What is ISO 18948 about?
ISO 18948 specifies test methods to assess the permanence and durability of photo books, including cover and pages.
A representative selection of printed pages, cover materials, and binding options that are used in the makeup of the photo book is tested.
Note: ISO 18948 is applicable to photo books that contain reflection colour prints made with colour hardcopy materials of all types, including those from either traditional analogue printing or modern digital printing processes.
Note: ISO 18948 performance test methods apply, regardless of the printing process. Because of the large number of combinations of sizes, cover materials, binding options and printing processes, testing of all possible combinations is not within the scope of this document.
Who is ISO 18948 for?
ISO 18948 on photo books is applicable to:
- Photographers
- Printing equipment manufacturers and suppliers
- People working in the binding and printing industry
- Printing organizations
Why should you use ISO 18948?
Photo books are typically stored in a closed condition, either in a stack or on a bookshelf; consequently, environmental factors that may adversely affect displayed prints, such as light and ozone, may not be applicable to the preservation of the inside pages of a photo book. Like photographic prints, photo books are produced on the widest available spectrum of production, from large run commercial facilities to one-off home kits. Their expected permanence and durability can cover a similarly broad range. So, it’s important that careful considerations should be given to the materials used in the construction of photo books to insure the high permanence of the printed images and of the books themselves.
The test methods in ISO 18948 include test conditions designed to assess the adverse effects of humidity and temperature that may be outside of recommended long-term and medium-term storage conditions. It also includes test conditions intended to simulate short-duration exposure of photo books to the interior of a hot vehicle.
ISO 18948 also provide guidelines on testing for the effect of light and ozone on photo books These test methods provided in ISO 18948 helps in the assessment of durability and permanence of photo books.