ASTM_F_1174_-_12.pdf

Designation:F117412Standard Practice forUsing a Personal Computer Printer as a Test Instrument1This standard is issued under the fixed designation F1174;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This practice covers a standardized procedure utilizing aprinter of the type normally associated with a personal com-puter as an imaging device when the performance properties ofpaper and imaging system components are measured.Bothimpact and nonimpact systems may be tested.1.2 Impact printer technologies include full character anddot matrix.1.3 Nonimpact printer technologies include laser printers,direct thermal printers,thermal transfer printers,and ink jet.1.4 Printers not included are those associated with largecomputer systems commonly known as high-speed printers.See Practice F1175 for testing involving those systems.1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2F221 Terminology Relating to Carbon Paper and InkedRibbon Products and Images Made TherefromF909 Terminology Relating to PrintersF1125 Terminology of Image Quality in Impact PrintingSystemsF1175 Practice for Using the Computer Impact Print-OutUnit as a Test Instrument for Manifold Comparison2.2 ANSI Standards:PH 2.17 Density Measurements-Geometric Conditions forReflection DensityPH 2.18 Density Measurements-Spectral Conditions3.Terminology3.1 DefinitionsRefer to Terminology F909.3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:3.2.1 direct thermal printera thermal printer in which theheated dots in the printhead form the image on a coated papercontaining the imaging materials,producing a color formationcorresponding to the dot pattern on the printhead.3.2.2 printer speedthe rate at which a printer operates,measured in characters per second(CPS),lines per minute(LPM),pages per minute(PPM),or inches per second(IPS).3.2.3 thermal printera printer in which a pattern of dots ina thermal printhead are heated,causing image forming reac-tions on chemically treated ribbon or paper.3.2.4 thermal transfer printera thermal printer in whichthe heated dots in the printhead softens the ink on a ribbon orpaper,causing it to transfer to paper much like an impactprinter.An alternate process involves the use of a resistiveribbon and a printhead with dots that are electrically activated,causing current to flow through a resistive ribbon with animage-forming coating.The heat generated with the currentflow causes the coating to soften and transfer to the paper.4.Summary of Practice4.1 This practice consists of using a printer,of the typenormally associated with personal computers,under specifiedconditions,to prepare images that are used to evaluate paper orother imaging system components.4.2 Care should be exercised in making comparisons,in thatonly one variable at a time should be evaluated.An examplewould be comparing several papers in one laser printer.4.3 This practice includes nonimpact printers having imag-ing technologies including laser,direct thermal,thermaltransfer,or ink jet LED,LCS,and magnetography.It alsoincludes impact printers involving technologies such as fullcharacter or dot matrix types.4.4 This practice may also be used to compare the imagequality of printers that are capable of being operated at morethan one speed.4.5 This practice does not include computer printers usingimaging technology provided by raised images on belts,chains,or drums.Practice F1175 addresses those imaging systems.1This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F05 on BusinessImaging Products and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F05.03 onResearch.Current edition approved Oct.1,2012.Published November 2012.Originallyapproved in 1988.Last previous edition approved in 2006 as F1174 01(2006).DOI:10.1520/F1174-12.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 5.Significance and Use5.1 This practice is intended to provide a means of evalua-tion of comparative image quality relative to paper,imagingsystem components,printer speeds,and printer models.6.Interferences6.1 Many printers are subject to imaging system variationsdue to fluctuation of line voltage.Voltage-stabilizing devicescan be used.If a stabilizing device is not used,tests shall be