CGATS Standards

Graphic technology – Graphic arts reflection densitometry measurements – Terminology, equations, image elements and procedures This standard defines terms, equations and procedures for measurement, use, and communication of data obtained using reflection densitometry in the graphic arts. It also applies to measurement of materials produced by systems such as photographic, ink jet, thermal transfer, electrophotographic, and toner technology (including off-press proofs), etc., when used for graphic arts applications. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog.

Graphic technology – Spectral measurement and colorimetric computation for graphic arts images This standard establishes procedures for the measurements and colorimetrical computations appropriate to objects that reflect, transmit, or self-illuminate, including flat-panel displays. It also establishes procedures for computation of colorimetric parameters for graphic arts images. Graphic arts includes, but is not limited to, the preparation of material for, and volume production by, production printing processes that include offset lithography, letterpress, flexography, gravure and screen printing. This standard does not address spectral measurements appropriate to other specific application needs, such as those used during the production of materials, e.g. printing ink, printing paper and proofing media. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

Graphic technology – Pallet loading for printed materials This standard specifies the stacking, unitizing, protection and labeling of palletized printed materials. It also specifies the functional design of pallets used to transport printed materials, and gives specifications for their loading onto delivery vehicles. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

Graphic technology – Graphic arts transmission densitometry measurements – Terminology, equations, image elements and procedures This standard defines terminology, equations, process control elements and procedures for measurement and communication of transmission densitometry data for graphic arts halftone images. Although this standard addresses halftone applications, there are situations where non-traditional halftones and/or continuous tone materials are used for which these computations are also appropriate.To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

Graphic technology – Exchange format for color and process control data using XML or ASCII text This standard defines an exchange format for color and process control data (and the associated metadata necessary for its proper interpretation) in electronic form using either XML or ASCII formatted data files. It maintains human readability of the data as well as enabling machine readability. It includes a series of predefined tags and keywords, and provides extensibility through provision for the dynamic definition of additional tags and keywords as necessary. It is focused primarily on spectral measurement data, colorimetric data, and densitometric data. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

Graphic technology – Variable printing data exchange using PPML and PDF (PPML/VDX) This standard specifies the methods for the use of the Personalized Print Markup Language (PPML) and the Portable Document Format (PDF) for the exchange or identification of all elements necessary to render a variable data imaging job as intended by the sender. This standard specifies document layout and content data and makes provision for product intent specifications using the Job Definition Format (e.g., paper selection, binding, finishing, etc.). This standard is not intended to address applications where printing is started before the file creation and transfer is complete (often called streaming applications). To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

Graphic technology -Printing from digital data across multiple technologies — Part 1: Principles This part of CGATS 21 establishes principles for the use of color characterization data as the definition of the intended relationship between input data and printed color for copy preparation, job assembly, proofing, and graphic arts production printing. Additional Parts of CGATS 21 specify a limited number of characterized reference printing conditions that span the expected range of color gamuts used for the production of printed material from digital data, regardless of printing process used. The procedure to be used to adjust color characterization data for the normally expected range of substrate color Is specified. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

Graphic technology — Printing from digital data across multiple technologies — Part 2: Characterized reference printing conditions 2013 This part of CGATS specifies a limited number of characterized reference printing conditions that span the expected range of color gamuts used for the production of printed material from digital data, regardless of printing process used. This document comes as a zip file which includes CRPC data files. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

Graphic technology – Prepress digital data exchange – Tag image file format for image technology (TIFF/IT) This standard, which replaces ANSI IT8.8-1993, specifies a media-independent means for prepress electronic data exchange. It defines image file formats for encoding colour continuous tone picture images, colour line art images, high resolution continuous tone images, monochrome continuous tone images, binary picture images, binary line art images, screened data, and images of composite final pages. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

This document amends CGATS/ISO 12639:2004. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

Graphic technology – Prepress digital data exchange – Part 1: CMYK standard colour image data (CMYK/SCID) This standard specifies the CMYK digital data that represents a set of standard colour images to be used for evaluation of changes in image quality during coding, image processing (including transformation, compression and decompression), film recording or printing which can be used for research, development, product evaluation and process control. Document and images available on CD-ROM or as a zip file. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

Graphic technology – Prepress digital data exchange – Part 2: XYZ/sRGB encoded standard colour image data (XYZ/SCID) This standard specifies a set of 15 standard colour images (encoded as both 16-bit XYZ and 8-bit RGB digital data provided in electronic data files) that can be used for the evaluation of changes in image quality during coding, image processing (including transformation compression and decompression), displaying on a colour monitor or printing. They can be used for many graphic technology applications such as research, development, product evaluation, and process control. This package includes a 2008 corrigendum. Document and images available on 2 CD-ROMS or as a zip file. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

Graphic technology – Prepress digital data exchange – Part 3: CIELAB standard colour image data (CIELAB/SCID) This identical national adoption of ISO 12640-3:2007 specifies a set of standard large gamut colour images (encoded as 16-bit CIELAB digital data) that can be used for the evaluation of changes in image quality during coding, image processing (including transformation, compression and decompression), displaying on a colour monitor and printing. These images can be used for research, testing and assessing of output systems such as printers, colour management systems and colour profiles. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

Graphic technology — Displays for colour proofing — Characteristics and viewing conditions This standard specifies the minimum requirements for the characteristics of displays to be used for soft proofing of colour images. Included are requirements for uniformity, convergence, refresh rate, display, diagonal size, spatial resolution and glare of the screen surface. The dependence of colorimetric properties on the electrical drive signals and viewing direction, especially for flat panel displays, is also specified. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

This document amends CGATS/ISO 12646:2008. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

Graphic technology and photography – Certified reference materials for reflection and transmission metrology – Documentation and procedures for use, including determination of combined uncertainty This standard specifies the documentation requirements for certified reference materials (CRMs), procedures for the use of CRMs, and procedures for the computation and reporting of the combined standard uncertainty of reflectance and transmittance measurement systems used in graphic arts, photographic and other imaging industries. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

Graphic technology – Prepress digital data exchange – Use of PDF – Part 1: Complete exchange using CMYK data (PDF/X-1 and PDF/X-1a) (Supersedes CGATS.12/1 – 1999) This part of 15930 specifies the methods for the use of the Portable Document Format (PDF) for the dissemination of compound CMYK digital data, in a single exchange, that is complete and ready for final print reproduction. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

Graphic technology – Prepress digital data exchange – Use of PDF – Part 3: Complete exchange suitable for colour-managed workflows (PDF/X-3) This part of ISO 15930 specifies the use of the Portable Document Format (PDF) for the dissemination of complete digital data, in a single exchange, that contains all elements necessary for final print reproduction. These exchanges will support both colour-managed workflows and traditional CMYK workflows. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

Graphic technology – Prepress digital data exchange using PDF – Part 4: Complete exchange of CMYK and spot colour printing data using PDF 1.4 (PDF/X-1a) This part of ISO 15930 specifies the use of the Portable Document Format (PDF) Version 1.4 for the dissemination of complete digital data, in a single exchange, that contains all elements ready for final print reproduction. CMYK and spot-colour data are supported in any combination. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

Graphic technology – Prepress digital data exchange using PDF – Part 6: Complete exchange of printing data suitable for colour-managed workflows using PDF 1.4 (PDF/X-3) This part of ISO 15930 specifies the use of the Portable Document Format (PDF) Version 1.4 for the dissemination of complete digital data, in a single exchange, that contains all elements necessary for final print reproduction. Colour-managed, CMYK, gray, RGB or spot colour data are supported. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

Graphic technology – Prepress digital data exchange using PDF – Part 7: Complete exchange of printing data (PDF/X-4) and partial exchange of printing data with external profile reference (PDF/X-4p) using PDF 1.6 This part of CGATS/ISO 15930 specifies the use of the Portable Document Format (PDF) Version 1.6 for the dissemination of digital data intended for print reproduction. Where all elements necessary for final print reproduction are contained within the file it is designated as PDF/X-4. If a required ICC profile is externally supplied and unambiguously identified, it is designated as PDF/X-4p. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

Graphic technology – Prepress digital data exchange using PDF – Part 8: Partial exchange of printing data using PDF 1.6 (PDF/X-5) This part of CGATS/ISO 15930 specifies the use of the Portable Document Format (PDF) Version 1.6 for the dissemination of digital data intended for print, whereby all elements necessary for final print reproduction are either included or provision is made for unique identification of externally supplied graphical content or n-colorant ICC profiles. This package includes a 2011 corrigendum and is available as a zip file. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

Graphic technology – Prepress digital data exchange – Diecutting data (DDES3) This standard establishes a data exchange format to enable transfer of numerical control information between diecutting systems and between diecutting systems and electronic prepress systems. The information will typically consist of numerical control information used in the manufacture of dies. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

Graphic technology – Color transmission target for input scanner calibration This standard defines an input test target that will allow any color input scanner to be calibrated with any film dye set used to create the target. It is intended to address the color transparency products that are generally used for input to the preparatory process for printing and publishing. This standard defines the layout and colorimetric values of a target that can be manufactured on any positive color transparency film and that is intended for use in the calibration of a photographic film/scanner combination. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

Graphic technology – Color reflection target for input scanner calibration This standard defines an input test target that will allow any color input scanner to be calibrated with any film dye set used to create the target. It is intended to address the color photographic paper products that are generally used for input to the preparatory process for printing and publishing. It defines the layout and colorimetric values of the target that can be manufactured on any color photographic paper and is intended for use in the calibration of a photographic paper/scanner combination. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

Graphic technology – Input data for characterization of 4-color process printing PLEASE NOTE: The IT8.7/4 characterization target provides a more extensive data set than is provided by the IT8.7/3 target, CGATS recommends that the IT8.7/4 target be used rather than the IT8.7/3 target for all new work in characterization of 4-color printing. This standard defines a data set of ink value combinations that may be used to characterize four-color process printing. Such characterization data may be created by rendering as images the ink values specified in this document and by measuring the printed sheet. This standard contains a smaller data set that the related IT8.7/4 standard. 20 pp. + data files in a zipped file. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog

Graphic technology – Input data for characterization of 4-color process printing – Expanded data set This standard defines a data set of ink value combinations that may be used to characterize four-color process printing. This data set is not optimized for any printing process or application area, but is robust enough for all general applications. The needs of publication, commercial, and package printing with offset lithography, gravure, flexography, and other printing processes have been considered. While it is primarily aimed at process color printing with CMYK inks, it may also be used with any combination of three chromatic inks and a dark ink. It is seen as an alternate to the IT8.7/3 data set where more data is desired. To order, follow this link to the Technical Standards catalog