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Sammie Dang
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Archival permanence and durability – Recording on paper (ISO 11798)
Testing the archival permanence and durability of recording (writing, printing and copying) on paper according to ISO 11798 is one of our specialties. All types of recording are covered, such as writing from pens and stamps, copying from copying machines and printing from printers (laser printers, inkjet printers, and multifunction devices).
Background
The need for ISO 11798 arises from the strong Swedish Archives Act and the necessity for information preservation for the future. The Swedish National Archives’ technical regulations (RA-FS 2006:4) align with the Archive Law and require archival permanence for documents to be preserved in archives. Accordingly, ISO 11798 has been implemented as specification requirements in these regulations.
RISE (formerly SP) has been testing the permanence and durability of paper since the early 1900s and subsequently also the writing on paper, focusing on properties crucial for the durability of writing. As new writing and printing methods have been introduced to the market, testing methods have been adapted to evaluate new properties.
Documents with writing, printing or copying that meet the standard’s requirements are permanent, provided they are stored in an archival environment and produced in combination with permanent paper (in accordance with ISO 9706 or ISO 11108) as substrate.
Purpose
The purpose of the standard is to ensure that archival documents are readable and durable both now and in the future. The documents should withstand long-term storage, be able to be copied, scanned, and handled without being destroyed, and endure some exposure to light, water, and heat. Additionally, the writing and printing (and the process of printing for laser printers) must not negatively affect the paper’s strength.
Products tested according to ISO 11798 and meeting the requirements can be certified by RISE.
Method
The permanence and durability of recording on paper produced with writing materials—such as ink from pens and stamp pads—or paper documents produced using equipment like copiers, laser printers, and other types of printers is examined according to ISO 11798. ISO 11798 contains both the testing procedure and requirements that needs to be fulfilled.
The recording is evaluated using various methods, including tensile testing, folding endurance, optical density, color change (for color printers), and abrasion.
The standard specifies requirements in the form of:
- Appearance of the recording
- Lightfastness
- Water resistance
- Transfer of writing to adjacent documents when stacked
- Abrasion resistance
- Heat resistance
- Effect of writing on the mechanical strength of the paper
- Effect of the printing process on the mechanical strength of the paper (for laser printers)
The standard also specifies the paper to be used for producing recording (ISO 9706 and ISO 11108).
Accreditation
The testing activities for recording on paper maintain high quality through accreditation according to SS-EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018.
Deliveries
A test report from an accredited laboratory and statement on whether the test results meet the requirements of ISO 11798 or not.
Certification
Certification of archival permanence and durability of recording materials and paper is carried out in accordance with RISE certification rules (SPCR 004).
Products that can be certified by RISE include:
- Ink for inkjet printers
- Printers (laser and multifunction printers)
- Ink for pens
- Stamp pad inks
