Key Print Industry ISO Standards

This document list the most important ISO Standards for the Graphic Industry. Please note that to access source documents the user has to buy a  licensed copy from The ISO Organisation or any official representative.

In this document, we have copied official abstracts and links to ISO.org  For some ISO Standards ChromaChecker makes additional documents that help the user with proper implementation - especially in the context of ChromaChecer solutions but we recommend users to consult original ISO documents. 

ISO 12647 Graphic technology — Process control for the production of halftone
colour separations, proof and production prints.

ISO 12647-1:2013 Part 1: Parameters and measurement methods

ISO 12647-1:2013 defines and explains the minimum set of primary process control parameters required to uniquely specify the visual characteristics and related technical properties of process-specific production prints and process-independent simulations of fully characterized printing conditions.

ISO 12647-2:2013 Part 2: Offset lithographic processes

ISO 12647-2:2013 specifies a number of process parameters and their values to be applied when producing colour separations, printing formes and print production for four-colour sheet-fed and web-fed offset printing presses excluding coldset offset lithography on newsprint.

The parameters and values are chosen in view of the typical process covering the process stages "colour separation", "proof production", "making of the printing forme", "OK print" and "production printing" on all kinds of commercially available production substrates.

ISO 12647-2:2013:

• is directly applicable to press proof prints and printing processes that use colour separation printing formes as input;
• is applicable to press proof prints and printing processes with more than four process colours as long as direct analogies to four-colour printing are maintained, such as for data and screening, for print substrates and printing parameters;
• is applicable to printing on cardboard material for packaging;
• is applicable for all kinds of drying methods such as heat-set, infrared, and ultraviolet;
• provides references for quality assurance and quality management.

ISO 12647-3:2013 Part 3: Coldset offset lithography on newsprint

ISO 12647-3:2013 specifies a number of process parameters and their values to be applied when producing colour separations and printing forms for newspaper single or four-colour printing. The parameters and values are chosen in consideration of the process, covering the process stages: "colour separation", "making of the printing formed", "OK print or proof" and "production printing".

ISO 12647-3:2013 is intended to enhance communication between printers, publishers and advertisers and to make print buyers aware of the expected printed result in advance, enabling them to plan accordingly. ISO 12647-3:2013 defines tolerances, allowing for objective quality evaluations and raising the competitiveness of newspapers compared to other media.

ISO 12647-3:2013 is applicable:

• to coldset offset production printing on newsprint that use colour separation data;
• by analogy to press printing from printing surfaces produced by direct imaging;
• to line screens and non-periodic screens, parameters given can be applied by analogy.

ISO 12647-4:2014 Part 4: Publication gravure printing

ISO 12647-4:2014 specifies a number of process parameters and their values to be applied to four-colour publication gravure printing. The parameters and values are chosen in view of the complete process covering the process stages "colour separation", "making of the printing forme", "proof production", and "production printing".

ISO 12647-4:2014 is applicable:

• directly, to publication gravure printing, including magazines, catalogues, and commercial materials,
• directly, to half-tone and continuous tone proofing processes that predict the colourimetric results of gravure printing, and
• by analogy, to process-colour gravure package printing.

ISO 12647-5:2015 Part 5: Screen printing

ISO 12647-5:2014 specifies the requirements for the screen printing of four-colour process-colour material used for display, signage, and graphics using flat bed or cylinder printing equipment. Both the size and resolution of the finished product are unrestricted. The process stages included are

• data preparation and delivery,
• proof production,
• printing forme preparation, and
• production printing.

ISO 12647-6:2020 Part 6: Flexographic printing

This document specifies the requirements for the exchange of data and information necessary for the definition of the aims for four-colour flexographic printing of packaging and publication materials, including newsprint. It is based on the use of colour characterization data to define the colourimetric printing aims and includes appropriate assignment of responsibility for and recommended tolerances on critical parameters of the flexographic printing process.

This document is directly applicable to:

— publication flexographic printing including magazines, catalogues and commercial materials and packaging flexographic printing including labels, boxes, and flexible packages;

— half-tone and continuous tone proofing processes that predict the colourimetric results of flexographic printing.

Guidance is also provided concerning the definition of spot colours used in flexographic printing.

ISO 12647-7:2016 Part 7: Proofing processes working directly from digital data

ISO 12647-7:2016 specifies requirements for systems that are used to produce hard-copy digital proof prints intended to simulate a printing condition defined by a set of characterization data. Recommendations are provided with regard to appropriate test methods associated with these requirements.

ISO 12647-8:2021 Part 8: Validation print processes working directly from digital data

This document specifies requirements that can be used for determining the conformance of systems that produce a hard-copy validation print, directly from digital data, which is intended to simulate the expected appearance of material printed in accordance with a characterized printing condition.

It is not intended for use in determining the conformance of production printing systems (digital or conventional) since many aspects of production printing are not covered in this document. 

ISO 12647-9:2021 Part 9: Metal decoration printing processes using offset lithography

This document specifies requirements for systems that are used to produce offset prints for process colour reproduction on metallic substrates, which have been printed with a white coating. It is intended for flat printed sheet metal applications. It does not cover shaped or pre-formed metal such as pre-formed cans. Recommendations are provided with regard to appropriate test methods associated with these requirements.

This document differs from the method used to produce an offset print on paper or board in ISO 12647-2 in that it considers the colour values of a typical white coated metal substrate intended for metal decoration, using offset lithography and substrates that are independent of backing colour.

ISO 12641 
Graphic technology — Prepress digital data exchange
— Colour targets for input scanner calibration

Technical Committee: ISO/TC 130 Graphic technology

ISO 12641-1:2016 Part 1: Colour targets for input scanner calibration.

ISO 12641-1:2016 defines the layout and colorimetric values of targets for use in the calibration of a photographic product/input scanner combination (as used in the preparatory process for printing and publishing). One target is defined for positive colour transparency film and another is defined for colour photographic paper.

ISO 12641-2:2019 Part 2: Advanced colour targets for input scanner calibration

This document defines a framework for advanced reflective and transmissive layouts and colorimetric values of targets for use in the calibration and characterization of image capturing devices.

This document defines a framework for target creation and data reporting. This framework can be used for both ISO defined and custom targets for both reflective and transmissive use. Self-emissive targets are not covered by this document.

ISO/TS 23031:2020

Graphic technology — Assessment and validation of the performance of spectrocolorimeters and spectrodensitometers

This document describes procedures for the assessment and validation of the performance of an optical spectrometer intended for use in capturing the spectral reflectance factor or the spectral radiance factor of printed areas comprised of non-fluorescent or fluorescent materials, respectively. While it does not describe the application to transmitting materials directly, many of the procedures can be applied to transmitting systems by backing them with a reflective white backing material.

This document does not address spectral measurements appropriate to other specific application needs, such as those used during the production of materials (e.g. printing paper and proofing media), which are well described by ISO standards under the jurisdiction of ISO/TC 6. It does not describe the special requirements for testing instruments that make in-process or online colour measurements.

ChromaChecker subject-related documents:

• T-42 — Instrument Inspector Target
• What is an absolute color value?

ISO 3664:2009
Graphic technology and photography — Viewing conditions

ISO 3664:2009 specifies viewing conditions for images on both reflective and transmissive media, such as prints (both photographic and photomechanical) and transparencies, as well as images displayed in isolation on colour monitors.

ISO 3664:2009 applies in particular to:

• critical comparison between transparencies, reflection photographic or photomechanical prints and/or other objects or images;
• appraisal of the tone reproduction and colourfulness of prints and transparencies at illumination levels similar to those for practical use, including routine inspection;
• critical appraisal of transparencies that are viewed by projection, for comparison with prints, objects or other reproductions; and appraisal of images on colour monitors that are not viewed in comparison to any form of hardcopy.
• ISO 3664:2009 is not applicable to unprinted papers.

ChromaChecker subject-related documents:

• Instruments limitations for ISO-3664  Audits/Lighting Measurements 
• Fix the Lighting Condition first
• QuickStart — Measure Lighting Condition
• ChromaLite — Spectrally-corrected Lighting System

ISO 17972-2:2016 
Graphic technology — Colour data exchange format (CxF/X)

ISO 17972-1 Part 1: Relationship to CxF3 (CxF/X)

ISO17972-1:2015 defines an exchange format for colour and process control data (and the associated metadata necessary for its proper interpretation) in electronic form. It is the base document for describing the use of CxF3 for data exchange. Where required, this part of ISO 17972 also defines additional requirements for a valid CxF/X file. Using XML, all CxF3 and CxF/X documents also support the exchange of data outside of the graphic arts workflow and can support future standards with an extensible architecture using standard XML Names and Metadata tags which can be used with standard XML tools and pass XML validation.

Additional parts of ISO 17972 will use custom resources in conjunction with CxF3 to define the required and optional data for a particular workflow.

ISO 17972-2:2016 Part 2: Scanner target data (CxF/X-2)

ISO 17972-2:2016 defines an exchange format for target input values, colour and process control data relating to scanner targets (and the associated metadata necessary for its proper interpretation) in electronic form. This part of ISO 17972 includes the use of a CustomResource element within the CxF framework to define a minimum set of data for exchange and identify the data as being part of ISO 12641.

ISO 17972-3:2017 Part 3: Output target data (CxF/X-3)

ISO 17972-3 defines an exchange format for target input values, colour and process control data relating output targets for printers of all types (and the associated metadata necessary for its proper interpretation) in electronic form. ISO 17972-3 includes the use of a CustomResource element within the CXF framework to define a minimum set of data for exchange and identify the data as being part of the ISO 12642 series. If this same framework is used for another defined target, provision is made for that use as well.

ISO 17972-4:2018 Part 4: Spot colour characterisation data (CxF/X-4)

ISO 17972-4:2018 defines an exchange format for spectral measurement data of inks to provide a means to characterise spot colour inks to allow reliable printing and proofing of products that have been designed using these inks. Only isotropic (paper-like) substrates are within the scope of this document, which is limited to application areas where the same ink and paper combination that has been characterised is used when printing.

ISO 17972-4:2018 describes the use of a CustomResource element within the CxF framework to define a minimum and recommended set of data for exchange.

ChromaChecker subject-related documents:

• CxF: Color eXchange File format
• How to create CXF-X4 Color Library (predict tints and overprints for any spot colors)
• Export CxF from the website interface

ISO 12642 
Graphic technology — Input data for characterization of 4-colour process printing

ISO 2813:2014
Paints and varnishes — Determination of gloss value at 20°, 60° and 85°

ISO 2813:2014 specifies a method for determining the gloss of coatings using the three geometries of 20°, 60° or 85°. The method is suitable for the gloss measurement of non-textured coatings on plane, opaque substrates.

ISO 8254 Paper and board — Measurement of specular gloss

ISO 8254-1:2009 Part 1: 75-degree gloss with a converging beam, TAPPI method

ISO 8254-1:2009 specifies a method for measuring the specular gloss of paper at an angle of 75° to the normal to the paper surface. Although its chief application is to coated papers, it may also be used for glossy uncoated papers such as supercalendered papers.

ISO 8254-2:2016 Part 2: 75 degree gloss with a parallel beam, DIN method

ISO 8254-2:2016 specifies a photometric test method for the assessment of visual gloss by means of a reflectometer value measured at an angle of 75°. It is applicable to plane paper and board surfaces of gloss levels below 65, measured according to ISO 8254-2:2016. It should be the preferred method for paper and board surfaces of gloss levels below 20, measured according to ISO 8254-2:2016. Materials containing optical brightening agents may be measured.

ISO 8254-3:2016 Part 3: 20-degree gloss with a converging beam, TAPPI method

ISO 8254-3:2016 specifies a method for measuring the specular gloss of paper and board at an angle of 20° to the normal to the paper surface. It is applicable chiefly to highly glossy surfaces, such as cast-coated, lacquered, highly varnished or waxed papers and high-gloss ink films.

NOTE This part of ISO 8254 has been developed from TAPPI T653[2], ISO 2813[1] and from ISO 8254‑1.

ChromaChecker subject-related documents:

• TAPPI T 480
• ISO 8254-1