What is ISO 23498 about?
ISO 23498 discusses the visual opacity of printed white ink. ISO 23498 specifies a method of measuring the visual opacity of printed specimens of white ink. It applies to printing opaque white ink on transparent and white or coloured opaque substrates.
Who is ISO 23498 for?
ISO 23498 on graphic technology visual opacity of printed white ink is useful for:
- Paint manufacturers
- Ink manufacturers
- Quality control personnel
- Packaging and labelling departments
Why should you use ISO 23498?
Ink opacity is the measurement of the amount of light a coating of ink allows to pass through it. Depending on the function of the label, this is measured using either a reflective or transmission densitometer. Many label applications require a specific level of opacity.
ISO 23498 provides a method to measure the opacity of inks printed using a known configuration of a printing system and so the measured value is not the opacity of the ink per se but of the ink as printed. This aspect is especially important when assessing inks printed using inkjet printers. For the opacity value so measured to be useful, it is important to communicate details of the configuration of the printing system used so that the printing can be repeated.
Using the test described in ISO 23498 ensures that your users can read the labelling clearly.
