The ProcessStandard Offset (PSO) is the description of an industrially orientated and standardised procedure for the creation of print products. The PSO is in conformance with the international standardization series ISO 12647.
As an ISO norm the PSO is internationally recognised and was published and forwarded for international recognition by Germanys Regional Printing and Media Industries Federation (vdm) in collaboration with Fogra.

By using PSO the quality of the production of a complete print product can be guaranteed, from data creation to the finished printing product.

The PSO describes adequate testing devices and control methods by which the production process can be supervised, guided and proved. This includes measuring devices with spectral and densitometric settings, as well as suitable testing elements (for example test stripes).

Furthermore, the PSO sets nominal values and tolerances for the print production that, relating to modern production materials, represents what is sensible and feasible.

The goal is to ensure that the multiple division of labour production process is as efficient as possible and at the same time to ensure that interim and final results show a predictable quality of colour.

In the printing industry, the division of labour has increased enormously.
Or, put differently: very rarely data is printed where it was created. Customers often hand jobs to different print and media specialists. Printing plants collaborate in order to concentrate themselves on their core competences. This trend will continue, and will extend across boarders as well. The ISO 12647 Process Standard Offset print is in constant development in order to benefit the user.

Quality becomes measurable, verifiable and provable!