The PRINTING United Alliance Press Sheet Uniformity Kit is a practical resource designed to help printers measure, evaluate, and better understand sheet uniformity across digital press sheets. Developed by members of the Alliance’s Print Properties Committee, the kit provides a faster, more accessible way to assess press sheet uniformity and investigate issues related to streaking, banding, and other non-uniform print conditions.
Built from the same uniformity concepts used in PRINTING United Alliance digital press certification, the kit includes a single-sheet 13x19 test form and workbook that allow users to generate a Sheet Uniformity Index based on highlight, midtone, and shadow gray values. The scoring is aligned to the familiar 0–100 scale, with a score of 60 serving as the pass benchmark for consistency with M Score methodology.
The PRINTING United Alliance Sheet Uniformity Index Test Chart
In addition to delivering an overall index, the workbook provides deeper visual analysis through easy-to-read heat maps—referred to as Topocolormetric Maps—that reveal dE00, dL*, da*, and db* variation across the sheet. This helps users pinpoint where variation is occurring and better understand whether the issue is tied to density, lightness, or color shifts.
Topocoloretrics Maps Example
The kit was created to make uniformity testing more practical for everyday production environments. While the official certification format is designed for large-format scanning spectrophotometers, this kit can also be used with more commonly available devices, including xRite i1IO systems, with workflows and reference files included to support measurement and data loading.
Ideal for digital print providers, press operators, color specialists, and technical teams, the PRINTING United Alliance Press Sheet Uniformity Kit offers a useful way to monitor print consistency, troubleshoot mechanical print defects, and gain greater visibility into press performance over time.
Download the Press Sheet Uniformity Kit from the Print Properties Committee at iLEARNING+ here: https://www.ilearningplus.org/courses/printing-united-alliance-sheet-uniformity-kit
Learn more about the sheet uniformity kit development from Kyle Hargrove here: https://www.printing.org/content/2024/02/06/modern-press-measurement-and-analysis