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We have setup our system that the presses hit the proofer and not the other way around. Initially I too had always worked the premise that your proofer should hit the press, however you have many more variables at the time of your profiling at press and in normal operations than you do with your proofing system.
I've employed a G7 standard that has it's difficulty compounded as we only print Stochastic so the latitude that you have with AM screening is gone. Gray balance, density and dot gain is the basis of our profiles. We essentially produce a profile for a Coated and Non-Coated sheet on 2 of our 40" presses. We first produce what we consider optimal results on our proofing system and then generate a 1st set of plates with no curves on them at all to see what the press will produce when all normal variables are met on the press. Once this press sheet is produced we evaluate the no curve sheet to our "master proof" and at that point begin building profiles as mentioned above to match our proofer. Once this has been established those values are recorded and when we then send our CIP data to the press per job we already have established our baseline and generally can hit color in as little as 10 sheets.
By using this method it is also able to determine before you go to press if your device (proofer) is also out of calibration obviously eliminating making plates, rolling up on press and then finding out that your proofer went out of calibration and now you can't hit your desired target. I have found it is much easier to keep a proofer in line than a pressroom from the standpoint of various operators, enviorment conditions, mechanical conditions etc etc.
As a redundancy to check that the proofer is also proofing correctly, we employ a certified proofing system that allows our operator to check a printed proof and should it fall outside of the delta range that we've deemed usable it fails the proof forcing a recalibration of the proofer.
I just got back from a GATF color management seminar and it was interesting having this same discussion but I was suprised at how many people are beginning to adopt to this method of calibration.
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