ECMA-132

This ECMA Standard specifies a method for measuring the throughput of printing devices.

It specifies three different test patterns:

• a standard business letter,
• a spreadsheet,
• a graphic pattern.

In addition, this ECMA Standard defines a method for a performance test and one for an endurance test.

These tests are intended to measure only the printer throughput for documents in the same class as the test patterns and not to evaluate any other printer features such as character shaping, print compressions, network/controller performance, colour etc. The method is relevant to all general purpose printer types (e.g. dot matrix, daisy wheel, ink jet, thermal transfer, laser printers) and to all configurations (e.g. tractor feed, cut sheet feed, 80-column and over 132-column print width etc.). It may not be the most suitable for comparing performance of high-speed page-oriented printers.