Data used for

ISO 12647 6: Process control for the manufacture of half-tone colour separations, proof and
production prints
Part 6: Flexographic printing
Tim Claypole and Mark Bohan
Client: Flexographic Printing Technology Group
Revision: 0.
Document History:
Revised

Notes:

Content
1. Introduction
2. Substrates
3. Screen Ruling
4. Screen Angle
5. Dot Shape
6. Image Tolerance
7. Tone Value Sum
8. Grey Balance
9. Substrate Colour
10. Ink Colours
11. Tone Value Ranges
12. Tolerance for image positioning
13. Tone Value Gain
14. Reflection Densities of the process colour solids
References

d-tcc/welsh/flexdata-ISO-1

1. Introduction
When producing a half-tone colour reproduction it is important that the colour separator, proofer
and printer have previously specified a minimum set of parameters that uniquely define the visual
characteristics and other technical properties of the planned print product. Such an agreement
enables the correct production of suitable separations (without recourse to "trial-and-error") and
subsequent production of off-press or on-press proof prints from these separations whose purpose
is to simulate the visual characteristics of the finished print product as closely as possible. While the
ISO 12647 series of standard are intended specifically for four colour process printing, the generic
principles can be applied to any half toned flexographic image.
ISO 12647 6 lists suggested values or sets of values of the primary parameters and related
technical properties of a half-tone flexographic print produced from a set of halftone colour
separation films. Primary parameters are defined as having a direct bearing on the visual
characteristics of the image, while secondary parameters only influence the image indirectly by
changing the values of primary parameters. Secondary parameters are also recommended for
specification where deemed useful.
This report collates the data supplied by the International experts as part of the development of ISO
12647 6 for four colour flexographic printing. Any differences have to be resolved to ensure the
standard meets the requirements of the international community. The source of each piece of data is
recorded and, where appropriate, notes on how it was obtained. The report highlights the
differences and how these where resolved. This is a working document, i.e. it will continue to be
updated until the standard is published. The gaps in the data indicate where a need for information
has been identified, but has yet to be supplied.
This document is not a substitute for the ISO standard as it concentrates on the technical issues and
does not include whether the values are prescriptive or merely for guidance. It also does not include
the body of the text of the standard, which addresses the scope and contains notes for guidance.
2. Substrates
The resolution and image quality is strongly influenced by the choice of substrate. This choice is
frequently dictated by the application. There range of applications for which flexo is used, led to a
large number of different substrate types being defined. The data has been kept segregated by
substrate, even though the number of substrate categories may be reduced later, retaining this
original data allows the option of increasing the number of substrate categories if deemed necessary
at a later stage.

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The proposed categories of substrate are shown in Table 1.

Substrate
Type
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

Table 1
Substrate Types
Description
Wide Web/sheet
Preprint Liner Board - SBS Board
Wide Web/sheet
Combined Corrugated - Bleached White
Wide Web/sheet
Combined Corrugated - Coated paper
Wide Web/sheet
Folding Carton - SBS Board
Wide Web/sheet
Folding Carton - CRB Board
Wide Web/sheet
Multiwall Bag - Coated paper
Wide Web/sheet
Multiwall Bag - Uncoated paper
Wide Web/sheet - Film
Narrow Web - Film /Coated paper
Narrow Web - Uncoated paper
Publication

Source

Comments

FIRST
FIRST
FIRST
FIRST

Folding box board

FIRST

Folding box board

FIRST
FIRST
FIRST
FIRST
FIRST
FPTG

Label
Label

d-tcc/welsh/flexdata-ISO-1

3. Screen ruling
The screen ruling (screen frequency) shall be within the range:

Substrate Type
1
Wide Web/sheet
Preprint Liner Board -SBS
2

Wide Web/sheet
Combined Corrugated
Bleached White
Wide Web/sheet
Combined Corrugated
Coated paper
Wide Web/sheet
Folding Carton
SBS Board
Wide Web/sheet
Folding Carton
CRB Board
Wide Web/sheet
Multiwall Bag
Coated paper
Wide Web/sheet
Multiwall Bag
Uncoated paper
Wide Web/sheet - Film

Narrow Web
Film / Coated paper

10

Narrow Web
Uncoated paper

11

Publication

Table 2
Screen Ruling (lines/cm)
Minimum
Maximum
45
50
33
60
34
48
20
30
18
33
14
34
30
40
18
40
14
34
48
60
45
60
34
48
44
50
45
60
34
48
30
40
33
48
34
48
25
34
33
48
34
48
44
50
33
70
25
48
50
70
52
70
40
70
44
50
52
70
33

52

Source
FIRST
FPTG
FTAJ
FIRST
FPTG
FTAJ
FIRST
FPTG
FTAJ
FIRST
FPTG
FTAJ
FIRST
FPTG
FTAJ
FIRST
FPTG
FTAJ
FIRST
FPTG
FTAJ
FIRST
FPTG
FTAJ
FIRST
FPTG
FTAJ
FIRST
FPTG
FTAJ
FPTG

Note Number

4. Screen angle
There is general international agreement that for half-tone dots without a principal axis, the nominal
difference between the screen angles for cyan, magenta and black should be 30, with the screen
angle for yellow separated by 15 from another colour. No colour should align with engraving on
the anilox. This is achieved by rotating one colour by 7.50 with respect to the engraving. These
values refer to the films; right reading emulsion up, when viewed at an angle of 45 to the direction
of print.

d-tcc/welsh/flexdata-ISO-1

Are elliptical half-tone dots are used in flexographic printing? It is suggested that for half-tone
dots with a preferential axis, the nominal difference between the screen angles for cyan, magenta
and black shall be 60, with the screen angle for yellow separated by 150 from another colour.
5. Dot shape and its relationship to tone value
Are elliptical half-tone dots are used in flexographic printing? If so, should the first link-up occur
no lower than at 35 % tone value and the second linkup no higher than at 60 % tone value?
6. Image size tolerance
Both the FTAJese and the FPTG agree that for a set of colour separation films in common
environmental equilibrium, the lengths of the diagonals shall not differ by more than 0,02%.
7. Tone value sum
The maximum Tone value sums, which can be achieved, are shown in table 3.
Table 3
Tone Value Sum
Substrate

Generic Substrate
Corrugated

2, 3

Paper

1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11

Film

Maximum (%)
300
400
300
320
400
330
340

Source
FIRST
FPTG
FTAJ
FIRST
FPTG
FTAJ
FIRST

320
300

FPTG
FTAJ

8. Grey balance
Grey balance, unless otherwise specified, should be given by the tone value combinations specified
in table 4.

10% tone
25% tone

Cyan
10
25

50% tone

50

75% tone

75

Table 4
Grey Balance (%)
Magenta
Yellow
15
20
40
40
64
65

15
20
40
40
64
65

Source

Comments

FPTG
FTAJ
FPTG
FTAJ
FPTG
FTAJ

d-tcc/welsh/flexdata-ISO-1

9. Print substrate colour

The print substrates are essentially white in colour. The colorimetric properties for the different
substrate types are shown in table 5.

All Print substrates

Corrugated
Paper
Film
Label

Table 5
Print substrate colour restrictions
LR
aR
bR
90
3
5
90
1
3
92
0
1
84
2
4
92
1
0

Source
FPTG
FTAJ
FTAJ
FTAJ
FTAJ

Comments

10. Ink set colours

Using the process inks, the colours of the process colour solid tones on the proof are given in Table
6. The colour co-ordinates of the two-colour overprints without black should be as given in Table
6.

Substrate
Corrugated

Paper

Film

Label

Ink
Cyan
Magenta
Yellow
Black
Red1
Green1
Blue1
Cyan
Magenta
Yellow
Black
Red1
Green1
Blue1
Cyan
Magenta
Yellow
Black
Red1
Green1
Blue1
Cyan
Magenta
Yellow
Black
Red1
Green1
Blue1

Table 6
Co-ordinates of solid colours on the proof
L*
a*
b*
Source
50
-28
-50
FTAJ
50
68
11
FTAJ
90
-6
71
FTAJ
20
1
3
FTAJ

52
51
88
22

-30
63
-7
1

-51
-7
1
2

FTAJ
FTAJ
FTAJ
FTAJ

51
45
79
25

-32
62
-5
1

-46
-4
76
3

FTAJ
FTAJ
FTAJ
FTAJ

60
54
88
25

-33
60
-7
1

-46
10
79
2

FTAJ
FTAJ
FTAJ
FTAJ

Comments

d-tcc/welsh/flexdata-ISO-1

1 Printed in the sequence yellow-cyan-magenta

The tolerance values represent the deviation between the proof and the OK copy and the variation
tolerance represents the standard deviation of the production. The distribution of E*ab values is
not gaussian but skewed. For reasons of consistency, the variation tolerance is defined here as the
upper limit for 68 % of the production copies. This is in analogy with a gaussian distribution where
68 % are within plus or minus one standard deviation of the mean.

Deviation
tolerance

Variation
tolerance

Table 6
CIELAB E*ab tolerances for the solids of the process colours
Substrate
black
cyan
magenta
yellow
Corrugated
6
8
12
9
Paper
6
8
12
9
Film
4
5
8
6
Label
4
5
8
6
Corrugated
3
4
6
4.5
Paper
3
4
6
4.5
Film
2
2.5
4
3
Label
2
2.5
4
3

Source
FTAJ
FTAJ
FTAJ
FTAJ
FTAJ
FTAJ
FTAJ
FTAJ

11. Tone value reproduction limits

This is to give guidance to the reprography of the limit to which the process can reproduce
highlights and shadows. No significant image parts shall rely on tone values outside of these ranges
on the colour separation film.

Substrate
Corrugated
Paper
Film
Label

Table 7
Tone Value Ranges (on the film)
Minimum (%)
Maximum (%)
8
75
3
85
3
85
3
90

Source
FTAJ
FTAJ
FTAJ
FTAJ

Comments

12. Tolerance for image positioning

The maximum deviation between the image centres of any two printed colours shall not be more
than 0,02% of the print form diagonal.
13. Tone value increase
The target values for tone gain, which can be used to correct the scanned image are shown in table
8. The acceptable deviation of the tone gain from the proof to the OK print, is shown in table 9,
while the tolerance of the production prints is shown in table 10. Is this sufficient to define the
tolerances or is there a need to define the mid tone spread, i.e. the maximum difference in tone
gain between the CMY colours?

d-tcc/welsh/flexdata-ISO-1

Table 8
Tone value increase characteristic for production printing
Tone Value Increase on Print (%)
10
15
25
40
50
60
75

Tone Value on
Film (%)
Substrate
Corrugated
Paper
Film
Label

Tone Value on
Film (%)
Substrate
Corrugated
Paper
Film
Label

Tone Value on
Film (%)
Substrate
Corrugated
Paper
Film
Label

85

30
28
28
25

10

15

Table 9
Production tolerances proof to OK sheet
25
40
50
60

FTAJ
FTAJ
FTAJ
FTAJ

75

85

6
5
5
4

10

15

Source

Source

FTAJ
FTAJ
FTAJ
FTAJ

Table 10
Production Tolerances Process variation
25
40
50
60

8
6
6
5

75

85

Source

FTAJ
FTAJ
FTAJ
FTAJ

d-tcc/welsh/flexdata-ISO-1

14. Reflection densities of the process colour solids

These are included in the standard for information only. They are intended as a guide to enable
the printer who only has access to a densitometer to successfully operate process control
without the need to buy a spectrophotometer.
Gamut
Polarisation

1
w/o

w
w/o
DIN E reflection densities1

3
w

w/o

Ink Cyan
Paper Cyan
Ink Magenta
Paper Magenta
Ink Yellow
Paper Yellow
ISO Status T reflection densities2
Ink Cyan
Paper Cyan
Ink Magenta
Paper Magenta
Ink Yellow
Paper Yellow
ISO visual reflection densities
Black
Paper
Notes:
1. DIN E refers to the wider of the two sets of responses specified in DIN 16536-2:1995
2. Responses according to ISO 5-3:1995

References:
1. FIRST, second edition , FTA, 1999
2. Private Communication 16.9.99

d-tcc/welsh/flexdata-ISO-1