ISO 2846-4-2000 PDF

Full title and description

Graphic technology — Colour and transparency of printing ink sets for four‑colour‑printing — Part 4: Screen printing. This part of ISO 2846 specifies laboratory methods and target colour/transparency characteristics for process (CMYK) inks intended for four‑colour screen printing applications, enabling consistent colour reproduction and interchangeability between ink manufacturers and print producers.

Abstract

ISO 2846‑4:2000 defines how to characterise the solid tone colour and transparency of screen‑printing process inks used in four‑colour printing. It describes test printing procedures, measurement conditions and reporting so that ink sets can be assessed in a consistent laboratory environment. The standard is one part of the ISO 2846 series, which provides analogous specifications for multiple printing processes and supports process control standards such as ISO 12647.

General information

• Status: Withdrawn / cancelled (listed as withdrawn by ISO).
• Publication date: December 2000 (Edition 1, 2000‑12).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 87.080 (Inks; printing inks).
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (2000).
• Number of pages: 12 (as published).

Scope

The standard applies to the laboratory determination of the colour (colourimetric targets) and the transparency properties of printing ink sets intended for four‑colour (CMYK) screen printing. It covers preparation of test prints, specified ink film thickness ranges for the solid tone patches, measurement conditions and how results should be reported so that ink manufacturers and testing laboratories can verify conformance. ISO lists this part as withdrawn; some standards catalogues show specific withdrawal dates in their records.

Key topics and requirements

• Definition of test prints and test‑printing procedures for screen‑printing inks (preparation of solid tone and transparency patches).
• Specification of the colour measurement conditions (instrument geometry/illuminant and measurement/reporting in colourimetric coordinates).
• Requirements for ink film thickness ranges for which the target solid tone values apply and for transparency determination.
• Reporting formats and tolerances so laboratory results are comparable between manufacturers and testing bodies.
• Relationship to process control and printing production standards (used as reference input for ISO 12647 process specifications).

Typical use and users

Primary users include printing‑ink manufacturers, laboratory testing organizations, colour quality managers, screen‑printing converters and specifiers in packaging and specialty printing. The standard is used to verify that CMYK ink sets meet specified colour and transparency targets under defined laboratory conditions, supporting certification and compatibility with process control standards.

Related standards

ISO 2846 is a multipart series; related parts cover other printing processes (for example sheet‑fed and heatset offset, coldset newspaper, gravure/rotogravure, flexography). ISO 2846 is commonly referenced alongside ISO 12647 (process control for printed colour) and other graphic‑technology standards such as ISO 12040 (assessment of light fastness). Note that parts of the ISO 2846 family and related documents have been revised or withdrawn at different times.

Keywords

ISO 2846‑4, screen printing, printing inks, colour, transparency, CMYK, graphic technology, ink certification, ISO 12647, colour measurement.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 2846‑4:2000 is the part of the ISO 2846 series that defined colour and transparency requirements and test methods for CMYK ink sets used in screen printing laboratory tests. It was published in December 2000.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers laboratory test‑printing procedures, the definition of solid tone patches and transparency strips, the recommended measurement conditions and how to report colour and transparency so that ink sets can be compared and certified.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Ink manufacturers, independent test laboratories, colour technologists and screen‑printing converters use the standard to determine whether inks meet specified colour and transparency targets and to support quality control and certification schemes.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO records list ISO 2846‑4:2000 as withdrawn. Various standards catalogues show different withdrawal annotations/dates in their records (for example some entries note withdrawal records in 2014 or 2019). Because the ISO catalogue marks this part as withdrawn, users should consult current ISO publications and national catalogues for the present status or any replacement documents before relying on it for procurement or compliance.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes. ISO 2846 is a multipart series covering colour and transparency of ink sets for four‑colour printing across different printing processes (offset, newspaper, gravure, screen, flexography). These parts are intended to work with process control standards such as ISO 12647.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Key keywords are: colour, transparency, printing inks, four‑colour printing, screen printing, CMYK, test printing, ink certification, ISO 2846.