Talking about the standardization process of printing and prepress technology (2)

2 Bruner System Standardization Process Table

1968

European ink manufacturers defined the printing of three primary colors based on color measurements: cyan, magenta, and yellow, and they were calibrated for their position in the color gamut. Until now, these three primary colors have been defined by pigments. The new color chart contains European color charts for European ink manufacturers, and it also compensates for the standard color charts and Kodak color charts that are still in use today. From the hypothesis, people come to the conclusion that the quality of color reproduction can be controlled by using a defined color in the gamut position, field density, and paper white. The new colorimetric charts prevent producers from being constrained by certain pigments that may be fundamentally different in price and performance. In the same year, Felix Brunner developed his first-generation printing control strip at Fontana & Bonomi photo-making company in Milan and made his first printing at the Winterthur AG printing house. Felix Bruner realized that to control the quality of the printing, it is not enough to know the position and density of the printing ink in the color gamut. He conducted a trial printing and determined the floating range of the dot enlargement in the printing production, and the dot enlargement was the main reason leading to deviation of the printing result.

1969 Felix Bruner developed the coarse/fine screening method to quickly and easily calculate the dot gain using the density difference instead of the original logarithm formula.

1970

The Bruner System's offset printing standard was established based on the measurement of density difference; the first printing and proofing standard; the 1/10 rule applies to coated paper, and the 1/7 rule applies to non-coated paper.

1972

The visual effect of the size of the color error in the print is observed by carefully classifying the color table by the printing level. He observed that the number of color blocks was kept within a very small range, and these color blocks could be represented by "gray". It is thus recognized that the technical deviations in the printing process, especially in color printing, and the grey scales resulting from the color conversion can be seen. This is the gray balance.

1973

Developed and patented miniature measuring elements. The first one succeeded in implementing the proposal to standardize the copy of a printing plate containing fine lines.

1975

The use of the "grey display" on the European standard for offset printing on the entire printing web prompted printers to strive to achieve the same color balance across the entire printing plate range and to meet the same printing conditions.

1976

Isokonturen charts have been designed to analyze the characteristics of printing, proofing and copying. The features of these charts further reflect the changes in the printing and copying process of dots. It has the following advantages: The print and copy characteristics are automatically snapped to the 0 axis. The total characteristic curve of these two important work steps can be seen directly and analyzed. With the help of the characteristic curves in the Isokonturen diagrams, the definition range of the Bruner System European offset standard can be extended to all network levels and further improved. A portable density meter can be used to measure on the Bruner test scale, which greatly speeds up the scanning of Zebra test strips developed on the Bruner test strip using a scanning measuring instrument.

In the same year, Bruner completed the second generation of color charts. What distinguishes this color table is its high precision and careful grading.

In the late 1970s Bruner's European offset standards have concluded the following impact parameters:

(1) Monochrome dot enlargements with tolerances (increase in tone value);

(2) Solid density with tolerances;

(3) Print characteristic curves with tolerances;

(4) Plate copies containing micrometric elements, fine dots, and additional dots;

(5) trapping according to the Brunel formula;

(6) For gray balance definition with 27 brightness levels;

(7) Use grayscale stabilization as a guide for copying.

in 1980

The European standard Cromartin test strip; the Brunel system developed a Cro-Magline test strip containing the fine-grained DuPont measurement elements for the method of simulation proofing. The printing professional at the time was also skeptical about the proof because it did not transfer ink to paper. However, the Cromartin test strip was soon known as an industry standard in Europe.

1982

The Bruner system defines the first set of standard values ​​for newspaper printing in the name of the European press print standard. Most colored newspapers were not printed until the early 1990s. Associated with this is the re-adjustment of the printing press, including embossing and offset printing.

1985

Standardization and gray balance are seen as the basis for adjusting the application of the printing ink inking mechanism.

1990

The standardization of offset printing has exceeded 30 influencing parameters. This technology, Instrument Flight, can be quickly mastered and analyzed.

1992

This standardization is complemented by different quality categories, which are distinguished by different stars.

1993

Started research on European gravure standardization. These standards apply to gravure printing companies.

1998

Started research in the field of flexo printing, the purpose of these studies is to define the European flexo standard, which applies to packaging and printing companies.

3 different standards common gray balance

For different traditional prints, the Bruner system defines its own criteria:

(1) European offset standards for paper and materials with multiple variables;

(2) European gravure printing standards for gravure;

(3) European newspaper printing standards for newspaper printing.

In order to print the color images as similarly as possible in different printing methods, the Bruner system pays particular attention to the grey balance of the images when defining the standard values. The contrast is not the same in gravure printing, offset printing and newspaper printing. However, as long as the grey balance is consistent, the printed image will be the same everywhere.

There is absolutely no end to the development of technology in the printing industry. Especially in the short-lived version and the ultra-short version, this kind of development is advancing rapidly. For example, digital printing, laser printing, ink jet printing, etc. Those who are interested in it are not hard to find that the new color printing technology tries to use its own printing primary colors and color space, but it will eventually shift to the traditional printing mode of CMYK color space.

Standardization is a continuous task. The development of technology depends on the constant experimentation of each standard based on reality. It is not necessary to immediately consider developing new things here. Many of the epoch-making developments that were praised at the time were eventually proved to be mere episodes. In the past 30 years, the most important development of offset printing has been that the dot enlargement has been getting smaller and the overall contrast has been improved. The standardized system started by the Brunel system in the late 1960s proved to be the most successful and longest-lasting standard, because the concept was presented correctly and wisely, and because the concept was not only in the past but also in the future. Will continue to be respected by people.