Characterization data for standardized printing conditions

What is a printing condition?

set of primary process parameters which describe the conditions associated with a specific printed output, associated with colorimetrical and/or densitometrical aim values.

For the purposes of colour management, a printing condition is fully characterized by giving the relationship between the CMYK digital input values (as stipulated in ISO 12642-2) and the corresponding measured colorimetric values.

Even under standard conditions, i.e. a suitable data preparation (i.e. one that accounts for the different strengths and weaknesses of the individual printing conditions) and a reproducible printing process that has minimal variations both within a run and between runs, it is practically not possible to hit a given set of primary parameters exactly. Differences due to typical production tolerances or due to differences in press, ink or paper are generally unavoidable and have to be accepted by the print buyer. On the other hand, for global data exchange and colour separation purposes, an elaborate colorimetrical characterization of every (standard) printing condition is required. Such data can be extracted from one or more prints that were produced under carefully and tightly controlled (nearly laboratory) conditions followed by mathematical correction procedure that is specifically designed to compensate for the differences remaining, i.e. zero tolerance toward given aim values). Such a fully characterized printing condition is suitable to evaluate and examine the colour gamut and should not be confused with the colorant description that only comprises colorimetrical definitions of the solids (typically CMYKRGB, paper and CMY).

Facilitating modern methods of electronic data manipulation it is possible, as described, to establish characterization data sets that fully reflect the aim values of a given set of primary process parameters. This allows both process control aims for printing operations (to be connected with a general printing condition) as well as colorimetrical aims for hard and Softproofing processes in the prepress arena to be in concert.

Most data are for commercial offset printing, while there is also data for continous form and screen printing. Some data are available in two different versions. The shorter one (without suffix or suffix "S") uses the ISO 12642-1 test chart (derived from IT8/7.3 comprising 928 patches) whereas the extended version (suffix "L") uses the ECI2002 test chart (1485 patches). This chart comprise all tone value patches of the before mentioned test chart.

 

L is getting even larger

As of FOGRA39 the version without any suffix represents the 1485 tone value patches (ISO 12642-2) whereas the the version with the "L" now comprises the 1617 CMYK tone value patches derived from the IT8/7.4 target.

Furthermore you can find the aim values for the Ugra/Fogra Media Wedge CMYK V3.

The following table shows the recommended characterization data. Older
data should not be used anymore. Detailed descriptions for older data is available but is likely to contain outdated information.

 

Char. file	Printing process	Screen- ing	Substrate(1)	CMY(2)	K(3)	substi- tutes
FOGRA47	Sheet fed offset	60/cm- 80/cm	PT4	C	D	FOGRA29
FOGRA46	Web offset heatset	60/cm- 80/cm	PT3	B	C
FOGRA45	Web offset heatset	60/cm- 80/cm	Improved LWC paper	B	C	FOGRA28
FOGRA44	Sheet fed offset	NP(4)	PT4	F	F
FOGRA43	Sheet fed offset	NP(4)	PT1/2	F	F
FOGRA42	Web offset heatset	60/cm- 80/cm	Standard news print paper	C	D
FOGRA41	Web offset heatset	60/cm- 80/cm	MFC (machine finished coated)	B	C
FOGRA40	Web offset heatset	60/cm- 80/cm	SC (super calandered)	B	C
FOGRA39	Sheet fed offset	60/cm- 80/cm	PT1/2	A	B	FOGRA27
FOGRA31- FOGRA38	Continuous printing	54/cm- 60/cm	PT1, PT2, PT4
FOGRA30	Sheet fed offset	60/cm- 80/cm	PT5	C	D
FOGRA9	Screen printing	30/cm	Colour gamut class 2

Anmerkungen

(1)	PT1 = Paper type 1 = 115 g/m2 glossy coated PT2 = Paper type 2 = 115 g/m2 matte coated PT3 = Paper type 3 = 65 g/m2 LWC web offset PT4 = Paper type 4 = 115 g/m2 uncoated white offset PT5 = Paper type 5 = 115 g/m2 uncoated yellowish offset
(2)	TVI curve CMY
(3)	TVI curve K
(4)	NP = non-periodic, 20 µm or 30 µm