ISO/TR 18160:2014

Document management - Digital preservation - Analog recording to silver-gelatin microform

ISO/TR 18160:2014 recommends test methods for evaluating the consistency of the digital images recorded onto black and white silver microfilm using input from both digitally born documents as well as digital documents created from document scanners. Quality control procedures to be used for optimizing and maintaining output quality onto film over time are described. ISO/TR 18160:2014 stresses the use of both commercial and ISO approved standard test targets. The test methods are based on the visual examination of the output of office document scanners and digitally born test targets on film image recorders. It is applicable to assessing the output quality of document scanners used in the office and film image recorders used to record the resultant scanned images to microfilm. Microforms can be any common formats including 16 mm, 35 mm, and 105 mm roll microfilm, as well as microfiche depending on the film image recorder capability.

Gestion des documents — Conservation numérique — Enregistrement analogique au microforme sur gélatine-argent

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 02-Sep-2014
• ICS: 37.080 - Document imaging applications
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 171/SC 1 - Quality, preservation and integrity of information
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 171/SC 1 - Quality, preservation and integrity of information
• Current Stage: 6060 - International Standard published
• Start Date: 03-Sep-2014
• Due Date: 31-May-2015
• Completion Date: 30-Nov-2015

Relations

• Consolidated By: ISO 16993:2016 - Solid biofuels - Conversion of analytical results from one basis to another
• Effective Date: 06-Jun-2022

Overview

ISO/TR 18160:2014 - Document management - Digital preservation - Analog recording to silver‑gelatin microform - provides guidance and test methods for evaluating the consistency and quality of digital images recorded onto black-and-white silver‑gelatin microfilm. The Technical Report covers quality control across the end‑to‑end workflow: capture from document scanners (digitally born or scanned), image preparation, and recording to microfilm (16 mm, 35 mm, 105 mm roll microfilm or microfiche) using film image recorders. Test methods are primarily based on visual examination and the use of both commercial and ISO‑approved test targets.

Key topics

• Scope and applicability: Assessment of office document scanners and film image recorders when producing microform for long‑term preservation.
• Test targets and methods: Use of ISO and commercial digital targets (including references to ISO test charts) to measure system consistency and resolution.
• Image creation best practices:
  • Recommended scanning resolution for preservation and OCR: 300 dpi (higher DPI for very small fonts).
  • Thresholding guidance for bitonal conversion: midpoint is 128 but typical practical settings around 160–180 for robust reproduction.
  • Importance of calibration, brightness/contrast, and resolution settings.
• Image recording and film processing quality control: Procedures to monitor film writer and chemical processing to maintain output over time.
• Operational controls: Daily use of standardized targets, mechanical maintenance, and cleaning to avoid defects (e.g., dirt causing spots on film).
• Visual test methodology: Practical, visual inspection techniques to verify resolution (line‑pair targets) and image integrity after recording.

Applications

ISO/TR 18160 is intended for practitioners who need to convert and preserve digital documents as analog microforms or verify the quality of that conversion:

• Archivists and records managers seeking durable analog backups for long‑term preservation.
• Libraries, national archives, and government agencies that require LE‑grade microfilm retention strategies.
• Digitization service providers and microfilm vendors validating film image recorders and scanner chains.
• Quality assurance specialists in document imaging workflows responsible for scanner calibration, thresholding, and film processing control.

Practical benefits include standardized test procedures, improved consistency of microfilm output, and reduced risk of information loss due to digital obsolescence.

Related standards

• ISO 6199 (Microfilming operating procedures)
• ISO 12653‑1 (Document scanner test image)
• ISO 14648‑1 / ISO 14648‑2 (Quality control of COM recorders)
• ISO 18901 (LE 500 microfilm storage requirements)

Keywords: ISO/TR 18160, digital preservation, silver‑gelatin microform, microfilm, microfiche, document scanner quality control, film image recorder, archival preservation, test targets, quality control procedures.

Standards Content (Sample)

TECHNICAL ISO/TR
REPORT 18160
First edition
2014-09-15
Document management — Digital
preservation — Analog recording to
silver-gelatin microform
Gestion des documents — Conservation numérique — Enregistrement
analogique au microforme sur gélatine-argent
Reference number
©
ISO 2014
© ISO 2014
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on the internet or an intranet, without prior
written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below or ISO’s member body in the country of
the requester.
ISO copyright office
Case postale 56 • CH-1211 Geneva 20
Tel. + 41 22 749 01 11
Fax + 41 22 749 09 47
E-mail [e-mail]
Web www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Document imaging . 1
5 Archive storage media . 2
6 Document scanner setting and quality control . 4
6.1 Digital imaging system quality control . 4
6.2 Image creation — document scanner setting and quality control — use of ISO test chart . 4
7 Guidelines for image recording quality control . 5
8 Film process quality control . 6
Annex A (informative) Targets . 7
Bibliography . 9
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of any
patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or on
the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions related to conformity
assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the WTO principles in the Technical Barriers
to Trade (TBT) see the following URL: Foreword - Supplementary information
The committee responsible for this document is ISO/TC 171, Document management applications,
Subcommittee SC 1, Quality.
iv © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

Introduction
The perceived value of condensing information by optically filming documents, engineering drawings,
and cartographic materials to microfilm has been well established along with a large collection of ISO
standards that have provided standards and guidance for many years. As more and more information is
generated in digital format, only concerns have arisen regarding preservation of digital data and images.
History has shown that as long as preservation information is kept in analog format, the digital format
becomes more usable, upgradable, and most importantly, safer. The National Micrographics Association
(NMA) in 1943 started standardization of practices for the manufacture and use of microfilm, supplies,
and equipment in conjunction with organizations such as, the National Bureau of Standards (later to
become National Institute of Standards (NIST), National Archives of the US (NARA), Library of Congress
(LOC), American National Standards Institute (ANSI), manufacturers such as, Eastman Kodak Company,
3M, Dupont, IBM, and many others.
These documents were introduced into the ISO environment and published as
— ISO 6199:2005, Micrographics — Microfilming of documents on 16 mm and 35 mm silver-gelatin type
microfilm — Operating procedures, and
— ISO 9923:1994, Micrographics — Transparent A6 microfiche — Image arrangements.
In about 1960, Enterprise Report Management (ERM) recognized the value of directly recording
computer data onto microfilm using Computer Output Microfilm (COM). These practices and documents
all share the common practice of using optical techniques for information capture onto microfilm. The
critical test element used in measuring quality in all these systems is based on the ISO test chart 3334
(see Figure 1).
These were introduced into ISO as
— ISO 8514-1:2000, Micrographics — Alphanumeric computer output microforms — Quality control —
Part 1: Characteristics of the test slide and test data, and
— ISO 8514-2:2000, Micrographics — Alphanumeric computer output microforms — Quality control —
Part 2: Method.
Figure 1 — Reproduction of ISO test chart 3334
The key features of this target are sets of five equally spaced lines and spaces that can be filmed at any
optical reduction ratio; and by simply examining the resultant image, one can determine camera/film
system resolution. The resolution is determined by multiplying the smallest readable element by the
reduction ratio to determine line pairs per mm resolution.
In summary, there is a good body of standardized reference materials for measuring quality and ensuring
good quality control for traditional optical microfilming or for recording digital data onto microfilm.
ISO 11506 further demonstrated the value and gave some guidelines for formatting digital data and
images to microfilm.
vi © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

TECHNICAL REPORT ISO/TR 18160:2014(E)
Document management — Digital preservation — Analog
recording to silver-gelatin microform
1 Scope
This Technical Report recommends test methods for evaluating the consistency of the digital images
recorded onto black and white silver microfilm using input from both digitally born documents as
well as digital documents created from document scanners. Quality control procedures to be used for
optimizing and maintaining output quality onto film over time are described. This Technical Report
stresses the use of both commercial and ISO approved standard test targets.
The test methods are based on the visual examination of the output of office document scanners and
digitally born test targets on film image recorders.
It is applicable to assessing the output quality of document scanners used in the office and film image
recorders used to record the resultant scanned images to microfilm. Microforms can be any common
formats including 16 mm, 35 mm, and 105 mm roll microfilm, as well as microfiche depending on the
film image recorder capability.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 6196 (all parts), Micrographics — Vocabulary
ISO 12651-1, Electronic document management — Vocabulary — Part 1: Electronic document imaging
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO 6196 and ISO 12651-1 apply.
4 Document imaging
In the late 1980s, companies such as Anacomp Inc., Agfa Gevaert, and later on, Micrographic Technology
Corporation [now Global Information Distributors (GlD)] introduced all points addressable imaging
devices that no longer use fixed form slides, and thus, ISO 8514-1:2000 was no longer applicable. With
the cooperation of manufacturers and users, ISO developed new standards for controlling quality
produced on these all points addressable image recorders. These standards describe a digital target,
which when called out by the software will write an image intended to verify the performance of the
imaging device. This target is independent of the particular COM manufacturer as it is written from
digital data only. The primary application of these devices at that time was still outputting Enterprise
Report Management (ERM) data.
These were developed by ISO as
— ISO 14648-1:2001, Micrographics — Quality control of COM recorders that generate images using a
single internal display system — Part 1: Characteristics of the software test target, and
— ISO 14648-2:2001, Micrographics — Quality control of COM recorders that generate images using a
single internal display system — Part 2: Method of use.
5 Archive storage media
With the advent of document scanner
...