over many different print processes. There is also an adjustable aperture from 2mm to 8mm, which ensures that variations in print ink, resolution and dot are compensated for.

Unlike with the other supported spectrophotometers, AVA works in conjunction with Barbieri’s Gateway software to create profiles with the LFP. This software can be downloaded from Barbieri’s website. Once downloaded, you will find Barbieri Gateway folder in your Applications folder.Creating the targetThe very first time you use the Barbieri, you will need to create a calibration target, which can then be re-used in the future.

1. Launch Printer Cal from Applications > AVA n.n > AVA Utilities > Profiling
2. Go to File > New, and choose either the AVARGBTarget855, AVARGBTarget1748 or the AVARGBTarget2346 and click OK.
3. File > Export as CGATS.17
4. Give the target a relevant name, and save it to Applications > AVA n.n > AVA Utilities > Profiling > RGB Targets
5. Launch Chart Generator from Applications > Barbieri Gateway
   
6. Click the Browse button in the top left hand side of the window and locate the target you exported from Printer Cal in steps 3 and 4
7. Extend the window so you can see all the available options down the left hand side.
   
8. Click on the Modify button beside Patch Count option and enter 33 across and 26 down
   
9. Click on the Modify button beside Patch Size option and enter a patch width of 6.85mm and a patch height of 7.00mm.
   
   The Chart Generator window will then look like this:
   
10. At the bottom of this window, select Tiff, and enter a resolution of 300 dpi, and click Save Target.
    

Printing the target

1. Launch AVA
2. Open the each tiff of the target you have created in the ‘Creating the Target’ section above from Home User > Library > Application Support > Barbieri > Gateway > Chart > Targets
3. Activate the ‘Custom Document’ setting in Overprint Inspector and set the overprint to ‘None’. Save as ava4 format for future use. Repeat for each section of the target.
4. Go to File Menu > Print. Depending on the Printer Type you have selected, the Print window may look quite different. If you have selected AVAServerMimaki, please refer to the AVA Digital Print RIP section of the manual for details of how to print to the server. If you have selected Mac®OSXPrinter, you will be printing directly to your printer and will be able to access the printer driver settings directly through the Print window.
   
   Some printers have their own built-in calibration software which should be turned off. The relevant options are usually found in the Print window. The following notes and options relate to an Epson printer being used directly, although most other printers will have similar options available:
5. Make sure the selected printer is the one you want to print to and set the number of copies and pages required.
6. Ensure ‘AVA Manages Colour’ is ticked under the AVA Mac®OSXPrinter menu bar.
7. Then change the pop up bar from AVA Mac®OSXPrinter to Print Settings and select the relevant media type, colour and resolution.

   
   It is important to use the recommended paper for your specific printer. If you are unsure what to use you should speak to the manufacturer, however some printers list the recommended types in the Print window.

8. Click on the Presets pop up bar and select Save As… to save the options you have just set up then name the settings as AVA Settings. If you use several types of paper on the same printer, include the paper type in the name you enter to identify the relevant preset for each paper type.

9. Make sure the paper is loaded the correct way up. Most quality papers only have one side which can be printed on. The quality and colour of the print will be adversely affected if the wrong side is used.

10. If the inks are running low then it may be beneficial to replace them. 9 If you are at the end of the box of paper, use paper from a new box.

11. Print each relevant section of the target.

Reading in the target

1. Connect the measuring device to your Mac®, and check that the Spectrophotometer is switched on.
2. Place the target on the instrument and press the “Next” button (refer to users guide for full instructions on how to do this)
3. Launch Barbieri’s Gateway software
4. Check the slider bar is set to Advanced in the lower left hand side of the window
   
5. Click on Chart Measurement in the upper left hand side of the window 6 Double Click on the New Job button
   
6. Double click on the Customize button
   
7. Within the Chart definition section of this window, choose the target you saved during the Creating the target section above. In this example, the target is called AVARGBTArget855
   
8.  Click the ‘Next’ button
   
9. Choose your desired Measuring modes. These are Settings decided upon by the user. For an in depth explanation to what each option in this pane does, please refer to the user manual provided with the Barbieri measuring instrument.
10. Once you have entered your desired settings, click the Next button.
11. The instrument will measure the calibration target
12. Upon completion, the measurements file will be saved into the following location on your hard drive:

    
    Home user > Library > Application Support > Barbieri > Gateway > Chart > Measurements

    The saved measurements file will adopt the name of the target file, and will append a unique suffix.

Creating the profile

1. Launch Printer Cal from Applications > AVA n.n > AVA Utilities > Profiling
2. Open the measurements file you have just saved from Gateway and choose Measurements > Show Graph Window
3. If you are satisfied with the graph, choose File > Save as Profile …

There is no need to change the name of the file in the window that opens, but make sure it is saved in the same folder as the colourbook measurements saved earlier.