Alexandria, VA, USA. January 19, 2007 ─ The International Digital Enterprise Alliance (IDEAlliance) today announced an event in March to highlight the new off-press Proofing System Certification Program that moves proofing “to the numbers” into the mainstream. Meeting Industry Expectations Proofing technologies and industry practices have made significant advances over the past two years. The feasibility of proofing-to-the-numbers is gaining not only acceptance but is being voiced as a requirement. And along with proofing-to-the-numbers comes the requirement to tighten tolerances as well. And other factors such as agencies routinely proofing on brighter paper stocks and the predicted shift to virtual proofing workflows have raised the bar on the quality of proofing systems even more. Ongoing Research As part of IDEAlliance’s commitment to drive the ongoing improvement of proofing systems, its Print Properties Committee, initiated a series of research and development efforts to provide a scientific basis for modernizing its Proofing Systems Certification Program. By fall 2006, new characterization data sets that take into account actual G7 printing conditions for web offset presses and sheetfed offset presses were finalized for SWOP and GRACoL. Research projects were also conducted to develop methods to evaluate and certify high-end halftone proofing systems and inkjet systems “to the numbers.” This research is being extended to the evaluation of monitor proofing “to the numbers” to support virtual proofing workflows. Numbers-based Proofing Systems Certification Program In the fall of 2006, IDEAlliance launched a new proofing systems certification program. The existing SWOP certification program was, for the most part, based on a human evaluation of visual similarity from proof to press sheet. But based on the new research, we are, for the first time, able to numerically determine the closeness of a visual match. The new certification program is being conducted at the Rochester Institute of Technology Printing Applications Laboratory. Certification under the new program indicates IDEAlliance confirmation that a proofing system has the ability to match the SWOP and/or GRACoL characterization data sets within tight colorimetric tolerances and represent a visual consistency unprecedented in the history of color proofing. Larry Spevak, President of Colorburst, Inc. commented, “Colorburst was one of the first manufacturers to certify a proofing system to the numbers. We embrace the efforts of IDEAlliance to raise the bar for proofing system quality by making proofing to the numbers a reality.” According to David Steinhardt, CEO of IDEAlliance, “Systems certified under our new program are raising the bar for the entire industry. Proofing to the numbers has suddenly moved into the mainstream!” Come to See What Proofing to the Numbers Means On March 5, IDEAlliance will be hosting a Proofing Systems Summit at the Marriott Marquis in New York City in conjunction with the Publishing Executive Conference and Expo. Publishers and agencies are invited to join IDEAlliance, SWOP and GRACoL to learn how state-of-the-art for proofing systems has moved to next level. The day long program will feature panels and will provide the proofing community with an opportunity to view proofs certified to the numbers and to provide their input for improving certification criteria. According to Nubar Nakashian, Executive VP of Tanaseybert, LLC and Chairman of SWOP, “SWOP has made tremendous advances over the past year. Initiating a new certification program based on metrics and expanding its industry education initiatives are examples of how SWOP is meeting the challenge. Please join us at the Proofing Summit to see how state-of-the-art proofing will change the way you work.” Partners and Sponsors Partners for the event include American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA), Magazine Publishers of America (MPA), and Partnership in Print Production (P3). Members of all these organizations will receive a member registration discount. Sponsors for the event include CGS USA, Color Management Group, Eizo Nanao Corporation, FUJIFILM Graphic Systems, U.S.A., GMG Americas, Integrated Color Solutions, Kodak Graphic Communications and X-Rite Corporation.