The digital printing industry encompasses a large number of stakeholders, processes, and technologies, so standardizing processes has not been a straightforward process over time.
Despite that, there are globally recognized institutions that constantly work to develop minimum quality standards that lead the industry to excellence. In addition, these organizations also offer tools for all interested to achieve certification successfully. Caldera is not far behind.
Print Standard Verifier (within EasyMedia module)
Caldera’s Print Standard Verifier is a tool to check the conformity of printing processes with industry standards. It provides a solution to the ever-increasing requests for standards compliance in the digital printing market.
Warning
Print Standard Verifier is not a certification. The printing process can only be certified by a specialist who has accreditation from the organization of your choice.
While certifications linked to universally recognized standards have existed for years in offset print, digital print has many variables that make it difficult to establish a global standard. However, standards research and definition are now supported by organizations like Fogra, ISO, or G7 to aid digital print service providers in achieving a certified process standard.
Fogra and ISO verification
To bring customers more accuracy and quality, Caldera subscribed to the Fogra organization. This support allows Caldera to add some printing process-checking tools to its RIP solutions. The CalderaRIP 9.10 Version was the first to contain the Print Standard Verifier tool to check the conformity to FOGRA’s PSD and PSO certifications and to the ISO Standards (ISO 12647-2, ISO 12647-7:2016, and ISO 12647-8:2021).
Launching the verification process
Info
Be aware that the calibration and characterization must be completed prior to starting this process. If calibration has not yet been performed, please do so before proceeding.
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Open EasyMedia and select the printer calibration.
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Search your printer in the list then select the media and the printing configuration you want to check (mode, resolution, and quality). Click then on Next to open your project.
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It opens on the Status tab. Move to the Standards tab then select Control Compliance to Standards. Click on Next.
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Select the group of standards you want to check among:
Digital Displays ISO 12647-7:2016, Fogra PSD Absolute, ISO 12647-8:2021, Fogra PSD Media relative, and G7® GRACoL. PSD The 2011, 2016, 2018 or 2022 PSD standard can be selected ISOCoated:2004 Linked to FOGRA 39L (M0): displays ISO 12647-2, ISO 12647-7:2016, ISO 12647-8:2021, Fogra PSO, Fogra PSD Absolute, and Fogra PSD relative. ISOCoated:2013 Linked to FOGRA 51 (M1): displays ISO 12647-2, ISO 12647-7:2016, ISO 12647-8:2021, and Fogra PSO, Fogra PSD Absolute, and Fogra PSD relative. ISOCoated:2016 Linked to FOGRA 51 (M1): displays ISO 12647-2, ISO 12647-7:2016, ISO 12647-8:2021, and Fogra PSO, Fogra PSD Absolute, and Fogra PSD relative. ISOUncoated:2004 Linked to FOGRA 29 (M0): displays ISO 12647-2, ISO 12647-7:2016, ISO 12647-8:2021, and Fogra PSO, Fogra PSD Absolute, and Fogra PSD relative. ISOUncoated:2013 Linked to FOGRA 52 (M1): displays ISO 12647-2, ISO 12647-7:2016, ISO 12647-8:2021, and Fogra PSO, Fogra PSD Absolute, and Fogra PSD relative. G7® The G7®DE00, G7®2013, or G7®2006 standard can be selected, you might have to print and measure several targets. - Simulation: choosing this option automatically selects Use current profile for simulation at the bottom of the window. It displays ISO 12647-7:2016 (FOGRA 51), ISO 12647-8:2021 (FOGRA 51), Fogra PSD Absolute (FOGRA 51), Fogra PSD Media relative (FOGRA 51), G7® GRACoL 2013 et G7® Swop V5® 2013.
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Choose the measurement device in the list, the control target, and the input profile (for the Digital group) or the grayscale target (for the G7® group) you want to use to do the check. Click on Next.
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Define your print settings then, when you are ready, click on Print.
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For a G7® check, if you choose several standards at the same time, you might have to print several targets one after the other.
The user can also print the chart while printing any job: since CalderaRIP V9.10, in the Page Setup, the user is able to add a Print Standard Verifier's color chart to the annotations part by using the new Control Strip feature.
Warning
If you check a chart with Print Standard Verifier, that is printed from the Print module interface instead of EasyMedia, pay attention to the Rendering intent that is configurable from the Colors module. Indeed, this parameter is taken as "Absolute" by default in EasyMedia, while it can be whatever you choose in the Print module. This difference of settings can lead to failed results for the standard verification.
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Measure the print target using your spectrophotometer.
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For a G7® check, if you choose several standards at the same time, you might have to measure several targets one after the other in this order: Grey balance, GRACoL®, SWOP3®, and finally SWOP5®.
Once the measurements are made, the results are interpreted by EasyMedia. It then displays automatically a summary of the compliance to the standards.
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To learn more about the simulation of the verification, as well as the lecture and export of the verification data. Refer to the next article: How to simulate a standard verification?