ASTM_F_1944_-_98_2008.pdf

Designation:F194498(Reapproved 2008)Standard Practice forDetermining the Quality of the Text,Line-and Solid-FillOutput Produced by Ink Jet Printers1This standard is issued under the fixed designation F1944;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 describes a procedure that can be used todetermine the image quality of text,line-and solid-fill imagesproduced by ink jet printers.1.2 This practice can be used to evaluate black,process-black and primary ink,single-color images produced by ink jetprinters.1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regardedas standard.The values given in parentheses are mathematicalconversions to SI units that are provided for information onlyand are not considered standard.1.4 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 limitationsprior to use.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2F909 Terminology Relating to PrintersF1125 Terminology of Image Quality in Impact PrintingSystemsF1174 Practice for Using a Personal Computer Printer as aTest InstrumentF1623 Terminology Relating to Thermal Imaging ProductsF1942 Practice for Creating Test Targets for Determining theInk Yield of the Imaging Supplies Used in Ink Jet PrintersF1857 Terminology Relating to Ink Jet Printers and ImagesMade Therefrom3.Terminology3.1 Definitions:3.1.1 See Terminology F1125 for terms of image quality inimpact printing systems.3.1.2 See Terminology F909 for terms relating to printers.3.1.3 See Terminology F1623 for terms relating to thermalimaging products.3.1.4 See Terminology F1857 for terms relating to ink jetprinters and images made therefrom.4.Significance and Use4.1 This practice may be used to determine the imagequality of text,line-and solid-fill images produced by ink jetprinters.4.2 This practice may be used to evaluate the image qualityof black,process-black and primary ink,single-color imagesproduced by ink jet printers.4.3 This practice may be used to evaluate the interactionbetween ink(s)and various substrate types as it relates to imagequality.4.4 This procedure may be used for substrate(for example,paper,paperboard,film,labels,fabric,envelopes),printer andink specifications-acceptance,research and product develop-ment.4.5 Although this practice is suitable for the evaluation ofall printer,ink and substrate combinations,it is not intended foruse in the evaluation of color fidelity or continuous-tones.5.Interferences5.1 Ink jet substrates may be purchased from a variety ofsources and may affect the image quality produced by a givensystem.The user should only use the grade and weight ofsubstrates recommended by the printer manufacturer whenevaluating printer image quality.When there is a difference inthe performance between the two sides of the substrate,it is upto the manufacturer of the substrate to specify the print side.5.2 All substrates should be from the same source andproduction lot.Some inherent variability may affect image-quality evaluations,as will certain unintentional defects.Somevariability may be encountered from one ream of substrate tothe next,or sometimes encountered within a ream.Both sidesof evaluation substrates should be evaluated if a print side isnot specified by the manufacturer of the substrate.1This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F05 on BusinessImaging Products and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F05.07 on Ink JetImaging Products.Current edition approved July 1,2008.Published July 2008.Originally approvedin 1998.Last previous edition approved in 2003 as F1944 98(2003).DOI:10.1520/F1944-98R08.2For 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 5.3 Many printers are subject to imaging-system variationsdue to fluctuation of line voltage.Voltage stabilizing devicesmay be used.If a stabilizing device is not used,sample printsshould be produced when the line load is low or stabilized.5.4 Fluctuations in temperature and humidity may affect thesubstrate used for image reception.Samples printed on differ-ent days could show variation in results.All print samplesshould be dated with temperature and relative humidity re-corded.5.5 The following evaluations of image-quality attributesare performed visually.All comparative evaluations should beperformed under the same viewing conditions.5.6 The following eval