X-Rite’s CxF3 becomes an ISO standard that enables seamless, digital communication, an essential component of any color related workflow. 

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – X-Rite Incorporated, a global leader in color science and technology and its subsidiary Pantone LLC, announced today that the ISO TC130 committee that sets global standards for the Graphic Arts has adopted the X-Rite Color Exchange Format version 3 (CxF3) as the new standard for color data exchange and verification. This standard (ISO

17972-1:2015) provides the graphic arts industry with an accurate, efficient way to communicate color information across any supply chain. X-Rite made its technology available to ISO without any restrictions to support and continue to contribute to the industry through this major technical development. X-Rite fully endorses ISO’s goal of harmonizing technical specifications for products and services that make industries more efficient by communicating color electronically in a global color supply chain.

The CxF3 format is defined in a completely open way so that all aspects of a color can be communicated, even when the application and the color communication features required are unknown. This means that every software vendor implementing and supporting CxF3 is able to easily and accurately extend the information throughout global workflows.

“Physically correct and accurate color communication is critical to an efficient workflow in the Graphic Arts,” says Ray Cheydleur, Printing and Imaging Product Portfolio Manager at X-Rite. “X-Rite's CxF3, and now ISO CxF, ensures an accurate and efficient exchange of digital standards, measurements and metadata. The publication of this standard provides a framework for sharing color data at all steps in the workflow – from brand owner through to production. Many companies and products have already benefited from CxF3, and now that it is an ISO standard, many more will benefit in the future.”

“When a company invests in the effort required to define and deploy standards that profit the industry at large, it is a true indicator of market leadership,” adds Francis Lamy, Chief Technology Officer at X-Rite. “CxF is a key enabler to more efficient workflows with less waste, faster turnaround times and streamlined communication of color information in color critical workflows. We are proud to be able to make this contribution to the industry.”

X-Rite established the first version of CxF in 2000. Since then, the company has continued to invest in and improve the specification, using knowledge gained from serving a wide range of markets. X-Rite also established a website where the CxF3 specification and examples are publicly available for download (www.colorexchangeformat.com). This website has facilitated the wide distribution of CxF3 and provided strong support for the creation of the 17972 series and the publication of the earlier ISO standards.

“Printing according to established ISO standards is a benefit for both the print producer and the media buyer,” said Laurel Brunner, Managing Director of Digital Dots Limited. “With the adoption of ISO 17972-1:2015, a new dimension has now been added to standards compliance that will help everyone in the color workflow more easily produce color quality within expected tolerances and to make it easier to communicate color. X-Rite has made a valuable contribution to of the industry by making this important specification available as an open standard.”

For more information and to download a copy of the new standard, visit:

http://www.iso.org/iso/home/store/catalogue_tc/catalogue_detail.htm?csnumber=61500