'Made in China' light boxes threaten ISO standard

Patent row threatens growth in ISO printing standards in Australia and New Zealand as German manufacturer Just Normlicht fights back against IP grab.

The importing of sub-standard light boxes is casting a pall on ISO printing standards in Australia. Tests on a number of recent installations of cheap copies of an original German design, JUST Normlicht, by colour expert, David Crowther, Chromaticity, reveal the levels are way off the international standards organisation (ISO) guidelines.

"Printers may be buying these cheaper light boxes to save a few dollars but they are losing out in the long run," he said.

In five out of five areas of testing – brightness, chromaticity, illumination MI, and brightness uniformity – CRI (CIE13) the Chinese-manufactured Huali product failed to meet ISO standards. According to Crowther, the main areas where it didn't meet the ISO 3664 specification was in colour temperature and spectral quality.

"Light boxes are supposed to simulate daylight conditions, so-called D50 Kelvin, but these products were as bright as an operating theatre. Good for surgery but not for checking proofs," said Crowther.

The light boxes are the subject of a patent dispute between the German manufacturer JUST Normlicht and Chinese manufacturer Huali. In a recent decision by the Hong Kong Patent Re-examination Board the Huali product was found to have infringed the original JUST Normlicht patent.

The Europeans say they have sent a warning letter to importer Gamut Digital concerning the decision and are taking steps to advise the marketplace of its implications. DES imports the JUST Normlicht light boxes into Australia and New Zealand.