What I Learned from Researching Printing

School of Media Sciences

Abdel Motaal + Sigg 
Vienna | June 2013 | ISO/TC 130/JWG 14 

School of Media Sciences

WHAT I LEARNED FROM RESEARCHING
PRINTING UNIFORMITY APART FROM
BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF UNIFORMITY
Abdel Motaal + Sigg

VIENNA | JUNE 2013 | ISO/TC 130/SC28+JWG14
Originally presented by Abdel Motaal at the Annual International Circle of Educational Institutes for
Graphic Arts Technology and Management (IC) Conference, Ryerson University, Toronto (June, 2013). 1

Agenda
•  Talk about my thesis
•  Talk about the evolution of my thesis project
•  Demonstrate some visualizations


Originally presented by Abdel Motaal at the Annual International Circle of Educational Institutes for
Graphic Arts Technology and Management (IC) Conference, Ryerson University, Toronto (June, 2013). 2

2013-06-20

1

School of Media Sciences

Abdel Motaal + Sigg 
Vienna | June 2013 | ISO/TC 130/JWG 14 

About Myself!
•  M. Sc. Print Media
Rochester Institute of Technology, 2013 (est.)
•  B. Tech. Graphic Communications Management
Ryerson University, 2009
•  Knowledge Areas:
–  Quality Control in Printing & Statistical Analysis
–  Software Development, Engineering

–  Graphic Design & Web Development
–  Entrepreneurship & Management

3

Thesis Overview
•  Working together with Franz Sigg
•  Objectives:
–  Practical ways to characterize and measure Printing Uniformity
–  Realistic impact of Printing Uniformity on standards & quality

•  Outcomes:
–  Measurement Method
–  Visualization Toolkit
–  Conceptual Framework
–  Quantitative Models

4

2013-06-20


2

School of Media Sciences

Abdel Motaal + Sigg 
Vienna | June 2013 | ISO/TC 130/JWG 14 

Printing Uniformity
•  Spatial & Temporal Uniform of Printing Density*
Consecutive Prints
Repeatability
Run 2

Individual Prints
Stability

Durability
Run 1


Individual Runs
Reproducibility

Temporal dimensions of printing relative to the reproduction process versus a printed product
5

Printing Density*
•  Some measure of optical density (L* or Density)

0

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25


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85 90 95 100

L* %

K
2.58 2.23 1.95 1.72 1.52 1.36 1.21 1.07 0.95 0.84 0.73 0.64 0.55 0.47 0.39 0.32 0.25 0.18 0.12 0.06 0.00 D

* None-explicit measure of printing density like L* or Visual Density
6

2013-06-20

3

School of Media Sciences

Abdel Motaal + Sigg 

Vienna | June 2013 | ISO/TC 130/JWG 14 

Stage #1

Gateway Works

7

Work by Sigg

1.70
1.65
1.60
1.55
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1.35
1.30


1

In

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kK
ey

s
Po

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it i

on


s

Adapted from Spatial Uniformity by Sigg (TAGA Proceedings, 2007)

2013-06-20

19

Density Status E

Sheet unevenness for Solid Magenta

12 14
8 10 nder
6
yli
2 4 r ou nd c
A


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4

School of Media Sciences

Abdel Motaal + Sigg 
Vienna | June 2013 | ISO/TC 130/JWG 14 

Work by Abdel Motaal & Sikander

Density

Density

Conven&onal)vs.)DI)Offset)

Sheet Number

Lead Edge


Middle

Trail Edge

Adapted from Repeatability in Lithography by A. Motaal & Sikander (TAGA Proceedings, 2009)

9

Revelation #1

Separation of Concerns!
(it is sometimes better to see things black and white)

10

2013-06-20

5

2013-06-20

6
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Data Visualization
Stage #2
Franz Sigg wrote a PostScript program customizable to fit different press format

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New test form designed by Abdel Motaal & Sigg for single-color uniformity
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75%
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RIT Evenness #6S1
Circles ruling: 300 lpi

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Paper size: 12.72 x 18.39 in