Printing Certification Schemes 1
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Printing Certification Schemes R. Chung, Professor
Printing certification schemes are market-driven and are regional. How can certification schemes be promoted and harmonized worldwide?
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Contents
! Certification
! Printing certification schemes around the world – Memberbody
– Private brand
! WG13 task force
! PSA, G7, and PSO
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Printing Industry
Conformity Certification Activities
Certification Schemes
CertificationBodies, auditors
PrintingAssociations, consultants
PrintersRepeatable Color
Print BuyersPredictable Color
ISO/TC130/WG3
Process Control
Standards
Product Conformance
Standards
ApplicableTechnicalStandards
ISO/TC130/WG13
Basic Principles
ManagementSystem
Requirements
ConformityAssessment
Requirements
Printing Certification Schemes 2
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Certification
! Certification refers to the confirmation of certain characteristics of a process. – It is the result of an audit process, not self-examination.
! It’s a business issue – Printing certification enables print supplier chains. – Certifications are issued by certification bodies who are
creditable, independent, and unbiased.
! It’s a standardization issue – Different standards specify printing aims, tolerances, and test methods differently.
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Printing Certification Schemes
! Certification refers to the confirmation of certain characteristics of a process. – It is the result of an audit process carried out by a certification
body.
! Different types of product certification schemes – Type 1a - Calibration only, no production variation, e.g., G7
– Type 3 - Calibration, production variation, and surveillance, e.g., PSO, PSA
– Type 5 - Calibration, production variation, surveillance, and QMS, e.g., BPiF
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Printing Certification Schemes 3
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Printing Certification Schemes
! Certification scheme is a set of requirements, rules, and procedures that apply to specified products. – Scheme owner is a person or organization responsible for
developing and maintaining a specific certification scheme. – Scheme can be institutional (Fogra PSO, Ugra PSO, PSA, G7,
JapanColor), private (GMI, MellowColour, print-quality, etc.)
! Certification scheme contains the following parts: (a) selection, (b) determination, (c) review, (d) decision, (e) attestation, and (f) surveillance
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Printing Certification
! There are many printing certification schemes in the world. Scheme owners can be an individual, an industry association, or an institution.
! Certification scheme contains the following parts: (a) selection, (b) determination, (c) review, (d) decision, (e) attestation, and (f) surveillance.
! Certification body performs the certification audit. A certification body may be accredited to deminstrate its competence.
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Printing Certification Schemes 4
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WG13 Task Force
! 2011 workshop a) Do we want WG13 to develop conformance assessment
guidelines for all TC130 standards or b) Do we want each WG to develop its own conformance
assessment requirements?
– Option a (4) – Option b (5) – Option a and b (16) – Abstain (7)
! 2014 workshop – How to promote certification and harmonize printing
certification activities worldwide?
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Printing Certification Schemes 8
! WG13 memberbodies and their certification schemes – Brazil - NBR – China – (none) – France – (none) – Germany - PSO – Italy – cmyQ and CerPrint – Japan - JapanColor – Netherlands - SCGM – Sweden - CGP – Switzerland - PSO – UK - BPiF – USA – G7 and PSA
Printing Certification Schemes 5
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Printing Certification Schemes
! Private brands – GMI (USA): http://www.graphic-measures.com
– Mellowcolour (UK): http://mellowcolour.com/proficient-printer-directory.html/3/
– Heidelberg 12647-2 Certification (Germany): www.heidelberg.com
– SID in Germany (Sachsisches Institut für Druck): www.sidleipzig.de
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Printing Certification -- Brazil
! Certified printers in Brazil – Newspaper (5) – Security printing (10) – ISO 12647-2 (2) – ISO 9001 (6)
! Brazilian certification body, ABTG, develops certification schemes and provides training for specific sectors, e.g., security printing, newspaper.
! Bruno Mortara, Technical Director, ABTG – Companies that look for certification are big offset printers driven
by market recognition.
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Printing Certification Schemes 6
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Printing Certification -- China
! Certified printers in China (2014) – G7 Master (199), G7 PC Master (2) – PSA Certified (3), Fogra PSO Certified (3), Ugra PSO Certified (1) – GMI Certified (217)
! Chinese printing industry does not have its own certification body and certification scheme.
– Certified printers are driven by customer requirements and operational efficiency.
! Brenda Pang, Executive Director, APTEC – APTEC conducts training programs and standardization
workshops to experts, printers, designers, publishers, and print buyers, to promote certification.
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Printing Certification -- France
! French printing industry does not have its own certification body and certification scheme. – Quality and automation are key to printer’s survival.
! French printing industry association, UNIC, launched ISO12647 Standardization initiative “Gap Analysis Audit” in 2013. – 50 French printers were selected to participate. – 12 printers completed implementation of GAA recommendations.
! Elie Khoury, CEO, Alwan Colour – Certification bodies need to find a suitable business model in order
to sustain in the future.
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Printing Certification Schemes 7
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Printing Certification -- Germany
! PSO certified printers – Germany (203) – All (320)
! BVDM and Fogra developed PSO scheme in 2004. – It is targeted to companies of different sizes as long as they
have at least one four-colour printing press. – German printing industry are well informed about the value of
certification.
! Karl Meinecke, BVDM – Adhere to one ISO standard is a way of harmonizing printing
certification worldwide.
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Printing Certification -- Italy
! Certified printers in Italy – CertiPrint by Studio Xilox (6), cmyQ by TUV sud (4) – PSO Fogra (7), PSO Ugra (1)
! More than 300 Italian printers working with the standards every day without being certified. – Certification is perceived only having marketing value.
! Carlo Carnelli, Consultant – The printing market, perhaps, needs a scheme with a minimum
set of rules where each stakeholder is able to guarantee basic results to its customers, not limited to colour aspect.
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Printing Certification Schemes 8
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Printing Certification -- Japan
! Certified printers in Japan – Offset printing – ISO 12647-2 (164) – Color matching JapanColor dataset (38) – Proofing system (vendor) – ISO 12647-7 (74) – Proofing process management (prepress) (72)
! Japan certification body (JPMA)
! Michio Haibara, Dai Nippon Printing – The number of certified printers, systems, and design/prepress
houses are increasing since 2012. – Colour matching certificate is available at least 4-months after
the Offset printing certificate.
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Printing Certification -- Netherlands
! Certified printers in the Netherlands and Belgium – SCGM (37) – The number of certified printers declined since 2009 to date.
! Reasons for the decline – Bankruptcy/merger of certified companies – Some printers chose not to renew – Some printers failed in the re-certification process – Some printers chose other certification schemes
! Wilco De Groot, Managing Director, IGT – Misinformed experts and confusing documents and standards
are also responsible for the decline.
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Printing Certification Schemes 9
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Printing Certification -- Sweden
! Certified printers in Sweden – CGP, Certified Graphic Arts Production (16)
! The total number of printers in Sweden has decreased.
! Paul Lindström, Digitaldots – A standard certification scheme better serves the market than too
many certification schemes.
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Printing Certification -- Switzerland
! Certified printers in Switzerland – Ugra PSO (25) – swissPSO (13)
! Certified Ugra PSO printers outside Switzerland – France (43), Germany (3) – Australia (3), India (3), The Netherlands (3)
! Erwin Widmer, Ugra – Educating print buyers is the most effective way to promote and
propagate certification in the printing industry.
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Printing Certification Schemes 10
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Printing Certification -- UK
! Certified printers in UK – BPiF scheme (?) – Mellow Colour (?)
! Printed Media Certification (PMC) is a certification body in UK.
! Jon Stack, Director of Printed Media Certification – 80~85% companies fail in their first evaluation against the BPiF
scheme. – Staff's lack of training is the most problematic issue.
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Printing Certification -- USA
! Certified PSA printers (3)
! Certified printers under G7 brands – System Certification Programs (155) – G7 Masters in 16 countries (1,138) – G7 PC (Process Control) Masters in 3 countries (22)
! David Steinhardt, CEO, IDEAlliance – IDEAlliance G7 model has been successful because
- Using experts, i.e., trained consultants, to work directly with printers - Providing training and disseminating best practices in their workflows - Keeping the certification schemes simple and affordable - Provides training for print buyers and brand owners since their needs
are the greatest motivation for printers to get certified.
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Printing Certification Schemes 11
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PSA Scheme
! PSA is a printing certification scheme based on ISO 15339-1, ANSI CGATS.21, and CGATS TR 016.
! PSA milestone events 2009 – The U.S. printing industry asked RIT to develop a rigirous printing certification program 2010 – RIT conducted a printing standards survey 2011 – ISO/DIS 15339 under development 2012 – CGATS TR016 published; RIT launched PSA for offset 2013 – Three printers in the Greater China became PSA certified 2014 -- ISO/FDIS 15339 ballot failed to pass 75% 2014 -- CGATS revised TR016; RIT launched PSA for digital printing based on CGATS TR016 (2014)
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PSO Scheme – ‘O’ for Offset
! PSO is a publication by bvdm.
! PSO is a methodology that allows the operation and the maintenance of print production processes in order to achieve standardized and stable production.
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Printing Certification Schemes 12
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PSO Milestone Events
! Introduced to the European market in 2003
! Aims and tolerances are based on ISO 12647-2. – Solid color, TVI, and Midtone spread
! Printer specifies workflow to be audited. – Fogra or Ugra and their PSO partners perform on-site audits
! PSO certified printers are mainly in Europe, some in Asia, none in the U.S.
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PSO and PSA
Scheme PSO PSA
Applicable standards
ISO 12647-2 ISO 12647-7 ISO 2846
ISO/DIS 15339-1 ANSI/CGATS TR 016 ISO/TS 10128
Calibration & control
TVI adjustment Printer’s choice (TVI, gray balance, device link)
White point Proofing and printing substrates adhere to specified aims
Proofing and printing aims are adjusted based on the white point of the substrate being printed
Printing conformance requirements
4 solids (∆E*ab), 4 midtone TVIs, 1 midtone spread
Dataset (∆E00), 4 solids (∆E00), 4 midtone (∆E00), 1 midtone triplet (∆E00)
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Printing Certification Schemes 13
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PSO and PSA
! Can the two schemes co-exist in one workflow? – PSO scheme focuses on what printer wants, i.e., process control
conformity. – PSA scheme focuses on what print buyer wants, i.e., color
conformity.
Job Data(3-channel
or4-channel)
Reference Dataset
Printing
Color Management
Color Control
Bar / RIP
Color Management
(optional)
Print Buyer and Designer
Proof
Process Control!
Product Conformity!
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G7 Scheme
! G7 is a neutrality-based press calibration method. – Neutrality-based aims are based
on CGATS TR 015. - Input includes a set of pre-
determined CMY (TV) triplets, paper color, K solid, and CMY solid.
- Tonal aims are in terms of NPD (neutral print density) and CIELAB.
- Gray reproduction aims are in terms of substrate-corrected gray ramp CIELAB.
TV
TVI K(eq.16)
Yr K(eq. 13)
NPD of K (TV)(eq. 11 & 12)
CIE_XYZ of K(Annex C)
CIE_Lab of K(Annex C)
CIE_X'Y'Z' of K(Annex C)
NPD of CMY (TV)(eq. 4 & 5)
CIE_XYZ of CMY(Annex C)
CIE_Lab of CMY(Annex C)
CIE_X'Y'Z' of CMY(Annex C)
TVI CMY(eq.10)
Yr CMY(eq. 6)
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Printing Certification Schemes 14
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G7 Scheme - Calibration
! Press calibration begins with printing the P2P target under typical ink-paper-press conditions (Run 1).
! Measure the target, construct and print with G7 curves (Run2).
Run 1 Run 2
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G7 Scheme - Calibration
! G7 tolerances are based on IDEAlliance G7 Pass/Fail Criteria (see case study).
! TR015 is used to establish the aim tone reproduction of characterization data sets. – TR015 have no tolerances.
Run 1 Run 2
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Printing Certification Schemes 15
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G7, PSO, and PSA
! PSA focuses on conformance to color characterization dataset which requires press calibration (TVI, neutrality), device link, and process control.
! PSO focuses on conformance to process control aims in terms of paper color, solids, and TVI.
! G7 focuses on conformance to process control aims in terms of neutrality and tone reproduction.
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G7, PSO, and PSA
! PSA focuses on dataset conformance with substrate correction to reconcile the difference between reference white point and the printing paper. – Press calibration and process control are responsibility of the
printer. – SCCA addresses print buyer's OBA preference. Thus,
increasing its real-world applicability.
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Printing Certification Schemes 16
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Conclusions
! WG13 is aimed at developing conformity assessment framework that the printing industry stakeholders can understand and use.
! Certification schemes are developed by industry associations and certification bodies.
! The more geographically distributed a printing operation is, the more compelling the benefits of printing certification becomes.
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Web Sites
! PSA: http://printlab.rit.edu/services/psa/ ! PSO: http://www.pso-insider.de/ ! G7: http://www.idealliance.org/ ! GMI: http://www.graphic-measures.com ! Ugra: www.ugra.ch/ ! Japancolor: Japancolor.jp ! BPiF: britishprint.com ! MellowColour: http://mellowcolour.com/proficient-
printer-directory.html/3/
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