IPA - IDEAlliance Joint Press Release
ANNOUNCING 2009 IPA DIGITAL PRINT FORUM AND
IDEALLIANCE DIGITAL PRESS SYSTEMS COLOR CERTIFICATION
Edina, MN—August 21, 2008—IPA and IDEAlliance have announced a comprehensive examination and certification program for digital production printing systems.
IPA, The Association of Graphic Solutions Providers, will conduct its second annual examination of digital press systems, the Digital Print Forum, in early 2009. Data gathered from this event will help define tolerances and protocols for a new IDEAlliance Digital Press Systems Color Certification program to be launched in mid 2009.
IPA, the leading premedia association, released its first independent, technical examination of digital printing technologies earlier this year. The 2008 IPA Digital Print Forum provided a comprehensive study of digital printing covering most aspects of digital print production. The 2009 Forum will include even wider testing criteria, including color repeatability within a press run, color repeatability across multiple press runs, Pantone™ color matching, cross-sheet evenness, resolution, vignettes, registration, speed, rub resistance, fading, cracking, paper moisture, substrate properties, coating, VDP compatibility, JDF compatibility, PDF/X compatibility, de-inking and recyclability. Those interested in participating in the 2009 IPA Digital Print Forum or would like to serve on its planning team should email Steve Bonoff or call (800) 255-8141.
IDEAlliance, a leader in the certification of hard and soft proofing systems, will utilize its well-established GRACoL™ and SWOP™ proofing certification program and protocol to address digital press systems color rendering capabilities in 2009. A portion of the data gathered in the 2009 IPA Digital Print Forum will assist IDEAlliance’s Print Properties & Colorimetric Working Group define the tolerances and parameters used to validate each participating system's acceptable color performance and consistency.
David Steinhardt, IDEAlliance President and CEO, remarked “The graphic communication industry is looking to its industry associations to partner and create synergies based upon their distinctive competencies. By bringing together the distinct work of IPA in the Digital Print Forum and IDEAlliance in color certification and specifications, the industry can look to a unified program for Digital Press Systems Color Certification.”
“Like in earlier IPA Proofing RoundUPs, results of this type of analysis help business leaders make important purchase decisions and assist our vendor partners in understanding how their technologies are being applied in the marketplace. This unified approach to examining emerging technologies and defining acceptable criteria for certification will serve our members and industry well,” commented Steve Bonoff, IPA President.
Results of the 2008 IPA Digital Print Forum are available in a 46-page booklet,
complete with actual press sheets submitted for examination. Limited availability at
http://www.ipa.org/digitalprint or by contacting IPA at (800) 255-8141.
About IPA
For more than 100 years, IPA, the Association of Graphic Solutions Providers, has been tracking, evaluating, and promoting technology and management innovations to keep members in the forefront of the graphic communication industry. IPA membership includes the most forward thinking, digitally competent graphic solutions providers in North America. They are pioneers in exploring emerging technologies and specialize in serving the publishing, advertising, catalog, interactive multimedia and packaging markets. They are leaders in applying those technologies to new digital workflows and processes and excel in building profitable business models to expand their businesses. More information about IPA is available at www.ipa.org or at (800) 255-8141.
Media Contact: Molly Illes
Phone: 800-255-8141
Email: molly@ipa.org
About IDEAlliance
IDEAlliance is a non-profit alliance dedicated to advancing user-driven, cross-industry technology solutions for all publishing and content-driven enterprises. IDEAlliance develops specifications, identifies best practices, and fosters business partnerships through its committees, conferences, and certification initiatives in; Color & Branding, Intelligent Content & Informed Workflows, Print Production & Supply Chain and XML-in-Practice. The IDEAlliance membership is made up of those who create, produce and deliver content and digital media assets, and the technology vendors who support and facilitate these supply chains. With 40+ years of industry expertise, IDEAlliance provides an open environment in which members can strategize, innovate, standardize, and implement solutions to the real business challenges from creation and acquisition to distribution and delivery for print and digital media platforms. See http://www.idealliance.org for more information.