Greetings from the Flexo Quality Consortium (FQC) Executive Committee! No matter where you spend your time, I think we can all agree that this summer has been hot! Much like the temperatures seen in July and August, the FQC has three projects that are heating up, too.
CXF Characterization Comparison
The first, CxF Characterization Comparison, will compare the profile accuracy of a CxF characterization to the Standard IT8.7/4 characterization process. Press characterization is a lengthy process and variability can affect the accuracy of the press profile.
Press trials are underway and we expect this project to be completed by the fourth quarter. Stay tuned for a solution to better characterize your presses, leading to more accurate color reproduction and increased press productivity.
Plate & Stickyback Optimization
The second project is the Flexographic Plate & Stickyback Optimization Project. Press trials have already been completed and data is being analyzed. Plate durometer and stickyback tape density are the variables here. This project will illustrate what durometer/density combinations optimize print quality, ink transfer, mottle and density.
It is expected this project will be ready to report on by Forum 2017.
Ink Temperature’s Impact
The third project is still trying to gain the needed momentum. The Impact of Ink Temperature Change on Print & Productivity is looking for resources to contribute to the team. Both environmental and production conditions can create changes to pressruns and the resulting print results. This project intends to look at the impact of ink temperature on print characteristics and pressroom productivity. It will look at the components that impact temperature along with the resulting graphic and print results. If you would like to contribute to this project, please volunteer today!
A huge thank you to the Standards Working Group (SWG) for its contributions! Because of the work done by the FQC and SWG, the FTA is a sponsor of the 2016 ISO/TC 130 Working Groups and Plenary Meeting, Sept. 11-16 in San Jose, CA. So, if you find yourself in San Jose in September, please plan on attending this exciting meeting!
SWG Update
The summer of 2016 has been fairly quiet for the SWG. The ISO TC 130 held its spring meeting May 23-27, at DIN in Berlin, Germany. Many draft documents that went through ballot last winter were discussed. Slowly, we have seen a few of them surfacing this summer with the comments and revisions added to the drafts for further balloting.
The next meeting of the ISO TC 130 Graphic Arts standards committee is set for Sept. 11-16 in San Jose, CA at Adobe’s headquarters. This will be a plenary meeting and a full business meeting of the Technical Committee will be held to plan for future developments. No venue has been announced for the spring 2017 meeting.
Working Group 1
There is no new activity in the terminology group since the last report in June’s FLEXO Magazine.
Working Group 2
The prepress data exchange working group had a relatively quiet spring, but the summer has seen some ballots on revisions to new standards. Several of these standards will have direct impact on the packaging industry:
- ISO 12641-1, Graphic technology – Prepress digital data exchange – Color targets for input scanner calibration. This standard was passed in an FDIS stage and was published in May 2016
- ISO/NWI/WD 12641-2, Graphic technology – Prepress digital data exchange – Part 2: Advanced color targets for input scanner calibration. The ballot has been sent to FTA HQ for review and the U.S. vote on this new work item was due Aug. 19
- Resolution 606 (TC130N3078). ISO 12647 – 2 Graphic technology – Process control for the production of halftone color separations, proof and production prints – Part 2: Offset lithographic processes. It is proposed to amend this standard with a revision to some of the values in Tables 2 and 5. The U.S. has completed the ballot and voted to approve this resolution. It will be discussed at the ISO TC 130 meetings in September. While this standard concerns offset printing, its aims are utilized by flexographic printers who seek to emulate the reproduction quality of offset, including recommendations in the Flexographic Image Reproduction Specifications & Tolerances (FIRST) guide
- ISO 12647-7, Graphic technology – Process control for the manufacture of halftone color separation, proofs and productions prints – Part 7: Proofing processes working directly from digital data. This standard has been submitted for publication and should be released sometime this summer ‘
- ISO 17972-2, Graphic technology – Color data exchange format (CxF/x) – Part 2: Scanner target data. This standard was published in May
- ISO 18620, Graphic technology – Prepress data exchange – Tone adjustment curves exchange. This standard was published in May
- ISO 16613-1, Graphic technology – Variable content replacement – Part 1: Using PDF/X-4 for variable content replacements (PDF/VCR-1). This standard was approved with only editorial comments and has been submitted for ballot in the DIS stage
- ISO/DIS 19445, Graphic technology – Metadata for graphic arts workflow – XMP metadata for image and document proofing – Approved with no comments. This standard has passed all ballots and has been submitted to ISO HQ for publication
- Resolution 610 ISO/TC 130 resolves, at the request of WG 2, to withdraw ISO/TR 16044 Graphic technology – Prepress digital data exchange – Database architecture model and control parameter coding for process control and workflow (Database AMPAC). The U.S. TAG had until July 29 to vote on the resolution to withdraw this technical report. Technical reports are temporary and seek to document a particular technology or methodology not suitable for disclosure as a standard
- Resolution 607 (TC130N3080). Graphic technology – Digital data exchange common document metadata for PDF files. This resolution proposes to add a preliminary work item to the TC 130 body of work. Results of balloting are not yet reported
Working Group 3
The process control and related metrology group saw updates to:
- ISO/CD2 12647-7 Graphic technology – Process control for the manufacture of halftone color separation, proofs and production prints – Part 7: Proofing processes working directly from digital data. This standard has passed all ballots and was published in May
- ISO/DIS 20654 Graphic Technology – Measurement and calculation of spot color tone value. The revised document from the spring meeting is out for ballot. It has been sent to FTA HQ for the SWG to review. Vote is due by Oct. 21
- ISO PWI 21328 – Proposed new work item on expanded gamut (EG) process printing. The working committee has been formed and is preparing a proposal for the meeting in San Jose
Working Group 4
There have been no new actions from the media and materials working group since the last report in June’s FLEXO Magazine
Joint Working Group 7
The color management group, in conjunction with the ICC, has the following updates:
- Resolution 608 (TC130N3081) – Graphic technology – BPC for n-color profiles. This will add the preliminary work item to the TC 130 body of work
- The U.S. has voted to approve this resolution. This standard will extend the concept of black point compensation in process printing from 4-color printing to n-color printing, which would include the EG 7-color process used in packaging printing
- ISO/CD 20677, Image technology color management – Extensions to architecture, profile format, and data structure. The ballot has been sent to FTA HQ for review and the U.S. vote was due Aug. 19. This new work item proposes to standardize the new ICC methodology for spectral color management that adds many new controls to packaging printing, including spot colors, EG printing and consumer space requirements
Joint Working Group 8
The color measurement group, in conjunction with ISO TC 42 Photography, has one update:
- ISO/DIS 13655 Graphic technology – Spectral measurement and colorimetric computation for graphic arts images. A second DIS ballot has been submitted to ISO HQ but has not yet been distributed to the U.S.
If you would like to review and comment on any of the upcoming ballots on these standards, please contact FTA Director of Education Joe Tuccitto.
About the Authors: Jean Engelke is the chair of FTA’s Flexo Quality Consortium. She has earned an AAS in Graphic and Design Technology, a BA in Printing Management, an MBA, and an MA in Industrial Engineering Management. Jean started her career teaching Printing and Paper Science at Western Michigan University. She has held positions in R&D, engineering and global product marketing with Appleton Papers, Alcan Packaging and Eastman Kodak Company. Currently she is the Business Development Manager – Packaging Group for RR Donnelley.
Dr. Danny Rich obtained a master’s degree in physics in 1977 from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, VA. In 1998, he joined Sun Chemical Corp. to direct the Sun Chemical Color Research Laboratory in the Daniel J. Carlick Technical Center in Carlstadt, NJ. He has been awarded the Nickerson Service award from the Inter-Society Color Council in 1999, the National Printing Ink Manufacturers award for Technical Achievement in 2008, a Thomas Alva Edison award for innovation by the Research Council of New Jersey in 2008, the Robert F Reed Medal from the Printing Industries of America in 2013, the Mattiello Memorial award from the American Coatings Association in 2015.