COLOUR CONTROL FOR RETROREFLECTIVE TRAFFIC SIGNS PRODUCED BY DIGITAL PRINTING APPLICATIONS

Abstract

The advancement of digital printing technologies facilitates alternative production methods to print certified reflective foils used to produce the faces of retroreflective traffic signs. Such products are approved and tested for certification in accordance with standards such as SR EN 12899-1:2007, regardless of production methods while the chromaticity and luminance factors are normative to qualify the product. This paper presents a method for process control and quality assurance using measurement devices and tools employed specifically by graphic technology. The core element is the correlation of the reference colour space (CIELAB, D50) with the standard reference from SR EN 12899-1:2007 (CIExyY, D65), also considering the conceptual difference from circular/elliptical tolerances typically used in printing processes and the colour box coordinates defined by the standard.

Keywords

• retroreflective foil
• traffic signs
• digital printing
• quality
• colour measurement