VIGC presentation during Labelexpo 2015 in Brussels on PDF standards for print, PDF/X-4 and the GWG initiatives around PDF/X-4.

1. PDF standards & PDF/X-4
Didier Haazen
30 Sept. 2015
didier.Haazen@vigc.be
www.vigc.be
@VIGCbe

2. Intro
 Anyone that knows who these people are?
PDF standards & PDF/X-4

3. Intro
 A small PDF time line
 PDF 1.2 (1997) – Acrobat 3
 PDF 1.3 (1999) – Acrobat 4
 Bigger docs: 508 cm x 508 cm
 DeviceN color space (Pantone)
 PDF 1.4 (2001) – Acrobat 5
 Transparant Imaging Model
 PDF1.5 (2003) – Acrobat 6
 JPEG 2000, 16 bits images
 PDF layers (optional content)
PDF standards & PDF/X-4

4. Intro
 A small PDF time line
 PDF 1.6 (2005) – Acrobat 7
 Nchannel color space (even more spots )
 OpenType fonts
 PDF 1.7 (2007) – Acrobat 8, Acrobat 9 (ISO), or
higher
PDF standards & PDF/X-4

5. Intro
 PDF ‘subsets’
PDF standards & PDF/X-4

6. When to use what
 IF
 Rip’s are old
 Customers are very conventional
 Hardly any communication / connection with
printers side
 THEN
 Stick to the old... (PDF/X-1a or GWG 1v4)
PDF standards & PDF/X-4

7. When to use what
 IF
 RIP’s are modern (eg. APPE or similar technology)
 Good understanding with customers / designers on
file delivery, color management
 Need for flexibility in terms of editing, color
transformation, output in general (e.g. spot to CMYK,
simulation on digital printing press)
 You’re in the Packaging business
 THEN
 Move to the new (PDF/X-4 or GWG2015)
PDF standards & PDF/X-4

8. GWG work based on PDF/X-4
 PDF/X is good but...
 Some major requirements are missing
 NO checks on image resolution
 What about maximum TAC?
 Every market has it’s needs
 Is a magazine ad the same as a sheetfed offset print?
 Shall the Newspaper printer use the same PDF as
the web offset colleague?
PDF standards & PDF/X-4

9. GWG work based on PDF/X-4
 Therefore
 Settings for each market segment
PDF standards & PDF/X-4

10. GWG work based on PDF/X-4
 Therefore
 Settings for each market segment
PDF standards & PDF/X-4

11. GWG work based on PDF/X-4
 Therefore
 Specifics that go beyond PDF/X(1a or 4)
PDF standards & PDF/X-4

12. Tips & know abouts - GWG
 For settings compatible RIP’s & workflow
systems
 http://www.gwg.org/instructions-successful-output-
ghent-pdf-output-suite-4-0/
 For compatible PDF presets & preflight tools
 http://www.gwg.org/application-settings/
 A test suite for testing all kind of PDF
workflows & systems
 http://www.gwg.org/download/test-suites/ghent-
output-suite/
PDF standards & PDF/X-4

13. Tips & know abouts - GWG
 The GWG packaging work...
 http://www.gwg.org/packaging/
PDF standards & PDF/X-4
E.g. non printing contours

14. Tips & know abouts - VIGC
 8 reasons why you need preflight
 http://www.gwg.org/learn/educational-
presentations/
 VIGC Live preflight profiles / output
essentials
 http://en.vigc.be/download/standard-preflight-
profiles-vigc-version-2-july-2010/
 VIGC PDF viewer check
 http://en.vigc.be/download/vigc-pdf-viewer-check/
PDF standards & PDF/X-4

15. Thank you!
PDF standards & PDF/X-4

16. Click to edit Master title style
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+32 (0)14 40 39 90, info@vigc.be, www.vigc.be