NPES The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies announced today the publication of a new technical report, CGATS/TR016:2012 "Graphic technology — Printing Tolerance and Conformity Assessment," which solves one of the problems that confront printers in trying to match the colors specified by the print buyer. This new Technical Report provides new tolerance guidelines (characterization datasets) for color conformance from the receipt of the job from the buyer, through proofing, to print production. These new guidelines satisfy the needs of both the printer and the print buyer by specifying the relationship between the numerical input data that comprises the print job and colors to be printed and thus ensure a more accurate reproduction of the buyer's job.

While the traditional approach of assessing color conformance (defined in ISO 12647-2) satisfies some of the printers' needs, the new guidelines satisfy the needs of both the printer and the print buyer by specifying the relationship between input data and colors to be printed. TR016 additionally addresses two other industry needs: 1) evaluation of color reproduction conformance on heavily optically brightened papers, and 2) multiple tolerance levels, which allow printers and print buyers to choose tolerances appropriate for the print job.

Committee for Graphic Arts Technology Standards (CGATS) co-chair Steve Smiley, Vertis Communications' Director of Color Technology, noted the value of TR016 stating, "Finally a meaningful technical report that allows consumer products companies to define a printer's requirements. This report sets the groundwork for printer certifications according to accredited standards. This technical report also validates the use of reference print conditions in PDF/X files, and will push our industry to satisfy our customers' expectations."

The new technical report is the result of a shared effort between CGATS and the IDEAlliance (International Digital Enterprise Alliance) Print Properties Colorimetric Council. Committee members involved in the development of this technical report included a broad range of leading industry printers, software vendors, commercial printers, academia, and other industry stakeholders.

NPES supports and administers the activities of the ANSI-accredited CGATS Committee. Participation on the committee is open to anyone having an interest. For more information contact Debbie Orf, Assistant Director of Standards Programs at phone: 703/ 264-7200 or e-mail: [email protected].