BrandQ Training Core Content

BrandQ® teaches you how to effectively communicate with your print suppliers
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BrandQ Training includes... 

The Big Idea
  • Why BrandQ
  • What are possible gains?
  • Expectations & limitations

Terms & Lingo
  • Spectrophotometer
  • D50
  • CIE LAB
  • Delta E
  • Print Quality
  • Schmoo
  • PQX
  • CRPC
  • Printing Aim
  • Characterization Data
  • Fingerprint
  • Benchmark
  • Calibration
  • GRACoL
  • ICC Profile
  • CXF File
  • Density
  • Spectral
  • Gray Balance
  • OBA
  • TVI
  • Print Attributes
  • G7
  • Substrate Relative Correction

Color Management Basics
  • ICC Profiles & Delta E
  • Color management in design and proofing, settings to use in Adobe InDesign, etc …
  • Principles of ICC profiles and device independence
  • Concept of device characterization
  • Characterization targets
  • Use of LAB in ICC Profiles> the PCS
  • Profiling recipe
  • Proof verification – how, why and reading the results

G7 Fundamentals
  • What is G7?
  • Tonality
  • Gray balance
  • Paper relative
  • TR015 – A specification for Gray
  • A calibration method
  • Assessment of G7 (simple, more later in measurement)
  • Compliance levels
  • Practical uses for G7

Measurement Fundamentals
  • Measurement devices
  • Measurement parameters
  • Illuminant/angle
  • Measurement condition
  • Awareness of inter-device differences

Specifying Printing Aims
  • What is a printing aim?
  • How printing aims are communicated
  • What print attributes should be communicated when specifying a printing aim
  • How to specify measurement parameters with a printing aim
  • How to specify tolerances with a printing aim
Reference Printing Conditions
  • What is a reference print condition?
  • CRPC
  • What characterization means
  • How is a reference print condition different than just measuring a printed sheet?
  • The virtual press concept
  • What is a reference print condition used for?
  • Examples of reference print conditions

Global Print Standards
  • Why standards matter
  • Well known standards:
    • ISO 12647:2
    • GRACoL
    • Fogra
  • Other common standards:
    • CGATS 21/ISO PAS 15339
    • First
    • Japan Color
  • How to adapt existing standards
Custom Print Standards
  • Why custom standards?
  • When to use a custom standard
  • Guidelines for creation of custom standards
  • Example cases for custom standard creation
Paper Relative Theory
  • What is paper relative theory
  • The science behind relative paper calculation
  • Applications for paper relative theory
  • Real life examples of paper relative theory
  • How to perform paper relative theory
  • Example applications and devices that support paper relative theory
Spot Colors
  • Reasons for spot color variation
  • Spot color libraries: be specific
  • Differences between version of spot color libraries
  • Measurement parameters, delta E and spot colors
  • Proofing and predicting spot colors
  • Proofing and predicting spot color overprints
  • Printing and matching spot colors
  • Creating spot colors from ECG color sets
  • Explicitly specifying spot colors and tolerances
  • Pantone Live

Schmoo - Like G7 for Spot Colors
  • Concise history of spot color tone prediction
  • Schmoo/ISO 20654
  • Uses for Schmoo: Proofing and design intent
  • Uses for Schmoo: Print calibration and standardization
  • Real life application – how to use Schmoo
  • Applications and devices that support Schmoo

Tolerances
  • Machine capability
  • Informal standard tolerances
  • Formal standard tolerances
  • The cost of perfection
  • Determining appropriate tolerances

Development of a G7 Specification document
  • Communication tools
  • G7 Print Specification Template: Concise yet simple
  • Adapting G7 Print Specification Template for your use
  • Developing a custom print specification
  • Formal acknowledgment of receipt of a print specification
Pre-assessment of supply chain
  • Why pre-assess supply chain?
  • Determining your supply chain requirements
  • Pre-assessment supply chain template
  • Scoring potential supply chain partners
  • Customizing supply chain assessment template
  • Creating a customized supply chain assessment template

Evaluation of G7 based Printing Aims
  • Evaluation of G7
  • G7 Compliance levels
  • Gray
  • NPDC
  • Solids
  • Overprints
  • Averages
  • Software and hardware used for evaluation of G7

Spot Color Evaluation
  • Evaluation of spot colors
  • Delta E and spot colors
  • Software and hardware used for spot color evaluation
  • Communication of spot color aims and troubleshooting

Proofing
  • Why test proof alignment between brand and supply chain?
  • Proof Alignment Procedures
  • Template – Proof alignment test form
  • Use of proof alignment test form with specification document
  • Software and hardware for use in evaluating proof alignment
  • Printed Material Alignment Procedures
Why test print alignment between brand and supply chain?
  • Print Alignment Procedures
  • Template – Print alignment test form
  • Use of print alignment test form with specification document
  • Software and hardware for use in evaluating print alignment
  • Supply chain ask: How much work = a dedicated press run

Multiple Hands on Evaluations of Print Materials
  • Proof Samples
  • Print Samples

Viewing conditions
  • D50 and proper viewing conditions
  • Custom viewing conditions

Non-traditional Print
  • Special cases

Supply Chain Assessment - How Much to Measure
  • Spot checking
  • Continuous or ongoing assessment strategies
  • Sampling of sheets/ based on run length and process
  • Scoring work
  • Evaluation of supply chain
  • Post-assessment and action plan
Case Studies in Print Buying

Where Do You Go From Here?
  • Applying BrandQ to your brand
  • Applying BrandQ to your supply chain
  • BrandQ program options