Automatic paper management and color profile utilization

A high-speed production printing system, comprising:

• a print engine operable to print image data of a print job on a first print medium;
• a storage module operable to store a plurality of optical density curves corresponding to a plurality of print mediums, wherein the print mediums differ from the first print medium and wherein each optical density curve is operable to calibrate the printing system to convert color values of the image data to a color space of the printing system based on a corresponding print medium;
• a measurement module operable to measure color values of primary color test patches printed on the first print medium and determine optical density values of the first print medium;
• and
• a calibration module operable to compare the optical density values of the first print medium to the optical density curves of the storage module, select a comparable optical density curve from the plurality of optical density curves, and automatically calibrate the printing system based on the comparable optical density curve.

A computer readable medium operable to store software instructions for calibrating a high-speed production printing system to a plurality of different paper types, wherein the software instructions are configured to direct a print controller of the production printing system to:

• print test patches of primary colors on a first print medium;
• measure colors of the test patches printed on the first print medium to determine an optical density of the first print medium;
• compare the optical density of the first print medium to a plurality of optical density curves to identify a comparable optical density curve of a different print medium, wherein the comparable optical density curve is one of a plurality of optical density curves installed on the production printing system;
• and
• calibrate the production printing system based on the comparable optical density curve for use in printing to the first print medium.