O-Map Quality - Solution

After many events there is a discussion about the quality of the map. A map has to be strong and durable. It has to withstands extremely harsh treatment during orienteering competition. The colours have to be clear and details have to be readable.

There are several possibilities, but which one is the best price/quality solution?
you can make a distinction between different materials and different ways of printing.

Materials :

* Tyvek is a tough durable sheet of high-density polyethylene fibres. It is used in many scandinavian competitions. http://www.tyvek.com/mea/graphics/english/appl_maps-ex02.htm

* Normal paper (different thickness) - with plastic bag (different thickness)

* Pretex paper

* ...

Printing:

* Digital laser printing of O maps directly out of OCAD was used at the belgian championships. A very fast way of printing is possible. http://www.quickmap.sportsoftware.de/eng/home.html

* Process colour printing

* Spot colour printing

Spot colour uses a separate ink to print each colour of the map, which can allow accurate colour reproduction. Process colour reproduces a wide range of colors using just four standard inks, by combining the inks in varying proportions. When you want to reproduce photographs or other art with many colors, process colour is more economically feasible than spot colour, but not all colours can be reproduced accurately.

Not every printer gives the same results, which are the best printers?? There has been set up a kind of Forum on which you can subscribe to share your experiences with others. VERY INTERESTING. This website should be visited by every organiser.

http://ilm425.nlh.no/~lanht/o/kartutv/printing/printing.html

IOF also has a guideline for printing maps: http://lazarus.elte.hu/mc/ik/printing.htm

At last, this table gives an overview of the settings for process colour printing. http://www.orienteering.asn.au/mapping/
Colour_table_OCAD_Sept03.rtf