Alexandria, VA (March 12, 2020) – Idealliance, a global think tank and the global leader in standards, specifications, and certification training development in printing, packaging, and design, has released the 2020 Guide to Print Production and it is available at this link as a free download. Idealliance is known for creating legendary print standards and specifications such as GRACoL®, SWOP®, and G7®. In addition, Idealliance provides many technical documents, datasets and explanative information for printers, print buyers, and brands. The updated Guide is 112 pages of critical information that stakeholders in printing, packaging and design need to know in order to provide high quality print and color accuracy plus improved workflows. The Guide to Print Production is the body of work of Idealliance, including new specifications, standards, leading practices, how-to-guides, certifications and critical advancing information that moves businesses forward in efficiency and profitability. “Idealliance, as a global business, runs 24-7, just like the world, just like the industry. We travel the world, meet who we serve in person, listen to the heartbeat of the industry, look for the gaps, search for solutions, and build workflows, standards, and specifications that advance the industry. Version 20.0 of the Guide to Print Production addresses new ISO standards, new characterization datasets, and new specifications in printing, lighting, viewing and measurement, and a tremendous amount of new leading practices. We define the importance of process control and a standards-driven supply chain. We extrapolate on the fact that everything begins at design and design intent. We work tirelessly around the world to LEARN, LEAD and SERVE,” said Tim Baechle, CEO, Idealliance. The Idealliance Guide to Print Production covers many topics including:

• The Essentials: What it all means
• G7: What is G7?
• GRACOL AND SWOP: Characterized Reference Printing Conditions
• Creative Workflow: Leading Practices for Creatives
• Prepress Workflow: Leading Practices for Production
• Proofing: Leading Practices in Hard & Soft Proofing
• Print Manufacturing: Process Control in Print Production
• Standards Charts: Standardized Printing Guidelines
• Cross Media: Six Stages of an Integrated Workflow
• Idealliance: Certifications
• Idealliance: Locations Around the World
• ECG: Idealliance ECG Program Overview
• CRF: Putting Numbers to the Visual Match
• New Initiatives in Print: The Work of Idealliance
• IT8.7/5 (TC1617x): A Better Target For Profiling & Characterization
• XCMYK: Making the Most of CMYK
• Spot Color Tone Value: Specifying Spot Color Across the Supply Chain
• TR016: Quality Management for Today
• Spectral Measurement Conditions Defined: The “M” Factor
• ISO STANDARD 20654
• G7®: Master Pass/Fail Requirements
• BrandQ: Brand Color & Supply Chain Management
• Lighting Proof to Press Matching: Dealing with Metamerism Failures
• Universal Digital Print Space
• Idealliance: Print Properties & Colorimetric Council

“We are very pleased to provide this Guide as a free download and wish to thank all our members and particularly our sponsors who helped make this guide available at no cost,” said Steve Ballinger, Senior Vice President of Idealliance. Thanks to the following sponsors of the Guide to Print Production: