Is this normal for a print made in ID from a PDF

[dinz100001]

I wanted your thoughts on if this was normal when printing a document through a third party printer.  I have been told its normal and moire but I have never seen anything quite like this.  Looks more like printing that hasn't gone right, really jagged tones.  This was sent as specifited as a print ready PDF.  All images are 300ppi and no compression etc. Is this normal in offset printing?  

[Mike Witherell · Accepted solution]

No, this is not normal. It is unacceptable printing. Was this not seen at the proof stage or press inspection stage?

[dinz100001]

Obviously there doesn't seem to be any proofing or press inspection. I was told it's moire and to try blurring parts of the photo as a response. 

[ak_1809]

It looks like a ripping issue on the printer's end. Your sure this was printed offset?

[dinz100001 · Accepted solution]

It is digital printing print on demand. There isn't any quality control or checking, have had multiple issues with this printer so am moving on to a knowledgeable local printer. 

[ak_1809]

ok. Digital printing makes sense. I only seen this issue on digital and not offset.

[dinz100001]

How do you mean you only see it in digital?  I don't believe it should be an inheret problem of digital printing

[rob day]

Hi @dinz100001 , It could be happening in the way you are handling color profiles. What profile is assigned to the image, and what are your PDF output settings? Can you share a PDF you are sending to the printer?

[dinz100001]

The settings were followed to the printers requirements. Colour profile Gracol2006 and output settings all high quality JPG max quality, all images above 450ppi resampled to 300ppi. Also to note this happened on only some images whilst others not effected at all. Reckon it was an issue with lack of quality control 

[rob day]

Gracol2006

Gracol2006 is an offset CMYK profile, do you mean you are converting your images to CMYK and outputting to a composite printer?

[dinz100001]

Was told to convert profile to Gracol at the PDF export stage. All images were originally Adobe RGB. 

[rob day]

Was told to convert profile to Gracol at the PDF export stage

But the printer is not a 4-color offset press running to the GRAcol profile? Coated GRACo is an offset press profile. If it’s a composite art printer (inkjet?) there would have to be another conversion from your GRAcol conversion to the printer’s output profile, which might be where the banding is being introduced. It could be worth trying an output setting like this, which would keep the image’s source profile and avoid the extra conversion:

[dinz100001]

it's a print being sent away to a printer who do all their printing in CMYK.  As mentioned in previous post, it's digitial printing not offset. I'm not printing this at home or on an inkjet printer. If I was your help makes sense as the images are originally Adobe RGB and I wouldn't need to convert to anither profile for desktop home printing. BUT in this case the document has been sent awa to a printer and they request the profile be changed to Gracol2006 as it's what they use in their printers. I've printed the same photos/document on a previous print run and there were no issues at all. 

[rob day]

You haven’t shared a PDF, but Is the banding showing in your PDF export? If you are delivering a PDF with no banding the problem is happening on their end.

[dinz100001]

There is no banding in the PDF at all.  I was told its moire and to blur areas before printing - I have never seen moire look like this and never heard of such a resolution

[rob day]

I was told its moire

There would have to be a halftone or some other pattern in your image to cause a moire.

Do you know what kind of composite printer is being used?

[dinz100001]

I've not done anything to the image to make it a halftone if that's what you mean. I don't believe I should have to do anything, it's the job of the printer to check this as it's out of my control. The examples above are just some, there are colour images too that show the issue. When you ask what printer do they use, therein lays the problem, they're a broker and the printing comes from a multitude of different printers for each printing sent out, I've had these same photos on the same paper printed in past jobs and they're fine, this job as pictured is how it turns out. Why I'm now hoping using a professional commercial promter to work with will negate these problems. 

[rob day]

Also, here are the expected printing conditions for Coated GRACol—Sheetfed Offset Commercial CTP plates ISO 2846-1 Inks 

https://www.color.org/registry/GRACoL2006_Coated1v2.xalter