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© 2012, [email protected]
Stephan Jaeggi, PrePress-Consulting, Switzerland
PDF/X-4 Case Study
Novartis Pharma Artwork File Specification
© 2012, [email protected]
Stephan Jaeggi, PrePress-Consulting, Switzerland
n Printing & Packaging Engineer since 1981 n Professor (part time) at Swiss Engineering School for
Printing and Packaging (1982-1997) n Typesetting system manager at large printer (1981-86) n IT consultant at Swiss Printers Associations (1986-1991) n Principal of PrePress-Consulting since 1991 n Technical Expert to ISO TC130 (PDF/X) since 1998 n Technical Officer of Ghent PDF Workgroup (2006-2013) n Certification Officer of PDFX-ready since 2005 n Member of the CIP4 Adivisory Board (JDF) since 2000 n PDF Expert at Novartis Pharma Packaging Strategies
Group since 2010
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Digital Vision Control System (DVCS)
n Introduction of quality control systems at Novartis
Manuscript
Printed product Print file previous version
Bitmap comparison Bitmap comparison
Text comparison
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PDF requirements for DVCS tools
n Text comparison tool n Live text (not vectorized) n Well defined font encoding
(Unicode, standard encoding)
n Pixel comparison tool n Minimum image resolution n TrimBox/BleedBox to define area of inspection n Clear identification of technical colors
n Cutting n Braille n Non-printing (Creasing, Perforating, VarnishFree,
InkFree, ...)
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Analysis of existing artwork files
n Text of all artworks (except leaflets) vectorized n Each typesetter used diff. names for technical colors
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Analysis of existing artwork files
n Problems with flattend transparency n Conversion of spot color to process color n Conversion of text to vector or images n Overprinting problems
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Analysis of existing workflow
n Many different file formats n Print files
n Adobe Illustrator CS2, CS3, CS4, CS5 n Adobe InDesign CS2, CS3, CS4, CS5 n EPS Level-2, Level-3 n PostScript n PDF 1.3, PDF 1.4 n PDF/X-1a, PDF/X-3 n …
n Ready for Print (Approval) n PDF n PDF Preview (flattened CMYK)
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Novartis Artwork File Specification (NAFS)
n Common file standard for n DVCS Text comparison tool n DVCS Pixel comparison tools n Ready for Print (Approval) n Print files
n Used for all printed packaging material n Folding boxes, labels, foils, blisters, pouches, leaflets and
brochures n Increase predictability and reliability n Make life easier for everybody
n Drug Regulatory affairs n Artwork operation n Typesetter n Printer n QC (Quality control)
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NAFS is based on international standards
n International Standards Organization (www.iso.org) n ISO 15930 (PDF/X – Standard for prepress digital data
exchange) n ISO 12637 (Graphic technology – Vocabulary)
n Ghent PDF Workgroup (www.gwg.org) n GWG2012 PDF/X-Plus Specification n Proof of Preflight (Preflight Audit Trail) n Storing non printing contour (packaging) data in PDF
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PDF/X-4 (ISO 15930-7)
n PDF 1.6 n Native (live) transparency n Reliable font embedding n (Layers) n Better compression (JPEG2000, object compression) n Smaller files (no flattened content) n Less display problems on monitors and desktop
printers (transparency instead of overprinting) n Compatibility with PDF/A (ISO standard for
archiving)
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PDF/X-4 Plus (GWG2012_SheetSpot)
n Color n Spot colours with different names shall not have the same appearance. n The appearance of a spot colour shall be consistent. n Registration colour (spot colour „All“) shall not be used inside BleedBox. n Total Area Coverage (TAC = sum of all colour chanels) shall not exceed 320%. n The colour values of rich black text (in CMYK or DeviceN) shall not be larger than
K=85% and TAC=280%. n The following colour spaces shall not appear as direct colour spaces, alternate colour
spaces or as transparency blend colour spaces: DeviceRGB, ICCbasedRGB, CalRGB, ICCbasedGray, CalGray, ICCbasedCMYK, Lab.
n The transparency blend colour space shall be DeviceCMYK.
n Overprinting n Print elements defined in grayscale shall not be set to overprint. n White text shall not be set to overprint. n White pathes shall not be set to overprint. n Black text smaller or equal to 12 points and defined in CMYK shall be set to overprint. n Black text smaller or equal to 12 points shall not be defined in DeviceGray. n Black lines with a line width less than 2 points in CMYK shall be set to overprint. n Black lines with a line width less than 2 points shall not be defined in DeviceGray.
n Miscellaneous n No empty pages. n Font „Courier“ shall not be used.
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Additional Novartis restrictions
n Live text (with embedded fonts) n No layers n Output Intent = Coated FOGRA39 n CMYK and Pantone Coated only n Novartis Technical Colors * n Minimum image resolution
n 300 ppi for CMYK and grayscale n 1200 ppi for bitmap (1bit)
n Braille with vectors n Bleed = 2 mm n File name extension: _X-4
* Based on GWG specification "Storing non * printing contour (packaging) data in PDF"
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Four levels of PDF specifications
PDF/X standard (ISO)
GWG2012 SheetSpot
(GWG)
GWG2012 WebCMYK
(GWG)
GWG2012 MagazineAds
(GWG)
PDF specification (Adobe)
PDF/E
PDF/A
Publication, company specific restrictions
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Mandatory preflight check
n Typesetter must perform a preflight check with the Novartis preflight profile for each artwork
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Preflight Audit Trail (GWG standard)
n Result of the preflight check is embedded in the PDF
n Generic digital signature to indicate changes of the PDF after the preflight check
no changes with changes
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Experience from 2 years production
n 20'000+ PDF/X-4 artworks created and printed n Reactions of suppliers
n Acceptance by global typesetters was very good n Only a few printers cannot (or want not) accept PDF/X-4 files
n One label printer in the US n One flexo printer needs AI files with vectorized text for trapping
n Problems n Creation
n Not able to create valid PDF/X-4 files because of .notdef problem (reason: bug in Creative Suite 5; finally solved in Creative Suite 6)
n Output n Compatibility issues with old GhostScript RIP of a flexo imagesetter
at a Novartis plant => conversion profile for Acrobat Pro n Disappearing objects because two printers used old PostScript
workflow (transparency flattening and not honoring overprinting)
Communication is very important when a new standard is introduced!
