Talking about the latest screening technology of CTP
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There is no doubt that every printer believes that a computer-to-plate system can greatly improve the quality of the print, because it does not require the use of film, but directly on the plate, thus making the print shop more tidy, while still being able to Allowing people to use more precise dots reduces the restrictions on the four-color printing that the press is exposed to. In addition, the computer-to-plate system can reduce dot distortion and maximize compensation for dot gain on the press. Under such a trend, many manufacturers have introduced random screening products for computer-to-plate systems.
The traditional halftone screening is what we often call AM screening. It consists of a series of regularly arranged dots that reflect the difference between highlights and shadows by changing the dot size. AM screening is highly predictive and works better on a press than random screening. The limitation of this technique is that the printer must ensure that the image does not lose dots in the brightest and darkest places. As the number of screen lines increases, it becomes more and more difficult to control the gap between the high-gloss dots and the dark-adjusted mesh.
FM screening or random screening uses a completely different approach than AM screening, which maintains the same dot size but changes the distance between the dots. Since the dots are very small and closely arranged in many areas, FM screening can reproduce more detail (middle tone) while reducing the chance of "Mor" stripes appearing. Images printed with FM screening technology can often achieve the quality of continuous photo adjustment. However, since FM screening uses very small dots, the problem of high-gloss dots that often appear in the AM screening process also appears in most of the tone-adjusting. Before the advent of computer-to-plate technology, it was difficult to transfer micro-grids from film to plates, and now the problem can be easily solved.
Many emerging screening technologies are a mixture of AM and FM screening. Hybrid screening uses traditional banner screening in most tonal regions, while FM screening is used in highlight and shadow regions. By mixing the screen, the offset printing factory can increase the number of screen lines in the AM range without placing an additional burden on the press. The following are some of the most recent screening products that are more common on the market (Agfa, Artwork) Systems, Esko, Fujifilm, Heidelberg, Kodak, Rampage Systems, RIPit and Screens).
Agfa
Agfa claims that its own screening technology combines the advantages of AM and FM screening. The company's Sublima is a patented product that combines two technologies into one solution. It is also Agfa's first solution to adopt XM's patented technology. In the development of Sublima, two Agfa technologies were used: ABS: ABS (Agfa Balanced Screening) and: CristalRaster FM screening technology.
Let's take a look at how Sublima works. In the midtone area, Sublima uses ABS technology for clear and accurate reproduction. In the more troublesome highlights and shadows, Sublima uses FM technology to reproduce the details of the image. But this software can't easily switch from one technology to another. It uses patented technology to determine the switching point between the two screening technologies, and can achieve a smooth transition without affecting the image's effect. Although the FM screening area uses relatively small dots, they will still be arranged according to the screening angle established by ABS. The end result is to generate a brand new mesh. : Sublima can reach 210, 240, 280 and 340 respectively Lpi.
Sublima software takes into account all the variables. It calculates the minimum dot size that the plate can print on each press, allowing the printer to make adjustments on the press – a place that is stronger than FM screening.
Sublima's built-in calibration curve automatically compensates for different dot gains. It can keep 1% to 99% of the dots in long-length printing without losing. The biggest advantage of this technology is still reflected in prepress and printing. At the highest number of screen lines - it can only be RIP at 2400 dpi resolution. 340 The printing effect of lpi is no different from the printing effect of 150-lpi - which also includes ink balance and plate performance.
Artwork Systems
Artwork Systems is the industry's leading professional prepress software vendor that developed Concentric Screening technology. According to the company, Concentric Screening is a revolutionary halftone screening technology that divides traditional circular dots into finer concentric rings. These concentric rings reduce the thickness of the ink film on the plate, giving the user greater print stability and color saturation. Concentric Screening is the first halftone dot that uses a different internal shape and is the world's first "non-stereo" halftone dot. Artwork's production of printing plants can increase the number of screens – even up to twice – without having to worry about spots, dot gain and other problems caused by the number of lines.
Concentric
Screening has all the advantages of the second generation of FM screening technology, printability, easy to use, and can achieve the smoothness of traditional AM screening. In addition, it can also be used in Artwork Systems introduced the Nexus and Odystar workflows.
Esko
In September 2006, Esko introduced the new PerfectHighlights flexographic printing technology. It brings new tools to Esko users, carton processing plants and label printers, so they know how to achieve the best results in the screen printing process and in the plate making process. Printers can set the optimal screening parameters for specific printing environments, inks, substrates and presses, increasing the value that package buyers receive and giving them a greater competitive advantage. PerfectHighlights can print 1% to 2% of high-gloss dots in a variety of ways. It can work with other screening technologies from Esko to bring the best mid-tone and dark-tone reproduction to users.
In addition, Esko has also developed SambaFlex and Groovy. A variety of screening technologies including Screens. SambaFlex and Groovy Screens are hybrid screening technologies that use AM dots in most areas of the image and use FM dots in the highlights of the highlights and shadows to improve color saturation and image stereo. Esko also has HighLine AM screening technology that produces very high screen counts at lower output resolutions. For example: able to be at 2400 A 423 lpi dot is produced at a resolution of dpi.
Fujifilm
Fujifilm also has two advanced screening technologies - Co-Res AM Screening (for normal resolution images) And Taffeta FM Screening, which was launched at the drupa show in 2004.
Co-Res
Screening is a revolutionary high-precision screening software developed by Fujifilm that allows customers to print images with high screen counts using standard output resolution. In this way, the user can increase the productivity of the high-line screening while achieving more detailed reproduction in the highlight area.
Fujifilm has also developed Taffeta FM screening software, which allows CTP users to print more detailed and higher quality products. Taffeta combines the well-functioning digital imaging technology specially designed by Fujifilm. Intelligence can help printers solve the problems that often occur in FM screening, and can effectively increase the range and accuracy of color reproduction and reduce the generation of "Moire" stripes. New Taffeta FM Screening also uses particle optimization algorithms to simulate printing effects using optical properties, and uses dot shape optimization algorithms to reduce the graininess of the image and improve the printability of the plate.
Fujifilm claims that Taffeta has the following characteristics:
Completely eliminate "Mor" stripes and rose spots
Improve the saturation of basic and inter-color
Better reproduce image details
Improve the texture and printability of the plate
Eliminate unevenness and graininess of the plate
Heidelberg
In April 2006, Heidelberg introduced a new Prinect hybrid screening method to the UK market. This new screening method combines the advantages of AM and FM screening technology. It can provide users with higher screening resolution and clearer details, thus improving the overall print quality of the image.
Prinect hybrid screening technology has been used in the Suprasetter series of thermal platesetters, Prosetter series of violet laser platesetters and Topsetter series platesetters. Depending on the CTP platemaking technology and the type of plate, it can achieve a screen resolution of up to 400 lines per inch.
Prinect hybrid screening technology defines the smallest dots for highlights and shadows, and does not allow people to use dots below this minimum size. Unlike random FM screening, the dots used in this technology will be arranged in the direction of AM screening. This ensures a smooth transition between different tone values. In addition, Prinect hybrid screening technology distributes the mixed dots at relevant angles to enhance the sharpness of the details of the image and reduce the generation of "Moire" stripes. Prinect hybrid screening system uses Heidelberg's own Irrational Screening (IS) technology, which not only effectively eliminates "Mor" stripes, but also provides a smoother effect on skin areas that are more difficult to replicate. For black and white prints, this system can also be used to set the black screen angle separately for better results.
This new screening method does not require any major adjustments to the workflow. Users can increase the resolution step by step when needed, but it is best to start with the number of screen lines we use.
Heidelberg also upgraded its own Satin Screening FM technology and integrate it into the Prinect workflow to form Prinect random screening technology. Prinect random screening can make the color transition more natural while maintaining all the advantages of random screening, and eliminate the "Mohr" stripe that often occurs in the primary color printing process, which is not only more than the traditional screening method. It saves ink and enhances color stability.
Kodak
Kodak Staccato software is the second generation of FM hybrid screening products, which can bring users more natural tone and smoother color, it is very suitable for use in all offset printing process. Staccato screening software produces continuous high-fidelity images with clear details, wide color gamut, high quality, and no problems with “Mol” stripes and rose spots. The Staccato software offers dot sizes from 10 microns to 70 microns.
According to Kodak, the Staccato Screening Software eliminates grayscale limitations and a hard connection between different tones, while also improving color and halftone stability. Staccato also reduces image distortion caused by press registration errors. By using a 10,000 DPI's laser, Kodak Sqaurespot thermal imaging technology can bring the resolution required by Staccato screening software to help users replicate more reliable and sophisticated outlets in daily production. Staccato's four-primary printing involves the selection of four different dot shapes, as well as six additional dot shapes to support Kodak's Spotless printing technology.
Rampage system
Rampage Systems offers two screening systems for its prepress workflow. Liso is a polyphase blending option, and Segundo is a second-order random option. As a new hybrid screening technology, Liso is Spanish "smooth". It combines the advantages of random screening (fine copying) and traditional halftone screening (the blending of midtones and tonality). Therefore, Rampage said that the printer can get a higher number of screen lines without changing the printing conditions and workflow. Liso can use the traditional halftone screening method in the middle adjustment area, and use certain size dots in special areas where the printing machine can not copy the dots, and remove them when necessary to ensure the detail reproduction of highlights and shadows. . This technique eliminates the hard change between midtones (variable dots) and highlights or shadows (fixed dots). Liso can provide users with a transition state that can be defined by themselves. The dots here are still variable. They can change with the darkening of the dark areas and the lightening of the highlights.
Segundo is a random screening system that uses fixed-size dots only in the highlights and shadows, and random screening in the midtones. It can increase the visual density of the image by increasing the size and frequency of the dots, thereby better controlling the tone and reproducing more natural prints. In addition, unlike other random screening techniques, Segundo does not change their layout for dot location because it is easy to cause rework. In contrast, Segundo uses the more common error scatter screening method. It is worth mentioning that advanced algorithms can really eliminate the insect-like spots caused by scatter screening.
RIPit
In September 2006, the industry's leading workflow and computer-to-plate system supplier RIPit introduced the latest OpenRIP to the majority of printers in North America. Symphony system, this system contains a more powerful PerfectBLEND AM/FM hybrid screening options (offset) and many features designed specifically for flexographic printing.
RIPit's PerfectBLEND hybrid screening product for computer-to-plate and film-making systems combines the advantages of AM and FM screening, allowing users to maintain 240 The number of screen lines for lpi.
Screen
At Graph Expo 2006, Screen has released its latest hybrid screening system, the Spekta 2 HR. Spekta 2 can achieve the exquisite printing quality of FM screening, and can achieve stable printing effect of AM screening, it can bring at least 350 with users. The image level of the lpi FM screen is comparable to the print quality and detail clarity. According to the screen company, Spekta 2 It is easy to adjust the problem of dot gain because it uses the unique 12-bit screening technology of the screen company. In addition, it also displays realistic color effects in flesh tones. Spekta 2 Improves people's overall control of color, and ensures the clarity and smoothness of the image. According to the screen company, Spekta 2HR's ability to reproduce details is comparable to the number of screens above 650 lpi.