Standards & conformance

LintPDF checks files against every major print standard — PDF/X conformance, G7/GRACoL/ISO 12647 process control, Extended Gamut (ECG) readiness, and HP Indigo Enhanced Productivity Mode (EPM). This page consolidates all three into one reference.

Readiness, not certification. LintPDF verifies files are prepared correctly. Actual certification requires physical print verification by an accredited body.

PDF/X & general standards compliance

Classic standards compliance for offset, sheetfed, and certified workflows.

G7 pre-compliance — GRD_STD_001

G7 is an IDEAlliance specification for achieving gray balance across every printing process. LintPDF checks:

• OutputIntent references a G7-compatible condition (GRACoL, SWOP).
• TAC within G7 spec limits (300–320 %).
• File structure supports the G7 calibration workflow.

GRACoL compliance — GRD_STD_002

GRACoL (General Requirements for Applications in Commercial Offset Lithography) defines requirements for commercial offset:

• OutputIntent references a GRACoL-compatible profile.
• TAC does not exceed 340 % (GRACoL 2006 Coated specification).
• Minimum reproducible dot ≥ 3 %.

ISO 12647 compliance — GRD_STD_003

ISO 12647 defines process control for half-tone color separations, proofs, and production prints:

• OutputIntent ICC profile matches known ISO 12647-2 reference conditions.
• TAC limits per declared printing condition.
• Profile compatibility with ISO 12647-2 specifications.

Run the PDF/X standards bundle

Use the iso-12647-compliance profile:

{
  "profile_id": "iso-12647-compliance"
}

Extended Gamut (ECG) readiness

Extended Gamut Color (also called Expanded Color Gamut, or CMYKOGV) uses 7 inks instead of 4 — CMYK plus Orange, Green, and Violet — to reproduce a wider slice of Pantone. Research against FOGRA55 shows 57.6 % of Pantone colors match at ΔE ≤ 2, 82.7 % at ΔE ≤ 3, and ~90 % at ΔE ≤ 3.7.

ECG checks

Check	What it verifies
GRD_ECG_001	ECG readiness assessment with spot color inventory
GRD_ECG_002	Per-spot color ECG achievability (ΔE against FOGRA55 gamut)
GRD_ECG_003	7-channel TAC verification (300 % FOGRA55 limit)
GRD_ECG_004	DeviceN colorant consistency for CMYKOGV
GRD_ECG_005	Max 3-ink build validation

Run ECG readiness

Use the ecg-readiness profile or enable ECG mode in your preflight profile:

{
  "thresholds": {
    "ecg_mode": true,
    "ecg_tac_limit": 300.0,
    "target_output_condition": "fogra55_ecg"
  }
}

HP Indigo EPM readiness

HP Indigo Enhanced Productivity Mode (EPM) runs presses with CMY inks only — no Black (K) channel. LintPDF catches files that will break in EPM workflows.

Why EPM matters

• K100 text will not print (no K ink to deposit).
• Rich blacks using K need to be converted to CMY composite blacks.
• Gray balance relies entirely on CMY mixing → higher color-shift risk.
• Every CMYK image needs a K-free alternative.

EPM checks

Check	What it catches	Severity
GRD_EPM_001	K channel usage detection	Warning
GRD_EPM_002	Pure black text (K100) detection	Error
GRD_EPM_003	CMY composite black quality	Warning
GRD_EPM_004	CMY-only TAC recalculation	Warning
GRD_EPM_005	Spot color K-dependency in fallbacks	Advisory
GRD_EPM_006	Image K channel dependency	Warning
GRD_EPM_007	Registration color in EPM mode	Advisory
GRD_EPM_008	Gray balance risk	Warning

Run EPM readiness

Use the hp-indigo-epm profile:

curl -X POST https://api.lintpdf.com/api/v1/jobs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer lpdf_..." \
  -F "file=@artwork.pdf" \
  -F "profile_id=hp-indigo-epm"

Related

• Color management — output intent, ICC profiles, profile-aware TAC
• Color quality score — single-number color readiness summary