What is G7?
In the realm of international print color standards, both ISO 12647-2 and Fogra PSO rely on tone (dot) gain curves to individually adjust the CMYK tone performance. This adjustment ensures that printing equipment adheres to international color standards. However, this calibration method has limitations: it requires the use of inks and paper that comply with ISO standards and is applicable only to offset printing processes. Meeting ISO standards can be challenging for paper and ink manufacturers in North America and Asia.
On the other hand, the G7 print calibration method, established by Idealliance (International Digital Enterprise Alliance) in the United States, achieves color performance adjustments by generating gray balance and neutral gray print density curves (NPDC) using CMY. G7’s significant advantage lies in its ability to achieve similar color performance across different printing processes. As a result, G7 has become the most widely adopted print certification system over the past decade, with numerous international brands designating G7 as their printing standard
In most certification systems, there are three roles: players, coaches, and referees. Taking the G7 print certification system as an example:
- Printing companies play the role of players.
- G7 Expert-certified specialists act as coaches. Printing companies must receive G7 education and training from qualified G7 Experts. These experts assist in calibrating printing equipment’s color performance and apply for G7 print facility accreditation.
- Idealliance serves as the referee, responsible for assessing whether printing companies have the capability to implement G7 print calibration and whether their color performance aligns with G7-approved standards. Companies that pass Idealliance’s assessment become G7 Masters, providing international brands with reliable printing partners.
G7 Enterprise Certification offers three levels: G7 Grayscale, G7 Targeted, and G7 Colorspace. Companies can choose the level based on their needs and capabilities. Once certified, companies are listed on the Idealliance official website.
Here’s a breakdown of the levels:
- G7 Grayscale: This entry-level G7 certification focuses on controlling the NPDC (Neutral Print Density Curve) for CMY and K only. It applies to large-format output, gravure, flexographic, and web printing*, as well as specific printing scenarios.
- G7 Targeted: Beyond the requirements of G7 Grayscale, G7 Targeted includes achieving specified characteristic data set targets for CMYKRGB seven full-page and spot colors. It’s the most common level achieved in sheet-fed and web offset printing*.
- G7 Colorspace: In addition to the requirements of G7 Grayscale and G7 Targeted, G7 Colorspace involves measuring 1617 color patches. Over 95% of these patches must match the entire characteristic data set. This highest G7 level is often used in digital inkjet printing*, where equipment meeting this standard excels in matching printed output to digital proofs.
Over the past decade, numerous international renowned brands have designated G7 as the standard for print color. Globally, there are over 2,000 G7 Master printing enterprises, with Taiwan hosting more than 40 G7 Master companies. Increasingly, international brand owners not only require their print suppliers to be G7 Master certified but also insist on having on-site G7 Expert-certified specialists to ensure consistent color quality and stability in print production
