© 2012 WAN-IFRA, 1

WAN-IFRA Webinar, 28 July 2015

Anand Srinivasan, B.E. Printing Technology

Research Manager, WAN-IFRA

ISO 12647-3: 2013, the latest revision of newspaper quality standard

© 2012 WAN-IFRA, 2

World Printers Forum

International print community within WAN-IFRA

Join the World Printers Forum to influence and support the future development of newspaper production technology, organisation and business.

© 2012 WAN-IFRA, 3

© 2012 WAN-IFRA, 4

Published research reports

� Published Mid-July 2015

� Accompanied with a new

ICC profile

� Reduced TIC to 220%

� Perfectly compatible with

the old ISO newspaper

profile

© 2012 WAN-IFRA, 5

Upcoming research reports

� Features case studies across

the globe

� Tracks emerging and

successful business models

� To be published in

September during the

second WPF board meeting

� Part of WAN-IFRA India

2015 conference

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Upcoming research reports

� 5 associations and 14

industry partners

� Guide to be available in

October

� During World Publishing

Expo 2015

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Planned projects

� Standardising production with lower gsm newsprint

� Print quality standards for inkjet newspaper printing

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International Newspaper Color Quality Club 2016-18

Tighter regulations to make it more challenging

Open to all newspapers irrespective of technology used

Evaluation is based on ISO 12647-3

© 2012 WAN-IFRA, 9

The life of a newspaper is just one day.

Why standardisation is important for such a short lived product?

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ISO 12647

■ Graphic technology standard that defines process control

procedures for production of halftone color separation,

proof and production print

■ 7 sub divisions

� -1: Measurement methods

� -2: Offset lithography

� -3: Coldset offset (Newspaper production)

� -4: Publication gravure printing

� -5: Screen printing

� -6: Flexographic printing

� -7: Proofing

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ISO 12647-3

■ First approved in 1998

� The standard came at the time

when colour printing in

newspaper was gaining

popularity

■ Revised in 2004 to include

latest technologies at that time

■ Next revised in 2013

■ For more details: Our special

report on ISO 12647-3

© 2012 WAN-IFRA, 12

WAN-IFRA and ISO 12647-3

■ WAN-IFRA played a crucial role in developing the

standard and making it popular across the globe

� Part of the TC 130 committee

� Spread the know-how of the standards through research

reports

� Nation wide standardisation projects across the globe

� International print quality competitions

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Nation wide standardisation projects

Germany QUIZ

Spain CINCO

Croatia SINCOL

Netherlands QUIK

Italy CQ2

South America ACER

India ICONS

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What does the standard specify?

Specifications for all areas of newspaper production

� Delivery of ad materials and proofs

� Color separation settings for Pre-press: GCR and Total ink

limit

� Plate making: Dot shape, screen ruling, screen angles,

exposing resolution, AM and FM screen

� Materials: Newsprint shade, Shade of primary and secondary

colors for inks

� Press: Gray balance, Color register, Dot gain and mid-tone

spread

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What is new in the latest revision?

Significant changes

in the standard

considering latest

technology and

market needs

� CTP has become a norm

� Tighter control in plate

making

� Improved quality of

newsprint

� Common use of 40 and 42

gsm newsprint

� Improved and brighter

newsprint for special

advertisement features

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Separation settings

� Reduction of Total Ink Limit

(TIC) from 240 to 220

� Minimum Black at the black

point increased from 85% to

90%

� Use the new WAN-

IFRAnewspaper26V5.icc

color profile

� Created by Swedish Graphic

Companies' Federation in

association with WAN-IFRA

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Plate production

� Tonal range from 3% to 95% (Earlier 90%)

� Screen ruling selection from a range of 100 lpi to

140 lpi for AM

� Clear specification for FM screens

� 40 microns +/- 10 microns

� Irrespective of screen rulings and dot size, the

TVI should be adjusted to 26%

� Accuracy of plate imaging within 2.5% tolerance

� Within a plate and between imager

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Shade of inks

Measured in dry print with D50 illuminant, 2 degree observer, 45:0 or 0:45 geometry, No polarisation filter

--21344-C Black

--1040C + M + Y

78254152M + Y

78-22741C + M

7817-3453C + Y

454136Black (K)

5558-378Yellow (Y)

45-14454Magenta (M)

45-27-2357 Cyan (C)

b*a*L*

Delta E*1976 tolerances

Deviation Variation

CIELAB Color Values

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Print production – Gray balance

� Gray combinations from ISO 12647-3: 2005 and ISO 12647-

3: 2013

� WAN-IFRA recommends gray combinations from 2005

---52%52%60%Grey 6

38.9%38.6%50%42%42%50%Grey 5

---33%33%40%Grey 4

21.4%21.1%30%24%24%30%Grey 3

---16%16%20%Grey 2

6.9%6.5%10%8%8%10%Grey 1

YellowMagentaCyanYellowMagentaCyan

ISO 12647-3: 2013ISO 12647-3: 2005

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Print production – Tonal range & register

� Tonal range – 3% to 95%

in relation to data

� Earlier 3% to 90%

� Register – Should not

exceed 0.20 mm or 200

microns

� Earlier, maximum allowed

deviation is 300 microns

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Print production – Dot gain

� Smoother dot gain curve

� Not a significant change

0100

7.690

14.380

19.870

23.860

2650

26.240

23.930

1920

11.110

00

Tone value in print

Reference tone value

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How to implement the ISO 12647-3 standard

in your workplace?

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Step 1: Quality control tools

� Basic densitometer in every press console desk

� Atleast one advanced spectrodensitometer for the use of QC

executives

� Plate measuring device

� Hand-held device with possibility to connect to computer

� Training to all staff

� How to use the equipment?

� What settings to keep?

� Why those settings?

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Step 2: Standardise raw materials

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Step 3: Right standards in the RIP

� Choose right screening technology – AM or FM

� Choose the right screen frequency

� Dot size in case of FM

� Choose right exposing resolution

� In-depth study is necessary before selecting

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Step 4: Standardise plate making

Processor standardisation

� Pre-heat temperature

� Brush pressure

� Processing speed

� Water supply

� Gumming

CTP standardisation

� Exposure

� Consistency of dot reproduction

within a imager

� Consistency of dot reproduction

across multiple imagers

� Plate linearisation

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Step 5: Achieve 26% dot gain

� Analyse all towers

� Make adjustments to bring

all towers to similar

condition

� Evaluate the dot gain

� Calibrate the RIP to get the

right dot gain

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Step 6: Implement the ICC profile

� WAN-IFRAnewspaper26V5.icc

is available for download

� Implement in all areas in pre-

press

� Encourage advertisers to use it

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Step 7: Implement a quality control mechanism

� Refer Chapter 6 of our ISO

12647-3:2013 report for

complete details

� Defines quality control

procedures for all areas of

newspaper production

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Step 8: Benchmark your print quality

� Benchmark through our Colour Quality Club, only global print

quality competition for newspaper

� Registration open. www.colorqualityclub.org

� Get your printing plant ISO 12647-3 certified by WAN-IFRA

© 2012 WAN-IFRA, 31

Standardisation is not expensive

� Standardisation is not expensive

� Investment in quality control tools

� Standardise your existing infrastructure and achieve great

results

� Opportunity to train and motivate of your staff. This is the key