X-Rite Announces i1Pro 3 Plus Color Profiling Device for Imaging, Print, Textiles

Delivers production calibration and color profiling capabilities for the widest range of industrial print applications

Published: Wednesday, July 24, 2019 - 12:00

(X-Rite: Grand Rapids, MI) -- X-Rite Inc. and Pantone LLC, global leaders in color science and technology, announce the new i1Pro 3 Plus, a spectral color measurement solution specifically designed for imaging, print, and textile professionals who need advanced calibration and color profiling capabilities to support today’s wide-format and industrial printing applications.

The i1Pro 3 Plus has been optimized for digital printing on a range of materials and surfaces, including ceramics, textiles, glass, metal, wood, vinyl, plastics, thin films, cardboard, paper, and more. Commercial, wide-format, grand-format, packaging, and industrial printers can now create ICC profiles for almost any substrate and calibrate print production devices for the highest level of color accuracy. 

As more industries turn to digital printing, customers are putting greater emphasis on achieving accurate and repeatable color. To do this, production print equipment needs to be linearized and profiled for each substrate in order to monitor color output. Current profiling solutions are limited in their ability to measure textured, rough, or uneven surfaces and cannot accommodate various material thicknesses. Many devices do not have the resolution required to ensure the highest color quality when printing detailed patterns, metallic effects, or photography images. This leads to costly color errors and rework which impacts a printer’s bottom line. 

“The i1Pro 3 Plus builds on the success of the i1 Family and removes the variability to create accurate ICC profiles on the widest range of materials,” said Ray Cheydleur, Printing and Imaging Product Portfolio Manager, X-Rite. “Wide- and grand-format users and industrial material printers will see immediate value by incorporating the affordable i1Pro 3 Plus into their prepress and production workflows, resulting in more accurate and repeatable color, a reduction of waste, and an increased return on investment.”

A long-term X-Rite partner, EFI (Electronics For Imaging), also sees the great potential of this latest i1 Family member. “We are delighted to support X-Rite’s newly announced i1Pro 3 Plus measurement device within our latest Fiery technologies at ITMA 2019. Due to the nature of digital textile production, this large-aperture device is an excellent fit with our latest single pass EFI BOLT high-speed textile printer. For both color management and quality control, this device will allow our customers to produce accurate color much more easily,” said John Henze, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, EFI Fiery.

New in the i1Pro 3 Plus:

Larger aperture of 8 mm to support new materials and substrates used in digital printing applications.
New polarization (measurement condition M3) filter that reduces specular highlights and shadows on fabrics and ceramics. It provides “better blacks” and richer colors on rough surfaces and glossy medias, like canvas prints and fine art photo papers.
Simultaneously measure M0, M1 and M2 in a single pass to account for optical brighteners so prepress and print operators can quickly predict how colors printed on optically brightened substrates will look under different lighting conditions.
Longer ruler for measuring the wider charts used in grand-format printing. The ruler includes an ISO-compliant white backer and removable magnetic strips on the top and sides for holding samples in place while measuring.   
New LED illuminant that improves device reliability. The i1Pr o3 Plus allows for four measurement conditions (ISO 13655 M0; M1: D50; M2: UV Excluded, M3 Polarized).
Now supports transmission scanning for backlit film and materials used in signage.
Measures high brightness, up to 5K NITs for ultra-bright displays.

“We are used to seeing bumpy shadow measurements from unpolarized devices on glossy textured medias like canvas. With the new polarization feature in the i1Pro 3 Plus, our M3 measurements are dramatically smoother in the shadows - perfect in fact,” commented Scott Martin, Founder, Onsight, a leading workflow consultant for print, prepress, design and photography. 

New X-Rite iO Table
In addition, X-Rite announces a new i1iO Automated Scanning Table that supports the i1Pro 3 Plus. This hands-free test chart reader offers automated color profiling on a variety of substrates with reduced risk of color measurement errors. It is ideal for photographers, designers, and printers who want to speed up and automate the measurement process and eliminate manual strip reading.

The new i1iO table can be used with a variety of industrial materials including textiles, ceramics, corrugated, etc. and supports materials up to 33mm thick, with the optional z-axis spacer. It also supports transparencies and backlit materials.

About The Author

X-Rite

X-Rite is the global leader in color science and technology. The company, which now includes color industry leader Pantone Inc., develops, manufactures, markets, and supports innovative color solutions through measurement systems, software, color standards, and services. X-Rite’s expertise in inspiring, selecting, measuring, formulating, communicating, and matching color helps users get color right the first time and every time, which translates to better quality and reduced costs. X-Rite serves a range of industries, including printing, packaging, photography, graphic design, video, automotive, paints, plastics, textiles, dental, and medical.