SNAP, GRACoL,

SWOP, and ISO

Abe Hayhurst
Prepress and Technology Manager
January 22, 2006

Who benefits from printing standards?

Print Buyers

Printers

An independent, authoritative, and

concrete basis for file preparation
and in house proofing

An independent, authoritative and

concrete basis for calibration,
process control, and proofing

Receive proofs from printers that

are in line with their expectations

Customers who are happy with

their proofs

Reduced proofing cycles and

faster approvals processes

Reduced make ready costs

Are distinguished as a quality

operation

Synchronized expectations with

print buyers

Synchronized expectations with

printer

Objections to printing standards

Objections

Printing standards commoditize

printing.

Printing standards bring quality

down to the lowest common
denominator.

Responses

Printing is already rapidly

becoming commoditized apart
from printing standards.

Printing standards dictate certain

aspects of quality (primarily color)
while leaving others open to
innovation (linescreen, etc.)

Only quality printers can control

their entire process and
consistently print to a standard.

Printing standards do not take

away your ability to differentiate
yourself based on service, speed,
and dependability.

Printing standards result in loss of

differentiation from competition.

Existing Printing Standards

Newsprint

Publication

Commercial

ISO 12647-3

ISO 12647-2

ISO 12647-2

SNAP

SWOP

GRACoL

Newsprint Comparison of ISO 12647-3 and SNAP

ISO 12647-3

SNAP

Coldset offset lithography and

letterpress on newsprint

Specifications for Newsprint

Advertising Production

Ink: ISO 2846-2

Ink: ISO 2846-2

Substrate: L* 82 a* 0 b* 3

Substrate: ISO 12647-3

Primary Colors: specified

Primary Colors: ISO 12647-3

Secondary Colors: specified

Secondary Colors: ISO 12647-3

TVI: 26% or 30%

TVI: 30% (+/- 4%)

Grey Balance: optional

Grey Balance: required

GB %: 30-24-24, 40-33-33

GB %: 25-18-18, 40-30-30

Neutral definition: substrate or

equivalent tint of black

Neutral definition: substrate

Publication Comparison of ISO 12647-2 and SWOP

ISO 12647-2 Type 3

SWOP

Offset lithographic processes

gloss-coated, web

Specifications for Web Offset

Publications

Ink: ISO 2846-1

Ink: ISO 2846-1

Substrate: L* 92 a* 0 b* 5

Substrate: ISO 12647-2

Primary Colors: specified

Primary Colors: ISO 12647-2

Secondary Colors: specified

Secondary Colors: ISO 12647-2

TVI: 15 - 19% or 20 - 24%

TVI: 18 - 22%

Grey Balance: optional

Grey Balance: required

GB %: 25-19-19, 50-40-40, 75-64-64

GB %: 25-17-17, 50-40-40, 75-63-63

Neutral definition: substrate or

equivalent tint of black

Neutral definition: specifies neutral

appearance and weight of equal
tint of black

Commercial Comparison of ISO 12647-2 and GRACoL

ISO 12647-2 Type 1

GRACoL 7

Offset lithographic processes

gloss-coated, wood-free

General Requirements and

Applications for Commercial
Offset Lithography

Ink: ISO 2846-1

Substrate: L* 95 a* 0 b* -2

Primary Colors: specified

Secondary Colors: specified

TVI: 12 - 16% or 18 - 22%

Grey Balance: optional

GB %: 25-19-19, 50-40-40, 75-6464

Neutral definition: substrate or

equivalent tint of black

Ink: ISO 2846-1

Substrate: ISO 12647-2

Primary Colors: ISO 12647-2*

Secondary Colors: ISO 12647-2*

TVI: 12 - 16% CMY, 14 20%

Black, NPDC required

Grey Balance: required

GB %: 50-40-40

Neutral definition: a* 0 b* -2

*GRACoL 7 allows deviation from the ISO 12647-2 primaries in order to obtain grey balance
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Which standard/s should I comply with?

Simultaneous compliance with multiple standards:

GRACoL and ISO 12647-2 Type 1

SNAP and ISO 12647-3

SWOP and ISO 12647-2 Type 3

Some specifications are non-exclusive

Overlapping tolerance of specifications

Steps to compliance Substrate Selection

Use a high quality paper

Dont use extremely glossy paper

Make sure a* is positive

Minimal optical brighteners (examine spectral reflectance curve)

Proofing substrate should meet these criteria (close spectral match)

Steps to compliance Ink set Selection

ISO 2846-1 Ink draw downs

Wet trap should produce correct secondary colors

TVI

Grey Balance

Ink flow

Water pickup
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Steps to compliance Plate Calibration

Should be based on measurement and examination of the plate

Should be independent of printing conditions

Should not be based on measurement of printed product

Should be independent of screening

Positive vs. Negative Checkerboards lighter or darker

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Steps to compliance Screening Selection

Type of Screening (AM, FM, XM/hybrid) and grey balance

Different approaches to Screen ruling (AM) or dot size (FM)

Choose ruling, then use calibration curve to achieve desired TVI and grey balance

Print and measure different rulings to see which achieves desired TVI

Minimum dot sizes What can I get on the plate vs. the substrate

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Steps to compliance Press Run

Press is in optimal condition (document consumables and settings)

Optimize test form for evenness of ink distribution

Run enough impressions to stabilize between measurements

Verify primary and secondary colors, TVI/NPDC, grey balance

Run enough impressions to stabilize after final approval

Measure wet and dry (predetermine dry back)

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Data set/s for profiling, separation, and proofing

Internal data set/s vs. external data set/s based on standards

ECI

www.eci.org

Profiles based on FOGRA data sets

FOGRA

www.fogra.org

Data sets that closely comply with ISO 12647

GRACoL

www.gracol.org

GRACoL 7 data set due out Q1 2006

IFRA

www.ifra.com

Profiles based on ISO 12647-3 (Newsprint)

SNAP

www.naa.org

SNAP profile

SWOP

www.swop.org

TR001 profile

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Thank you.

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