scope:

This document specifies test methods as well as test charts to measure the image quality attributes and those variations in colour prints typically used in office environment. Included are digital colour prints formed by using a multifunction or single function printer. Printers supporting a maximum paper size of A4 or larger are suitable for the measurements using the test charts defined in this document.

The image quality attributes included are colour reproduction, line quality, graininess and mottle.

The sources of variation considered are locations in a page (within-page variation), printed side in a sheet (side-to-side variation), printed order of the sheet (sheet-to-sheet variation) and colours printed on the back side of evaluated patch (show-through variation).

A duplex print set, comprising several sheets which are printed by multifunction or single function printer with colour images on both surfaces of a substrate, is a main application of the test methods to measure image quality variations in the set. Variations, such as within-page variation and sheet-to-sheet variation, are also applicable for a simplex print set comprising several sheets which are printed colour images on one surface of a substrate and no image on the other surface.

Both duplex and simplex printers are applicable to form a print set. When image qualities of duplex prints are measured, duplex printers which are capable to print images on both sides of substrate automatically are applicable to form duplex prints. However, simplex printers which require a manual arrangement of substrates between the front side and back side printing to form duplex prints are out of scope of this document.