idealliance guide to print production - hbp...branding initiatives. digital design center ......

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best practices and specifications for printing

Idealliance GUIDE TO PRINT PRODUCTION

Twenty Five Dollars

V.

P2Guide to Print Production v13

Ideas that MatterSince its inception in 1999, 500 nonprofit projects have been funded with $12 million worldwide to causes that enhance our lives, our communities and our planet. This strategic initiative powerfully illustrates how print can promote social good.

Print &Sappi’s Print & explains the influential role of print in this rapidly evolving environment and provides helpful tips on how to succeed in a world of the ever changing “next big thing.”

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Guide to Print Production v13

Why you should expect more from your paper and your paper company.

CONTENTS

0636

SECTION 1 INTRO : WHAT’S NEW IN V13.0

0838

SECTION 2 FOR BEGINNERS : WHAT IT ALL MEANS

1040

SECTION 3 NEW BUILDING BLOCKS :THE LATEST STANDARDS & SPECS

1242

SECTION 4 G7 :WHAT IS G7?

SECTION 5 GRACOL & SWOP :CHARACTERIZED REFERENCE PRINT CONDITIONS

SECTION 6 CREATIVE WORKFLOW :BEST PRACTICES FOR CREATIVES

SECTION 7 PREPRESS WORKFLOW :BEST PRACTICES FOR PRODUCTION

SECTION 8 PROOFING :BEST PRACTICES IN HARD & SOFT PROOFING

SECTION 9 VIEWING & MEASURING :NEW STANDARDS IN LIGHTING

SECTION 10 PRINT REQUIREMENTS :MANAGING THE PRINT SUPPLY CHAIN

SECTION 11 PRINT MANUFACTURING :PROCESS CONTROL IN PRINT PRODUCTION

SECTION 12 STANDARDS CHARTS :STANDARDIZED PRINTING GUIDELINES

SECTION 13 G7 BY PROCESS :STANDARDS & SPECS BY PRINT METHOD

SECTION 14 CROSS MEDIA :SIX STAGES OF AN INTEGRATED WORKFLOW

SECTION 15 IDEALLIANCE :GROUPS & CERTIFICATIONS

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IDEAlliance Guide to Print Production


IDEAlliance operates policy and practices to ensure intellectual property and copyrights are rigor-ously maintained.

Antitrust StatementAs associations of competitors, trade associations must be vigi-lant to ensure that state and fed-eral antitrust laws are respected. The general improvement of the industry benefi ts the public. This is why Congress granted the privi-lege of tax-exempt status to trade associations. Our focus must be the general improvement of our indus-try. We must refrain from actions, which either may suppress com-petition among members or give members a competitive advantage over non-members.

Intellectual Property PolicyThe IDEAlliance IP Policy seeks to protect those contributing to our ef-forts as well as those of the Associ-ation when it publishes its work. If you are contributing information to which you hold intellectual proper-ty claims such as a patent or copy-right, please inform IDEAlliance so we can work with you to best deter-mine how your contributions can be included within our published work.

Copyright and Legal Notice© 2001 – 2014 International Dig-ital Enterprise Alliance, Inc. All Rights Reserved. IDEAlliance®, G7®, GRACoL®, SWOP®, and Col-or Management Professional®, are registered trademarks of the International Digital Enterprise Al-liance, Inc. (IDEAlliance). This docu-ment may be downloaded provided that this Copyright and Legal No-tice is included on all such down-loads. This document may not be modifi ed in any way without the prior permission of IDEAlliance except as needed for the purpose of the work of IDEAlliance. Use of any specifi cation or standard set forth in this document is voluntary and shall not create for the user any rights in or to such specifi cation or standard or this document, which rights are exclusively reserved to IDEAlliance. The user assumes all risks and waives all claims against IDEAlliance, its Members, member organizations, licensors and con-tributors. By making this document available, IDEAlliance is not provid-ing any professional services or ad-vice to the user. The user should rely upon the advice of a compe-tent professional before using any such information contained herein.

E D I T O R I A L

BRUCE BAYNEALDER TECHNOLOGYGRACOL VICE CHAIR

DENNIS CHEESEMANUS INK

RAY CHEYDLEURX-RITE INC.PRINT PROPERTIES CO-CHAIR

JEFF COLLINSKONICA MINOLTAGRACOL VICE CHAIR, 2010-2014

SON DORODS AND CONES

RON ELLISRON ELLIS CONSULTING LLCGRACOL CHAIR

DAVID HUNTERPILOT MARKETING

DON HUTCHESONHUTCHCOLOR, LLCG7 INVENTORGRACOL CHAIR 2004-2007

DIANNE KENNEDYIDEALLIANCE

DR. DANNY RICHSUN CHEMICAL

MIKE RUFFMIKE RUFF CONSULTING

MIKE RODRIGUEZGRACOL VICE CHAIR

JEREMY TESCHFINEEYE COLOR

DON SCHROEDERFUJI FILM

TIM QUINNNAZDAR

STEVE SMILEYSMILEY COLORPRINT PROPERTIES CHAIR

LAWRENCE WARTERSTANDARDS GURUWARTER COLORS

P R O D U C T I O N

CHUCK LENATTIEDITOR, IDEALLIANCE SPECTRUM BULLETIN

O V E R A L L C O N T E N T R E V I E W

CONTENT REVIEW COMMITTEEBRUCE BAYNE, RON ELLIS, DON HUTCHESONMIKE RODRIGUEZ, STEVE SMILEY

2003 2009 2013

2013 2014

Contributors

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2003 2009 2013

2013 2014


The concept of defining a visual match by color management led to the devel-opment of the IDEAlliance proof-to- press calibration and press control method known as G7 in both SWOP and GRACoL, using gray balance and high-light-to-midtone contrast to improve the visual matches within and across multi-ple media. SWOP laid a strong founda-tion as the first instance of standardiza-tion in the publication/printing market-place, and GRACoL has been the most in-novative standardization effort ever. The stage is now set to apply what we have learned to a general, all-encompassing approach to publication production for printing and eventually to all forms of cross-media.

WHAT’S NEW IN V13.0Much has changed in the industry since the last edition of this publication was published more than two years ago. Version 13.0 of the Guide to Print Pro-duction addresses the dramatic chang-es to the print production landscape, from new characterization datasets, to important new standards in light-ing, viewing and measurement. We define the importance of the new M1 measurement standards and its im-pact on GRACoL and SWOP specifica-tions. We more fully engage the cre-ative production professional, sharing the keys to ensuring a positive print experience. The publication offers new guidelines for managing expec-tations when working with printers to manage a specified print condition and getting the most from G7 in mul-tiple print processes. We also expand the discussion of best practices to include cross media, offering the six stages of an integrated media production workf low. We hope you value and benefit from these proven best practices.

FROM IDEALLIANCE PRESIDENT & CEO, DAVID J. STEINHARDT“The mission of IDEAlliance is to iden-tify best practices for efficient end-to-end integrated media workflows, from content creation through print and electronic distribution. Through the active involvement of our many committees and working groups, our association provides members the forum for the exchange of informa-tion that results in the creation of the media production industry’s most val-ued best practices. Those best practic-es are defined here in the Guide to Print Production V13.0! This publication is the culmination of the collaboration of many of our industry’s most talent-ed professionals. We thank them for their tireless efforts. This is the best in our industry!”

ABOUT THIS GUIDEThis booklet is an update to the Guide to Print Production V12.0. As with the earlier SWOP and GRACoL editions, this booklet is about publishing and printing and the proper procedures and suggest-ed techniques for reproducing a creative concept—image or information—on a tar-geted output media.

This can involve large numbers of people and complex workf lows with multiple media output options, such as press, monitor, phone, etc., or the sim-ple output of one person to a single out-put device, such as a personal printer. But in all cases there is a preferred methodology that should become the required process. The important point is that there is now a proper method for making sure that the content concept is properly reproduced the way the con-tent creator originally envisioned it. The mission of this booklet is to describe that proper procedure.

IDEAllianceTOTAL TRAININGMedia Production Skills Training

EDUCATE YOUR ENTIRE STAFF FOR ONE ANNUAL FEE

The IDEAlliance TOTAL Training program allows you to educate your entire staff in media production skills for a single annual fee.

Developed by our industry’s leading technical experts, IDEAlliance online training offers proven best practices and skills-training required for operating today’s state-of-the-art media production work� ows. IDEAlliance online training and certi� cation programs include color management professional training for creative, premedia, print, and sales professionals, and in-depth courses on process control, JDF, and integrated media work� ows.

TOTAL Training offers: - 24/7 access to all IDEAlliance online training courses for 1 year - Manager reports to track student activity - Certi� cation exams for all courses

TOTAL Training Courses include: - Color Management Professional® Training (All 6 courses) - G7 Process Control Training (27 Lessons + 120 support materials) - JDF Expert Training (English and Spanish Versions) - Integrated Media Work� ow Fundamentals (Fall 2014)

TOTAL Training is an affordable strategy to educate multiple staff in continuing education on best practices proven to reduce costs and expand ef� ciencies. Details at...

IDEAlliance is the leading certi� er of skills required for state-of-the-art media production

FROM $250 PER PERSON PER YEAR

ANNUAL FEE BY BLOCK

Students in Block

Cost Per Student

Cost Per Block

5 $400 $2,000

10 $350 $3,500

20 $300 $6,000

50 $250 $12,500

Membership required. Non- members add $500 to TOTAL Training order.

Certi� cation exams are included.

User changes during the year are made on an exception basis.

www.idealliance.org/e-training

“TOTAL Training is a terri� c opportunity to ensure our entire

production staff is up-to-date on the latest standards and best practices.”

GARY LARSON, Vice President Manufacturing, Professional Litho

Questions: Steve [email protected]

612.280.9095

The IDEAlliance Just Enough Vid-eo Knowledge Bank provides me-dia professionals with a concise and easily accessible glossary of key in-dustry terms and technologies. The Just Enough knowledge base serves as an everyday online reference tool for the creative, print, and publishing industries, as well as a suggested pre-requisite for IDEAlliance training and certification programs.

WHY JUST ENOUGH?Having a baseline understanding of key terms and technologies provides a solid foundation for the learner to successfully integrate new technol-ogies into their operation, as well as to prepare for advancement through an IDEAlliance training or certification program. As the leading certifier of professional skills, systems, materi-als, and facilities in media production, IDEAlliance is uniquely aware of the fundamental elements required to operate state-of-the-art media pro-duction workflows.

Watch for this QR Code throughout the document to launch the IDEAl-liance Video Knowledge Bank. Or go to http://www.idealliance.org/glossa-ry to view all the glossary terms.

WHAT’S NEW IN V13.0

01SECTION

P7

IDEAllianceTOTAL TRAININGMedia Production Skills Training

EDUCATE YOUR ENTIRE STAFF FOR ONE ANNUAL FEE

The IDEAlliance TOTAL Training program allows you to educate your entire staff in media production skills for a single annual fee.

Developed by our industry’s leading technical experts, IDEAlliance online training offers proven best practices and skills-training required for operating today’s state-of-the-art media production work� ows. IDEAlliance online training and certi� cation programs include color management professional training for creative, premedia, print, and sales professionals, and in-depth courses on process control, JDF, and integrated media work� ows.

TOTAL Training offers: - 24/7 access to all IDEAlliance online training courses for 1 year - Manager reports to track student activity - Certi� cation exams for all courses

TOTAL Training Courses include: - Color Management Professional® Training (All 6 courses) - G7 Process Control Training (27 Lessons + 120 support materials) - JDF Expert Training (English and Spanish Versions) - Integrated Media Work� ow Fundamentals (Fall 2014)

TOTAL Training is an affordable strategy to educate multiple staff in continuing education on best practices proven to reduce costs and expand ef� ciencies. Details at...

IDEAlliance is the leading certi� er of skills required for state-of-the-art media production

FROM $250 PER PERSON PER YEAR

ANNUAL FEE BY BLOCK

Students in Block

Cost Per Student

Cost Per Block

5 $400 $2,000

10 $350 $3,500

20 $300 $6,000

50 $250 $12,500

Membership required. Non- members add $500 to TOTAL Training order.

Certi� cation exams are included.

User changes during the year are made on an exception basis.

www.idealliance.org/e-training

“TOTAL Training is a terri� c opportunity to ensure our entire

production staff is up-to-date on the latest standards and best practices.”

GARY LARSON, Vice President Manufacturing, Professional Litho

Questions: Steve [email protected]

612.280.9095


1 DISCLAIMERAlthough this guide is designed to help the user understand and imple-

ment best practices and procedures, it is impossible to cover all of the possible com-binations of systems, software programs and workflows. As with any other document that provides general guidelines, asking for assistance from your print provider or other trained individuals and seeking additional educational training is encouraged.

2WHO SHOULD USE THIS SECTIONThis section provides basic guide-

lines for people who are new to production/prepress processes or those who want to review the basics.

3 WHY THIS SECTION IS IMPORTANTFollowing these guidelines helps re-

duce errors and mistakes once files are in the hands of your publisher or print ven-dor. Understanding a bit about their needs and the limitations of the printing process goes a long way in building a good relation-ship with a publisher or print vendor. Plus it can reduce costly fixes.

4CREATING, PROOFING AND DELIVERING FILES

The points listed here are just some of the steps that we believe to be fundamental and necessary for anyone responsible for creating, proofing and delivering files in-tended for any commercial printing pro-cess. More detailed information is avail-

able at the www.swop.org and www.gra-col.org websites, or at www.idealliance.org.

A. It is always helpful to visit the publish-er or printer’s website for additional tech-nical information and guidance about how to facilitate and more efficiently create and deliver materials. A phone call doesn’t hurt either, especially if the website information isn’t understood.

B. Beginning the creative process with proper resolution and image format in a document that accommodates the cor-rect size and layout requirements is criti-cal. If you’re not sure, ask your print vendor for help as early in the creative process as possible. This can save a lot of time and frus-tration in rework if files are not created and assembled to the printer’s requirements.

C. Viewing proofs, whether on a monitor or in hard copy, is essential for good color communication during both the creative and production processes. The success-ful communication of color expectations can only be achieved if all participants “see the same color.” This requires all partici-pants to adhere to monitor proofing and hard copy proofing standards, along with standard viewing conditions as specified by the International Organization for Standards (ISO). While this might some-times be difficult to achieve, everyone from creative to print production should understand that the visual communica-tion of color breaks down without adher-ing to these standards. (See Guidelines and Best Practices.)

D. Saving and delivering files should be done according to the publisher or print-er’s requirements. Problems can be avoid-ed by communicating with your publisher or print vendor. Generally, all advertising files should be saved as PDF/X-4. This of-ten holds true for commercial print as well. Always check with the publisher and/or printer for exact submission criteria.

E. Final proofs should always be made from the final file that is delivered to the publisher or printer. If proofs are not re-quired then a PDF is typically used as the digital proof. Make sure that the file is properly created to accurately repre-sent the printed color expectation per the publisher or printer’s requirements.

F. A preflight process should be in place to verify that files are being submitted in accordance to the publisher or printer’s needs. Preflighting files can catch images that are the wrong resolution, wrong color space (RGB instead of CMYK) or not includ-ed. It can also help you find font or graph-ic issues, along with many other problems.

5 IMAGES (BOTH RASTER AND VECTOR)Both raster and vector images can

be saved in several different color modes. In most cases CMYK is the color mode all im-ages should be converted to prior to send-ing to the publisher or print vendor. What CMYK “flavor” to choose is just as impor-tant. For U.S. sheetfed printing, convert im-ages to GRACoL 2006 or GRACoL 2013 for coated stock. Web publications use SWOP3 2006 or SWOP 2013. It’s important to make sure all images have been converted to the same CMYK print condition prior to sub-mitting files to publishers or print vendors. Some printers and print workflows can use RGB colorspaces and convert to CMYK at a late stage in the process. Check with your printer if you would like to use RGB imag-es. This is common in dual use situations where images may be used on the web or in ebooks, as well as print.

Vector images are resolution indepen-dent. They can be sized up or down with no quality sacrifice. Raster images, on the other hand, are resolution dependent. This

WHAT IT ALL MEANS

02SECTION

P9

means the quality changes if an image is enlarged to the point where the resolu-tion (dpi) gets too low. Also if an image has been saved, for example, as a 72dpi image, the resolution is too low for quality print reproduction. When saving raster images, ensure they are saved with the correct res-olution for quality reproduction. If you’re unsure, consult the publisher or the print vendor. When you change the sizes of raster images in page layout programs, the fi nal print resolution will also change, so ensure that the image is saved with enough reso-lution to handle any enlargements.

6 PLAIN BLACK VS. RICH BLACKBlack ink can be printed as black

only or a mixture of CMY and black, called rich black. It’s important to know when and why to use black only vs. rich black, and how to set each of these up in front-end applications.

Plain black (100% black) should always be used for printing black text. The reason is that it is diffi cult to register rich black well enough to be legible when used in small text. Plain black by itself can look dull and sometimes a bit gray when compared to rich black, so adding other inks to black creates a “richer” looking black. Rich black is used as a way to increase the saturation and gloss of large black areas in a printed piece. It can also be a mistake as the result of deliv-ering RGB fi les to the printer that include RGB text. An example would be a Micro-soft Word document. The printer might not catch this and the resulting printed piece will have black text that is made of CMY and K inks, causing the text to look fuzzy due to any slight misregistration. It also causes the press operator problems, as it is diffi cult to perfectly register a large press sheet from edge to edge and corner to corner.

Bottom line: know when to use black and rich black, and how to create both in front-end applications. If you’re using a product that produces only RGB results, let the print ven-dor know what application created the fi le, so the printer can adjust the output at their end.

7 BLEEDSIf any object in a project goes all the way to the edge of the fi nal cut

sheet, it needs to “bleed” off the sheet. This is required so that the print vendor has a little wiggle room for the bindery process, where the sheets are folded and cut down into the fi nished product. The standard amount is 1/8”, but it’s best to check with your print vendor to ensure they don’t re-quire more. Less, they can adjust for, but more requires extra work with the original fi les, not the PDF that was sent to the print vendor. Make sure any object that goes to the edge goes past the edge by the appro-priate bleed amount.

8FONTSFont omission is the single most fre-quent issue when fi les are received

at the printer. When generating PDF fi les, ensure that the settings include embedding the fonts into the PDF fi le. When sending fi les in their original format, ensure that the fonts have either been outlined or have been included along with the fi le.

P lai n Black Ri ch BlackLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec-

tetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum at

dignissim justo. Donec semper massa

vel tortor porta, quis scelerisque orci

convallis. Proin sollicitudin eget elit a

rhoncus. Vivamus in eleifend nulla,

venenatis pharetra lectus. Cras pulvinar

lorem eu mollis hendrerit. Cras vitae ul-

lamcorper nunc, sed rutrum erat. Nulla

laoreet accumsan vestibulum. Aliquam

erat elit, lobortis eget mauris at, porta

faucibus sapien. Vestibulum ante ipsum

primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices

posuere cubilia Curae; Quisque et var-

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec-

tetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum at

dignissim justo. Donec semper massa

vel tortor porta, quis scelerisque orci

convallis. Proin sollicitudin eget elit a

rhoncus. Vivamus in eleifend nulla,

venenatis pharetra lectus. Cras pulvinar

lorem eu mollis hendrerit. Cras vitae ul-

lamcorper nunc, sed rutrum erat. Nulla

laoreet accumsan vestibulum. Aliquam

erat elit, lobortis eget mauris at, porta

faucibus sapien. Vestibulum ante ipsum

primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices

posuere cubilia Curae; Quisque et var-Black Text RGB Text

Another often-overlooked design er-ror is using the application style menu to change font attributes. Many fonts don’t have all of the styles that are available from the style menu, which can cause unexpect-ed results in the printing process. Always choose a font’s style from the font menu to ensure that you actually have that partic-ular style available with that chosen font.

9 IMAGES AND GRAPHICSMake sure to include all images and

graphics with your publication fi le. Resolu-tion is important, and a rule of thumb is that images should be 2 x the resolution of the line screen. So for a 150-line screen print, the images should be 300 dots per inch. Your prefl ight should include checking for image resolution and type. When you’re packaging a fi le or making a PDF, check to be sure that all images are linked and updated.

10 PREFLIGHTInvest in a preflight pro-gram and learn how to use

it. Learning to prefl ight fi les can go a long way in understanding the ins and outs of fi le preparation for the printing process. The prefl ight program will fl ag common, and not so common fi le issues, so that they can be corrected prior to submission to the print vendor. Prefl ight programs are also very good time savers when set up and used properly. Many printers use them to ensure that they catch as many fi le issues as pos-sible before the fi les gets on press. Pre-fl ight programs actually pay for themselves rather quickly.

11 COMMUNICATION This section touched on the basics of fi le prep for print.

It also highlighted many of the common fi le errors that are seen at print shops. What’s important is communication. Ask questions of the print vendor when un-clear how to prepare fi les for print. If com-munication starts in the early stages of a project, there will be fewer unforeseen is-sues and a more pleasant experience. Keep those communication channels open and working well. It can save headaches and money in the long run.

FOR BEGINNERS 2.

Bleed AreaTrim Edge

Safety Zone


Legacy Reference CharacterizationsLegacy Reference CharacterizationsLegacy Reference Characterizations

RPC # Nominal L*a*b* Whitepoint Name Use Cases Substrate Typical Printing Processes USA Europe Japan

1 85 1 5 coldset news newspaper newsprint newsprint SNAP 2009 IFRA 26 JNC2002, NSAV2006

2 87 0 3 heatset news retail inserts, catalogs improved newsprint, supercal b improved newsprint, supercal B beta heatset news 2009 Fogra 42, 46 na

3 95 1 -4 premium uncoated commercial premium uncoated freesheet sheetfed/heatset offset beta offset uncoated 2009 Fogra 47 JSC2007UC

4 89 0 3 super calendared magazine inserts, catalogs, POP supercal A heatset offset, gravure beta SCA 2009 Fogra 40, 41 n/a

5 92 0 0 publication coated magazines, packaging, catalog, flexo, wide web light/medium weight groundwood/freesheet heatset offset, gravure, wide web flexo SWOP 2006 Fogra 45, 46 JCW2003-JMPA v2

6 95 1 -4 premium coated commercial, packaging, flexo, narrow web premium coated sheetfed/heatset offset, narrow web flexo, screen, offset packaging GRACoL 2006 Fogra 39 JC200JC2011

7 97 1 -4 expanded gamut commercial, specialty premium coated digital inkjet and toner, sheetfed offset, flexo, gravure n/a n/a n/a

THE LATEST STANDARDS & SPECS NEW CHANGESTO HOW WE WORKIn late 2013, several important chang-es were made to international print stan-dards that will affect the way we calibrate, measure and evaluate print. Most of these changes are based on a new way of measur-ing and viewing color that now includes UV energy in all phases of the workfl ow.

These changes are refl ected in the new IDEAlliance print standards and specifi ca-tions that have been released recently. GRA-CoL 2013, SWOP 2013, an updated ISO 12647-2:2013 and a family of G7 datasets (CGATS 21) have all been released within the past year. All of these new print standards and speci-fi cations rely upon a completely new way of measuring using a new measurement con-dition called the M1 lighting condition. Be-cause of this new way of measurement, all

of these updated and new print conditions require a different workfl ow that is unlike the workfl ows we currently use with GRA-CoL 2006 and SWOP 2006.

The benefi ts of the new workfl ows have to do with the UV energy being included in all aspects of measurement and view-ing. Prior to the 2013 specifi cations, all color management and color aims were to be done without optical brighten-ing agents (OBAs). Papers and stock with high amounts of OBAs just did not work well with color management. Because of this problem with OBAs, previous stan-dards and specifi cations like ISO 12647-2 and GRACoL 2006 were built upon sub-strates that did not have OBAs in them. These print conditions worked very well when no OBAs were present in press or proof substrates. When OBAs were pres-

ent in either the print or proof substrate, a clear visual mismatch became apparent. This has become problematic, as custom-ers have come to prefer substrates that in-clude OBAs in them.

THE PROMISE OF M1 WORKFLOWSThe combination of color management not working well with substrates that contain OBAs and the increasing diffi -culty of fi nding substrates without OBAs has presented a dilemma for printers and print customers. The promise of the new M1 workfl ows is that we will be able to achieve an accurate proof-to-press match, as well as calibration, using opti-cally brightened substrates. The reason for this has to do with M1-based measure-ments, which contain a defi ned amount of UV energy, and new lighting standards that also include UV energy. When com-bined, both measurement and viewing give us a workfl ow that allows us to use optically brightened sheets.

NEW VERSIONS OF GRACOL AND SWOPSince 2006, the GRACoL dataset has been the most commonly used reference print condition for print and proofi ng in North America and other world regions. GRA-CoL is used for many types of print, rang-ing from offset to digital and wide format. To keep up with industry trends (such as OBAs in paper), the GRACoL Committee in-troduced updated versions of both GRA-CoL and SWOP, called “GRACoL 2013” and “SWOP 2013.” The changes are minor and are barely visible in most subject matter, and should not signifi cantly affect printers,

03SECTION

CGATS 21 UNIVERSAL CHARACTERIZATION REFERENCE PRINT CONDITIONS

New CGATS 21 datasets and profi les, as well as typical usage. See chart in Section 12 for new reference characterizations and profi les.

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Legacy Reference CharacterizationsLegacy Reference CharacterizationsLegacy Reference Characterizations

RPC # Nominal L*a*b* Whitepoint Name Use Cases Substrate Typical Printing Processes USA Europe Japan

1 85 1 5 coldset news newspaper newsprint newsprint SNAP 2009 IFRA 26 JNC2002, NSAV2006

2 87 0 3 heatset news retail inserts, catalogs improved newsprint, supercal b improved newsprint, supercal B beta heatset news 2009 Fogra 42, 46 na

3 95 1 -4 premium uncoated commercial premium uncoated freesheet sheetfed/heatset offset beta offset uncoated 2009 Fogra 47 JSC2007UC

4 89 0 3 super calendared magazine inserts, catalogs, POP supercal A heatset offset, gravure beta SCA 2009 Fogra 40, 41 n/a

5 92 0 0 publication coated magazines, packaging, catalog, flexo, wide web light/medium weight groundwood/freesheet heatset offset, gravure, wide web flexo SWOP 2006 Fogra 45, 46 JCW2003-JMPA v2

6 95 1 -4 premium coated commercial, packaging, flexo, narrow web premium coated sheetfed/heatset offset, narrow web flexo, screen, offset packaging GRACoL 2006 Fogra 39 JC200JC2011

7 97 1 -4 expanded gamut commercial, specialty premium coated digital inkjet and toner, sheetfed offset, flexo, gravure n/a n/a n/a

2.

designers or print buyers. Both the new ver-sions of GRACoL and SWOP are on brighter substrates and are based on M1 color aims.

In 2013, both international (ISO) and U.S. (CGATS) printing standards were updat-ed in response to industry trends. CGATS 21-2 is a new ANSI (American National Stan-dards Institute) standard, approved in 2013, containing seven characterized reference print conditions (CRPCs) representing seven different printing processes. Be-cause all seven are based on G7 and com-mon ink hues, maximum “shared appear-ance” is achieved when a common CMYK fi le is printed on a system calibrated to any of the seven CRPCs.

In CGATS 21-2, GRACoL 2013 is known as “CGATS 21-2, RPC-6,” while the old 2006 SWOP 3 and SWOP 5 datasets have been combined into a single RPC called “SWOP 2013,” or “CGATS.21-2 RPC-5.” This refl ects the trend for the two legacy SWOP papers to have merged into a single generic paper type. (IDEAlliance has published an updat-ed SWOP 2013 5 profi le, which is available on the IDEAlliance website. More informa-tion on these changes is detailed in Section 5 of this book.)

The biggest change is that measure-ments used in the new datasets for GRA-CoL and SWOP are specifi ed using M1. This means that GRACoL 2013 and SWOP 2013 calibrations and assessments are to be done using M1-capable instruments in M1 mode.

TESTING THE M1 CONCEPT BY IDEALLIANCEIn 2013 and 2014, IDEAlliance conducted tests to validate the M1 workfl ow and new reference print conditions. IDEAlliance’s

Hong Kong affi liate, APTEC, performed rig-orous M1 press-to-M1 CGATS 21 testing to determine whether press calibration to M1-based reference print conditions actually worked. APTEC’s results showed that M1-based press calibration did meet the aims specifi ed in CGATS 21. The GRACoL Com-mittee also performed M1 proof-to-press match testing with a series of three press

sheets and 10 proofi ng stocks. The press sheets and proofi ng stocks all included var-ious levels of optical brighteners. Results showed that when viewed in a booth with current lighting and when the level of the optical brighteners in the proof and press sheet were similar, use of M1 produced good proof-to-press matches, even on optical-ly brightened proof and press substrates. Since then, IDEAlliance GRACoL commit-tee members have been performing fur-ther test calibrations with similar results.

NEW WORKFLOWS FOR M1 AND OBA SUBSTRATESWhile the new M1 measurement condition and the new lighting condition offer the promise of being able to work on optically brightened stocks, they will require chang-es in how we color manage our workfl ows. M1 workfl ows require newer devices that

are capable of measuring M1 data, as well as software that can support these devices. In addition to hardware and software, the way we calibrate and perform color man-agement tasks will be different as well.

One of the key parts of the new work-fl ow is detecting the amount of optical brighteners in a printing stock and then selecting a proofi ng substrate with a similar

white point and corresponding amount of optical brighteners. IDEAlliance has devel-oped a method that can be used to make the correlation between the amount of OBAs in two different substrates.

The GRACoL Committee has devel-oped an IDEAlliance M1 kit, which can be downloaded from the IDEAlliance website at www.gracol.org. The kit con-tains information on M1 and the new M1-based reference print conditions, and is updated frequently. The IDEAlliance M1 kit also contains workflow guide-lines that describe how to implement M1 measurement for use in matching GRACoL 2013 and other M1 reference print conditions.

For more information on the new M1 workfl ows, tools for use with M1 datasets and the new M1 datasets, and up-to-date information, please visit www.gracol.org.

NEW BUILDING BLOCKS 3.

THE PROMISE OF THE NEW M1 WORKFLOWS IS THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE AN ACCURATE

PROOF-TO-PRESS MATCH, AS WELL AS CALIBRATION, USING OPTICAL-

LY BRIGHTENED SUBSTRATES.


WHAT IS G7?G7 is an IDEAlliance specifi cation that de-fi nes a universal appearance for B&W imag-ery (or a printed grayscale), as well as how to calibrate and control any printing or proof-ing system to achieve that appearance. It is also the basis of GRACoL and SWOP, and the new CGATS.21 suite of Reference Print Conditions (See Section 5.)

G7 uses the same CMYK calibration curves as traditional TVI-based calibration, but with much more valuable results. Un-like TVI calibration, which is unrelated to human vision, G7 is based on visual appear-ance, achieving the same pictorial qualities of tonality and gray balance across all print technologies. By controlling grays, color images also look as “pleasing” as possible without ICC profi les. For even more accu-racy, and color-critical work, G7 should be combined with ICC color management.

In addition to being a specifi cation, G7 also defi nes a simple method for calibrat-ing CMYK printing devices. Part of the suc-cess of G7 is related to the ease of calibra-tion. More than 1,500 printers worldwide have received G7 Master status by demon-

strating their ability to print to G7.

G7 IN PICTURESThe illustration below shows what G7 can — and cannot — do. The top three images were produced without any calibration using three different printing technologies: dry-ink digital, inkjet and offset lithography.

The bottom images show that G7 cal-ibration has corrected gray tones and improved colored areas. Saturated col-ors are still affected by ink differences (which G7 cannot adjust), but without a reference proof, all three bottom images are “pleasing” and it’s hard to say which is “correct.”

G7 BENEFITSBy focusing on visual appearance rather than mechanical variables like TVI, G7 of-fers many benefi ts.

• When used with ISO-standard ink and paper, G7 helps offset printers simulate a GRACoL or SWOP proof without a custom press profi le.

• G7 brings some non-offset printing (e.g. dry-ink digital) close enough to GRA-CoL or SWOP for certain work. High-er accuracy can be achieved by adding ICC profi les.

• An ICC profi le made after G7 calibration can have a longer life and achieve higher ac-curacy than one made without G7.

• All G7 printing systems have a “shared neutral appearance,” meaning that fi les pre-pared for any G7 printer should look pleas-ing on any other. This has profoundly sim-plifi ed and improved CMYK fi le exchange.

BRINGING RGB BENEFITS TO CMYKExchanging RGB fi les has always been eas-ier than exchanging CMYK fi les. Whether it’s a TV signal, a web image or a video, an RGB image that looks good on one display (monitor or projector) usually looks pleas-ing (if not exactly the same) on any other. This is because all video display devices produce the color “gray” from equal RGB values, and typically share a common 2.2 gamma. So black-and-white images ap-pear very similar, no matter where they are displayed.

G7 is the fi rst “universal standard” for how to print gray in CMYK. Before G7, to-nality (lightness and contrast) and gray balance varied widely on different presses and printing technologies. One perfectly good press might be very dark while an-other was very light. One might have a nat-ural bluish cast while another had a natu-ral reddish cast, etc. Every printing pro-cess needed its own custom CMYK fi les, and sharing fi les between printers often required extensive (and expensive) pre-press corrections.

To address the differences between presses, G7 established a carefully re-searched defi nition of gray balance and neutral tonality, based on typical offset printing, and instituted a simple meth-od of calibrating any printing system to match that defi nition.

G7 TONALITY (NPDC)G7 tonality is the relationship between the dot percentage and printed neu-

04SECTION

The above set of pictures shows how G7 calibration provides common appearance across multiple print processes.

P13

3.

tral density of two neutral gray scales, one printed in black only, the oth-er printed with “balanced cmy” percentages.

The G7 neutral density values of these gray scales were determined by testing the natural performance of multiple offset presses us-ing ISO-standard ink and paper. The results were av-eraged into a set of “neu-tral print density” curves (NPDC). A formula adapts the NPDC curve shape to any available maximum ink densit y, m a int a in ing highlight contrast but compressing or expand-ing the curve in darker tones, as shown in the G7 NPDC FanGraph.

G7 GRAY BALANCEG7 defines gray balance in two parts:

• a standardized scale of cmy percentages that should appear neutral to the eye, and

• the a* and b* values for each scale step.

The gray-scale cmy percentages were derived using a formula based on the traditional 50c, 40m, 40y gray balance ratio. Exact values appear in the “G7 How-To” booklet and in Column 5 of the P2P25 target.

The a* and b* values for any step of the gray scale vary according to paper color and can be calculated by these sim-ple formulae:

a* = paper_a* x (1 - C/100)b* = paper_b* x (1 - C/100)

G7 gray balance is “paper-rela-tive,” meaning that images printed on different-colored substrates appear slightly different when viewed side by side. When viewed individually, how-ever, each appears neutral to the eye, thanks to a process known as “visual

adaptation,” through which the eye uses the surrounding white paper as a neu-tral reference.

FLEXIBILITYThe key to G7’s widespread adoption is that it works with any technology. Any stable, repeatable printing system can simulate G7, using either simple one-dimensional calibration LUTs or more sophisticated color manage-ment. The same rules apply to all print-ing processes, regardless of substrate (paper), colorants (inks), tone modu-lation (screening) or basic technology. G7 has been successfully applied to off-set, flexography, gravure, electropho-tography, inkjet, screen printing, RGB photographic paper, monochrome (black-and-white) and more.

LEARNING MOREFor more information, ask a G7 Expert, attend a G7 Expert / Professional train-ing course or read the IDEAlliance “G7 How-To.”

The G7 Fangraph shows how multiple devices can achieve common tonality and gray balance.

2.G7 4.

Most G7 calibrations include the P2P target.


GRACOL & SWOPINTRODUCTIONOver the past 40 years the evolution of elec-tronic systems in the graphic arts indus-try, from capture to print, has progressed to a point where all segments of the indus-try are now dependent on digital technol-ogy. The efficiency of operations and the quality of products have reached unprec-edented heights, thanks not only to these technologies, but also to the efforts of in-dustry associations in applying specifica-tions, standards and process control to the complex operations involved in color com-munication and reproduction. The histor-ical background of this effort is briefly re-viewed in this introduction.

The history of print specifications in the U.S. began in 1975, when a group of industry leaders from printing, prepress, advertis-ing and publishing gathered to address the problem of inconsistent color reproduction in publications. They assembled a set of best practices that were to become the specifi-cations for web offset publication, or SWOP. These became guidelines across the indus-try for the preparation of print ready mate-rials, selection of inks, protocols for proof-ing and parameters for printing. SWOP’s efforts are credited with stabilizing col-or reproduction across an industry where image quality was critical. The basic con-cepts of SWOP were acknowledged by many other segments of the printing industry to the point where it became a widely emu-lated, though often misunderstood, brand. Most of the specifications and guidelines in this document have roots in the origi-nal work of SWOP. However, as advances in digital technology began to explode in the late ’80s and early ’90s, it became clear that the basic approach of SWOP had to be taken to a new level.

Partnering with CGATS, the ANSI Com-mittee for Graphic Arts Technical Stan-dards, SWOP began to update and revital-ize the meaning of its specifications. Press tests were performed and spectrophoto-

metric measurements were made to “char-acterize” SWOP printing. The result was the first widely used reference print char-acterization, which was designated ANSI-CGATS-TR001:1995. Profiles made from this characterization data were used in popular desktop applications and in digital proof-ing systems, which for the first time en-abled accurate simulation of actual press behavior. This success ushered in a new era of accurate color proofing and of the reli-able exchange of color information. SWOP became a specification and working group of IDEAlliance in 2005.

GRACoL, founded in 1996 as an out-growth of the Graphics Communication Association, began to take up a similar banner for general practices in the com-mercial offset industry. The intent was to do for sheetfed printing what SWOP had done for the web offset publications. Over the next few years, it developed require-ments for prepress and print production and conducted research projects aimed at furthering standards in the graphics arts. GRACoL guidelines were published yearly from 1997-2002. Then in 2006, in conjunc-tion with SWOP and under the auspices of IDEAlliance, three new reference char-acterizations were developed for GRACoL and SWOP. The design of these new data-sets incorporated an innovative new cal-ibration methodology, termed G7, which provided a defined neutral scale for com-mon neutral appearance. These datasets, and the G7 calibration method they com-plemented, were extremely successful in creating a new framework for consistent color communication and reproduction from design to print.

With the continued success of refer-ence characterizations and color man-aged workflows in the graphic arts, it be-came clear that adding a few additional datasets could provide a framework that would accommodate essentially all com-mercial print processes. The development

of CGATS-21 in the U.S. and ISO 15339 in-ternationally has resulted in a family of characterized reference print conditions (CRPCs) that form a “process agnostic” ba-sis for color preparations, exchange and reproduction across the industry. These characterizations simplify the work of originators, buyers, preparers and manu-facturers by enabling accurate previewing, communication, reproduction and verifi-cation of desired color content. The follow-ing sections of this chapter discuss details of GRACoL, SWOP and the characterized reference print conditions that are now the foundations of reliable color reproduction based on standards.

G R A C o L : T h e P r e f e r r e d R e f e r e n c e f o r C o m m e r c i a l P r i n t i n g GRACoL is the most prominent of the IDE-Alliance datasets and is widely used for print production across many formats. In 1996, following the success of SWOP, a graphics arts task force was formed by the Graphic Communications Association (now IDEAlliance) to develop a document containing general guidelines and recom-mendations that could be used as a refer-ence source across the industry for com-mercial sheetfed, four-color, offset printing.

The goal of GRACoL was to formalize a general approach for everyone—from ex-perienced to novice print buyers, design-ers and specifiers—to work more effective-ly with their print suppliers. This was suc-cessfully accomplished, and the GRACoL Characterization Dataset has since been revised several times. The ongoing mission of GRACoL has been to improve communi-cation and education in the graphic arts by maintaining and updating these guidelines for commercial printing and document-ing the impact of new technologies in the commercial offset lithography workflow.

Since 1996, the GRACoL Committee has:

• established subcommittees in many countries around the world;

• worked closely with the Print Properties Colorimetric Council to develop and sup-port the G7 specification as a functional in-

05SECTION

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For many of us, critical color reproduction is paramount to the success of our business - and our customers insist on the very best color accuracy. Knowing that you are consistantly printing color in tolerance becomes crucial. The Color Management Group sells products and services to companies who are serious about getting the best possible results. Let us evaluate your color, we’ll send you a free report and help you achieve your color goals!

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Comparison of GRACoL 2006 (left) and GRACoL 2013 (right).

KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS SOLUTIONS U.S.A., INC.100 Williams Drive, Ramsey, New Jersey 07446

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© 2014 KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS SOLUTIONS U.S.A., INC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. KONICA MINOLTA, the KONICA MINOLTA logo, Count On Konica Minolta, bizhub PageScope, and Giving Shape to Ideas are registered trademarks or trademarks of KONICA MINOLTA, INC. All other product and brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or organizations. All features and functions described here may not be available on some products.

precision. speed. performance.

production printing

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value. You’ll have full-color output at speeds up to 100 ppm, with enhanced Simitri® HDE toner for

image quality that rivals offset printing at a fraction of the cost. Our latest production presses also bring

you the benefit of G7 System Certification, superior stability in long-run performance and powerful

in-line finishing options like a perfect binder, ring binder and GBC hole-punch unit. Konica Minolta’s

comprehensive approach to professional printing also includes integrated solutions, advanced automation

capabilities and IT support from our All Covered IT Services division—to maintain your infrastructure

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Count on Konica Minolta as your production business solution

To learn more, visit us at www.CountOnKonicaMinolta.com.

5. GRACoL & SWOP

ternational process control tool, based on shared visual appearance;

• continually supported CGATS in the U.S. and ISO internationally to develop a com-prehensive list of print-related standards;

• been more closely aligned with SWOP to produce a comprehensive proofing certifi-cation process;

• developed and refined a family of char-acterization datasets based on G7 to give “shared appearance” to all forms of print-ing, from full range commercial printing to newspaper reproduction;

• developed the G7 Master, G7 Experts and G7 Certification programs for effective im-plementation of process control;

• supported the development of GRACoL 2013 and M1 color management workflows; and

• initiated the G7 Process Control train-ing and qualification program.

KEY COMPONENTS OF GRACOLGRACoL (General Requirements for Applications in Commercial Offset Lithog-raphy) is one of the reference print condi-tions based on G7 NPDC aims. As a refer-ence print condition, GRACoL can be ful-

ly represented via standard ICC profiles. The GRACoL 2006 ICC Profile, like the

GRACoL 2006 Dataset, is based on G7 cal-ibration along with solid colorimetry of ISO 12647-2:2004. This version of GRACoL is based on grade 1 paper types that do not contain optical brighteners (OBAs).

The GRACoL 2013 ICC Profile was created using the CRPC6 Dataset of CGATS 21-2. This GRACoL 2013 Dataset, like all CGATS 21-2 CRPC’s, is based on G7 cali-bration and solid colorimetery from ISO 12647-2. The GRACoL 2013 revision is based on M1 measurement and on a grade 1 paper type that contains a specific amount of optical brighteners. In 2010, FTA (Flexographic Technical Association) recommended GRACol 2013 for narrow web flexography.

In addition, there is a GRACoL 2013 UNC ICC Profile, as well as the GRACoL 2013 UNC Dataset (CRPC3 of CGATS 21). This is the first official GRACoL uncoat-ed profile, and it is based on M1 measure-ments and an uncoated paper stock that contains OBAs.

All three of these GRACoL profiles and their corresponding datasets are avail-able from IDEAlliance (www.gracol.org). Though GRACoL was created as a repre-sentation of G7 on a sheetfed offset press, the GRACoL color space is used as the ref-erence for many non-sheetfed commer-cial print applications, such as web, flexo, gravure, screen and wide-format printing.

The GRACoL working group is continuous-ly working on tools, guides and best prac-tices to help GRACoL users.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GRACOL 2006 AND GRACOL 2013 Since 2006, the GRACoL Dataset has been the de facto standard reference print con-dition for commercial printing and proofing in North America and other regions around the world. To keep up with industry trends, the GRACoL Committee introduced an up-dated version called GRACoL 2013, which is nearly identical to GRACoL 2006. The few changes are barely visible in most subject matter and should not significantly affect printers, designers or print buyers.

The main difference between GRACoL 2006 and the new GRACoL 2013 Dataset is the white point. The target white point for GRACoL 2006 (95 L*, 0 a*, -2 b*) was based on the legacy ISO 12647-2 standard, which in turn was based on typical com-mercial printing stocks available in 1994. The GRACoL 2013 white point (95, 1, -4) is slightly bluer, in line with today’s typical commercial stocks.

Because the two datasets are nearly identical, most print buyers and design-ers should see little visible difference. In fact, the differences are smaller than the typical variation between two good off-set press runs. To see how small the dif-ference is, open a CMYK image in Pho-toshop and assign a GRACoL2006-based profile (e.g. GRACoL_Coated1.v2), then toggle back and forth between a profile based on GRACoL 2013, (e.g. GRACoL2013_CRPC6.icc).

ALIGNMENTWITH STANDARDSIn 2013, both international (ISO) and U.S. (CGATS) printing standards were updat-ed in response to industry trends. CGATS 21-2 is a new ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standard, approved in 2013, containing seven “Characterized Reference Print Conditions” (CRPCs) repre-senting seven different printing processes. Because all seven are based on G7 and com-mon ink hues, maximum “shared appear-ance” is achieved when a common CMYK

P17

KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS SOLUTIONS U.S.A., INC.100 Williams Drive, Ramsey, New Jersey 07446

CountOnKonicaMinolta.com

© 2014 KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS SOLUTIONS U.S.A., INC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. KONICA MINOLTA, the KONICA MINOLTA logo, Count On Konica Minolta, bizhub PageScope, and Giving Shape to Ideas are registered trademarks or trademarks of KONICA MINOLTA, INC. All other product and brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or organizations. All features and functions described here may not be available on some products.

precision. speed. performance.

production printing

Color so good, it makes business look better than ever.

For spectacular color at affordable cost, our latest bizhub® PRESS C1100 is an unbeatable production

value. You’ll have full-color output at speeds up to 100 ppm, with enhanced Simitri® HDE toner for

image quality that rivals offset printing at a fraction of the cost. Our latest production presses also bring

you the benefit of G7 System Certification, superior stability in long-run performance and powerful

in-line finishing options like a perfect binder, ring binder and GBC hole-punch unit. Konica Minolta’s

comprehensive approach to professional printing also includes integrated solutions, advanced automation

capabilities and IT support from our All Covered IT Services division—to maintain your infrastructure

and help you migrate to cloud without adding personnel to your payroll.

Count on Konica Minolta as your production business solution

To learn more, visit us at www.CountOnKonicaMinolta.com.


file is printed on a system calibrated to any of the seven RPCs.

In CGATS 21-2, GRACoL 2013 is known as “CGATS 21-2, RPC-6,” while the old 2006 SWOP 3 and SWOP 5 datasets have been combined into a single RPC called “SWOP 2013” or “CGATS.21-2 RPC-5.” This reflects the trend of the two legacy SWOP papers merging into a single generic paper type. (IDEAlliance has published an updated SWOP 2013 C5 Profile, which is available on the IDEAlliance website.)

GRACoL 2013 (CGATS 21-2, CRPC-6) was originally intended to align exactly with the solid colorimetric values and TVI (tone value increase) values of ISO-12647-2 Print Condition 1 (PC1). However, ISO12647-2 was not finalized until after CGATS 21-2 was approved, and as a consequence there are very minor differences:

• All measurements used in GRACoL 2013 are specified in M1. This means that GRA-CoL 2013 calibration and assessment is to be done with M1 instruments. (Note that if substrates do not contain optical brighteners, the M0 and M1 readings are the same.)

• The Cyan, Red and Green solid colori-metric values are slightly different, but the differences (~1dE) are virtually impossi-ble to see in a visual comparison between GRACoL2013 and PC1 of ISO12647-2.

• In the finalized ISO12647-2, black TVI was lowered for simplicity reasons to equal the CMY TVI values of 16%. This change was not incorporated into CGATS.21, partly be-cause it deviates from the natural behav-ior of typical offset lithography and partly to maintain compliance with the G7 tonal curves in CGATS TR015. Consequently, the black TVI in GRACoL2013 remains at 19%, as it was in GRACoL2006. This difference, while modest, will make some image areas containing black tonal values slightly dark-er than ISO12647-2.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR GRACOL USERSGRACoL 2013 is very similar to GRACoL 2006, so most users will barely see a dif-ference. Because GRACoL 2013 is better aligned with today’s premium commer-cial stocks, printers should find it easier to simulate proofs based on GRACoL 2013 than on GRACoL 2006.

The really good news is that except in rare situations, legacy image files and proofs produced using GRACoL 2006 should not need to be adjusted or convert-ed for printing or proofing to GRACoL 2013 (and vice-versa).

Calibration and verification of GRA-CoL 2013 requires the use of M1-capa-ble instruments when in the presence of OBA substrates. This means that using GRACoL 2013 in production cannot be

done unless you have M1 capable instru-ments for these situations.

IDEAlliance recommends the follow-ing transition:

• If you only have M0 measurement devic-es, continue using GRACoL 2006.

• If you have M1 instruments, you may choose to move to GRACoL 2013. In the GRACoL 2013 workflow, M1 instruments are to be used for calibration and verifica-tion. (M0 instruments can still be used for process control.)

IDEAlliance expects that there will be a period of several years during which printers and premedia providers migrate to new GRACoL 2013-based profiles, while continuing to use the legacy 2006 profiles as needed.

OBTAINING NEW PROFILESProfiles for GRACoL 2013 (and the other CGATS21-2 reference print con-ditions) can be downloaded from either www.gracol.org, or the ICC profile regis-try at www.color.org.

GRACOL AND PROOFINGGRACoL characterization data or profile provide complete information on the ref-erence print condition needed for proof-ing. A proofing RIP can be used to accu-rately render the color space based on this information. Every GRACoL proof must contain the IDEAlliance ISO 12647-7 2013 Color Control Wedge.

By measuring this control strip, the resulting proof can be verified us-ing a spectrophotometer and by refer-encing the data from the reference char-acterization data. A number of commer-cial tools are available that allow you to easily verify proofs.

IDEAlliance ISO 12647-7 2013 Color Control Wedge.

Paper C M Y K L* a* b* L* a* b* L* a* b* L* a* b* L* a* b*

2006 95 0 -2 55 -37 -50 48 74 -3 89 -5 93 15 0 0 2013 95 1 -4 56 -37 -50 48 75 -4 89 -4 93 16 0 0

Red Green Blue L* a* b* L* a* b* L* a* b*

2006 47 68 48 50 -68 25 24 17 -46 2013 47 68 48 50 -66 26 25 20 -46

Figure 2. GRACoL 2006 vs. 2013 Colorimetric Values (changes in red)

5. GRACoL & SWOP

GRACoL 2006 vs. 2013 Colorimetric Values (changes in red).


GRACOL AND PRESS CALIBRATIONThe GRACoL reference print condition is based on using G7 on a sheetfed press with a #1 coated substrate. Other print methods might not match the GRACoL aims as accu-rately. On a sheetfed press, important GRA-CoL aims are discussed below and summa-rized in the chart in Section 12.

• Paper color: GRACoL datasets are based on a specifi c paper color. If a paper is more than 3 ∆E76 from the GRACoL aim, the pa-per is considered out of tolerance. (In this case the GRACoL dataset can be recalcu-lated using substrate correction, as defi ned in CGATS 21, based on the paper color.) The resulting aims and dataset are called GRA-CoL Relative. GRACoL Relative is possible because G7 automatically scales its aims based on the paper color and the maxi-mum density. A GRACoL Relative dataset will have different aims based on the color shift caused by the paper color.

• Solids: GRACoL aims for solids are spec-ifi ed in LAB and are based on values from the GRACoL Reference Characteriza-tion Dataset. The aims are to control the color of the solid ink. The tolerances for these aims are also specifi ed in ISO 12647-2:2004 for GRACoL 2006, and CGATS 21 for GRACoL 2013.

• Overprints: GRACoL aims for overprints are specifi ed in LAB and are based on the respective GRACoL datasets for GRACoL 2006 or GRACoL 2013. These aims spec-ify the color of the overprints. GRACoL requires that the overprints be within a tol-erance of 6 ∆E76.

• NPDC curve: The Neutral Print Density Curve specifi es the weight of the G7 curve. Patches such as the HC (Highlight Range, 25. 19, 19), HR (50, 40, 40) and SC (75, 66, 66) are measured to ensure that the neu-tral print density for both the CMY and K channels is correct.

• Gray balance: Gray balance for GRACoL specifi es the color of the gray along the G7 curve. Patches such as the HC (Highlight Range, 25. 19, 19), HR (50, 40, 40) and SC (75,

66, 66) can be measured to ensure that the neutral print density for both the CMY and K channels is correct.

• G7 metrics change based on the color of the paper. The values for both the gray bal-ance and NPDC are calculated based on the substrate and the maximum neutral densi-ty on that print combination.

GRACoL is based on colorimetric mea-surements rather than mechanical press attributes. Simply printing to G7 on a sheet-fed press is not considered GRACoL. GRA-CoL is based on the above colorimetric val-ues being met.

LOCATION OF PROFILESICC profiles for GRACoL can be found

here, on the IDEAlliance website (http://www.gracol.org) as well as at http://www.color.org.

HOW TO CONFIGURE GRACOL AS YOUR WORKING SPACEThe G7 Color Settings for Adobe® Cre-ative Suite® can be downloaded from www.gracol.org.

(Some printers may use other settings or custom color settings. Please check with your print provider.)

ADOBE COLOR SETTINGS FILESIDEAlliance provides several pre-set Ado-be® Color Settings Files (.csf) for use when viewing or preparing images for G7 print-ing. These .csf fi les will automatically set

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5. GRACoL & SWOP

P21

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Adobe Creative Suite® applications (Pho-toshop, InDesign, Illustrator and Acrobat) to the ideal settings for a G7 workfl ow. These directions can also be found online at Adobe Color Suite Settings on the GRACoL page.

DOWNLOADING AND SAVINGFor the GRACoL profi les, go to www.gra-col .org and download CSF fi les for either the GRACoL 2006 or GRACoL 2013 profi les.

After downloading the G7 .csf fi les, drag them into the Adobe Custom Color Settings folder as follows.

DEFAULT MAC OSX LOCATION:Users/ [Username]/ Library/ Application Support/ Adobe/ Color/ Settings.

DEFAULT WINDOWS LOCATION:Documents and Settings/ [Username]/ Application Data/ Adobe/ Color/ Settings.

(This might vary based on operat-ing system version. If you cannot fi nd it, you can use your workstation’s existing custom location.) Click the Load button in Photoshop’s Edit – Color Settings… window, note the path to the custom

folder, and then click Cancel.

CUSTOM LOCATIONOn some workstations, custom .csf fi les might be in a custom location. If so, you can either move all of your custom .csf fi les back to the default locations shown above, or you can save the G7 .csf fi les in the ex-isting custom location.

To fi nd your workstation’s existing cus-tom location, click the Load button in Pho-toshop’s Edit –Color Settings… window, note the path to the custom folder, and then click Cancel.

SELECTION IN CREATIVE SUITE: GRACOL 2006Once the fi les are placed in the correct lo-cation, select the appropriate color settings fi le in your Creative Suite application(s) as follows.

Photoshop, InDesign or Illustrator

• Go to Edit – Color Settings…

• In the dropdown menu, select the ap-propriate color settings fi le according to the type of printing by which your work is most often printed.

• If your work is mostly for commercial printing on high-quality Grade 1 or 2 pa-per, select: GRACoL_Coated1_AdobeRGB.

• If your work is mostly for publication (magazine) printing on good quality Grade 3 paper, select: SWOP_Coated3_AdobeRGB.

• If your work is mostly for publication (magazine) printing on lower-quality Grade 5 paper, select: SWOP_Coated5_AdobeRGB.

• If your work often varies between pub-lication and commercial printing, either change the color settings for each job or keep the settings you most frequently use but change the CMYK output profi le as needed when converting images into CMYK.

SELECTION IN CREATIVE SUITE: GRACOL 2013Once the fi les are placed in the correct location, select the appropriate col-or settings file in your Creative Suite application(s) as follows.

5. GRACoL & SWOP

GRACOL 2013 IS VERY SIMILAR TO GRACOL 2006, SO MOST USERS WILL BARELY SEE A DIFFERENCE. BECAUSE GRACOL 2013 IS BETTER ALIGNED WITH TODAY’S PREMIUM COMMERCIAL STOCKS, PRINTERS SHOULD FIND IT EASIER TO SIM-ULATE PROOFS BASED ON GRACOL

2013 THAN ON GRACOL 2006.


• Go to Edit – Color Settings…

• In the dropdown menu, select the ap-propriate color settings fi le according to the type of printing by which your work is most often printed.

• If your work is mostly for commercial printing on high-quality Grade 1 or 2 paper, select: GRACoL_Coated1_AdobeRGB.

• If your work is mostly for publication (magazine) printing on good quality Grade 3 paper, select: SWOP_Coated3_AdobeRGB.

• If your work often varies between pub-lication and commercial printing, either change the color settings for each job or keep the settings you most frequently use but change the CMYK output profi le as needed when converting images into CMYK.

SYNCHRONIZING VIA BRIDGEIf you have installed the whole Creative Suite, you can use Bridge to quickly “syn-chronize” all Adobe applications to use the same color settings, as follows:

• Launch Bridge from the File menu of any Creative Suite application.

• Go to Edit – Creative Suite Color Settings…

• Select whichever G7 Color Settings fi le is appropriate (see above).

USING G7 COLOR SETTINGSSelecting the most appropriate .csf fi le for your type of work will automatically en-sure that:

• A CMYK fi le displayed on your mon-itor looks as close as possible to a proof or final printed piece produced to the same specifi cation.

• An RGB image displayed as CMYK looks as close as possible to a proof or fi nal printed piece produced to the same specifi cation.

(Note: Accurate color display requires an accurate custom monitor profi le. Even then a profi led display will only simulate an actual proof or print under carefully

controlled lighting conditions.)

• When you convert an image from any col-or space (RGB, CMYK, LAB, gray scale, etc.) into CMYK, the resulting fi le will be opti-mized for the specifi ed type of G7 printing in terms of GCR, TAC, gamut mapping, etc.

• When you convert an image into gray-scale mode, the resulting fi le will be op-timized for printing with the black ink alone of the specifi ed printing specifi ca-tion in terms of tonality (darkness/light-ness and contrast).

CHANGING THE RGB WORKING SPACEIf your preferred RGB working space is not Adobe RGB (1998), you can change the RGB working space and save a modifi ed Color Settings File as follows:

• Select the G7 Color Settings fi le in the Edit – Color Settings… window.

• Enable the More Options button.

• In Working Spaces – RGB, select your preferred RGB space.

• Click Save…

• Save your custom Color Settings with a new name, such as “SWOP_Coated3_[RGB Space]”.

• Distribute this new Color Settings File among all of your peers who use the same RGB space.

S W O P 2 013 I n t r o d u c t i o n SWOP: The Preferred Reference for Publication Printing

For more than 30 years SWOP has been the default standard for publication printing. SWOP was started in late 1974 by a group of concerned industry ex-perts who formed a committee to write specifi cations for material supplied to web offset publications. This is where the initial set of specifi cations that would become specifications for web offset publications (and its acronym, SWOP) were fi rst envisioned. Many versions of SWOP were published over the years . Since 2006, the SWOP 2006 profi les have been the standard reference print condition for publication printing and proofi ng in North America and other world regions.

To keep up with industry trends, IDEAlliance has introduced an updated version, called SWOP 2013, which is near-ly identical to SWOP 2006. The few minor changes are barely visible in most subject matter and should not signifi cantly affect printers, designers or print buyers.

Differences Between SWOP 2006 and SWOP 2013 Paper Type 3There is very little difference between SWOP 2006 and SWOP 2013 for paper type 3. The paper white points are identi-cal and the solid and overprint values are very close.

Because the two datasets for paper type 3 are nearly identical, most print buyers and designers should see lit-tle visible difference. In fact, the differ-ences are smaller than the typical varia-tion between two good offset press runs. To see for yourself how small the dif-ference is, open a CMYK image in Pho-toshop and assign a SWOP2006-based profile (e.g. SWOP2006_Coated3.v2), then toggle back and forth between a pro-fi le based on SWOP 2013.

• Calibrate any printing system* to G7• Verify G7 Master submission• Conform to industry-standard

printing specifications (CGATS.21)• Improve profile accuracy• Achieve shared neutral appearance

on any device, without ICC profiles• Maintain print quality & consistency

without the need for re-profiling

With optional Virtual Press Run™ (VPR), you can:

• Save the cost of a second press run• G7 calibrate uncalibrated press data• Optimize uneven press data• Even calibrate without a P2P target

In the world of G7®– Curve3 is second to none

O� set, Flexo, Gravure,

Inkjet (Wide & Grand Format),

Electrophotographic (dry and wet ink),

Dye Transfer- Sublimation,RGB Photo printers,

and even B&W printing

With Curve3™, you can:

The samples above show three di� erent printing systems in their natural (uncali-brated) states, and a� er G7 calibration by Curve3. Notice how neutral grays are equalized and colors are improved.(For maximum color accuracy, ICC profiles may also be needed)

If you’re serious about G7, you need Curve3. It’s the simplest way to calibrate any printing system to industry-standard G7 gray balance and tonality. Designed by the inventor of G7, Curve3 is the 3rd generation of the original G7 cali-bration so� ware - the most proven so� ware you can buy.

Curve3 delivers ultimate accuracy, ease of use and flexibility, support-ing not only G7, but also legacy TVI calibration (to standard or custom target curves) and a new special inks calibration method.

Curve3

Curve3

Curve3

toner

inkjet

offset

Curve2™ , Curve3™ are trademarks of HutchColor, LLC and CHROMiX, Inc • G7®, GRACoL® and SWOP® are registered trademarks of IDEAlliance, used with permission • All other product names and trademarks are the property of their

respective owners

*Curve3 works with virtually all print technologies including:

5. GRACoL & SWOP

THERE IS VERY LITTLE DIFFER-ENCE BETWEEN SWOP 2006 AND SWOP 2013 FOR PAPER TYPE 3.

THE PAPER WHITE POINTS ARE IDENTICAL AND THE SOLID AND OVERPRINT VALUES ARE

VERY CLOSE.

P25

• Calibrate any printing system* to G7• Verify G7 Master submission• Conform to industry-standard

printing specifications (CGATS.21)• Improve profile accuracy• Achieve shared neutral appearance

on any device, without ICC profiles• Maintain print quality & consistency

without the need for re-profiling

With optional Virtual Press Run™ (VPR), you can:

• Save the cost of a second press run• G7 calibrate uncalibrated press data• Optimize uneven press data• Even calibrate without a P2P target

In the world of G7®– Curve3 is second to none

O� set, Flexo, Gravure,

Inkjet (Wide & Grand Format),

Electrophotographic (dry and wet ink),

Dye Transfer- Sublimation,RGB Photo printers,

and even B&W printing

With Curve3™, you can:

The samples above show three di� erent printing systems in their natural (uncali-brated) states, and a� er G7 calibration by Curve3. Notice how neutral grays are equalized and colors are improved.(For maximum color accuracy, ICC profiles may also be needed)

If you’re serious about G7, you need Curve3. It’s the simplest way to calibrate any printing system to industry-standard G7 gray balance and tonality. Designed by the inventor of G7, Curve3 is the 3rd generation of the original G7 cali-bration so� ware - the most proven so� ware you can buy.

Curve3 delivers ultimate accuracy, ease of use and flexibility, support-ing not only G7, but also legacy TVI calibration (to standard or custom target curves) and a new special inks calibration method.

Curve3

Curve3

Curve3

toner

inkjet

offset

Curve2™ , Curve3™ are trademarks of HutchColor, LLC and CHROMiX, Inc • G7®, GRACoL® and SWOP® are registered trademarks of IDEAlliance, used with permission • All other product names and trademarks are the property of their

respective owners

*Curve3 works with virtually all print technologies including:


Differences Between SWOP 2006 Paper Type 5 and SWOP 2013One difference between SWOP 2006 and SWOP 2013 is that there is no longer a separate characterization dataset for SWOP 2013 paper type 5. The only char-acterization data supplied is for SWOP 2013 paper type 3. SWOP 2013 paper type 3 is part of a series of seven com-mon appearance data sets, provided in CGATS.21 (see below), which range from wide gamut printing and offset coated

(GRACoL) all the way down to newsprint. CGATS.21 provides a method of calculating characterization data for additional paper types. For legacy users of SWOP 2006 paper type 5, IDEAlliance has provided a legacy profi le (SWOP2013C5.icc) calculated using this method, which is available on the IDE-Alliance website.

Alignment with StandardsIn 2013, both international (ISO) and U.S. (CGATS) printing standards were

updated in response to industry trends. CGATS.21 is a new ANSI (American Na-tional Standards Institute) standard, ap-proved in 2013, that contains seven refer-ence print conditions (RPCs) represent-ing seven different printing processes. Because all seven are based on G7 and common ink hues, maximum “shared ap-pearance” is achieved when a common CMYK fi le is printed on all seven.

In CGATS 21, SWOP 2013 is known as CGATS 21-2, RPC5, where the old 2006 SWOP 3 and SWOP 5 conditions are rep-resented by a single CRPC, refl ecting the trend to use substrate correction for pa-pers that are similar in general charac-teristics but have a moderately different white point.

CGATS 21-CRPC5 and ISO-12647-2. CGATS.21-CRPC5, on which SWOP 2013 is based, aligns closely with the updated version of ISO12647-2, Print Condition 2, which specifi es traditional aim values for solid colorimetry and TVI (tone value in-crease) for improved lightweight coated publication printing.

All measurements used in SWOP 2013 are specifi ed in M1. This means that SWOP 2013 calibration and assessment is to be done with M1 instruments.

What This Means for SWOP UsersSWOP 2013 is very similar to SWOP 2006, so most users will not see much difference.

Calibration and verifi cation of SWOP 2013 requires the use of M1-capable in-struments. This means that SWOP 2013 cannot be used in production where sub-strates contain OBAs unless you have M1-capable instruments.

IDEAlliance recommends the follow-ing transition:

• If you only have M0 measurement de-vices, keep using SWOP 2006.

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» Improve productivity. Achieve shorter turnaround

time and higher efficiency by automating your print

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5. GRACoL & SWOP

Comparison of SWOP 2006 (left) and 2013 (right).

Paper C M Y K L* a* b* L* a* b* L* a* b* L* a* b* L* a* b*

2006 93 0 0 57 -37 -45 48 72 -3 88 -5 88 18 0 0

2013 92 0 0 57 -36 -44 48 71 -4 87 -4 88 19 0 1

Red Green Blue L* a* b* L* a* b* L* a* b*

2006 47 66 45 52 -65 25 26 18 -44

2013 48 65 45 51 -62 26 27 20 -44

Figure 2. SWOP 2006 vs. 2013 Colorimetric Values (changes in red)

SWOP 2006 vs. 2013 Colorimetric Values (changes in red).

The above chart shows a simplifi ed view of the M1 workfl ow used for substrates containing optical brighteners.

DETERMINESUBSTRATE

M1 INSTRUMENTS

AVAILABLE?

NEW VIEWING CONDITIONS AVAILABLE?

SUBSTRATE CONTAINS

OBA’S?

USE GRACoL/SWOP 2006

RPC SUBSTRATE ADJUSTMENT

SELECT BEST CGATS21 RPC

DETERMINE SUBSTRATE OBA LEVEL

CORRELATE SUBSTRATE/PROOF

OBA LEVELS

CALIBRATE/EVALUTATE USING M1

RECORD M1PROCESS

CONTROL AIMS←

←

← ← ← ← ← ← ←

NoNo

No Whitepoint difference

P27

Fiery CertificationSharpen Your Competitive EdgePositioning your business as the top choice print provider just got easier! Fiery certification will augment your expertise in Fiery technology and enable you to:

» Expand your portfolio. Open new business opportunities

with higher-value documents and finishing options.

» Improve productivity. Achieve shorter turnaround

time and higher efficiency by automating your print

production workflow and reducing job rework.

» Exceed customer expectations. Implement the latest techniques

in digital printing to wow your

customers with superior quality.

Expand your skill set to manage production processes more efficiently with:

» 5 online courses, 2-day classroom training and a certification exam


Build the essential skills you need to maximize the performance of your Fiery assets with:

» 15 online courses and a certification exam


Learn more at http://fiery.efi.com/fierypro

Learn more at http://fiery.efi.com/fieryexpert

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• If you have M1 instruments, you may choose to move to SWOP 2013. In the SWOP 2013 workfl ow, M1 instruments are to be used for calibration and verifi -cation. (M0 instruments can still be used for process control.)

IDEAlliance expects that printers and premedia providers will migrate to new GRACoL 2013-based profi les over a peri-od of several years, during which they will continue to use the legacy 2006 profi les as needed.

Obtaining New Profi lesProfiles for SWOP 2013 (and the oth-er CGATS21-2 reference print condi-tions) can be downloaded from either the IDEAlliance website or the ICC profi le reg-istry at www.color.org.

IDEAlliance 2013 Common Datasets While GRACoL and SWOP are the best-known G7-based reference print con-ditions, these two datasets do not rep-resent the full range of printing color spaces used throughout the industry.

IDEAlliance has been working on a family of G7 characterization datas-ets that represent G7 printing across a range of common substrates and print conditions. As a result of these efforts,

a new standard was introduced in 2013. CGATS 21 provides a set of G7-based ref-erence printing characterizations that represent the seven most common print-ing conditions. The new standards also provide a method of adjusting these da-tasets to accommodate actual paper col-ors encountered in real-world produc-tion. Because all seven reference print conditions are based on G7 and use com-mon ink hues, maximum “shared appear-ance” is achieved when a common CMYK file is printed on all seven reference print conditions.

Alignment with StandardsAt the time of publication, FDIS ISO 15339 was still in development. FDIS ISO 15339is similar to CGATS 21 and is based on near-neutral calibration and common hue angles. By using CGATS 21, users can be assured of compliance with stan-dards. The image above illustrates com-patibility with current and legacy print conditions when using CGATS 21. All mea-surements used in these new datasets are specifi ed in M1. This means that calibra-tion and assessment of these new data-sets is to be done with M1 instruments.

What This Means for UsersUsers who typically print on non-GRA-CoL or SWOP applications may find

this to be a more ac-curate G7 reference print condition for use in their workfl ow. The new standards also provide a meth-od for adjusting these datasets based on sub-strate color. These new standards are de-signed to help design-ers and printers bet-ter match and produce color to G7 reference print conditions.

• CRPC1: gamut size and substrate of Cold-set News.

• CRPC2: gamut size and substrate of commercial newsprint, fl exo on porous substrate.

• CRPC3: gamut size and substrate un-coated offset— substrates with OBA.

• CRPC4: gamut size of substrate SCA, offset, gravure and uncoated corrugated.

• CRPC5: gamut size of and substrate of SWOP, publication gravure and wide web fl exo.

• CRPC6: gamut size and substrate of GRACoL, narrow web fl exo, commercial gravure, typical screen and digital.

• CRPC7: gamut size of premium process-es, offset, fl exo, digital.

To align your printing process, comparing gamut sizes will point to the correct dataset. Caution should also be taken to align substrate color and properties.

Calibration and verif ication of the 2013 CGATS-21 reference print conditions requires the use of M1-capa-ble instruments. This means that GRA-CoL 2013 and SWOP 2013 should be used in production with substrates containing OBAs unless you have M1-capable instruments.

The above illustration shows a visual representation of all seven CGATS 21 datasets. All were calibrated on G7 and represent different gamuts based on varied stocks and printing processes.

5. GRACoL & SWOP

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BEST PRACTICES FOR CREATIVES INTRODUCTIONCreatives are faced with many new chal-lenges as they create and work on projects. The path from initial design to final output has many steps and many pitfalls.

• New versions of software and tools allow greater design freedom but can also hinder the print process.

• Advances in printing technologies enable higher quality output and expanded color gamut, as well as a multitude of special ef-fects, but increase complexity.

• Changing roles in the production work-flow, as well as staff reductions due to au-tomation, have blurred the traditional sep-aration between designers and production, prepress and printers.

• A creative workflow today must be a fluid and flexible multipath guide that takes into account all of these factors to deliver a con-sistent quality product.

COMMUNICATION IS KEYThe single most important factor contrib-uting to a successful project completion is communication. Most projects today are complicated affairs that address not only a printed campaign but also a multimedia one that encompasses social media and digital media as well. Since so many par-ties are involved, file delivery and prepa-ration specifications need to be discussed and agreed on from project inception in or-der to ensure a smooth handoff between parties. A good workflow with standard operating procedures will eliminate er-rors and delays, but since every vendor is unique, good communication upfront en-

sures that all parties are working toward the same outcome.

WHAT ARE CREATIVES’ ROLES?Who are creatives and what are their roles? Creatives are the people responsible for the design aspects of a project, includ-ing art directors and designers. Howev-er, as the pressure to deliver projects on budget and on time increases, many cre-atives are tasked with production as well as prepress functions. As such they must be aware of the technologies and standards used in manufacturing and color reproduc-tion in addition to their own design tools. Some processes, such as color manage-ment, need to be applied throughout the entire workflow from creation to print in order to be effective.

GUIDELINES FOR CREATIVES: FILE CREATIONDesign ToolsUse the right tool for the job. Coordinat-ing design and print is a complicated task. Not all applications support the file formats, functions and features needed to create a successful print file. It is vital to use industry standard software, tools and procedures in the design process. This ensures that ven-dors can handle the files appropriately and make changes when necessary.

This applies regardless of the file for-mat. For example, although PDF is a uni-versal file format used for file submission, not all PDFs are created equal. A brochure laid out in a word processing program and then converted into a PDF may have type reflow issues, low-resolution imagery and mismatched color spaces. It will not support spot colors and other print specific func-

tions. It will not pass most preflighting sys-tems and most often will require re-cre-ation in a more standard page layout pro-gram. It could add delays and additional costs to the project.

Design FeaturesDesigners can select many design capabil-ities in their applications that printers can-not easily print and convert. Transparen-cy is a great application feature that allows more innovative designs, but it can create headaches downstream. When the design is ready for press, a raster image proces-sor (RIP) converts the design to a machine language suitable for a particular print process. Different RIPs handle transpar-encies differently, and unexpected print results may occur. Prior discussions with print partners about which settings to use, as well as how to prepare the file, can elim-inate these surprises.

In general, when using a feature for the first time, consider how it will affect the print process and communicate ac-cordingly. A quick email or telephone call to your printer can preempt many head-aches later on, where mistakes can have costly penalties.

Multimedia, RGB and CMYKToday, a project might not only be printed, but it may have digital distribution as well. An efficient workflow allows you to use as-sets for multiple purposes while creating a cohesive design that maintains a tight aes-thetic between the multimedia output and the printed product.

To this end, design files should begin in an RGB color space. This allows the greatest color gamut and can then be repurposed for different intents later in the design process.

Communicate with print partners to determine if and when CMYK conver-sion should take place, and what refer-ence print condition the CMYK conver-sion should target. In the case of point of sale (PoS), trade show graphics and oth-er wide-format uses, print partners may prefer the RGB files so that they can take advantage of the expanded gamuts of dig-ital printers. For online web and tablet applications, RGB is mandatory for the best visuals.

06SECTION

P31

Color ManagementUse color management when available in the design tools. At the most basic level this means choosing the proper colorspace profi les for creation, as well as fi nal print-ed output. Design suites such as the Ado-be Creative Cloud even allow synchroniz-ing color management preferences across the entire suite from a single easy-to-use interface within Adobe Bridge. If you are unsure of which settings to use, contact your print provider. Just as important is to synchronize those same settings among the entire creative team. That way fi le ex-change can happen seamlessly and color fi delity is maintained between not only ap-plications but also different designers.

The minimum settings are the selec-tion of appropriate RGB and CMYK profi les, and how to handle color mismatches. IDE-Allaince has kits and Adobe Color Settings Files available at http://www.idealliance.org/specifi cations/gracol, as well as in-structions on how to use these settings and profi les. In general, use embedded profi les when available. RGB should be set to the most common denominator profi le among your assets. This is often sRGB (though it does not contain the largest gamut), es-pecially if the project will have a multime-dia component. AdobeRGB is also com-mon, especially in commercial photogra-phy. CMYK should be the dominant print condition, and the most common CMYK profi le used is GRACoL 2006 or GRACoL 2013. GRACoL is a good choice because it can easily be converted to smaller gamut colorspaces if needed.

These settings are defaults and serve as a starting point for all new fi les. Indi-vidual fi les can have separate preferenc-es as well that can tailor each project to the intended output. For example, al-though most projects may be targeting Gracol2006, an individual fi le may be tar-geted to SWOP.

PaperWhen creating designs, paper choice as well as specialty inks should be considered at the beginning of the creative process. Pa-per choices along with the print process determine the color gamut as well as image quality of your project. For example, coated

premium papers printed offset will have a much larger color gamut and higher im-age quality than newsprint. If the design calls for bold, vibrant colors, then a coat-ed sheet is needed. If a muted, warm, ur-ban, tactile aesthetic is desired, then a re-cycled matte stock may be chosen.

When developing the design, take care to account for the paper and print process limitations. Large inked areas or small re-verse type do not work well on matte and uncoated stocks. Rules below a certain point size may disappear altogether while oth-ers may expand more than expected. Again, communicate with print partners to get de-sign limitations specifi c to the paper type.

Paper may not even be paper. Com-monly used print processes such as fl exo and offset lithography, along with new-comers in the digital press arena, can now print on a wider variety of substrates, in-cluding board, plastics and metals. In these cases, the color of the material is not white and can treated as another color in the design process. Successful designs incorporate the substrate color as an in-tegral part of the design itself.

Specialty InksSpecialty inks can include not only popular spot color systems, but also custom mixes as well as non-inks such as aqueous coat-ings. Preparing fi les using these spot colors is relatively easy, but sometimes that ease creates complications since it is also easy to make mistakes as well.

Determine the exact inks that will be used and how they will be named. A proj-ect can have multiple fi les but should not use multiple names to refer to the same ink! Again, communicating with the entire de-sign team, as well as the print partner, to come up with a common palette will avoid

later complications. Making sure that ev-eryone is using the same system and the same version/release of each system will avoid color mismatches. Using CxFX4 in your workfl ow will provide all the data needed for your supply chain partners to align with your aims and their deliverables.

GUIDELINES FOR CREATIVES: FILE PROOFINGMonitorsHumans are visual people. Our sight is our most import sense, and it is how we inter-act most with our surroundings. We make choices based on what we see. So for color evaluation, an accurate monitor is vital in the design process.

In a creative environment, color eval-uation and editing are performed by multiple people. Calibrated and profi led monitors ensure that everyone views the files the same way and that colors are consistent.

Most professional graphics monitors sold today meet these needs. These mon-itors, coupled with inexpensive monitor profi ling hardware, ensure accurate on-screen presentation of the fi le’s color. Monitors should be recalibrated and ver-ifi ed periodically to maintain color accu-racy as part of an overall process control strategy. Monitors with built-in sensors make this a painless process.

Viewing EnvironmentCritical color evaluation benefi ts from a stable and standardized lighting environ-ment. Most creative environments are cha-otic workspaces with mixed lighting that varies throughout the day. Monitor hoods and dim lighting are preferred, but dedi-cated viewing workspaces are often nec-essary for truly critical color evaluation.

CREATIVE WORKFLOW 6.

COMMUNICATING WITH ALL PARTIES BEFORE, DURING AND

AFTER A PROJECT IS CRITICAL TO SUCCESS. INDUSTRY STANDARD PROCEDURES AND SPECIFICA-

TIONS, WHEN IMPLEMENTED AND REGULARLY VERIFIED, CONTRIB-

UTE TO THIS SUCCESS.


When evaluating hard copy, a ded-icated viewing station ensures the truest perception of the color. Color correct lights at the proper illumina-tion and color temperature ensure that proofs do not shift color due to non-standard light sources. ISO 3664:2009 specifi es the current standard view-ing conditions, and many profession-al graphic arts viewing stations meet these requirements.

Hard Copy Proofi ngProofs may be provided by prepress and print partners, but they can also be produced in-house. These in-house proofs al-low for great-er project f lex-ibi l ity, permit-ting creatives to make better col-or decisions ear-lier during the design process. If properly prepared and verifi ed, these proofs can also be used as the fi nal proofs and a color target for print partners as well. Inkjet printers, coupled with col-or managed RIPs and appropriate proof-ing stock, can produce proofs that match the print conditions required by the proj-ect. Just like profi ling monitors regular-ly, these inkjets need to be recalibrated to maintain their color accuracy.

Paper is also a color and needs to be taken into account when proofi ng. If the fi nal product is printed on a paper that is signifi cantly different from the proofi ng medium, create proofs that include paper simulation in order to mimic the fi nal out-put. We are very sensitive to paper white, as our color perception of the rest of the proof is scaled to the white of the paper.

Aside from inkjets, color lasers are often used in creative workflows. Al-though a rigorous schedule of calibration and profi ling can produce an acceptable proof, these devices tend to be quite vari-able over a short time period. Although they are great for looking at design layouts

and FPOs, as a proofer they require con-stant maintenance.

GUIDELINES FOR CREATIVES: FILE PRE-FLIGHT AND PREPARATION AND SUBMISSIONPrefl ightMost standardized graphic arts software includes a prefl ighting function. Prefl ight allows you to check the fi delity of your fi le and determine if it is appropriate for its in-tended application. For example, if your fi le is intended for an offset print process, pre-

fl ight will check for image resolution and fl ag any images considered low resolution. This allows you to correct for most common problems before the fi le is sent to your print partner or before you create your press PDF.

PDFPDF is the most common fi le format for fi le submission. PDFX4 fi les contain fonts, images and color information for output. Properly prepared, a PDF should print with minimal issues. Just submitting a PDF, however, does not ensure that it is printable. PDF encompasses a wide range of features, and some of them may not be compatible with all RIPs. So prefl ight-ing the PDF for your particular print pro-cess before submission to a print part-ner is important. The Ghent Workgroup, www.gwg.org, (an industry association of graphic arts users, associations and developers) establishes best practices for creating, processing and exchang-ing fi les for the graphics arts industry. These industrywide recommendations,

along with the specifi c parameters spec-ifi ed by the print partner, will ensure a hassle-free RIP process.

Color ConversionHere, communication is key. Depending on the print partner, CMYK or RGB fi les are preferred. And if CMYK is needed, which CMYK color profi le should RGB data be converted to?

In the case of digital printing, most print partners prefer RGB data. CMYK conversion is done at the RIP stage and most often targets the wider color gamut

available on most digital printers.

For more tra-ditional print pro-cesses, CMYK is needed. However, some print part-ners may prefer to do the conversions internally. As long as the fi le has been prepared proper-ly with embedded RGB profiles, the conversion is fairly

straightforward. Other print partners prefer receiving converted fi les. In this case, print partners should specify the CMYK profi le to be used: either a custom one for that print facility or a standardized reference print condition such as GRACoL. Conversion can be done during the PDF creation process, manually or through automation.

GUIDELINES FOR DESIGN: CONCLUSIONCreatives’ roles have expanded over the years. The advent of new tools and technologies means a more holistic approach is necessary in order to com-plete any project. The designer’s skillset must now also include a smattering of pro-cess control, color management and pre-press duties.

Communicating with all parties before, during and after a project is crit-ical to success. Industry standard pro-cedures and specifi cations, when imple-mented and regularly verifi ed, contribute to this success.

6. CREATIVE WORKFLOW

Supremely consistent color every time you print. Xerox® Confident Color makes it simple.

xerox.com

©2014 Xerox Corporation. All rights reserved. Xerox®, Xerox and Design® and Ready for Real Business® are trademarks of Xerox Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

With Confident Color from Xerox, color management is a thing of beauty—no matter how straightforward or complex the job. With the broadest portfolio of digital color printers and presses in the industry, we offer a spectrum of color management technologies. This, along with our consultants and training support, ensures you can embrace digital color with confidence, and satisfy every customer from page 1 to 1,000,000.

IN GENERAL, WHEN USING A FEATURE FOR THE FIRST TIME,

CONSIDER HOW IT WILL AFFECT THE PRINT PROCESS AND

COMMUNICATE ACCORDINGLY. A QUICK EMAIL OR TELEPHONE CALL TO YOUR PRINTER CAN PREEMPT

MANY HEADACHES LATER ON, WHERE MISTAKES CAN HAVE

COSTLY PENALTIES.

P33

Supremely consistent color every time you print. Xerox® Confident Color makes it simple.

xerox.com

©2014 Xerox Corporation. All rights reserved. Xerox®, Xerox and Design® and Ready for Real Business® are trademarks of Xerox Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

With Confident Color from Xerox, color management is a thing of beauty—no matter how straightforward or complex the job. With the broadest portfolio of digital color printers and presses in the industry, we offer a spectrum of color management technologies. This, along with our consultants and training support, ensures you can embrace digital color with confidence, and satisfy every customer from page 1 to 1,000,000.


BEST PRACTICES FOR PRODUCTIONMuch of the contemporary print process in-volves digital processing, file conversion and file preparation. Despite the complexity of the prepress workflow, prepress is the easi-est process to validate and verify. Audit files can be run through the workflow to make sure files are processed correctly. Plates can be measured and checked for proper values, and proofs can be measured and validated.

A prepress workflow needs to be de-signed to ingest customer/internally cre-ated files and prepare them properly for the given output condition that the job will be imaged to. It is not the customer’s responsi-bility to know what device the job will be im-aged on, but it is the customer’s responsibil-ity to select and communicate the printing aim. (The printing aim is a reference print condition, most commonly expressed as an ICC profile) The printing aim is greatly af-fected by the substrate, which is one of the most important cost considerations relat-ed to print reproduction. The printing aim is process independent, but it is contingent upon the appropriate substrate, which must be considered in any color reproduction scenario since substrate is the fifth color in any four-color printing condition.

The prepress workflow should be de-fined to work with specific parameters such as file formats, and requirements for ele-ments for the files to image correctly. This needs to be clearly communicated to the clients by the premedia or print facility to ensure that the clients submit suitable files for any given prepress workflow.

Each file will be preflighted when re-ceived to ensure that the supplied file has the required elements necessary for proper color reproduction. The prepress depart-ment needs to be very precise in defining which file formats are accepted and, when necessary, detail the parameters related to version number, image resolution, embed-

ded ICC Profile handling, spot color han-dling, transparency handling and font han-dling. For instance, a good workflow today should be able to handle a PDF/X4 file that allows for transparencies and RGB elements within the PDF. From a customer viewpoint, this allows for a truly device-independent PDF that can be used for multiple purpos-es, including a website, mobile and tablet, and virtually any kind of print based on the printing aim defined by the customer.

In order for color to be properly repro-duced on an output device, the output device needs to be calibrated and properly color managed to hit the printing aim gamut with-in the given tolerance. Equally important, the source files (such as images and pages) must be separated into that same printing aim condition. Most prepress workflows to-day assume that the files are separated in the correct printing aim gamut, but in many cas-es they are not. Some PDF files have imag-es that have mixed gamuts and colorspac-es that are impossible to fix on press. Most press operators have experienced this. They have a press form with one flesh-tone image rendering perfectly and a second flesh-tone in line imaging too yellow. Both images were in CMYK color space but not the same CMYK color space. Therefore, they print different-ly. This is a problem that occurs with most prepress workflows used in production to-day. You can test if your workflow fixes this issue by using an audit PDF file.

It is much easier for the prepress de-partment to handle client files if they are already separated into the correct print-ing aim, though many clients are not capa-ble of doing this properly doing this prop-erly, in which case it may be safer to sub-mit RGB files and let the printer or prepress make the conversion to CMYK. In the same way that an ideal prepress workflow applies different plate curves for different presses

and substrates, an ideal prepress workflow should also be able to “re-separate” cus-tomer files into the proper “printing aim” based on the intended print condition. Dur-ing this same step, the file can be optimized (replacing CMY with K) for the given print-ing condition to greatly improve the make-ready times, stability, drying time and ink consumption. This will greatly improve the accuracy of the job when printed as well.

PLATESETTERThe platesetter should be maintained based on manufacturer recommendations to en-sure repeatable results. Plates should be mea-sured with a suitable measurement device to ensure the desired values are being met on the press. The plate values should be record-ed for the raw/naked condition and record-ed for each desired plate curve. This will help troubleshoot the problem should one or both of the values not be correct. It is critical that the plates are measured to ensure that the platesetter does not become a variable when ensuring that the press is printing correctly.

DIGITAL FRONT END (DFE)When imaging on a digital press, it is criti-cal to know what the value is of the tone re-production curve (TRC) on the digital front end (DFE) in order to properly influence the color on a given device. These curves should be managed and tracked just like a conven-tional plate curve on a platesetter. The TRC in a calibrated condition should be docu-mented, and the curve in a color managed condition should be documented if it is dif-ferent from the calibrated state.

The DFE version will control how complex elements such as transparency, blends and other elements are rendered. With a current RIP, these elements will render correctly. An older RIP may encounter errors and issues.

PROOFINGThe prepress service supplier is responsi-ble for proofing to the client the agreed-up-on printing aim condition (this could be one of the seven CGATS.21 printing conditions, including both SWOP and GRACoL) for col-or matching according to the manufactur-er’s application data sheet (ADS). (See the proofing section for more information on proof verification.

07

WHO JOINS?

IDEAlliance is a global community of more than 1,400 members, comprised of brand owners, agencies, publishers, print and premedia service providers, material suppliers, and technology partners.

WHY JOIN?

• Members reduce costs of media production through access to shared knowledge and the implementation of IDEAlliance best practices.

• Members assure their clients’ brand lifecycle integrity by better managing color and data across platforms and regions.

• Members gain competitive advantage by designing work� ows and business models that keep pace with changing technologies and client demands.

Join Now at www.idealliance.orgOR CALL 703.837.1070

IDEAlliance identi� es best practices for ef� cient end-to-end integrated media work� ows from content creation through distribution.

Through its active committees, educational conferences, online training, and certi� cation programs, the association provides members the forum for the exchange of information that results in the creation of the media production industry’s most valued standards.

BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP

• Serve on committees that set global industry standards

• Interact with industry thought-leaders

• Expand the knowledge base of your entire staff

• Certify your expertise and qualify your facility’s capabilities

• Expand your global reach and infl uence

• Gain a competitive advantage

INTERACT WITH IDEALLIANCE

IDEAlliance Certifi cation and Training Programs are setting the bar for excellence.

• Color Management Professional® Certifi cation Online printing, premedia, photography, sales, and creative modules

• Integrated Media Workfl ow Professional Certifi cation Online professional certi� cation in the fundamentals of cross media work� ows

• G7® Expert & Professional Certifi cation, Master Qualifi cation Individual certifi cation and facility qualifi cation in G7

• G7 Process Control Professional Certifi cation Online professional certi� cation in print and creative production

• JDF Expert Online expert certifi cation, English & Spanish versions

• System Certifi cations Defi ning excellence in G7, proofi ng, digital presses, and other print production systems

MATCH YOUR OBJECTIVES TO OUR CONFERENCE PORTFOLIO

• PRIMEX Leadership Conferences Business intelligence and peer exchange for senior executives

• Print Distribution Conference Best practice education in print and postal distribution

• IDEAdvisor Workshops Expert training and education from proven industry leaders

JOIN

Create & Capture Ingest & Manage Edit & Produce Transform & Publish Ful� ll & Distribute Report & Engage

POWERING THE TOTAL MEDIASUPPLY CHAIN

SECTION

P35

WHO JOINS?

IDEAlliance is a global community of more than 1,400 members, comprised of brand owners, agencies, publishers, print and premedia service providers, material suppliers, and technology partners.

WHY JOIN?

• Members reduce costs of media production through access to shared knowledge and the implementation of IDEAlliance best practices.

• Members assure their clients’ brand lifecycle integrity by better managing color and data across platforms and regions.

• Members gain competitive advantage by designing work� ows and business models that keep pace with changing technologies and client demands.

Join Now at www.idealliance.orgOR CALL 703.837.1070

IDEAlliance identi� es best practices for ef� cient end-to-end integrated media work� ows from content creation through distribution.

Through its active committees, educational conferences, online training, and certi� cation programs, the association provides members the forum for the exchange of information that results in the creation of the media production industry’s most valued standards.

BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP

• Serve on committees that set global industry standards

• Interact with industry thought-leaders

• Expand the knowledge base of your entire staff

• Certify your expertise and qualify your facility’s capabilities

• Expand your global reach and infl uence

• Gain a competitive advantage

INTERACT WITH IDEALLIANCE

IDEAlliance Certifi cation and Training Programs are setting the bar for excellence.

• Color Management Professional® Certifi cation Online printing, premedia, photography, sales, and creative modules

• Integrated Media Workfl ow Professional Certifi cation Online professional certi� cation in the fundamentals of cross media work� ows

• G7® Expert & Professional Certifi cation, Master Qualifi cation Individual certifi cation and facility qualifi cation in G7

• G7 Process Control Professional Certifi cation Online professional certi� cation in print and creative production

• JDF Expert Online expert certifi cation, English & Spanish versions

• System Certifi cations Defi ning excellence in G7, proofi ng, digital presses, and other print production systems

MATCH YOUR OBJECTIVES TO OUR CONFERENCE PORTFOLIO

• PRIMEX Leadership Conferences Business intelligence and peer exchange for senior executives

• Print Distribution Conference Best practice education in print and postal distribution

• IDEAdvisor Workshops Expert training and education from proven industry leaders

JOIN

Create & Capture Ingest & Manage Edit & Produce Transform & Publish Ful� ll & Distribute Report & Engage

POWERING THE TOTAL MEDIASUPPLY CHAIN


THE IMPORTANCE OF PROOFINGThe color proof is an important component of an accurate color reproduction work-fl ow. The proof should adhere to the print standard appropriate for the print produc-tion process and be within defi ned toler-ances. The proof is the reference to which all stakeholders refer to determine correct color. Because proofs are normally much more stable than many printing process-es, the proof is also an indicator of print or press accuracy. Inability to match a verifi ed contract proof often indicates problems within the printing process. GRACoL 2006 or SWOP 2006 have been the predominant target color spaces for proofi ng, regardless of simulated print process.

Most digital front ends (DFE) that drive today’s proofers have GRACoL and SWOP profi les preinstalled so that users can easily calibrate to these reference print conditions. In addition, many papers are produced that specifi cally meet the white points of refer-ence print conditions such as GRACoL and SWOP. Proofs are easy and inexpensive to make. The most important consideration is to make sure that a proof is an accurate and valid proof upon creation of the proof.

Every Proof Needs a Control Strip!Every proof must have an IDEAlliance ISO 12647-7 Control Wedge 2009 or 2013 on it. Failure to include a control strip could re-sult in rejection of the proof by other in-volved parties. The control strip lets all parties involved verify that the proof is val-id and the print condition is achievable. In addition, the proof also lists the refer-

ence print condition, as well as other set-tings and information that are valuable to all parties. Most proof producers use an ap-plication and measurement device to mea-sure and verify that the proof is valid. Many proof providers print and affi x a label dem-onstrating that the proof was measured and passed the proofi ng tolerances. The IDEAlliance website also includes a spread-sheet and colorbar that can be used for proof verifi cation. The spreadsheet and colorbar can be downloaded from www.gracol.org.

Changes to Proofi ngOver the past several years there have been several changes to standards and process-es, and to IDEAlliance’s recommendations that improve proofi ng in general.

The most important result of current developments is that IDEAlliance has creat-ed a series of G7-derived reference printing conditions (CRPCs) with gamut and white points adjusted to encompass nearly all print processes. These CRPCs are now in-

corporated into CGATS 21. Additionally, measurement and lighting standards are now closely correlated with the updates to ISO 3664 (lighting) and ISO 13655 (spectral measurement). When properly implement-ed, proofs are more accurate, realistic tol-erances can be made, and the challenges of OBAs can be better managed.

To help with these changes, IDEAlliance is developing a workfl ow that allows for more accurate and predictable proofi ng for all print processes. This publication is intended to be a reference for current de-velopments and to provide best practices for proofi ng. Beyond this publication are some useful references:

1. IDEAlliance Guide to M1 Workfl ow2. IDEAlliance M1 Kit

Both of these are available from www.gra-col.org.

Proofi ng System Certifi cationIn the past, IDEAlliance has maintained a certifi cation process for both hard-copy and soft-proof systems. Prior recommen-dations were that a certifi ed system must be used. While these programs continue to be valid, they are currently being updated.

PROOFING GUIDELINESHard-Copy Proofi ngHard-copy proofs typically are created with some form of inkjet proofi ng. A RIP is commonly used with a printer capable of rendering the desired CRPC. A wide-for-mat inkjet printer is an ideal tool for proof-ing, since the gamut generally encompass-

BEST PRACTICES IN HARD & SOFT PROOFING

Example of a proof pass/fail label.

08SECTION

P37

es all CRPC datasets, while a RIP enables the color control necessary to achieve and maintain the CRPC.

The following guidelines have been de-veloped to use current standards, including the use of the ISO 3664 lighting and ISO 13655 M1 instrumentation. If you are matching an M1 CRPC, more details can be found by ref-erencing the IDEAlliance Guide to M1 Work-fl ow available at www.gracol.org.

1 The proofi ng system should be char-acterized using an IT8.7/4 target, com-

paring it to the reference print condition and should meet the following conditions according to ISO 12647-7.

A. White point <=3.0 ∆E(00)

B. Average over IT7.4/8 <=2.0 ∆E(00) C. 95% over IT7.4/8 <=4.0 ∆E(00)

2 Every proof should include an IDEAl-liance ISO 12647-7 compliant, three-

row digital control wedge 2013, and each proof should be verifi ed to meet these tol-erances defi ned in ISO 12647-7.

A. White point <=3.0 ∆E (00)

B. Average over the control wedge <=2.0 ∆E00

C. Maximum over the control wedge <=4.0 ∆E00

D. Average over 3-color gray patches <= 1.5 Ch

E. Maximum over 3-color gray patches <= 3.0 Ch

Soft Proofi ngSoft proofi ng is an important part of graph-ic communication. Designers, prepress staff and even consumers spend more time than ever looking at information on screen. Often, particularly in the case of print designers, there is the expectation that what they see on the screen should match the printed result. Many large na-tional brands and publications no longer even use hard copy proofs, but rely exclu-

sively on soft proofi ng. Soft proofi ng consists of three major

components that work together to deliv-er the soft proof.

1 The fi rst of these is calibration. The calibration state typically consists of

adjusting the monitor so that the gamma, whitepoint, brightness and contrast are in an optimal and repeatable state. In this pro-cess the monitor is very important. Many inexpensive LCD monitors are rarely usable for soft proofi ng. The number one obsta-cle to soft proofi ng in most shops is a lack of a suitable monitor. As a rule of thumb, any monitor more than a few years old may not be appropriate, and most monitors that are not professional graphics monitors also may not work. Performing soft proofi ng re-quires a good monitor, software and a mea-surement instrument. In preparation for calibration, gamma and the white point are selected. Both Apple and Windows systems have a recommended gamma of 2.2 (Apple for many years was 1.8). Gamma is the con-trast of the display. Selecting an ideal white point may depend on ambient conditions, but in general D50 is a good starting point in order to be aligned with standard light-ing. However, one may want to make ad-justments to the white point to better sim-ulate a desired stock in a custom viewing environment. Once these are picked, the monitor is calibrated by following proce-dures provided by the monitor vendor or the calibration software.

2 The next step is profi ling or charac-terization. In this step the software

captures a bunch of color patches and then creates a profi le characterizing the dis-play at the calibrated state. When com-

plete, most software installs the profi le in the operating system.

3 The fi nal step is confi guring the soft-ware. Desktop software such as Ado-

be Creative Cloud supports soft proofi ng, as do many other professional dedicated software applications. One thing to keep in mind when profi ling monitors and set-ting up soft proofi ng is that there are al-ways two profi les involved. The fi rst is for the display system, which, along with the OS, makes the monitor display as accurate-ly as possible. The second is for the color space you want to simulate. This is normal-ly used by the application that will be per-forming the soft proofi ng.

Once you have completed the profi ling, if you are in Adobe Creative Suite you will confi gure your working space. If working in RGB, you will use the proof simulation (command-y) to simulate fi nal CMYK out-put. If you’re already in CMYK you can also use the proof simulation function to simu-late other CMYK working spaces.

The soft proofi ng match can then be tested by using a calibrated proof and com-paring it to an image on the screen. If it does not match, often the monitor is the prob-lem. If you do have a good graphics display, you can then review your settings and make sure they are correct. Also make sure to adjust and check the application settings.

There are new ISO standards for display proofi ng such as ISO 12646 and ISO 14861. A new IDEAlliance Soft Proofi ng Certifi ca-tion program, based on these standards, is in development and can be used to assess the quality of soft proofi ng systems. See the IDEAlliance website for more information about this program.

PROOFING 8.

BECAUSE PROOFS ARE NORMALLY MUCH MORE STABLE THAN

MANY PRINTING PROCESSES, THE PROOF IS ALSO AN INDICATOR OF PRINT OR PRESS ACCURACY.

INABILITY TO MATCH A VERIFIED CONTRACT PROOF OFTEN

INDICATES PROBLEMS WITHIN THE PRINTING PROCESS.


SUMMARYViewing conditions are an important part of any print workflow. Recent changes to the ISO standard for viewing conditions have prompted changes to the lamps used in most print viewing booths. This section briefly outlines the changes and possible issues, as well as ways to work with the new standards. It is provided with no guarantees or support and is for informational purposes only.

ISO 3664:2009 AND CHANGES TO LAMPS FOR VIEWING BOOTHSThe ISO standard for viewing conditions was changed in 2009. The new standard includes many improvements, including being a closer match to real daylight, as well as being in closer agree-ment with CIE specifications for illuminant D50. To meet the new specifications, most standard lighting lamps need-ed to increase their UV con-tent. All lamps shipped af-ter 2011 were modified to meet these specifications, and lamps for most standard viewing equipment now meet the new

specif icat ions. This means that new lamps now generally contain more UV content.

What are the implications of the UV content contained in the new lamps?

They illuminate the brighteners in the substrates just like typical view-ing conditions.

For more than six years, proof-to-press color matching has been done in view-ing booths with lighting that contained lower UV content. Proofing papers also contained few optical brightening agents (OBAs), allowing measurements to be tak-en from these papers for ICC color man-agement purposes. When placed in a view-ing booth where the lighting has little UV content, a typical press sheet with OBAs and a proof on paper with no OBAs would provide a good color match. Not so with the new lighting sold today that meets the new ISO standards.

POTENTIAL ISSUESAlthough many users might not encoun-ter any issues with the new lighting, some might find that they can no longer ob-tain a proof-to-press match using the new lighting because the UV content of the new lights is exciting the OBAs in the press sheet, but the proofing paper they

are using does not contain brighten-ers. Most paper manufacturers pro-vide alternative papers with various levels of OBAs. Using a modern spec-trophotometer in M1 mode will align proof to print. If you print with pa-per containing OBAs and your proof-ing paper has a coating to block OBAs, the press sheet will look bright white and the proof will appear yellow. It is often important to obtain a quick vi-sual match from a proof-to-press sheet. This visual mismatch can be a deal-breaker for many printers and their customers.

There are currently two practi-cal approaches to providing a good proof-to-press match when using brightened printing stock. We out-line them here.

ISO 3664:2009: RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

1 M1 (2013) Workflow: Use an M1 workflow and reference print condition such as GRA-

Col 2013, SWOP 2013, ISO 12647-2:2013, or CGATS 21 if there are op-

NEW STANDARDS IN LIGHTING

09SECTION

P39

tical brighteners in any substrate. Main-tain and replace your lamps with new ISO 3664:2009-compliant lamps. If you need help determining whether your lamps are compliant, contact your manufacturer. There is also information on ISO 3664-2009 lamps at www.gracol.org. Note that it is important that everyone in your pro-duction workfl ow (customers and print-ers) use the same lamps. This approach will work best with M1 workfl ows contain-ing updated lamps and measuring devic-es capable of reading M1.

2 M0 (2006) Workfl ow: If you are using an M0 workfl ow and refer-ence print condition such as GRA-

CoL 2006 and SWOP 2006, you may no-tice visual inconsistencies between white points of proof stock and paper stock. This is because older lamps did not contain as much UV energy. The typical example of this is a proof stock looking yellow and

press stock appearing blue or bright white. If you encounter problems like this, you may choose to use a UV fi ltering lens in your viewing booth. Both JUST Normli-cht and GTI include or make UV fi ltering lenses for their viewing booths. A UV fi l-tering lens will block the UV light from passing through, effectively making the new lights act like the previous lamps, which had minimal UV content. This will allow you to have the same proof-

to-press match that was possible prior to the introduction of the new standard and newer lamps.

If you use a UV fi ltering lens, it is im-portant that everyone in your production workfl ows (customers and printers) also use a UV fi ltering lens so they have the same viewing condition.

You can use the UV fi ltering lenses and still be compliant with 3664:2009. The ISO 3664:2009 standard allows for the use of a custom standard (such as 3664:2009 using UV lenses) as long as it is used in the entire production workfl ow. UV fi ltering lenses also degrade over time, so they will need to be replaced periodically. Remember every-one in your workfl ow needs to be aware of your choice if you chose to use these lenses.

To meet the newer viewing and measurement standard, the emerging process is to match the amount of ap-parent OBAs between the proofi ng stock and the printing stock. This, in combi-nation with an M1 measuring work-fl ow, should allow good proof-to-press matches and also meet current report-ing requirements.

To help with these changes, IDEAl-liance is developing a workfl ow that al-lows for more accurate and predictable proofi ng for all print processes. This pub-lication is intended to be a reference for current developments and provide best practices for proofi ng. Beyond this pub-lication are some useful references:

1. IDEAlliance Guide to M1 Workfl ow2. IDEAlliance M1 Kit

Both of these are available from www.gra-col.org.

The picture above shows the effects of updated lighting on various papers. The bottom three papers are two proofi ng papers and one press sheet with no OBAs. The sheets above are press sheets with varying levels of OBAs. Under previous viewing conditions these may all have looked similar.

VIEWING & MEASURING 9.

THE ISO STANDARD FOR VIEW-ING CONDITIONS WAS CHANGED IN

2009. THE NEW STANDARD INCLUDES MANY IMPROVE-

MENTS, INCLUDING BEING A CLOS-ER MATCH TO REAL DAYLIGHT, AS

WELL AS BEING IN CLOSER AGREE-MENT WITH CIE SPECIFICATIONS

FOR ILLUMINANT D50.


Print is a complicated process to man-age, and working with supply chain part-ners around the world complicates mat-ters even further. With the advent of G7, managing print is easier than ever using IDEAlliance’s best practices and standards.

The key to success is to use good com-munication throughout the supply chain, as well as to form partnerships with cali-brated G7 supply chain partners. The fi rst step in a good global program is for pro-curement to understand and communicate what they are asking for. Brand owners of-ten know what they need, but in many cas-es do not communicate this to their sup-ply chain partners in a way the consumer products company (CPC) can understand. These requirements and agreements should be clearly defi ned, with responsibility and li-ability for all parts of the supply chain part-

ners plainly communicated in as much de-tail as possible. Setting and clearly defi ning objectives, aims and responsibilities is the responsibility of the buyer and procurement.

Many great global suppliers adhere to best practices and ISO standards. How-ever, numerous others do not have com-pliant viewing booths or instruments.

The list below can help in your outreach to global supply partners. IDEAlliance and other standards organization such as CGATS and ISO are currently working to develop standards that will provide a com-prehensive list of compliance and testing methodology that will align your supply chain globally.

G7 MASTER PROGRAMMany CPCs use the G7 Master Program as a source for their supply chain partners. G7 Master Printers and Process Control Cer-tifi ed Printers provide a print buyer with a list of printers that have taken a lead role in delivery to accommodate their custom-ers’ expectations. The G7 Master Qualifi -cation, as well as GRACoL 2006/2013 and SWOP2006/2013, are compliant with ISO standards. G7 Master printers have dem-

onstrated their knowledge of the correct tools and methodology.

ISO STANDARDS ISO has many standards in place to align supply chain partners, including viewing conditions, instrument settings, work-fl ows, printing aims and reporting. When-

ever you’re managing print across multiple vendors, make sure your aims are aligned.

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES Supply chain partners that have estab-lished standard operating procedures (SOP) demonstrate their competency at handling complex processes. Through the use of SOPs, they align their procedures for consistency across multiple operators, shifts and tools. CPCs using multiple part-ners should make sure that their SOPs are aligned across supply chain partners.

FILE FORMAT The ISO standard for file transfer is ISO15930 PDF/X. The current version of ISO15930 is Part 7. This is also termed PDF/X-4:2010 and is a fi le developed for complete fi le transfer. It contains all of the information needed for success. The set-tings for PDF/X-4:2010 are included in most software under “Standard.”

PDF/X-4: 2010 PDF/X-4: 2010 is considered complete for blind fi le transfer because it can carry complete font libraries, CMYK color pro-fi les, CxF/X Spectral Data for Brand Color mixing, and all of the elements and layers that the next partner in the supply chain needs to have a complete understanding of your expectations.

In all current standards where PDF/X is used, the embedded color profi le com-municates your expectations throughout the supply chain. This allows each supply chain partner to clearly communicate and understand your aim. This is a huge step toward achieving the results you expect. PDF/X-4 should start from design and con-tinue through fi nal print. Reporting against the embedded aims should be required in the fi nal reporting.

Since the addition of new tools in soft-ware, most raster image processors (RIPs) use the color data in the PDFX and produce excellent results. This advances the printing industry one step closer to the “easy” button.

PREFLIGHT OF PDF The Ghent PDF Workgroup provides pre-fl ight and RIP settings for most systems.

MANAGING THE PRINT SUPPLY CHAIN

10SECTIONSECTION

THE KEY TO SUCCESS IS TO USE GOOD COMMUNICATION THROUGH-

OUT THE SUPPLY CHAIN...

P41

The GWG also provides a test suite to test your RIP for compliance of layers and blend-ing modes. The RIP settings and test suite can be downloaded free at www.gwg.org

VIEWING CONDITIONS ISO 3664:2009 defi nes viewing booth and lamp requirements for consistent view-ing. This is critical so that they can be mea-sured and validated, and have a SOP in place for maintenance.

INSTRUMENTS AND CALIBRATION ISO 13655 defi nes settings and calculations for spectrophotometric measurement and re-porting. It is critical that all supply chain part-ners understand that D50 2-degree is the cor-rect illuminant for graphic arts. If multiple in-struments are used, the device, device illumi-nant and aperture must be aligned.

PROOFING Proofi ng should be done in compliance with

www.ronellisconsulting.com [email protected]

Create the path to print success

Quality Control - Brand Color Programs - G7 - Expanded Gamut - CMG

Workflow - Process Control - Color Management - Software and Tools

ISO 12647-7. All proofs must have an ISO-compliant control bar and must defi ne the dataset used for creation.

WORKFLOWSISO TS10128 defi nes the workfl ows to be used in the graphic arts. They include TVI, near neutral calibration (G7) and ICC con-versions. The printer or prepress compa-ny should be compliant with one of these methods agreed upon by both the sender and receiver of data. The key is to have SOPs in place for consistency.

PRINTING: CGATS 21, ISO 12647 SERIESCGATS 21 defi nes multiple data sets (all with G7 alignment), which, along with ad-justments for specifi c substrates, can be matched by a variety of CMYK systems. ISO 12647 is TVI-based with aim L* a*b* values for all printing types with defi nitions in part 1, offset part 2, newsprint part 3, gravure part 4, digital and signage part 5, fl exo part

6, contract proofs part 7 and designer val-idation prints part 8. It is important to use parts from each of these for your cross-plat-form printing processes.

PROCESS CONTROL The last step in supply chain manage-ment is reporting. All supply chain part-ners should be held accountable for their work. After creating requirements it is very important to require documentation on, for example, fi le accuracy, color aims, bar code verifi cation and rub resistance. This is where your products need specif-ic testing. Require it, verify it yourself and ask for documentation.

RESPONSIBILITIES Clearly defi ne fi le format, prefl ight, color aims, testing methods and reporting re-quirements. All supply chain parties have clear, documented expectations. Utilizing these tools with supply chain partners will raise your bar of expectations.

PRINT REQUIREMENTS 10.


For some time, printing has been mak-ing a transition from a craft-based indus-try to a manufacturing process. Econom-ic pressures and competition have contin-ued to push printers to become more effi -cient, which requires more process con-trol tools. IDEAlliance’s online G7 Process Control program is intended to help print-ers make process control an integral part of their manufacturing operation.

Many industries invest heavily in mak-ing sure that every single manufactured item is identical. But because of the large number of variables in the printing process, making every single press sheet an identi-cal match is almost impossible. The goal for most printing plants is repeatability: the idea that the same printed piece can be re-produced over and over. To achieve this, printers must be able to predict the fi nal outcome of the printed condition and iden-tify and verify each step in the process for conformance. This is the essence of pro-cess control and printing to a specifi cation or standard. RECORD ALL THE METRICSThe key to controlling all of the parts of the process is to record all of the metrics, from fi le creation to proofi ng to press. This entails building a fi le to an industry spec-ifi cation or standard and recording data from the proof condition, the plate condi-tion and the press condition. Without re-cording our benchmarked condition, we have no way of telling if printing will be consistent. Starting with the fi le, the out-put intent must be identifi ed by choosing a printing aim such as GRACoL or SWOP,

which clearly sets the expectation for the fi nished product.

For the proof condition, we want to re-cord lab data from our properly calibrat-ed G7/GRACoL/SWOP proof. This lab data can be compared against data on a proof to ascertain that the proof is compliant with the specifi ed aim. This data is typically re-corded from a color control wedge on the proof. The tolerance can vary from less than 1 ∆E to as much as 2 ∆E or more, depend-ing on how tightly you are monitoring your proofi ng system.

While this can be accomplished at no cost using spreadsheets, it is more often done using dedicated quality control soft-ware. Software can give you a pass or fail condition on the proof and will typical-ly allow you to print a label indicating the proof compliance status for inclusion on the proof. The key idea here is to read the proof and make sure it has not changed and therefore is compliant with industry spec-ifi cations and standards. PROOFINGWhile inkjet proofi ng systems are typical-ly stable, simple issues such as a clogged nozzle can cause a proof to become invalid. How many proofs need to be read? Shops that are meticulous about maintaining high quality read every single proof, while shops that are less willing to maintain these stan-dards might read a proof daily to verify that the proofi ng condition has not changed. Identifying and establishing best practic-es for maintaining your proofi ng equip-ment is essential for successful, trouble-free proofi ng.

PLATEThe next area to record is the printing plate. We typically want to record dot gain on the plate. Because all plates can vary by color, it is important to pick a specifi c plate color as the benchmark value. For exam-ple, always reading the 50% on the black plate can tell us if the plate is changing. As with the proof, the main idea here is to make sure that the plates are not changing. Many high-quality shops read each plate as it comes out as part of their quality-con-trol procedure. Shops that are less strin-gent will read a plate every day to make sure they are not having any consistency problems with their plates.

PRESSThe press is the most complicated and me-chanical part of the process and because of this, it is the part of our manufacturing pro-cess that deserves the most attention. In most printing plants, press conditions are constantly changing. If it’s not the season and the weather, then it’s wear and tear on machines and the differences among op-erators. Since the presses are the most ex-pensive pieces of equipment in the plant, as well as the key moneymakers, it should come as no surprise to learn that the press deserves a lot of attention.

Recording data on the press is very im-portant because if the press is drifting or has changed, matching the proof can be-come virtually impossible.

Several easy-to-record indicators can show if the press is changing. Besides the actual color of the ink, the simplest item to record is the dot gain at a specif-ic density for each cylinder. Changes in the amount of dot gain from the record-ed dot gain over a number of jobs on the same substrate indicate that something has changed on press and you need to take corrective action.

For example, if you suddenly have problems matching proofs, you can read the proof to determine whether the proof has changed and read the plate to see if the plate has changed. If you stop to read the press gains and notice that the yellow gain has gone up 10%, you will suspect that something is wrong with the yellow unit. Typically a press operator can use this type

PROCESS CONTROL IN PRINT PRODUCTION

11SECTION

P43

of information to check the press and make sure there is not a problem on the cylinder in question. Of course, even an expensive press has some variation, so one job being out of spec does not necessarily indicate a problem on the press.

A number of variables can cause a press to print out of spec, so you need to see the same behavior on multiple jobs to deter-mine whether there is actually an issue or trend. Measuring such things as LAB val-ues for solids and trap information can also be valuable in determining if there is an issue on press. The key point here is that unless you are recording this infor-mation, you won’t know if you are print-ing correctly or not.

A number of tools and procedures are available to monitor the printing process and turn printing from a crafty, emotional game into a well-controlled manufacturing process. To learn more about process con-trol, consider the G7 Process Control Pro-gram, which can provide you with training and resources so that you can take control of your print process workfl ow.

HOW DIFFERENT MEASURE-MENTS CAN HELP YOUG7 measurements of printed material have become more important than ever. By de-fi ning targets, G7 specifi cations make it easier than ever to tell if you are “there” yet. Instead of wondering if it is “good print-ing,” we can use measurements and stan-dards to know if the process is under con-trol. Comparing these measurements to our target values can produce key indicators to show whether we can print predictably or, conversely, if something has gone terribly

wrong with the print process.What numbers should we learn and

know about for pressroom measurement? Depending on what we are doing, these are often the same metrics we have al-ways used, such as density and dot gain. Contemporary color measurement in the pressroom does not rely exclusively on the old-school metrics, although those indica-tors are still important. Because much of color measurement today is based on mea-suring color itself rather than just densi-ty, new measurements can tell us what is happening on our press and proof.

The following basic metrics for G7 Pro-cess Control can be used in daily produc-tion. They can usually be found on a stan-dard color bar and normally do not require separate press runs.

• LAB Values for Ink Solids. Even though they are not used for daily production, LAB measurements of solid ink values are very helpful for troubleshooting. First, they in-dicate whether we have achieved ISO com-pliance with our ink set and correspond-ing density. Second, these values can tell us if our ink is changing. If the LAB val-ue between the current ink and the ref-erence measurements is great enough, it means that the ink might have changed. This could indicate a press-side problem, such as contamination, or it could indi-cate consistency problems from the man-ufacturer. An easy way to tell if the ink has changed is if the press and proof are not matching a simple LAB measurement of the inks. This test will also indicate wheth-er the ink is ISO-compliant at the densi-ties being run. The same ink at the same

density on the same paper should be rel-atively consistent and should not change by more than a few ∆E.

• LAB Values for c50/m40/y40. The lab values for the neutral patch are often a great overall indicator of the calibration state of the press. While using gray bal-ance as a metric for daily operation can be diffi cult, it can be helpful in seeing ex-actly where the press is and whether the press can maintain the ideal calibration condition. In daily production you will probably have to nudge your solid ink densities to achieve these values. But if the calibration conditions have stayed the same, you should be able to come close to this. A quick glance at this patch can tell you where your system is, as well as con-fi rm any color bias you are seeing. (Once you are familiar with LAB readings, any deviation from the above will tell you ex-actly where the color is headed.)

• LAB Values for Overprints. LAB solids for overprints are often overlooked, but can be valuable tools. When operating to a specifi cation such as GRACoL or SWOP, the overprint values can be used to tweak the ink aim points so that you achieve the best possible ink fi lm thickness, as well as overprint colors (such as blue sky in-stead of purple sky). In daily production, a large deviation can indicate that press conditions have changed and need to be inspected. While there is no offi cial ISO tolerance for LAB measurements of overprints, a tolerance of 6 ∆E is used for G7 Targeted.

• Density Values for Ink Solids. Although density for ink solids is a tried-and-true measurement, once we have determined our proper ink densities, it is important that we maintain them. Accurate print-ing and the value of LAB and other mea-surements are closely tied to the press op-erator being able to get to the same point (usually) through density. Tolerance for this on a specifi c media and print condi-tion is generally 0.05.

• TVI (a.k.a. Dot Gain). Dot gain is anoth-er old-school metric that is very important

PRINT MANUFACTURING 11.

G7 MEASUREMENTS OF PRINTED MATERIAL HAVE BECOME

MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER. BY DEFINING TARGETS, G7 SPECIFICA-

TIONS MAKE IT EASIER THAN EVER TO TELL IF YOU ARE “THERE” YET. INSTEAD OF WONDERING IF IT IS “GOOD PRINTING,” WE CAN

USE MEASUREMENTS AND STANDARDS TO KNOW IF THE PROCESS IS UNDER CONTROL.


trol: how you run. In general, you should attempt to run your jobs to the reference densities. (Keep in mind that with out-of-spec papers, your densities will change slightly.) The idea is to start at these target densities and make what-ever adjustments are necessary to match the proof. At the same time, operators should be comfortable checking the dot gain or NPDC curves when at density to make sure everything is running as re-quired and that no major mechanical is-sues have occurred.

The second is long-term process control: the ability to check and adjust for the inev-itable changes that occur in press rooms before they be-come a crisis. While it would be great if every sheet could be read, this is not practical, either. By reading sheets throughout the run, as the press falls out of spec you can take note of the new condition and make cor-rections as soon as possible via mechanical adjustments on press or gain curves. The big issue is not how much you are measuring, but simply to be measuring and monitoring your printing conditions.

To learn more about pro-cess control, consider the G7 PC Program, which can pro-vide you with training and re-sources to take control of your print process. Details at www.idealliance.org/g7pc.

Process Control WorkflowProcess Control WorkflowProcess Control Workflow = Best Practices, Specifications & StandardsBest Practices, Specifications & StandardsBest Practices, Specifications & StandardsBest Practices, Specifications & Standards

Content Creation

GRACoL 2006, GRACoL 2013GRACoL 2006, GRACoL 2013GRACoL 2006, GRACoL 2013GRACoL 2006, GRACoL 2013

Content Creation SWOP 2006, SWOP 2013SWOP 2006, SWOP 2013SWOP 2006, SWOP 2013SWOP 2006, SWOP 2013Content Creation CGATS 21-2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7CGATS 21-2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7CGATS 21-2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7CGATS 21-2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7Content Creation

Best Practices for Media ProductionBest Practices for Media ProductionBest Practices for Media ProductionBest Practices for Media Production

PreMedia

G7 TR015G7 TR015G7 TR015G7 TR015

PreMedia

PDF/x1a, x4PDF/x1a, x4PDF/x1a, x4PDF/x1a, x4

PreMedia

GRACoL 2006, GRACoL 2013GRACoL 2006, GRACoL 2013GRACoL 2006, GRACoL 2013GRACoL 2006, GRACoL 2013

PreMedia SWOP 2006, SWOP 2013SWOP 2006, SWOP 2013SWOP 2006, SWOP 2013SWOP 2006, SWOP 2013PreMedia ISO 14681ISO 14681ISO 14681ISO 14681PreMedia

ISO 12646ISO 12646ISO 12646ISO 12646

PreMedia

CGATS 21-2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7CGATS 21-2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7CGATS 21-2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7CGATS 21-2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7

PreMedia

Best Practices for Media ProductionBest Practices for Media ProductionBest Practices for Media ProductionBest Practices for Media Production

Proofing

ISO 12647-7ISO 12647-7ISO 12647-7ISO 12647-7

Proofing

G7 TR015G7 TR015G7 TR015G7 TR015

ProofingISO 3664:2009ISO 3664:2009ISO 3664:2009ISO 3664:2009

Proofing GRACoL 2006, GRACoL 2013GRACoL 2006, GRACoL 2013GRACoL 2006, GRACoL 2013GRACoL 2006, GRACoL 2013ProofingSWOP 2006, SWOP 2013SWOP 2006, SWOP 2013SWOP 2006, SWOP 2013SWOP 2006, SWOP 2013

Proofing

ISO 13655ISO 13655ISO 13655ISO 13655

Proofing


Printing

G7 TR015G7 TR015G7 TR015G7 TR015

Printing


Printing ISO 12647-2,3,4,5,6ISO 12647-2,3,4,5,6ISO 12647-2,3,4,5,6ISO 12647-2,3,4,5,6Printing ISO 2846ISO 2846ISO 2846ISO 2846Printing

ISO 5ISO 5ISO 5ISO 5

Printing

TR016TR016TR016TR016

SWOP 2006, SWOP 2013CGATS 21-2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7

GRACoL 2006, GRACoL 2013SWOP 2006, SWOP 2013

SWOP 2006, SWOP 2013ISO 14681ISO 12646CGATS 21-2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7

ISO 13655CGATS 21-2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7G7 TR015CGATS 21-2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7

EDU

CA

TIO

NST

AN

DA

RD

OP

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TIN

G P

RO

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UR

ESfor diagnostic purposes. A large fl uctua-tion of dot gain of the same density on the same paper indicates a potential problem with the press or platemaking. For exam-ple, if the reference dot gain is 16% and af-ter learning that proofs are not matching we see that one cylinder is now gaining 27%, we will know exactly where to look and why we can no longer match a proof. Tolerance for this varies depending on the printing process, but generally can start at +/- 4% and can be loosened from there if neces-sary for daily production.

• LAB Values for Substrates. LAB val-ues for paper are valuable as a reference point. When using tight process control, the above values are valid when run in the same conditions, meaning the same pa-per and ink. Of course, many papers can be made to work by simply adjusting the solid ink densities as printers have done for decades. For all of the other values to be useful for troubleshooting, you will need to be on the same or similar paper. The LAB reading will tell you if that paper has changed or if it is a completely differ-ent paper. Even if you are checking this

during runs, you can detect a change in paper if an operator throws in a suppos-edly similar paper because they have run out of the original paper.

HOW MUCH TO MEASURE?The above measurements are very help-ful in maintaining good process con-trol. Obviously not every sheet can be measured, nor would this be desirable due to the wide variety of stocks used. There are several aspects of process control. The fi rst is daily process con-

11. PRINT MANUFACTURING

working for you.

who needs a partner that can transformwith you? you do.

Sun Chemical brings you from concept to shelf with pre-press, color management, inks, coatings, consumables, digital aftermarket, and plates - all from a single source.

• Quality - improving performance on the essentials of business, such as reliable, on-time delivery and consistent product quality

• Service - unparalleled global presence allows for the delivery of local service and support that is customized to the markets it serves

• Innovation - recognized as a leading source of innovation, Sun Chemical has 10 research and development centers

To learn more visit our website www.sunchemical.com or email [email protected]

vation, nters

Need solutions in real-time? Visit our online troubleshooting guides by scanning the QR code or visit inktsa.sunchemical.com

THE KEY POINT HERE IS THAT UNLESS YOU ARE RECORDING THIS INFORMATION, YOU WON’T KNOW

IF YOU ARE PRINTING CORRECTLY OR NOT.

P45

working for you.

who needs a partner that can transformwith you? you do.

Sun Chemical brings you from concept to shelf with pre-press, color management, inks, coatings, consumables, digital aftermarket, and plates - all from a single source.

• Quality - improving performance on the essentials of business, such as reliable, on-time delivery and consistent product quality

• Service - unparalleled global presence allows for the delivery of local service and support that is customized to the markets it serves

• Innovation - recognized as a leading source of innovation, Sun Chemical has 10 research and development centers

To learn more visit our website www.sunchemical.com or email [email protected]

vation, nters

Need solutions in real-time? Visit our online troubleshooting guides by scanning the QR code or visit inktsa.sunchemical.com

Guide to Print Production v13

12SECTION

STANDARDIZED PRINTING GUIDELINES

G7 press control maintains tonality, gray balance and color re-production by aiming for the solid ink CIELAB, ND (neutral densi-ty) and gray balance values listed in the Metrics Chart. G7 press control is more effective than older TVI-based methods be-cause it directly controls photographic appearance and applies equally to all printing technologies. Measuring G7 TonalityG7 Tonality is controlled by measuring the ND (neutral densi-ty) values in the “HC” (Highlight Contrast), “HR” (Highlight Range)

and “SC” (Shadow Contrast) patches. The HR_k patch has the most effect in controlling black-ink tonality. The HR_cmy patch has most effect in controlling tonality of the CMY plates, and also controls gray balance.

G7 Gray BalanceG7 gray balance is achieved when the HR_cmy patch measures half of the a*, b* values of the substrate. If the production substrate color is different from the standard CRPC substrate, it may be necessary to deviate from the a* b* values in the Metrics

G7® Press Control

Usage chart(Mostly for creative, pre-‐press and proofing personnel)(Mostly for creative, pre-‐press and proofing personnel)

Reference Print Condition (RPC) Printing Method / Substrate ICC Profiles Profile use TAC MaxK OBACRPC-1 2013 (SNAP2008) Coldset / Newsprint CRPC-1.icc OF 240% 90% UnlikelyCRPC-2 2013 Heatset / Improved Newsprint CRPC-2.icc OFD 260% 95% UnlikelyCRPC-3 2013 Sheetfed-Web / Premium uncoated CRPC-3.icc, GRACoL UNC.icc OGFD 270% 100% LikelyCRPC-4 2013 Web / Supercalendar CRPC-4.icc OGFD 270% 100% UnlikelyCRPC-5 2013 (SWOP2006/Flexo Wide Web) Web / Pub coated/White Poly/Corrugated Coated Liner CRPC-5.icc, SWOP 2013.icc OGFD 270% 100% LikelyCRPC-6 2013 (GRACoL2006, SWOP CoatedV2) Sheetfed-web / Premium coated CRPC-6.icc, GRACoL2013 OGFD 300% 100% LikelyCRPC-7 2013 Sheetfed-Digital / Premium stocks CRPC7.icc OGD 340% 100% Likely

Metrics chartMetrics chartMetrics chart(Mostly for production print, process control and QC personnel)(Mostly for production print, process control and QC personnel)(Mostly for production print, process control and QC personnel)(Mostly for production print, process control and QC personnel)(Mostly for production print, process control and QC personnel)(Mostly for production print, process control and QC personnel)(Mostly for production print, process control and QC personnel)(Mostly for production print, process control and QC personnel)(Mostly for production print, process control and QC personnel)(Mostly for production print, process control and QC personnel)(Mostly for production print, process control and QC personnel)(Mostly for production print, process control and QC personnel)(Mostly for production print, process control and QC personnel)Legacy notes: Legacy profiles: Profile Use Legend:

SNAP-‐2008 identical to CRPC-‐1 gamut, with slightly higher TVISNAP-‐2008 identical to CRPC-‐1 gamut, with slightly higher TVI SNAP2008.icc O -‐ Offset

SWOP2006_Coated3 neary identical to CRPC-‐5 SWOP2006_Coated3, SWOP2006_Coated5G -‐ GravureGRACoL2006_Coated1 nearly identical to CRPC-‐6 GRACoL2006_Coated1 F -‐ Flexo

CRPC PaperPaperPaper Solid PrimariesSolid PrimariesSolid PrimariesSolid PrimariesSolid PrimariesSolid PrimariesSolid PrimariesSolid PrimariesSolid PrimariesSolid PrimariesSolid PrimariesSolid Primaries Solid OverprintsSolid OverprintsSolid OverprintsSolid OverprintsSolid OverprintsSolid OverprintsSolid OverprintsSolid OverprintsSolid Overprints Relative ND*Relative ND*Relative ND*Relative ND*Relative ND*Relative ND* Gray BalanceGray BalanceGray BalanceGray BalanceGray BalanceGray BalanceD -‐ Digital CRPC PaperPaperPaper Solid PrimariesSolid PrimariesSolid PrimariesSolid PrimariesSolid PrimariesSolid PrimariesSolid PrimariesSolid PrimariesSolid PrimariesSolid PrimariesSolid PrimariesSolid Primaries Solid OverprintsSolid OverprintsSolid OverprintsSolid OverprintsSolid OverprintsSolid OverprintsSolid OverprintsSolid OverprintsSolid Overprints Relative ND*Relative ND*Relative ND*Relative ND*Relative ND*Relative ND* Gray BalanceGray BalanceGray BalanceGray BalanceGray BalanceGray BalanceKKK CCC MMM YYY RRR GGG BBB HCHC HRHR SC SC HC_cmyHC_cmy HR_cmyHR_cmy SC_cmySC_cmy

Ref Char Data L* a* b* L* a* b* L* a* b* L* a* b* L* a* b* L* a* b* L* a* b* L* a* b* CMY K CMY K CMY K a* b a* b a* bCRPC-1 2013 85 1 5 37 1 -4 59 -24 -26 56 48 -0 80 -2 60 54 44 25 55 -35 17 42 7 -22 0.24 0.22 0.46 0.44 0.64 0.65 0.7 3.7 0.5 2.5 0.2 1.2CRPC-2 2013 87 -0 3 30 1 2 57 -28 -34 52 58 -2 82 -2 72 51 55 32 51 -44 19 35 9 -32 0.25 0.22 0.50 0.47 0.77 0.75 -0.0 2.2 -0.0 1.5 -0.0 0.7CRPC-3 2013 95 1 -4 32 1 1 60 -26 -44 56 61 -2 89 -3 76 54 56 28 54 -43 15 38 10 -31 0.25 0.22 0.51 0.47 0.79 0.77 0.7 -3.0 0.5 -2.0 0.2 -1.0CRPC-4 2013 89 0 3 23 1 2 55 -36 -38 47 66 -3 83 -3 83 46 62 39 49 -54 24 28 14 -39 0.25 0.22 0.52 0.48 0.84 0.83 0.0 2.2 0.0 1.5 0.0 0.7CRPC-5 2013 92 -0 -0 19 0 1 57 -37 -44 48 71 -4 87 -4 88 48 65 45 51 -62 26 27 17 -44 0.25 0.22 0.53 0.49 0.88 0.86 -0.0 -0.0 -0.0 -0.0 -0.0 -0.0CRPC-6 2013 95 1 -4 16 0 0 56 -37 -50 48 75 -4 89 -4 93 47 68 48 50 -66 26 25 20 -46 0.25 0.22 0.54 0.49 0.91 0.89 0.7 -3.0 0.5 -2.0 0.2 -1.0CRPC-7 2013 97 1 -4 14 0 -0 54 -42 -54 47 78 -10 90 -4 103 48 75 54 50 -72 29 20 26 -53 0.25 0.22 0.55 0.50 0.97 0.90 0.7 -3.0 0.5 -2.0 0.2 -1.0

* Densitometer zeroed on paper* Densitometer zeroed on paper* Densitometer zeroed on paper* Densitometer zeroed on paper* Densitometer zeroed on paperNote:Relative ND and Gray Balance may differ slightly from available profilesRelative ND and Gray Balance may differ slightly from available profilesRelative ND and Gray Balance may differ slightly from available profilesRelative ND and Gray Balance may differ slightly from available profilesRelative ND and Gray Balance may differ slightly from available profilesRelative ND and Gray Balance may differ slightly from available profilesRelative ND and Gray Balance may differ slightly from available profilesRelative ND and Gray Balance may differ slightly from available profilesRelative ND and Gray Balance may differ slightly from available profilesRelative ND and Gray Balance may differ slightly from available profilesRelative ND and Gray Balance may differ slightly from available profilesdue to profile software characteristicsdue to profile software characteristicsdue to profile software characteristicsdue to profile software characteristicsdue to profile software characteristicsdue to profile software characteristics









METRICS CHART (Mostly for production print, process control and QC personnel)

The Usage Chart is intended for creatives (e.g. designers, retouchers or photographers), prepress and proofi ng users.

Just look up your printing method and substrate combination to fi nd the correct CRPC and/or free ICC profi le to use in CMYK conver-sions, soft and hard proofi ng.

Using the correct profi le when converting to CMYK will help the fi -nal printed work match what you see in Photoshop (within the limits

Legacy notes:SNAP-2008 identical to CRPC-1 gamut, with slightly higher TVISWOP2006_Coated3 neary identical to CRPC-5GRACoL2006_Coated1 nearly identical to CRPC-6

USAGE CHART (Mostly for creative, pre-press and proofi ng personnel)

The Metrics Chart lists the nominal target values for G7 press control. Achieving the correct solid ink CIELAB values, relative ND and gray balance values on press helps simulate a properly made proof and reduces the need for custom press profi les.

of the printing system) assuming you have a high quality monitor with a custom ICC profi le and proper color management settings.

Using the same profi le as the “source” profi le in a proofi ng workfl ow will help the proof match the fi nal printed sheet, assuming the printing system is properly calibrated and controlled.

Note that higher CRPC numbers have wider color gamut and greater print quality, assuming the correct substrate and inks are used and the

12 STANDARDS CHARTS 12. SECTION

DOT VALUESDOT VALUESDOT VALUESDOT VALUESDOT VALUESPATCH C M Y KHC_cmy 25 19 19 0HR_cmy 50 40 40 0SC_cmy 75 66 66 0HC_k 0 0 0 25HR_k 0 0 0 50SC_k 0 0 0 75

STANDARDIZED PRINTING GUIDELINESUsage chart(Mostly for creative, pre-‐press and proofing personnel)(Mostly for creative, pre-‐press and proofing personnel)
















* Densitometer zeroed on paper

METRICS CHART (Mostly for production print, process control and QC personnel)

Legacy Profi les:SNAP2008.iccSWOP2006_Coated3, SWOP2006_Coated5GRACoL2006_Coated1

Profi le Use LegendO - OffsetG - GravureF - FlexoD - Digital

USAGE CHART (Mostly for creative, pre-press and proofi ng personnel)

* Nominal values: actual gray aims depend on substrate color.

Chart for optimal G7 compliance. Likewise, to match an actual proof it is often easier to aim for the a* b* values measured in the HR_cmy patch of the actual proof.

Controlling Gray Balance by DensitometryAlthough G7 gray balance is defi ned in a*, b*, it is often easier to con-trol a press using custom cmy gray balance densities determined by measuring the individual C, M and Y densities of a properly balanced HR_cmy patch. Any change in these CMY densities on the HR_cmy patch will show which ink(s) need adjusting.

Using Solid Ink Densities for Press ControlAlthough standard ink colors are published in CIELAB units, it is still possible to control a production press by measuring CMYK densi-ty values. To determine your own “custom press densities” for any press/ substrate / ink / combination, fi rst achieve the correct CIELAB values with a hand-held spectrodensitometer, then measure the CMYK solid patches with the press control system. Note that densi-ties found for one ink/ substrate/ densitometer combination may not work for another.

nominal printing aims are achieved.Expert users can create their own ICC profi les from the appropriate

characterization dataset, e.g., GRACoL2006_Coated1 to alter GCR, TAC, black printer strength, etc.

Medium GCR is built into the default IDEAlliance profi les. Higher GCR levels and longer-range blacks will improve dark colors and press stability, especially in neutral tones.

Note: Relative ND and Gray Balance may differ slightly from available profi les due to software characteristics.


G7 is used across a variety of print meth-ods and processes. This article summa-rizes how G7 is typically implemented in these processes. G7 works with any CMYK-based printing process, so just because the process is not listed here does not mean G7 cannot be used with that process.

Profiles supplied by IDEAlliance are ar-ranged by gamuts rather than print pro-cess. The profiles referred to below can be downloaded from: www.gracol.org or www.color.org.

TerminologyG7 has precise definitions with several key elements:

• G7 is a specification for gray scale ap-pearance and applicable to any CMYK printing process.

• G7 defines two elements: tonality and gray balance.

There are four levels of G7 Compliance. Which level depends on the type of print-ing you are doing and the precision needed.

The four levels are: G7 Gray, G7 Target-ed, G7 Colorspace and G7 Extreme.

• G7 Gray is when G7 gray balance and to-nality are achieved. For devices that can-not match the gamut of an existing refer-ence color space, G7 gray will provide ba-sic common visual appearance.

• G7 Targeted is when you achieve G7 Gray and also match reference print condition primary and overprint solids.

• G7 Colorspace is when you achieve G7 Gray, G7 Targeted and a specific ∆E aver-age across the entire color space.

• G7 Extreme is essentially the same as G7 Targeted except that the color space must have a larger gamut than GRACoL.

All of the levels above with the exception of G7 Extreme are recognized as compli-ance levels within the G7 Master program. A G7 Master Printer should be able to tell you which compliance level they are matching.

PRINTING METHODS AND GAMUTSOffset PrintOffset print methods such as sheetfed offset and web offset printing are com-monly used with G7, and offset was the print process that G7 was pioneered with. More than 1,500 G7 offset printers around the world have obtained G7 Master status. G7 has enabled offset printers to achieve nearly identical color match-es across a wide variety of locations and printing machines.

The most common offset print ref-erence print conditions in use are GRA-CoL 2006, SWOP 2006, GRACoL 2013 and SWOP 2013. GRACoL is typically used for offset print on a number 1 coated sheet.

SWOP is typically used for a number 3 coated sheet, as well as a number 5 coat-ed sheet. As of 2013, a new uncoated print condition, GRACoL 2013 Uncoated, was introduced. GRACoL 2013 Uncoated pro-vides a gamut suitable for uncoated off-set print.

In addition to commercial and pub-lication print, folding carton is another segment of the offset print market. Fold-ing carton is typically printed on a board such as SBS or CCNB type substrates. The substrates are usually a bit more yellow or gray than standard offset sheets defined by GRACoL. Many of these printers target either GRACoL 2006 or a substrate adjust-ed version of GRACoL based on the actual substrate color.

Offset printers normally print using a G7 Targeted status. G7 Targeted requires the printer to match the solid colors and overprints, as well as to match the G7 gray requirements. To do this a printer will ad-just the solids and overprints of the press to the lowest possible ∆E of the reference print condition, and will then perform the G7 calibration for tonality and gray bal-ance using plate curves. Results are often very good. Offset G7 can be done with AM screening, FM screening, or other less-traditional combinations at any line screen on almost any substrate.

The ICC profiles in use are: GRA-CoL2006 Coated1 v2.icc, SWOP2006_Coated3v2.icc, GRACoL2013_CRPC6.icc, SWOP2013C3_CPRC5.icc., and GRACoL-UNC2013_CRPC3.icc (for uncoated off-set print). Relevant standards documents for offset are CGATS-21 and ISO 12647-2.

Information on production inkjet print applications is available at www.gracol.org and http://www.color.org/registry/

EP DigitalElectrophotographic print (EP) is also known as toner-based printing. Ton-er-based print has taken the place of large portions of the traditional offset print market and can be done on inexpen-sive EP machines, as well as on very ex-pensive EP machines. Most offset print-ers now have some form of EP as part of their capabilities.

The most common EP profiles are GRA-

STANDARDS & SPECS BY PRINT METHOD

13SECTIONSECTION

P49

CoL 2006 and GRACoL 2013. This is be-cause GRACoL 2006 is a widely used pre-ferred specifi cation for print buying and proof matching for sheetfed offset pro-duction. GRACoL 2006 is the suggested or default color management source/sim-ulation profi le in most digital front ends (DFE) controlling the digital press. Many EP sheets are bright white and contain op-tical brighteners. EP systems are usually G7 Colorspace, and the G7 calibration is conducted through the use of ICC profi les rather than tone curves. (Some systems do use G7 tone curves to perform sys-tem linearization.) An EP system can easily be target-ed to almost any reference print condition simply by switching the ICC profi le.

T he IDE A l-l i a nce D ig it a l Press System Cer-tifi cation Program verifi es that digi-tal press systems meet or exceed established industry tolerances for ex-cellence in the areas of colorimetric ac-curacy, uniformity, repeatability, du-rability and registration. If the digital press system passes, it is awarded the IDEAlliance Digital Press Certifi cation. This is the most comprehensive industry quality certification for any printing technology to date. As of this writing, more than 30 systems have been certi-fi ed, many of them using electrophoto-graphic technologies.

It is important to know that all of these “certifi ed Digital Press Systems” success-fully target the GRACoL 2006 specifi ca-tion as the reference print condition. And most importantly, all of these manufac-turers have the specifi c processes and techniques to share with users tasked with implementing proper GRACoL spec-ifi cations in digital production.

Despite using ICC profi les as the cal-ibration method, not all EP systems can achieve G7 Targeted compliance. Some of these systems may not be able to reach

compliance with solids and overprints, though most can easily hit G7 Gray.

ICC profi les in use are: GRACoL2006 Coated1 v2.icc, SWOP2006_Coat-ed3v2.icc, GRACoL2013_CRPC6.icc, SWOP2013C3_CPRC5.icc.

Information on production EP appli-cations can be found at the IDEAlliance website at www.gracol.org, http://www.color.org/registry/index.xalter.

Inkjet ProductionProduction inkjet is used for many vari-able data applications, such as direct mail,

statements and fi nancial reports, cata-logs, and other print applications. Many production inkjet systems are run in lower resolution modes to enable speed and productivity.

Production inkjet is often run to match SWOP 2006, GRACoL 2006, SWOP 2103 or GRACoL 2013 profi les. Production ink-jet systems are usually controlled using ICC profi les. Digital front ends for pro-duction inkjet systems allow control us-ing ICC profi les. The type of paper and production speed and resolution con-trols much of the gamut and quality of the print, so while a production inkjet system may match GRACoL or SWOP on a high grade paper, it might not match at a low-er resolution on a low grade paper. Typ-ically, if a production inkjet is running in a mode or on a substrate where it cannot match G7 Targeted print conditions such as SWOP or GRACoL, it still can be cali-brated to G7 Gray.

ICC profi les in use are: GRACoL2006 Coated1 v2.icc, SWOP2006_Coat-

ed3v2.icc, GRACoL2013_CRPC6.icc, SWOP2013C3_CPRC5.icc.

Information on production inkjet print applications can be found at the IDEAl-liance website at www.gracol.org, http://www.color.org/registry/.

NewspaperNewspaper systems are used for re-production involving cold web or heat-set web, typically on newsprint or other lower-grade papers. The most common profi les used for newspaper systems are SNAP 2009, CGATS 21 CRPC 1 and CGATS

21 CRPC 2. While G7 is often used for initial calibra-tion, and some newspaper sys-tems can hold and maintain G7 cali-bration, many cold web print opera-tions are unable to maintain the G7 Gray compliance during daily pro-duction. In some cases this is due

to an unwillingness to use higher grades of inks and substrates based on cost re-strictions. Calibration of newsprint is of-ten to G7 targeted, while operation is to G7 Gray compliance.

ICC profi les in use are: SNAP 2008.icc, CGATS21_CRPC1.icc, CGATS21_CRPC2.icc. Newsprint is also referenced as a CRPC 1&2 in CGATS 21. Information on newspaper applications can be found at the IDEAlliance website at www.gra-col.org, http://www.color.org/registry/.

ScreenScreen printing is used for a variety of print activities, ranging from signage and specialty print to other non-tradi-tional print applications. G7 is commonly used in screen print. Screen is often com-plementary to wide-format inkjet, and G7 helps provide matches across these dif-ferent print methods. Substrates in screen print can range from paper to metal and almost any form of plastic. The substrates can be rigid, fl exible, paper-thin, 2 inches

G7 BY PROCESS 13.

THE IDEALLIANCE DIGITAL PRESS SYSTEM CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

VERIFIES THAT DIGITAL PRESS SYSTEMS MEET OR EXCEED ESTAB-

LISHED INDUSTRY TOLERANCES FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE AREAS OF COLORIMETRIC ACCURACY, UNIFORMITY, REPEATABILITY,

DURABILITY AND REGISTRATION.


or more thick, or even curved and shaped. Screen-printed graphics are often ex-pected to endure the exterior elements for many years, and the process uses dif-ferent inks and substrates than more tra-ditional print processes.

Viewing distances and variations in line screens are more a factor in the screen print industry than with other print pro-cesses. As the physical size of the prod-uct gets smaller, the line count require-ments go up.

The most common offset reference print conditions in use are GRACoL 2006, SWOP 2006, GRACoL 2013 and SWOP 2013. Because screen uses different inks and materials, it is common for a screen print to maintain G7 Gray rather than G7 Targeted, giving it a similar look but with-out a similar gamut. (Some screen print-ers and ink combina-tions can comply with G7 Targeted, how-ever.) Relevant ISO documents for screen are ISO 12647-5:2013. IDEAlliance has also produced a special con-trol wedge for screen, which is the IDEAl-liance 12647-5 screen print control wedge.

ICC profi les in use are: GRACoL2006 Coated1 v2.icc, SWOP2006_Coat-ed3v2.icc, GRACoL2013_CRPC6.icc, SWOP2013C3_CPRC5.icc.

Information on screen print process-es can be found at the IDEAlliance web-site at www.gracol.org, http://www.col-or.org/registry/. A screen print qualifi -cation kit is available for screen printers.

Wide/Grand FormatWide and grand format print is a grow-ing market used for short run, extreme-size graphic products that require a vari-able degree of durability. These products include point-of-purchase signage, fl oor graphics, art and photo reproduction, backdrops, signage, store, hotel and ca-sino interiors, backlit displays, billboards,

sidewalk graphics, bus shelters, kiosks, sports arena and stadium graphics, con-vention signage, mobile billboards, vehi-cle wraps (including bus wraps, airplane wraps and truck advertising), window dis-plays, in-store promotions, mall displays and many more.

G7 is commonly used with grand for-mat printing, and it works well because grand format print typically complements other branding and print materials. Print is typically done with large solvent-based, UV-curable or Latex-based inkjet print-ers, and these printers can handle a wide variety of materials. The most common offset reference print conditions in use are GRACoL 2006, SWOP 2006, GRACoL 2013 and SWOP 2013. GRACoL is typical-

ly used for grand format print on a white sheet. SWOP is typically used for a more neutral sheet.

G7 calibration of a grand format system is often conducted through the use of ICC profi les rather than tone curves. (Some systems do use G7 tone curves to per-form system linearization.) A grand for-mat system can easily be targeted to al-most any reference print condition simply by switching the ICC profi le. Depending on speed, ink type and resolution, some systems are calibrated to match G7 Gray rather than targeted. This is normally a decision based on speed and productiv-ity rather than the capability of the sys-tems. Grand format has special measure-ment devices available (for handling thick materials and transparent materials), as

well as special viewing booths to accom-modate the large sizes created with this print process.

ICC profi les in use are: GRACoL2006 Coated1 v2.icc, SWOP2006_Coated3v2.icc, GRACoL2013_CRPC6.icc, SWOP2013C3_CPRC5.icc. While there is no ISO standard, production inkjet can typically match any G7 based profi les from CGATS 21.

Information on wide format applica-tions can be found at the IDEAlliance web-site at www.gracol.org, http://www.col-or.org/registry/.

FlexoFlexographic print is used in a variety of applications on numerous substrates. A primary application for fl exo is pack-

aging, and numer-ous brands and print customers use flexo printing to enhance their products. Prod-ucts range from labels, bags and wrappers to more traditional print products. G7 is wide-ly used in flexo as a method of print cal-ibration, and is re-ferred to in the FTA’s “First Specification and Handbook.” GRA-CoL is typically used

for larger gamuts capable in narrow web printing, where SWOP is more predomi-nant in wide web fl exo. Many of the new plate technologies allow all fl exo process-es to align to CRPC 6 and CRPC7. G7 cal-ibration is conducted using plate curves.

ICC profi les in use are: GRACoL2006 Coated1 v2.icc, SWOP2006_Coat-ed3v2.icc, GRACoL2013_CRPC6.icc, SWOP2013C3_CPRC5.icc. The ISO stan-dard for fl exographic print is 12647-6, and fl exo is also referenced as a CRPC in CGATS 21.

Information on f lexo applications can be found at the IDEAlliance website at www.gracol.org, http://www.color.org/registry/.

A G7 fl exo qualifi cation kit can be down-loaded from the www.gracol.org website.

13. G7 BY PROCESS

©SB2014-gcrmed

INSTRUMENT FLIGHT® technology – New G7® Press Control System Certification pending at press deadlineINSTRUMENT FLIGHT® solutions are available through: QuadTech – KBA – manroland sheetfed – System Brunner sales channels

To find out more about accurate color control and savings: www.systembrunner.com

Still controlling your press with solids?

INSTRUMENT FLIGHT®

If you’re only controlling solid densities on press, you might not match and maintain the correct colors of your job. Printed appearance is affected by many more variables than solid ink density alone. Even monitoring TVI doesn’t guarantee stable gray balance or tonality. For the shortest make-ready times and best proof-to-press match, you need a press control system that also controls G7® parameters

controls print production according to visual metrics. It’s the only proven technology that controls visual appearance including G7’s gray balance and tonality, as well as solid CIELAB values/densities, TVI and more.

Benefits: Reduced make ready time; less waste; perfect color consistency without guesswork; fewer quality-related costs; operator warnings when printing drifts out of tolerance; easy over-ride for custom proof matching

System Brunner®

maintain the correct colors of your job. Printed appearance is affected by maintain the correct colors of your job. Printed appearance is affected by maintain the correct colors of your job. Printed appearance is affected by many more variables than solid ink density alone. Even monitoring TVI many more variables than solid ink density alone. Even monitoring TVI many more variables than solid ink density alone. Even monitoring TVI doesn’t guarantee stable gray balance or tonality. For the shortest make-ready times and best proof-to-press match, you need a press control make-ready times and best proof-to-press match, you need a press control make-ready times and best proof-to-press match, you need a press control

A G7 MASTER PRINTER SHOULD BE ABLE TO TELL YOU WHICH COMPLIANCE LEVEL THEY ARE MATCHING.

P51

©SB2014-gcrmed

INSTRUMENT FLIGHT® technology – New G7® Press Control System Certification pending at press deadlineINSTRUMENT FLIGHT® solutions are available through: QuadTech – KBA – manroland sheetfed – System Brunner sales channels

To find out more about accurate color control and savings: www.systembrunner.com

Still controlling your press with solids?

INSTRUMENT FLIGHT®

If you’re only controlling solid densities on press, you might not match and maintain the correct colors of your job. Printed appearance is affected by many more variables than solid ink density alone. Even monitoring TVI doesn’t guarantee stable gray balance or tonality. For the shortest make-ready times and best proof-to-press match, you need a press control system that also controls G7® parameters

controls print production according to visual metrics. It’s the only proven technology that controls visual appearance including G7’s gray balance and tonality, as well as solid CIELAB values/densities, TVI and more.

Benefits: Reduced make ready time; less waste; perfect color consistency without guesswork; fewer quality-related costs; operator warnings when printing drifts out of tolerance; easy over-ride for custom proof matching

System Brunner®

maintain the correct colors of your job. Printed appearance is affected by maintain the correct colors of your job. Printed appearance is affected by maintain the correct colors of your job. Printed appearance is affected by many more variables than solid ink density alone. Even monitoring TVI many more variables than solid ink density alone. Even monitoring TVI many more variables than solid ink density alone. Even monitoring TVI doesn’t guarantee stable gray balance or tonality. For the shortest make-ready times and best proof-to-press match, you need a press control make-ready times and best proof-to-press match, you need a press control make-ready times and best proof-to-press match, you need a press control


To adapt to the changing market envi-ronment, successful print providers are diversifying their offerings beyond print into cross-media channels. Increas-ingly, non print-related services and products account for a growing propor-tion of revenues. An opportunity exists for print providers that learn how to grow new revenues by adopting integrated me-dia workfl ows.

TODAY’S PRINT WORKFLOWIf your business is print-based today, you are likely using a linear print workfl ow. The three basic stages in this workfl ow are:

• Capture & Create assets that make up the product to be printed. This includes the print design, (photographs, graphics or logos) and capturing additional con-tent for the project.

• Edit & Produce the print product. This includes layout, proofi ng, prefl ighting, ap-provals, PDF generation and sending the fi le through a RIP so that it can be printed.

• Fulfi ll & Distribute. This includes print-ing, binding and distributing by the USPS or other physical method.

EMERGING REVENUE OPPORTUNITIESPrinters continue to own the primary busi-ness relationship with their print custom-ers. Often these relationships have been forged over decades. With some updates in the products and services they offer, each printer can leverage its existing busi-

ness relationships to create new revenue streams by offering enhanced services be-yond print.

For example, printers often begin by offering upstream services such as de-sign and prepress services. Fresh rev-enue streams can come from offering new services that can help make print more powerful. Printers have added services to personalize print by employ-ing variable data printing techniques. Similarly, printers are growing reve-nues by offering services based on such technologies as QR codes and augment-ed reality to enable their printed prod-uct to become a more interactive means of communication.

Now printers can offer services for the production of rich media or products de-livered to digital channels. Examples of diversifi ed service offerings that print-ers can offer include:

• producing tablet or mobile apps in ad-dition to print products already produced;

• integrating print with website/online/e-mail services;

• providing customer relationship man-agement (CRM) services;

• providing database list management services;

• developing online marketing automa-tion and management systems;

• combining print and Internet solutions

to build and deliver integrated marketing campaigns;

• developing websites, online database applications, personalized URLs and QR codes;

• developing an augmented reality mar-keting campaign;

• printing on a wide variety of papers and substrates, including plastic, lenticular, styrene and cling;

• printing for large format and signage;

• editing, producing and streaming short-form video;

• managing imagery, video and other rich media assets;

• providing customized or generic mar-keting collateral on demand across me-dia channels; and

• printing and delivering personalized marketing collateral, including variable data.

THE INTEGRATED MEDIA WORKFLOWProviding new services to existing cus-tomers results in a more complex work-fl ow. Clearly, repurposing content and media assets for all media channels is a must. Ideally, this implies utilizing a central asset management repository. Early efforts to deliver products across media channels were realized by devel-oping a parallel workfl ow for each me-dia channel.

WHAT IS THE INTEGRATED MEDIA WORKFLOW MODEL?To make a meaningful workfl ow transi-tion, one must understand the concept of the “Integrated Media Workfl ow” (or IMW) model. The goal of the IMW is to be able to effi ciently produce output to a wide variety of distribution channels from a single workfl ow. Rather than us-ing a linear process or a series of sepa-rate linear processes, the goal is to inte-

SIX STAGES OF AN INTEGRATED WORKFLOW

14SECTION

P53

grate media production centrally and to output to any distribution channel from that central system.

Note that in addition to moving from a straightforward linear model, the hub-and-spoke IMW model has several addi-tional stages that are critical to the suc-cess of the IMW model.

UNDERLYING TECHNOLOGIESAt the heart of an IMW is the “hub.” One thing that distinguishes many current print workfl ows from an integrated media workfl ow is that in all likelihood, not all of the functions will be performed by hard-ware, software and staff at your physical location. Today you can add remote cloud services to enhance workfl ows without the level of investment or expertise for-merly required by each individual print-er. Additionally, underlying technologies enable printers to bring their custom-ers into the loop remotely at any time. Certain technologies that underlie each stage of an integrated media workfl ow play a key role in ensuring media inte-gration. These technologies can include:

Color Management: techniques and tech-nologies for managing the color intent across devices throughout the integrat-ed media workfl ow.

Metadata: descriptive digital asset la-bels that facilitate automation and con-tain critical asset information across an integrated media workfl ow (PDFx4).

Workfl ow and Asset Management Tech-nologies: technologies that manage and move content and media assets from one process to the next, across an integrated media workfl ow.

Cloud Services: computer resources (in-cluding both hardware and software ap-plications) that are accessed in real time to ensure that only the most current con-tent and media assets are used through-out the workfl ow.

Security: technologies that ensure that your media assets are protected against loss, damage or theft.

Analytics: software and cloud-based technologies that track the output and measures the results.

THE ROLE OF STANDARDSCertain standards and specifi cations play an important role in a linear print work-fl ow. For example, GRACoL, SWOP and G7 should be used to ensure color integrity from production to proofi ng and on the press. Using a PDF/X fi le format as the de-liverable to a press is also critical in ensur-ing color and content integrity.

As we move to an integrated media workflow, many other standards and specifi cations come into play. These stan-dards are critical to ensuring that tools can interact throughout the workfl ow. When all tools and the content and me-dia assets themselves operate using the same underlying standards, they can be easily and completely integrated so au-tomation can occur. Key standards and specifi cations should be noted in each IMW stage.

SIX STAGES TO AN IMWOne way to understand an integrated me-dia workfl ow is to partition the functions into steps or stages. Some stages exist in current print-based workfl ows, but oth-

ers are new functions that are required to integrate with cross-channel media pro-duction. Some stages are at the “spokes” of the workfl ow while others are central-ized. IMW stages include:

1 Create & Capture. (create: to bring into existence; capture: to acquire);

2 Ingest & Manage. (ingest: to bring into, to upload; manage: to organize,

store and retrieve);

3 Edit & Produce. (edit: to correct or modify; produce: to combine com-

ponents into a product);

4 Transform & Publish. (transform: to change from one format to another

publish: to fi nalize for fulfi llment);

5 Fulfi ll & Distribute. (fulfi ll: to pack-age or print; distribute: to deliver or

supply);

6 Report & Engage. (report: detailed ac-counting; engage: to involve).

More details about IMW and a skills-train-ing program for integrated media can be found at www.idealliance.org/imw.

CROSS MEDIA 14.

PRINTERS CONTINUE TO OWN THE PRIMARY BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR

PRINT CUSTOMERS. OFTEN THESE RELATIONSHIPS HAVE BEEN FORGED OVER

DECADES. WITH SOME UPDATES IN THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES THEY OFFER, EACH

PRINTER CAN LEVERAGE ITS EXISTING BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS TO CREATE NEW REVENUE STREAMS BY OFFERING ENHANCED

SERVICES BEYOND PRINT.


IDEALLIANCE GROUPS & CERTIFICATIONS

15

IDEALLIANCE COMMITTEES AND WORKING GROUPSwww.idealliance.org/groupsIDEAlliance is made up of active, forward-looking Working Groups and Committees in a wide range of disciplines. Participation is open to all IDEAlliance members.

PRINT MEDIADigital Print Working Group: Develops best practic-es in process control and color management techniques for digital printing.

GRACoL®/SWOP® Working Group: Develops and publishes printing guidelines for sheetfed, web, and offset lithography.

Mobile Activated Print Working Group: Addresses best prac-tices and specifications for the integration and production of mobile and interactive content driven from print.

Packaging Alliance Council: Identifies efficiencies that re-duce costs and increase productivity and profits in the packaging value chain.

Paper Transit Damage Working Group: Works cooperatively with paper companies, publishers, print service providers and railways to develop best practices and process improvement to reduce paper transit damage.

papiNet® Working Group: A global community involved in supply chain process and business transaction automation for the forest and paper industries.

Print Properties & Colorimetrics Committee: Key working group responsible for printing, proofing and colorimetric evalu-ations, training, and specifications across print media segments and the development of international standards.

Screen/Wide Format Inkjet Working Group: Develops best practices, specifications and tolerances for the screen and wide format inkjet industry.

XBITS Working Group: Designs and maintains the standard XML eDocuments to facilitate bi-directional electronic data exchange.

PRINT DISTRIBUTIONCanada Mail Working Group:Seeks to enhance the entry of U.S. mail into Canadian mailstream.

Fulfillment Operations Group (FOG): Addresses the com-plexities of USPS regulations between fulfillment stakeholders and the U.S. Postal Service.

Mail.dat® and Mail.XML™ Working Groups: Supports auto-mation, cost avoidance, and higher profits through improved communications in the postal supply chain.

Mailing Software Development Group (MSDG): Supports the U.S. Postal Service’s pursuit of advanced automation tech-nology and methodologies.

Postal Operations & Technologies Committee: Works to im-prove mail preparation and postal distribution through the ap-plication of information and supply chain technologies.

Postal & Newsstand Logistics Committee: Develops process standardization that builds efficiencies, reduces costs, and in-creases the flow of information in postal and newsstand logis-tics and transportation.

Printers’ Operational Issues Study Effort (POISE) Work-ing Group: Works cooperatively with the U.S. Postal Ser-vice to research and fix problems in the postal distribution supply chain.

INTEGRATED MEDIADigital Ad Lab®: Advances the agenda for advertisements across digital platforms for the advertising supply chain. eMedia21 New York and London: Local working groups de-veloping best practices, strategies and specifications that ad-vance content creation, use, and display of digital media.

SECTION

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IDEALLIANCE GROUPS & CERTIFICATIONS

IDEALLIANCE 15.

nextPub® Technical Committee: Develops technology strategies and specifications, and serves as an industry incubator for new technologies that support integrated media workfl ows.

PRISM® Working Group: Defi nes XML metadata vocabular-ies for managing, post-processing, multi-purposing and aggre-gating publishing content and media assets.

INTERNATIONAL AFFILIATESExpanding IDEAlliance’s growing infl uence in the worldwide de-velopment and adoption of media production standards and best practices, IDEAlliance International Affi liates promote and develop IDEAlliance programs for their local networks of technology and service providers, as well as offer individual-ized member services and benefi ts. IDEAlliance Internation-al Affi liates are found in China, Europe, India, Korea, and Mex-ico. Contact affi liates at www.idealliance.org/membership/international-affi liates.

IDEALLIANCE CERTIFICATION PROGRAMSwww.idealliance.org/certifi cationsIDEAlliance provides powerful training programs to help your organization develop skills and demonstrate competencies throughout the media supply chain.

EXPERT CERTIFICATION- Personal Skills Training & Recognition

G7 Experts are skilled in the fi elds of color man-agement, process, and quality control for proofi ng and printing, and are certified to perform G7 Master Qualifi cations.

G7 Process Control Experts help users achieve a high level of effi ciency and predictability through standardization and process control practices.

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION- Personal Skills Training & Recognition

G7 Professionals are skilled in the fi elds of color management, process, and quality control for proofi ng and printing, and are certifi ed to perform G7 Master Re-qualifi cations.

Color Management Professional® Certifi cation is an online series of courses on the principles of col-or management for creative, sales, premedia and print production professionals.

Integrated Media Workflow Fundamentals Certification is an online course on workfl ow best practices across multiple media channels.

JDF Expert Certification provides a comprehen-sive understanding of the Job Defi nition Format.

MASTER QUALIFICATION- Granted to Facilities

G7 Master Qualifi cation is granted to print facili-ties proven capable of performing the G7 method-ology on proof and press, certifi ed by aG7 Expert.

G7 Process Control Master Qualification is of-fered to print providers and creative studios through on-site training, development of custom SOPs, and periodic assessment.

SYSTEM CERTIFICATIONS- Submitted by System Manufacturers

Digital Press Certification validates the capabilities of commercial production xerographic and produc-tion inkjet devices to meet GRACoL specifi cations.

Wide/Grand Format Inkjet System Certification validates quality tolerances for roll-fed and fl at-bed large format printing systems.

G7 System Certification validates the ability of a software system to calibrate a printing deviceto meet the G7 grayscale defi nition using four 1-D Curves.

Hard Proofing System Certification validates a proofi ng systems’ capability associated with GRA-CoL® and SWOP® specifi cations. (Revised 2014)

Soft Proofing Monitor Display Certification validates the performance of displays, viewing cabinets and integrated soft proofing systems. (Revised 2014)

G7 Press Control System Certification validates a system’s ability to steer a press to G7 aim values and tolerances for to-nality and gray balance. (Coming Soon)

Proofing Stock Certifi cation validates proofi ng stocks aims for optically brightened stocks. (Coming Soon)