The new version was launched at last weeks PPA Magazine Production Conference. Its only recently been affordable to generate PDF/X 1a files, said The Facilities Group director Marcus Kirby. As a compromise we will accept PDF 1.3, while warning that it is not compliant. We intend to enforce in full next year.

The issue of variables being introduced during ripping has been tackled via a new test file, together with an image of how it should appear. I strongly suggest that publishers use the test file to check their end-to-end workflow, Kirby added.

The pass4press committee has also decided to align its proof4press standard with DuPonts Digital Cromalin DP10. Consideration was given to creating a brand new standard, but we tried and failed before with publishers curve a few years back, said Polestar Imaging technical director Jack Bisset. We needed the industry to have confidence and Cromalin had this. But were not ignoring existing standards or inventing something thats at odds with them.

A delta E value of two has been set as tolerance for the proof4press test images.

Story by Jo Francis