1、Designation: F 1944 98 (Reapproved 2003)Standard Practice forDetermining the Quality of the Text, Line- and Solid-FillOutput Produced by Ink Jet Printers1This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 1944; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoptio
2、n or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. Asuperscript epsilon (e) 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
3、 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 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns, if any, associated with i
4、ts 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:2F 909 Terminology Relating to PrintersF 1125 Terminology of Image Quality in Impact PrintingSystemsF 117
5、4 Practice for Using a Personal Computer as a TestInstrumentF 1623 Terminology Relating to Thermal Imaging ProductsF 1942 Practice for Creating Test Originals for Determiningthe Ink Yield of the Imaging Supplies Used by Ink JetPrintersF 1857 Terminology Relating to Ink Jet Printers and ImagesMade Th
6、erefrom3. Terminology3.1 Definitions:3.1.1 See Terminology F 1125 for terms of image quality inimpact printing systems.3.1.2 See Terminology F 909 for terms relating to printers.3.1.3 See Terminology F 1623 for terms relating to thermalimaging products.3.1.4 See Terminology F 1857 for terms relating
7、 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
8、-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 sp
9、ecifications-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 purchase
10、d 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 su
11、bstrate, 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
12、 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 r
13、esponsibility of Subcommittee F05.07 on Ink JetImaging Products.Current edition approved Dec. 10, 1998. Published February 1999.2For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org. For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume informatio
14、n, refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.1Copyright ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.5.3 Many printers are subject to imaging-system variationsdue to fluctuation of line voltage. Voltage stabilizing devi
15、cesmay 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 sa
16、mplesshould 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 evaluations utilize digital test originalsthat are
17、 created using software. Always use the same originalswhen comparing printers, supplies and substrates.5.7 Note that some print defects may be the result ofclogged or malfunctioning ink jet nozzles. Solid fill printsamples should be periodically examined for alternating highand low density horizonta
18、l bands. If this defect is noted, it islikely that a nozzle is clogged or has malfunctioned. In thiscase, the evaluation should be stopped, the nozzles cleaned orreplaced and the evaluation restarted from the beginning.6. Apparatus6.1 Ink jet printer.6.2 Word processing or page layout (desktop publi
19、shing)software, which allows the user to create, copy and placegraphic elements on a page, as well as specify the size of thesegraphic elements.6.3 5X Magnifier or optical comparator.6.4 Metric ruler, graduated to 1 mm.7. Calibration7.1 Adjust the printer used to conduct the evaluation per themanufa
20、cturers instructions or in accordance with PracticeF 1174.7.2 Skew and nozzle misalignment may be an irreparableaspect of a particular printer. It is recommended that if theseweaknesses are predisposed, that it should be determinedbefore the evaluation commences (refer to Sections 12 and 14).8. Cond
21、itioning8.1 Condition the printer, supplies and substrates to beevaluated for 24 h in the same atmospheric conditions as thosepresent where the evaluation is to be conducted.8.2 All comparison evaluations should be run under thesame conditions of temperature and humidity.9. Text-Quality Evaluation9.
22、1 FeatheringFeathering is a common characteristic ofink jet imaging and causes poor text quality. Feathering occurswhen ink flows along substrate fibers causing protrusions fromthe image. The length of the feather, as well as their frequencyand optical density, have an effect on the print quality. A
23、 severeform of feathering is called “wicking” and occurs when thefeather is long enough to form a bridge to adjacent images.Feathering should not be confused with spray (14.1).9.1.1 Feathering Evaluation:9.1.1.1 Using a word processor or text editor, create severallines of text.9.1.1.2 Print the tex
24、t using the conditioned printer, imagingsupplies and substrate.9.1.1.3 Using the magnifier or optical comparator, examineall of the text in the printed sample. Compare to the followingreferences and report the results.(1) No feathering observed.(2) Some feathering is observed.(3) Frequent feathering
25、 distorts the outline of text image.(4) Wicking is observed.10. Solid-Fill Evaluation10.1 Mottling and CoalescenceMottling is an image-quality defect that results in non-uniformity of the imagedensity of a “solid fill” area (for example, thick lines, letters orblocks). Mottling defects follow patter
26、ns in the substrate or arecaused by the interaction between ink and substrate. Coales-cence defects are caused by pooling of the ink before it hastime to dry or be absorbed into the substrate.10.1.1 Mottling Evaluation:10.1.1.1 Using Practice F 1942, create a document consist-ing of solid-fill areas
27、 sufficiently large enough to visuallyevaluate. Several 1 in. square (25.4 mm) solid fill elementslocated around the page should suffice.10.1.1.2 Print the document using the conditioned printer,imaging supplies and substrate.10.1.1.3 Use a magnifier or optical comparator and examineall of the solid
28、-fill areas in the printed sample for non-uniformdensity. Compare to the following references and report theresults.10.1.1.4 If apparent density defects follow patterns in thesubstrate, they are mottling defects. If apparent density defectsare caused by pooling of the ink on the surface of the subst
29、rate,it is a coalescence defect.(1) No mottling or coalescing observed.(2) Some mottling or coalescing is observed.(3) Severe mottling or coalescing is visible to the nakedeye.10.2 BandingBanding is a image-quality defect that re-sults in alternating high and low density bands across solid-fillareas
30、. Note that this defect may occur even though the qualityof the text is acceptable and may be caused by clogged ormalfunctioning nozzles.10.2.1 Banding Evaluation:10.2.1.1 Using Practice F 1942, create a document consist-ing of solid-fill areas sufficiently large enough to visuallyevaluate. Several
31、1 in. square (25.4 mm) solid fill elements andseveral lines of text located around the page should suffice.10.2.1.2 Print the document using the conditioned printer,imaging supplies and substrate.10.2.1.3 Using the magnifier or optical comparator, examineall of the solid-fill areas in the printed sa
32、mple. Compare to thefollowing references and report the results.10.2.1.3.1 No banding observed.10.2.1.3.2 Some banding is observed but is not apparent intext.10.2.1.3.3 Severe banding is observed and is apparent inboth solid fill areas and text.F 1944 98 (2003)210.3 BronzingBronzing is an image-qual
33、ity defect thatmay sometimes be observed in solid-fill areas where the blackink reacts with the substrate, so that the image displays abronze sheen.10.3.1 Bronzing Evaluation:10.3.1.1 Using Practice F 1942, create a document consist-ing of black solid fill areas sufficiently large enough to visually
34、evaluate. Several 1 in. square (25.4 mm) solid fill elementslocated around the page should suffice.10.3.1.2 Print the document using the conditioned printer,imaging supplies and substrate.10.3.1.3 Using the magnifier or optical comparator, examineall of the solid-fill areas in the printed sample. Co
35、mpare to thefollowing references and report the results.(1) No bronzing is observed.(2) Some bronzing is observed within some elementsaround the page.(3) Some bronzing is observed in all elements around thepage(4) Consistent bronzing is apparent in all elements on thepage.10.4 Wet cockleWet cockle i
36、s an image quality defect thatresults in non-uniform image density of a solid fill area. Assolid-fill areas are printed on substrate, ink causes fibers in thesubstrate to swell. This produces a wave pattern on thesubstrate and is observed during the printing process prior toink drying. Sometimes the
37、 substrate swells enough to cause theink jet nozzles to come in contact with the substrate and smearthe image.10.5 Dry cockleDry cockle is an image-quality defect thatresults in non-uniform image quality of a solid fill area. As theink dries, the wet-cockle wave pattern usually diminishes andis then
38、 referenced to as dry cockle.10.5.1 Wet/Dry Cockle Evaluation:10.5.1.1 Using Practice F 1942, create a document consist-ing of solid-fill areas sufficiently large enough to visuallyevaluate.10.5.1.2 Print the document using the conditioned printer,imaging supplies and substrate.10.5.1.3 Using the ma
39、gnifier or optical comparator, examineall of the solid-fill areas in the printed sample. Compare to thefollowing references and report the results.(1) No wet or dry cockle observed.(2) Some wet cockle is observed.(3) Some dry cockle is observed.(4) Print head comes in contact with substrate and smea
40、rsimage.11. Bleed Evaluation11.1 Image bleedImage bleed is the bleeding of one colorof ink into an adjacent color and is a common result of theinteraction between the ink and substrate. The evaluation ofbleed is similar to that for evaluating feathering, and dependson the amount and frequency of the
41、 line-width expansion.11.1.1 Image-Bleed Evaluation:11.1.1.1 Using a word processor or page layout program,create black text inside of a yellow box and yellow text insideof a composite black box. Other combinations of primary inkcolor may be used for bleed evaluation.11.1.1.2 Print the document usin
42、g the conditioned printer,imaging supplies and substrate.11.1.1.3 Using the magnifier or optical comparator, examinethe printed sample. Compare to the following references andreport the results.11.1.1.3.1 No increase in image width is observed.11.1.1.3.2 Some increase in image width is observed11.1.
43、1.3.3 Protrusion defects distort image width.11.1.1.3.4 Protrusions into adjacent background color areobserved.12. Skew Evaluation12.1 SkewSkew is relationship of the imaged area to oneor more edges of the substrate. Nearly all images (especiallytext) should be imaged square on the page. An image th
44、at is notproduced squarely on the page is “skewed.” Skew is measuredas deviation between the side of the image and the edge of thesubstrate (see Fig. 1).12.1.1 Skew Evaluation:12.1.1.1 Using a word processor or page layout program,create and place a 25 cm line or rectangular object along thelong edg
45、e of the page.12.1.1.2 Print the document using the conditioned printer,imaging supplies and substrate.12.1.1.3 Using a ruler, measure the distance from the outeredges (“A” and “B”) of the elements to the edge of the sheet.12.1.1.4 Calculate (A-B)/25. Report the results.(1) No skew is measured.(2) S
46、kew measure is less than 0.06 mm/cm.(3) Skew measure is greater than 0.06 mm/cm.13. Background Evaluation13.1 ArtifactsArtifacts are extraneous spray or dropletsthat may be visually detected in the background or non-imagedarea of a printed page. Artifacts can be caused by a substratethat has an extr
47、emely rough surface or protruding fibers thatcome in contact with the ink nozzle. Artifacts can also becaused by faulty nozzles (refer to 14.1 and 14.2) and may notbe related to the substrate.13.1.1 Artifact Evaluation:13.1.1.1 Using the magnifier or optical comparator, examinethe various images cre
48、ated during the evaluation. Compare tothe following references and report the results.(1) No artifacts are observed.(2) Some artifacts are observed.(3) Numerous artifacts affect text, solid fill or background-area uniformity.FIG. 1 SkewF 1944 98 (2003)314. Differentiating Nozzle Characteristics from
49、 SubstrateInfluences14.1 SpraySpray is extraneous droplets of ink around theoutside of the image area. When a nozzle ejects droplets of ink,a certain amount of spray is normally ejected. With printersequipped with a moving print head, spray predominatelyappears along the trailing edge of the image. An image with asignificant amount of spray can result in a halo effect aroundthe image.14.1.1 Spray Evaluation:14.1.1.1 Since most printers print bidirectionally, examinethe edge definition of both leading and trailing edges ofpreviously produced images with the magnifier or opt
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