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SMS READY or not?

The Spot Matching System, both the standard colours of the colour palette as well as custom SMS colours, adapted to be completely seamless whether the colour is printed on coated or uncoated substrate, are defined for reproduction/printing in full accordance with ISO 12647-2-2013 or ISO 12647-2-2004/AMD 2007.

In short, this means that any printhouse that is capable of printing correctly according to ISO 12647 within a dE00 of 3 is qualified to be SMS READY for sure.

Printers in other categories of printing than offset can also print the SMS colours, but in that case the Printshop needs to be capable of doing an in-house CMYK-to-CMYK conversion to ensure that the final print result will be consistent with the intended print standard - and colourimetrically correct according to an ISO certified contract proof according to ISO 12647-7-2016.

Digital / hybrid Printers note: Here is a very useful handbook that describes how you can adjust your digital presses to print according to the ISO 12647 on your digital presses, - PSD - Process Standard Digital.

Printshops (Offset, Flexo, Gravure, Digital)

ISO 12647-2-2013

This is the default printing standard for CMYK printing in offset worldwide and consequently the printing standard to be used for correct reproduction of SMS colours. We absolutely suggest this standard for all offset Printers, due to the fact that the white point of the coated and uncoated papertypes that are referenced in this standard are considerably closer to day-to-day reality, than the papertypes 1,2 and 4 in the old ISO standard.

Printshops in all categories of printing that are able to receive PDF documents prepared using the PSO Coated V3 icc profile for jobs intended for printing on coated paper/substrate (Fogra 51) or the PSO Uncoated V3 icc profile for jobs intended for printing on uncoated paper/ink absorbant substrate (Fogra 52), either for direct output and printing according to ISO 12647-2-2013 or for CMYK-to-CMYK conversion to an in-house printing standard resulting in the same outcome, - visually identical to a certified proof according to ISO 12647-7-2016 for the respective substrate (Fogra 51 for coated paper, Fogra 52 for uncoated paper) are qualified to be SMS READY.

Standard SMS posters and SMS colour guides as well as custom SMS colour proofs, including job layout proofs, (see services) are available for Printshops and print jobs in this category P1 - P8.

Printers in this category are allowed to use the badge here above in their promotion once they have subscribed to SMS - see www.spotmatchingsystem.com/services. 

We have prepared a test form for Printers that accept jobs prepared for printing according to Fogra 51 and Fogra 52 that you can download free of charge and print to confirm that you are in fact able to print SMS colours correctly.

Please contact sms@spot-nordic.com for a higher resolution version of the badge or further information.

ISO 12647-2-2004/AMD 2007

This is the old printing standard that we still support for correct reproduction of SMS colours.
For the sake of inter-standard consistency, SMS colours for printing according to Fogra 39 or Fogra 47 can, if necessary, be adjusted to the white point references of the new ISO 12647-2-2013 standard. This means that 2 Printers, one printing according to the new standard and the other one printing according to the old standard, can both print the same SMS colour on the same paper with minimal colour difference.

Printshops in all categories of printing that are able to receive PDF documents prepared using the ISO Coated V2 icc profile for jobs intended for printing on coated paper/substrate (Fogra 39) or the ISO Uncoated V2 icc profile for jobs intended for printing on uncoated paper/ink absorbant substrate (Fogra 47), either for direct output and printing according to ISO 12647-2-2004/AMD 2007 or for CMYK-to-CMYK conversion to another ISO 12647 standard or an in-house printing standard resulting in the same outcome, - visually identical to a certified proof, containing standard and/or custom SMS colours, according to ISO 12647-7-2016 for the respective substrate (Fogra 51 for coated paper, Fogra 52 for uncoated paper) are qualified to be SMS READY.

Standard SMS posters and SMS colour guides as well as custom SMS colour proofs, excluding job layout proofs,  (see services) are available for Printshops and print jobs in this category P1 - P7.

Printers in this category are allowed to use the badge here above in their promotion once they have subscribed to SMS - see www.spotmatchingsystem.com/services. 

We have prepared a test form for Printers that accept jobs prepared for printing according to Fogra 39 and Fogra 47 that you can download free of charge and print to confirm that you are in fact able to print SMS colours correctly.

Please contact sms@spot-nordic.com for a higher resolution version of the badge or further information.

In general
It is not a condition that the Printer has a formal PSO or G7 certification but of course we recommend formal certifications for Printers, just like we recommend taking advantage of the best available solutions available for process control in prepress and on press for best possible outcome.

It is simply up to each Printer to decide whether they are ready to commit to keeping ISO certified SMS CMYK colours within an average DE2000 of 2 or less from an ISO certified contract proof according to ISO 12647-7-2016, - Fogra 51 proofing media for coated paper, Fogra 52 proofing media for uncoated paper, in their respective field of printing, - or not*.

*The target DE2000 of 2 or less applies to printing on coated or uncoated paper containing OBA in similar amounts to what is considered "typical" in the ISO 12647-2-2013 standard.  For paper/substrates with a different white point, containing little or no OBA (Optical Brightening Agent) or colourants of some sort, a higher DE2000 is to be expected.

In this case SMS colours will change in accordance with the white point / colour of the paper/substrate.

This is why we strongly recommend use of normal, bright, white paper/substrate for printing SMS colours, when possible.

It is possible to order SMS colour variations that are adapted to the more neutral papertypes of the old ISO 12647-2-2004/AMD 2007 standard. In order to hit just the right SMS colours in production, please communicate the correct papertype (Fogra 39, Fogra 51, Fogra 47 or Fogra 52) to your customer as well as your Fogra print standard (Fogra 39, Fogra 51, Fogra 47 or Fogra 52). 

Please keep in mind that some customers are completely on top of this while others may not be. In both cases we want the best outcome possible for printing of SMS colours.

The measurement condition is M1 (D50/2°).

Proofing facilities   

Proofing facilities that provide contract proofs on Fogra certified proofing media (Fogra 51 and Fogra 52) printed on a minimum of 4-up proofing device with an inline measurement device for certification according to ISO 12647-7-2016, may apply to enter into a service agreement with Spot-Nordic to print and provide SMS standard and custom proofs to SMS customers in their vicinity.

Remote access to the proofing device is required in this case, since all SMS posters, colour guides and custom proofs are made in Iceland.

Maximum allowed DE2000 between our SMS target colours and proof is 1 or less.  A handheld M1 enabled spectral device is required on location to take random measurements to ensure correct and consistent proof production.

Proofing facilities need to subscribe to SMS before entering into a service agreement for formal SMS proofing under same conditions as are available to print shops.

Once these conditions have been fulfilled the proofing facility is considered SMS READY. and an appropriate SMS READY badge will be issued to the proofing facility.

Colourservers / combination of Colourserver/RIP and printing machine         

Colourservers or combinations of Colourservers and printing machines that are capable of handling PDF files prepared with the aforementioned icc profiles for either direct output and printing to ISO 12647-2-2013 on paper and/or can handle a CMYK-to-CMYK conversion for printing to other standards and on other materials yet maintaining consistent colour output according to an ISO certified SMS proof are SMS READY.

QC software and hardware   

Software and hardware (including spectral and density measurement devices) that support and aid with consistent printing according to ISO 12647 are SMS READY.

Inks, dyes and paint (any material)         

Manufacturers in these categories that have the technology and capacity to produce a recipe and a colour sample (if requested), ink, dye or paint which, when applied to the intended material, will match a requested ISO certified SMS colour visually and instrumentally with a difference of DE2000 of 2 or less once the sample is dry, are SMS READY.

Paper

Papertypes that are consistent with papertypes according to Fogra 39, Fogra 47, Fogra 51 or Fogra 52, or GRACoL CRPC3 and CRPC6 in regards of characteristics and DE2000 difference of 1.5 or less from it's respective standard are SMS READY.

Colour Management specialists     

Colour Management specialists that offer services to Printers to ensure consistent printing according to ISO 12647 are SMS READY.

Please contact sms@spot-nordic.com to order a custom copy of your SMS READY badge.

We are happy to promote your product and your services and welcome new partners in our effort to promote the ISO 12647 standard for standardized CMYK printing and secure printing of SMS CMYK colours.

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SMS and the environment         SMS news         Interesting links      SMS: How, why and when       SMS Q&A