44-Page Guide Details Latest Best Practices and Specifications for Printing

IDEAlliance has released its 12th Edition of Printing Guidelines, categorizing the latest best practices and specifications for printing. The 44-page guide addresses the demands of evolving customer needs, the new challenges of acting globally, and the latest changes in technology. From specifications such as GRACoL and SWOP to updates in lighting and measurement, and the addition of the G7 specification TR015, this publication addresses the latest best practices in printing in North America and Internationally. The guide is available at www.idealliance.org/print-guidelines12.

The IDEAlliance Printing Guidelines 12.0 includes important new developments in print production:

• G7 TR015 Specification
• New Reference Print Conditions
• Color Science to Predict Print
• Process Control to Manage the Supply Chain

David Steinhardt, IDEAlliance President & CEO, said, "Developing best practices in print and electronic media production is core to IDEAlliance's mission of taking a leadership role in standardizing, educating and certifying our industry." He continued, "This edition of the Printing Guidelines is the culmination of the collaboration of more than 20 experts, countless hours of committee and working group members, and the generosity of design, paper and print providers. We thank these professionals and organizations who generously gave their time, expertise and support for this worthy project. This is the best in our industry."

Leading experts from various facets of the industry have developed these guidelines to move the industry forward and encourage the adoption of known best practices in print production. To assure this content was accessible to every level of experience, it includes a section for people new to production and prepress processes, or those who want to review the basics.

For advanced users, the SWOP and GRACoL sections define best practices that continue to raise the level of quality of publication printing, updating our most widely used specifications in print production. New to this edition, a section on screen print and wide format ink jet defines a formal baseline of specifications for these printing processes, as well as guidelines and best practices for printing large, four-color process images for signage, display and graphics.

The edition defines the methodology behind G7 and describes how its newest iteration, G7 Process Control, helps printers make process control an integral part of their manufacturing operation. The edition concludes with sections on best practices for use of performance metrics to identify and report print as a process, and how colorimetry can supplement or replace historical densitometry in setting aims and tolerances for reproducing graphic images.

The Printing Guidelines 12.0 is available for $19 ($25 for non-IDEAlliance members) and available for online purchase in single issue or in bulk quantities.  Questions and telephone orders to Nanette Nathan (703) 837-1093 or email [email protected].