The main thing is standardized

Publishing Forum The VSD provided information on standardization, color management and the development of PDF/JDF.
want to produce quality, there are two subject areas that
the standardization on the one hand, and on the other hand the
Color management. That would be a preliminary first conclusion
of the Association of the Swiss Printing Industry (VSD)
organized forum event, which took place on 26 April at the Kongresshaus in
Biel was carried out. However, and this was the question that the
event: How to standardize and which color management system
is to be used?

The day's event provided answers in two ways:
On the one hand, the approximately 160 visitors were able to inform themselves at lectures
or in a unique way in Switzerland to date.
Exhibition to show products and solutions on site. From
software-based color management systems and calibratable
monitors, output workflows and digital test forms through to
proofing solutions and even a color management-integrated press control station, the range of products and services presented by the 22 exhibiting companies was very comprehensive.

Appeal for standardization
An important part of the forum were specialist presentations on proofing processes,
workflows and standardization in the printing industry.
Michael Adloff, who works for the German
Vignold Research and Technology Group. As
He considers the ideal path to standardization to be "all means and methods that
compliance with stable and reproducible (repeatable)
processes". These standards are usually defined
by national or mostly international committees, organizations or
associations (ECI, Ugra, BVDM etc.). These develop, for example
"coloration standards", define ISO standards or establish the
corresponding means of control (e.g. MedienStandard Druck 2004, bvdm
Gray Control Strip, Ugra/Fogra MiniTarget [as a further means of control, the VSD has a
new "Visual Print Reference" test form developed with partners
presented]) was available. Adloff was surprised that these
control methods are often ignored. The fact that it takes a very long time to
standardizations can be assumed, which is proven ten years after
standard 12647, which is now slowly gaining acceptance.
compliance with such standards is now coming from the clients," knows
Adloff from experience.

Just how difficult it is to create color-accurate proofs was revealed by
Florian Süssl, MetaDesign Berlin and board member of the ECI
(European Color Initiative), on the basis of a presentation he gave before his speech
practical example. Süssl, together with the VSD
selected print shops, a reference print and "proof according to
Figures" (PDF/X-3 data, ISO 12647-2:2004; MedienStandard Druck 2004)
implement. Of the eleven proofs submitted, seven made it to the
Ugra/Fogra specifications do not. "Good reference prints," Süssl put into perspective
the sobering result, "are very rare." Conclusion:
Standardization is necessary, but does not yet guarantee
error-free production.   

Jürgen Franck