These are my DRUPA visits for the standardized print produduction

Advanced Vision Technology Ltd. Hall 03, B69

Agfa Graphics GmbH & Co. KG Hall 08a, B64-1

Alwan Color Expertise  Hall 09, D10

Barbieri  Electronics snc/OHG Hall 07, A23

Basiccolor GmbH Hall 09, D76

Bodoni Systems Ltd. Hall 05, A41

bvdm Hall 06, A01

CGS Publishing Technologies Hall 08b, A66

Digital Information Ltd. Hall 08b, B02

FOGRA Hall 08b, B01

Fujifilm GmbH Hall 08b / A25-1 A25-3

GMG GmbH & Co. KG Hall 04, B25, Hall 07, B11

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG Hall 01, A01-1

impakt-Medien GmbH & Co. KG Hall 09, D76

IPM Müller und Resing GmbH Hall 03 D34, Hall 9 E55

Kodak GmbH Hall 05, F09-1

Koenig & Bauer AG Hall 16, C47-1

Konica Minolta Sensing Europe Hall 08b, B78-2

Lithec GmbH Hall 16, B76

manroland Hall 06, C27-1

Mellow Colour Ltd. Hall 09, C78

Quadtech Hall 17, A01

System Brunner AG Hall 17, A01

Techkon GmbH Hall 09, D62

UGRA Hall 06, A71

UPM-Kymmene Hall 06, D60

X-Rite GmbH Hall 05, D23

Actual news after my visits will be daily posted in the comments to this page

For print buyers, prepress and printers the categorization of papers to fit a standard characterization-data for separation and proofing. In an ideal world, the paper for production is specified before the prepress makes printready data and proofs. The sullier of the paper delivers informations which standard characterization-data or standard ICC-profile matches the choosed paper.
Especially in heatset and gravure printing, the technical specialists of the paper suppliers are delivering such informations if they are asked. Some paper supplier are even offering such informations through their marketing department like e.g. Stora Enso with the press selection fan.

The paperdam group bundles the knowledge of leading paper manufacturers for a better link between paper manufacurers and the ISO committees concerning automated print production. Paper categorization his here a central topic.

My book “Digital Color Management - Principles and Strategies for the Standardized Print Production” is an updated English translation from the third edition of the German reference book “digital colormanagement.”

The book describes color management for print production with a focus on implementing standards for separation, soft proof, contract proof, data delivery and printing.
The basics and strategies are targeted at setting up vendor-independent color management workflows
which can easily be implemented using leading applications.
Utilizing a unique graphical concept, I explain how different standards and specifications such
as ISO 12647, SWOP, GRACoL, G7, ICC profile format and PDF/X fit together.
I describe the main points for setting up color management and quality control from the perspective of print buyers, photographers, agencies, pre-press and printers. The book has a strong focus on communication between all of these essential players. Based on the best practice in communication it
explains the most important steps for quality control for digital data, contract proofs and prints.

The described strategies are the result of 15 years colormanagement projects with some of the leading print buyers, pre-press houses and printers in Germany and Europe. The English edition adapts these strategies also for the US market according to G7, GRACoL and SWOP.

As a reader of this book you can register as a user and ask questions via the comments functions of the website.

Here are some expert comments from the UK and the US:

UK Paul Sherfield from www.missinghorsecons.co.uk

” This excellent book, now available in English for the first time, offers
insight and practical advice on all areas of ICC color management.

As well as offering detail on the application of ICC color management to
graphic arts workflows, it gives an background to color theory  that even
the most experienced users in this area will find useful.

The author discusses the weaknesses, as well as the strengths of ICC color
management, and is not afraid of stating his own views in this book”

Paul Sherfield who runs The Missing Horse Consultancy  is well known in the
UK printing and pre-press industry as having considerable knowledge on
digital workflows, with a special expertise on the business reasoning behind
such systems.

He has installed some of the most successful digital pre-press systems in
the UK. For 2 years he worked on a number of medium term projects before
starting the consultancy in July 2000. Before this he was a partner in what

became one of the leading pre-press/printing companies in London.
He is active in a number of industry groups and is a regular speaker at
seminars and conferences.
Apple Solutions Expert-Print & Publishing
Member - UK TC130 Technical Advisory Group (ISO 12647 Printing Standards)
Member - BPIF Technical Standards Committee

USA: Steve Smiley, Chair of IDEAlliance Print Properties Committee

Jan-Peter,
After reading your book, I have found it a very user friendly tool.  I believe it can
increase the proper user of color management, and process control tools
for consistancy in printing globally.

Read the first 4 Chapters online at Google Books

See more at Amazon
At december 2008, some descriptions from the publishing house at Amazon sites are referring to the second edition of the book and are outdated.

Digital Color Management at amazon.com

Digital Color Management at Amazon UK

Digital Color Management at Amazon France

Digital Color Management at Amazon Deutschland

If ISO 12647 should be implemented at a printer, the first big step is implementation and the second step is verification. The steps for implementation for sheetfeed printing are at least:
1. finding the optimal wet densities for the primaries, which are leading to dry Lab-values matching the ISO 12647-2 aims
(These values are mostly depending on the used ink but also on the dry back and color of the paper)
2. Adjusting the CTP-curves for matching the ISO 12647-2 TVI aims on the printed sheet
(The CtP correction is depending on the combination of CTP, press, paper and ink)
3. Printing a testform with the optimal wet densities and corrected CtP-curves and verification of the print process to be conform to ISO 12647-2.

Implementation
Software for implementation of ISO 12647-2 deliver the necessary functionality for all these steps. Examples for such software are

Bodoni PressSIGN
Colorware PressView
GMG Print Control
Heidelberg Prinect Color Toolbox
IPM Print Process Control
Mellowcolour PrintSpec
MetaDesign MetaPrintCheck

Verfication
Software for verification only is much cheaper as the complete solution for implementation and can be used both on the sides of the print buyer and the printer. The most important vendor independent control strip is the ECI/bvdm GrayCon

Bodoni PressSIGN PrintBuyer
BasICColor certify
CGS certified press
GMG RapidCheck
Heidelberg Quality Monitor

The ECI/bvdm GrayCon M i1 is currently the only vendor independent control strip for judging a print being conform to ISO 12647-2 concerning TVI, Lab-values of the primaries AND for judging the gray balance of a print to match the FOGRA characterization-data / ECI-profiles used for proofing.

The ECI/bvdm GrayCon M i1 can be read in scanning mode with more or less all available scanning spectrophometers on the market including X-Rite i1, Techkon RS 800 and Heidelberg Image control. This makes the strip ideal for projects where print buyer and printer agree to produce according ISO 12647-2 and with proofs based on FOGRA characterization-data / ECI-profiles.

The The ECI/bvdm GrayCon M i1 is placed on the print sheet between the individual pages. The OK sheet will be archived at the printer and may also send to the  print buyer. Both sides are now able to measure the strip on the OK sheet with a scanning spectrophometer in seconds and generate a report with approbiate software how good the OK sheet matches the aims of ISO 12647-2.

The  ECI/bvdm GrayCon M i1 is available since July 2008 from ECI as free download (14 MB). The very helpful English documentation can be downloaded (700 KB ) separately.

In November 2008 some vendors of software for press verification already implemented the ECI/bvdm GrayCon M i1 as preset. This makes it very  easy to use the strip in daily production. Other vendors are already in the state of implementing the ECI/bvdm GrayCon M i1 but allow currently to use it with an individual strip definition. Some vendors of software for press verification only support their own strips and do not allow the integration of individual strips.

In an open world where print buyers work with different printers and printers work with different print buyers, I strongly recommend a vendor independent control strip for judging a print being conform to ISO 12647-2.

Press verification solutions with presets for the ECI/bvdm GrayCon M i1

BasICColor certify V3.2.3 and higher
MetaPrintCheck V4.017 and higher

Press verification solutions which allow to integrate the ECI/bvdm GrayCon M i1 by individual strip definition

CGS ORIS certified press
GMG Print Control / Rapid Check
Heidelberg Prinect Color Toolbox / Quality Monitor

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1989
During my studies of communications science and technology at the Technical University in Berlin I wrote a book about digital imaging with Amiga computers published 1989 by the publishing house technic support. While writing and producing this book I discovered graphic arts and digital color as a field of my strongest professional interest.

1991-1994
I set up my own business as na in-house troubleshooter for digital publishing and worked for a handful of pre-press companies, printers and Mac dealers in the Berlin area. I began to work as a beta-tester for e.g. AGFA, ColorBlind, Linotype-Hell and Logo. I wrote several articles about DTP workflows for the magazine PAGE.

1995-1997
I decided to write the first German book about color management with ICC-profiles and made a contract with the publishing-house “Springer”. I still worked as a troubleshooter, beta-tester and freelance journalist. While writing the book I discovered numerous color management problems, which resulted in re-writing more or less all parts of the book several times.

1998-1999
The first edition of “Digitales Colormanagement” was finally published 1998 and sold very well. I still worked as a trouble-shooter, betat-ester and freelance journalist. But step by step I concentrated more on color management consulting and individual profile generation for proofing systems and offset presses.

2000-2002
The second edition of “Digitales Colormanagement” was published in 2002. I worked mainly as a colormanagement consultant and did a lot of profiling for offset presses. I also did color management consulting for some high end pre-press companies which dealt with profiles and proofing standards with more than 80 printers in Germany. During my work I noticed huge quality problems in RGB-based pre-press wokflows in combination with individual profiles for different printers.

2003-2005
To serve my customers better in both prepress and printing, I decided that the standardization of printing processes will be the basis for my future color management consulting. I joined FOGRA and the Berlin part of the bvdm, to be better in touch with the players relevant for standardization in Germany. I also begun to plan the third edition of my book with a new focus on standardization and workflow design to avoid color management problems. For the first time I worked for industrial print buyers who had to coordinate photographers, agencies, prepress houses and printers.

2006-2007
Writing the third edition of the book was a nightmare. Especially explaining the pitfalls of color management and strategies to avoid them appeared to be much more complex than I expected. Also the constant testing of new applications and updating of screenshots took a lot of time. I decided to split the book into two parts. The first part is about principles and strategies and avoids screenshots as good as possible. The second part is the step by step implementation of strategies from the first part.
During the preparion of the book I learned the importance of workflow-design and tailor making of profiles. I concentrated stronger on color management workflows with devicelink-profiles to avoid typical problems of traditional ICC-workflows.
Finally in 2007 the third German edition “Digital Colormanagement, principles and strategies” was published. At the end of 2007 I signed a contract for the English translation and started updating this version to the latest developments concerning G7, GRACoL ans SWOP.

2008
The English version of “Digital Color Management” was published.

Standardized Printing is the key for short makeready times at the press and a controlled proof to press match even for proofs delivered from different clients.
For successful implementation at a printers`site following steps are necessary

1. Choosing the approbiate standard / specification for the complete print production (data, proofs, press calibration)
The worldwide most referrenced standard for printing is ISO 12647-2. Based on this ISO standard several specifications for data, proofs and press calibration have been developed. These are e.g. PSO Process Standard Offset Printing from bvdm / FOGRA / UGRA, Pass2Press vom PPA in UK or 3DAP in Australia.
In the US GRACoL / SWOP and G7 are common specification for data, proofs and printing being partly compatible to ISO 12647
2. Communication with clients about standards for data delivery
A clear communication with clients about standards for data delivery is an important premise for a smooth workflow from separation via PDF and proof to press. The key is not only to specify that “printready CMYK data” should be delivered, but to the most 2-5 CMYK standards for papertypes used in printing.
If the clients are not sure about whether they use the correct profiles for data creation, it is mandatory that the final color OK of the data needs proof for the correct printing standard.

3. Implementation of standardized in-house proofing
In-house proofing must be set up to the same standards as communicated for data delivery. It is necessary for a complete colormanagement chain from clients’ data to proof, but it is also crucial if in-house proofs from the printer should match the proofs from the clients. The in-house proofing system should include a vendor independent control strip and a solution to measure this control with a spectrophotometer for internal verification of proofs.

4. Implementation of verification for incoming proofs
The printer has to commucate to his clients that delivered proofs must refer to standards and contain a vendor indpendent control wedge. This way a control of incoming proofs with the same solution which is used for the verification of in-house proofs is possible.

5. Optimizing CtP and press performance
Only if steps 1-3 are sucessfully implemented, Ctp and press performance optimization will lead to short makeready times and results which match the expections of the client for every press run. The natural partners for optimizing CtP and press performance are the vendors of the CtP system and the press. The implementation of this optimizatin steps should at least include:
- a written agreement that the final print result should match the chosen specification
- a defined procedure for in-house controlling of the platemaking process after CtP calibration
- a final press run which delivers a good visual match from the press to the controlled inhouse proof
- a defined procedure for monitoring press performance after calibration

For the highest quality it is possible to work with an organization which certifies the printer for all steps (data handling, in-house proofing, proof verfification, CtP and press performance) according the chosen specification. Such specifications are more and more demanded by industrial print buyers.

Address

homann colormanagement
Jan-Peter Homann
Cotheniusstr. 3
10407 Berlin

Tel: 0049 30 61 10 75 18

E-mail contact form

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Based on my experience as a betatester, consultant and troubleshooter for colormanagement I´m doing research in some fields for a better identification of colormanagement problems and possible solutions. I try to make the results and the tools of my research  available to the public, so that others can verify my tests or improve the results.
In several cases technical colormanagement problems are connected with the field of Intellectual Property (IP). If e.g. a colormanagement problem is not adressed by the ICC specififications or other ISO standards, but by a few vendor specific solutions defended by patents, it will be very hard to find a vendor independent solution without violating the patent of the vendors who already have an internal solution.

Fields of my research are e.g.
- Reference Print Medium Gamut

The Reference Print Medium Gamut is an initiative by the ICC aiming at better interopertibilty of perceptual gamut mapping if profiles from differnt vendors are used in the colormanagement workflow. I do research on characterization-data and an icc-profile which are representing the ICC Reference Print Medium Gamut.
Color Management experts are free to download RPMG_alpha1.zip (characterization-data, icc profile and documentation).

For a smooth and safe print production it is necessary to know some basics about all workflow steps. This is important because all actors taking part in the production chain must agree on the specifications for the whole workflow before they start a project. The workflow section of this wesite covers following topics:

- standards and specifications
- standard characterization-data
- standard profiles
- separation of RGB images
- PDF/X
- PDF colorserver
- Proofing
- Standards in the press room

Information on this site is targeted at photographers who are involved in the print production and who want to have control over color till the final contract proof. This means the usage of a professional proof software and the possibility for the verifications of proofs according to PSO or SWOP / GRACoL. It is also necessary to have some basic knowledge about the CMYK settings in Photoshop and how they influence the separation and printability in offset printing.
If you are looking for more specialized information concerning digital photography, I reccomend the website www.digitaldog.net

Digital Proofing according ISO 12647, PSO or SWOP / GRACoL has several advantages for the standardized print production. Firstly it is the only vendor indepent solution for reaching similar proofing results on differnt proofing solutions.
Secondly it is the only vendor independent solution, which allows the verification of proofs both on the side of the proof creator and the printing house.

Calibration and DeviceLink profiles for proofing standards
In the past - and for a range of proofing solutions today - the calibration and profiling of the proofing solution for high end quality was a task for color management expert. With the introduction of standard characterization-data for PSO and SWOP / GRACoL, the vendors have the possibility to offer optimized profile combination for the print reference and the Ink / poffing media combination. In most cases this profile combination is stored as an devicelink profile. Typical optimizations for devicelink profiles in the proofing area are the itration for perfect colorimetric values and e.g. very slight manual adjustments of the whitepoint / paper simulation.
Such kind of optimization makes only sense, if the proofing solution offers a powerful calibration for the ink / media combination. After calibration, the color output of the proofing solution is identical with a reference system at the vendors site, from which the optimized profiles were generated. After one (!) calibration, the operator can use the delivered devicelink-profiles from the proofing vendor to get perfect results. High end proofing definitely needs no more color specialists, if the proofing solutions contain optimized profiles and a powerful calibration.

Proofing systems with calibration and optimized devicelink profiles according PSO and SWOP / GRACoL
The following solutions are delivered with devicelink profiles and an independent calibration. Please note that are still differences between the systems for e.g. the simplicity and quality of the calibration assistent or the quality of the delivered devicelink-profiles.
If you plan to buy a proofing solution, it is a very good idea to see a live demo of the calibration of the proofing solution and to output some testfiles on 2 or 3 differnt proofing standards according PSO or SWOP / GRACoL.

• AGFA ApogeeX Proofer
• CGS ORIS ColorTuner
• ColorGATE PROOFGATE
• GMG ColorProof
• Kodak Inkjet Proofing

Proofing Solutions without optimized DeviceLink Profiles for PSO or SWOP / GRACoL
In december 2007 the following solutions are not shipped with optimized DeviceLink profiles. In most cases it takes a bigger effort and more specialiced knowledge is necessary to reach steadily comparable results to the systems of the first group.

• ColorBurst RIP
• Efi Designer Edition
  
• EfI ColorProof XF
• Heidelberg Prinect MetaDimension

Working according to standards or specifications like PSO, SWOP or GRACoL has several advantages for printers. On highlight are similar proofs from different systems. Proofs from the client or in-house proofs have the same color appereance. If the printing house communicates, that proofs from clients have to confrom to PSO, SWOP or GRACoL, this proofs must contain a vendor independent color bar. This allows a verification and identification of bad proofs before they are coming to the press.

As applications like e.g. Adobe Creative Suite are using out of the box color settings, which are conform to PSO, SWOP or GACoL, it makes sense to optimize the printing process according this specifications, This is the most secure way to match in print, what the customer sees on his (hopefully) calibrated display.

In the past there was a big difference between the creative people in agencies and the technical experts in pre-press shops. Today a lot of graphic designers are converting digital photos from RGB to CMYK and produce PDF files for printing from their layout programms. In this case they do the classical pre-press tasks.

For agencies it makes sense to see, how they can improve the quality of their internal pre-press tasks. Concerning color management the most important steps are:
- Use high quality monitor with hardware calibration for softproofing
- Choose the correct profile for the CMYK-settings in photoshop and the layout program according to the final printing standard
- create PDF/X files with the correct output intent according to the final printing standard
- use an inkjet based proofing solution which allows verification of proofs
- communicate early in written form (e-mail) with the printing house about profiles and printing standards.

Pre-press companies are getting more and more competion from in-house pre-press departments of agencies, publishing houses and even big print buyers. The automatization of pre-press tasks with PDF colorservers and devicelink-profiles helps to stay competitive for efficient handling of big prepress projects. Detailed knowledge about standardization in printing incl. colorimetric judgment of test prints from printers helps to improve the quality from prepress to print.

PDF/X is an ISO standard for the exchange of printing data between agency / prepress shop and printer. An important concept of PDF/X is the output intent. This is in most cases an ICC profile which describes the intended output (printing standard). In complete color management chain, the PDF/X output intent is the same icc profile which was used for sepration in photoshop, as CMYK colorspace in the Layout application and as reference for the contract proof.

The most secure version of PDF/X is PDF/X-1a
The whole content of the PDF/X file must be in CMY, Gray or Spotcolor according the final print standard. For processing the PDF/X-1a file in the printing house, there is no need for colormanagement, if the output intent is correct for the final printing process.
If the output Intent is quite different compared to the final printing process (e.g. SWOP but print on newspaper) it is possible to use a PDF colorserver to convert the whole PDF/X-1a with an optimized and controlled devicelink-profile from SWOP to newspaper.

Avoid PDF/X-3
A lot of people think, that PDF/X-3 is the PDF/X variant which should be used, if the PDF/X-file should be color converted on the printers side. This is wrong! A PDF/X-3 file is only valid for the output intent which the creator of the PDF/X-3 file has set.
Compared to PDF/X-1a PDF/X-3 has no advantages during the print productions but adds a lot of possible traps.

Avoid PDF/X-4
PDF/X-4 is based on PDF/X-3 but adds transparencies on top. From the perspective of the printer, this is not a save file format for the exchange of printing data. If PDF/X creator and printer would agree on PDF/X-4 with an additional preflight only allowing the colorspaces of PDF/X-1a, this would allow secure file exchange.

PDF/X-3 and PDF/X-4 as internal format for colorserver workflows
In a strongly controlled environment of an high end pre-press shop it may make sense to use PDF/X-3 or PDF/X-4 as an internal master-formtat for PDF colorservers. The data delivered to the printer should still remain PDF/X-1a.

PDF Colorserver  is a very powerful tool for the optimization and color conversion of printing data.

Typical optimization issues are:
- limiting the maxim amount of ink (TAC) without changing the color appeareance
- increasing the amount of black and decreasing the amount of CMY without changing the color appeareance

High End Colorconversion adresses both images and vectors by preserving pure colors with controlled smooth color transformations. Colorconversions should have the option to preserve the orginal separation in combination with limiting the TAC.

Both targets can only be reached if the PDF colorserver supports devicelink profiles. Some PDF colorservers are using pre-calculated static devicelink profiles other are calculating dynamicly devicelink-profiles on the fly based on source profiles in the pdf-file and the target profile.

Agency / pre-press shop
A typical configuration in an agency / prepress shop is the conversion of PDF/X-1a files from a master colorspave like e.g. FOGRA39/ISOcoated_v2 or GRACoL2006ccoated1 to other target colorspaces like e.g. ISOnewspaper26 or SNAP2007 for newspaper.

This allows an highly automated production with conversions of complete documents including flattened transparencies and other complex PDF/X-1a constructs.

A variant of this workflow also allows ICCbased colorspaces for individual images in the Master PDF-file.

Both workflow variants allow to work with only one colorsetting in the Layout application and one setting for PDF creation.

Printer
Typical task for the printer is the optimization of printing data for the ideal TAC or more black instead of CMY for more stable print production. Also the conversion of PDF-data for coated paper (standard setting in photoshop and layout programs) to the correct standard for the actual production is pretty easy.

If agencies / pre-press shops or printers are working according standards, it is possible to configure color servers with standard devicelink-profiles or standard settings for the dynamic creation of devicelink profiles for the needed tasks.

The softproof on the monitor is a simulation of chosen standard for proof and print. It needs a well calibrated and profiled monitor. For a high-quality softproof the monitor should deliver the possibility of hardware calibration. In this case the monitor itself communicates with a connected measurement device for optimizing whitepoint, gradation (gamma) and gray balance.

Monitors with hardware calibration are offered e.g. by
EIZO Graphics Monitors
LaCie Displays
NEC Spectraview
Quato

If a print buyer, agency/pre-pess and printer agreed on standards / specifications for the print production, it is necessary to choose the correct profiles for the printing process and paper type. These profiles must be calculated from characterization-data which are referenced in the specification. The following list shows the actual relevant characterization-data for main specifications. A complete list of all the standard characterization-data is hosted at the ICC-website

PSO Process Standard Offset printing according ISO 12647-2(FOGRA / bvdm / ECI)
FOGRA39: coated paper sheetfeed / weboffset
FOGRA45: LWC paper improved weboffset
FOGRA46: LWC paper standard weboffset
FOGRA47: uncoated paper mainly sheetfeed
FOGRA30: uncoated yelloish paper mainly sheetfeed
FOGRA40: SC paper yelloish weboffset
FOGRA41: MFC paper neutral white weboffset
FOGRA42: Standard Newsprint in heatset printing
download from FOGRA

Outdated FOGRA characterization-data
FOGRA27 ( coated paper - replaced with FOGRA39)
FOGRA28 (LWC paper - replaced with FOGRA 45/46)
FOGRA29 (uncoated paper - replaced with FOGRA47)

GRACoL / SWOP specs, partly compatible to ISO 12647-2
GRACoL2006coated1: coated paper grade 1# sheetfeed
SWOP2006coated3: coated paper grade 3# weboffset
SWOP2006coated5: coated paper grade 5# weboffset
download from GRACoL/SWOP

System Brunner
EUROSB104 coated paper mainly sheetfeed download from ICC
EUROSB204 LWC paper white weboffset download from ICC
download from System Brunner

The separation of RGB-images is in very most cases done by an ICC-profile. In a standardized print production, the ICC-profile should be based on the characterization-data compliant to the specification, printing process and paper type.

In most cases there are different sources for profiles based on standard-characterization-data. Well known are the profiles shipped with the Adpbe Creative Suite, which are also available by download from the Adobe website, the profiles from ECI based on FOGRA characterization-data and the profiles from SWOP and GRACoL.

The advantages of GCR based profiles for PSO/FOGRA, SWOP, GRACoL
A new source is www.colormanagement.org which offers profiles for all relevant standards (PSO/FOGRA, SWOP, GRACoL, IFRA) with different separation settings. Currently this is the only source of free available profiles with a strong GCR for a more stable print production. Near neutral colors are hard to control and match in offset printing. Using profiles with a stron GCR will lead to perfect neutrals in the print run and a much better overal gray balance. For best possible quality, the printing house should have calibrated their CtP according ISO 12647-2 / PSO in Europe or G7 in the US.
Please notice alo, that the GCR profiles at www.colormanagement.org use a very strong GCR in the neutral and a medium GCR in the more saturated colors like e.g. Skin tones.

Print buyer, agencies / prepress or printers who are sceptical about GCR should make the following test:
- choose some RGB pictures including neutrals and skintons
- separate the pictures with a normal and a GCR profile based on standard printing conditions and put them in a layout page
- make proof of the layout in the correct printing condition
-make an offset print with the printer matching the proof
If the printing press is in normal state, it will be much easer for the printer to match the GCR based separation instead the standard separation.

Like in other fields where handcraft became  industrial production standards are more and more important, even if people are not aware of it in their daily production.
The color settings and the PDF Export in the Adobe Creative Suite is an implementation of standards for the print production. The standard settings for PDF-preflight in Acrobat or Pitstop referes to standards and also the color settings in several solutions for digital contract proofing.

The most import standards for the print production are:
- ISO 12647-X describing color results for printing on different types of machines and papers
- ISO 15930-X (PDF/X) for data exchange in the print production
- ISO 15076 for the ICC color profile format
- ISO 12640 for the data format from which ICC profiles are calculated

All these standards are prepared by national organizations and later discussed and agreed on in international comittees from the International standards organization ISO. The ISO comittee TC 130 is responsible for all the standards concerning the print production.

Specifications are mostly guidelines for how to implement standards in the daily production. They refer to standards but also to characterization-data, ICC-profiles, PDF preflight criteria , control strips for the quality control of digital proofs or calibration targets for the print process.

The best known specifications for the standardized print production are:

1) PSO Process Standard Offsetprinting developed by FOGRA / bvdm / ECI

This is a very clean implementation of ISO 12647-2. Since 2004 it has been the world wide leader, concerning vendor independent standardization and verification of digital proofing. Almost all digital proofing solutions for the European market are pre-configured with PSO compatible settings and the UGRA FOGRA Mediawedge for verification.
ICC-profiles for the whole range of offset printing are available in Adobe Creative Suite 3 and from ECI.
The MediaStandard Print 2006 serves as a free available guideline. Please note that the 2006 edition does does not include the change to FOGRA39 / ISOcoated_v2 for offset print production on coated paper.
PDF/X-Ready is a Swiss initiative for PDF/X creation and pre-flighting conforming to PSO / Media Standard Print.
ISO 12647-2 and PSO are failing actually for target values concerning weboffset printing on white LWC papers.
Graybalance target values in PSO are based on characterization-data used for the contract proof. A control wedge for visual judging the gray balance of printing according PSO is the ECI/bvdm GrayCon. This is done by comparing K- and CMY-patches with similar gray side by side. At the end of 2008 PSO does not contain procedures and tolerances for hudging grayblance by measurement.

PSO is not only a a specification but includes also the possibility of a certification for pre-press and printing. Every month, several new companies are certified. A comprehensive overview in English about the PSO concept and certification incl. a database of all certified companies can be found at www.pso-insider.de

2) G7 / GRACoL / SWOP developed by IDEAlliance
This solution takes parts from the ISO 12647-2 and uses an alternative concept for the calibration of printing processes. Gray balance has a higher priority in calibration and during the press as the PSO concept.
Characterization-data and profiles are in the beginning of Dec. 2007 still working data, but should be soon released as final versions.
Adobe Creative Suite includes no profiles in Dec. 2007. Tools for vendor independent standardization and verification of digital proofs are introduced to the market in Dec. 2007. Most proofing solutions for the US market have right settings out of the box. There are actual no characterization-data for sheetfeed printing on uncoated paper.

3) System Brunner from the company with the same name
System Brunner was historicly an altenative standardization concept for the complete print production. It has a very strong focus on graybalance (in combination with TVI and Solids) for controllimg the press run.
Today it can be combined with PSO or G7, SWOP, GRACoL. But it also contains characterization-data and profiles for coated paper and white LWC paper in wenoffset printing for a complete in-house workflow. DuPont has been using the System Brunner EuroStandard for years as an internal reference for proofing.

If a print buyer works with differnt photographers, agencies, pre-press shops and printers, it is necessary to agree on and control the usage of standards in the production chain. Using the same standards by the companies involved results in:
- similar separation of RGB images at different places
- similar softproof (on the side of the print buyer and all other companies)
- similar contracts proofs
- similar print results

During the pre-press work the most important tool for standardization is the usage of the correct color-profiles. The basis for these profiles are characterization-data representing the agreed standards and specifications for the print production.
The official global overview for all characterization-data used in the standardized print production is available from the International Color Consortium ICC.
Based on the characterization-data some organizations or companies like e.g ECI, SWOP, GRACoL or Adobe are deliviring ICC-Profiles.

to Jan-Peter Homann´s blog on colormanagement for the standardized print production.This site addresses print buyers, photographers, agencies/prepress companies and printers who want to produce according to ISO 12647, FOGRA/PSO, G7/GRACoL/SWOP or System Brunner.

Click here for DRUPA 2012 Special

The main workflow topics are
- standards and specifications
- standard characterization-data
- separation of RGB-images
- softproof
- PDF/X
- PDF colorserver with devicelink-profiles
- contract proof incl. proof verification
- standardized printing

My English book “Digital Color Management” is out now. More information can be found here.

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