The important role of FM screening technology

As CTP technology simplifies the process, it plays an important role in the recovery of FM screening technology. In addition to film, dust and registration problems have become factors that hinder the development of FM technology.

Due to the use of CTP technology, there is no need to consider too much film edge (thickness) or dust particles, smaller FM dots (usually in the offset 12 to 30 microns, flexo and newspaper printing to 70 microns) can be directly on the plate form. Another advantage of CTP technology is that a harder dot can be formed on the thermal plate to achieve better printing results. Particles composed of laser beams can form screened dots that are predictable in imaging and printing. Any edge of the dot formed by the unfixed layer of the residual plate will not form an irregular printing effect.

Creo Corp. strongly recommends using Turbo or SquareSpot screening technology to take a step forward in the quality of hard dot. This technique uses a higher resolution in the main scanning direction (the circumference of the exposure roller) than in the secondary scanning direction (direction above the roller) to improve the accuracy of the screen dot. Compared to conventional dot-based imaging (2,400 x 2,400 dpi) of the same size, screen dots composed of more particles can achieve higher resolution (9,600 x 2,400 dpi).
Heidelberg applied this technology to their CTF imaging machines a few years ago. Creo combines this precise network of dots, the company's Staccato screening technology and consulting services to enable FM screening technology to recover again. It advocates controlling on-machine profits, including reducing the amount of ink used, obtaining higher color stability, and making ink easier to reach balance.

Better printing process stability has gradually shifted the offset from the newspaper printing of 65 screen lines per inch to 100-110 lines per inch (40-44 lines per cm). In commercial offset printing, the number of screens is increased from 133 lpi (54 l/cm) to 175 lpi (70 l/cm), and very high quality printing requirements can reach 200 lpi (80 l/cm).

Under normal circumstances, adding text to the image will give better results, such as wine labels and maps. Using Screen's Spekta Screening Technology eliminates noticeable rose spots and moire, along with Screen Taiga and Trueflow, provides users with a unique PlateRite thermal imaging machine, which is a versatile, most suitable screening solution.

After the end of the screening war in the 1980s, the industry experienced a relatively quiet period. New technologies related to thermal CTP imaging technology can now produce clearer, more reproducible dot quality. Based on this, prepress customers are constantly looking for the best screening mode to get the maximum productivity in order to achieve the best reproduction effect in the easiest way.

In the process of printing and copying, outlets are undoubtedly the most important issue. The organic combination of AM and FM technologies will produce better results.

Analyze the direction of various screening technologies

Every company has an unwritten rule about production: The key to production is not how to get the job done—that's what we're talking about every day—but what you're willing to do to get what you want to pay back.

This is a cost-effective relationship. If the method steps are too complex or take too long, then it is not worth the effort and investment; if you add 5-10 minutes to the quality control of each job, tell others the quality is more or less With improvements, many people will say that it is not worth doing. This is a principle that many companies using FM (FM network) can achieve results.

Why do some companies use the new screening technology to be successful, and some companies will fail? Is it necessary to change the ink or blanket at the same time when changing the screening method? Is the new screening technology better for lithographic presses or rotary presses?

Early in the advent of FM screening technology, it brought a major breakthrough in printing technology, making printing easier with its uniform size of outlets. Later, the implementation of the AM (Amplitude Modulation Plus) High-Carrier Network also brought more choices to the printer. FM images can be used together with CTP images to counter the problem of dot gain, and improvements in inkjet proofers have made FM proofing possible.

Although FM screening technology seems to have many advantages, some companies still prefer the traditional screening system. For example, many Heidelbergers use Irrational Screening (irrational network technology) in multiple screening technologies.

There are also some users who prefer another screening technology. The second generation is called "second-order" FM screening. The first-order stochastic screening technology uses the same dot size and the dot pitch is variable; the second-order stochastic screening uses the method of variable dot size in traditional half-color fading technology, but at the same time, the dot spacing is also variable, thus solving the problem. The problems left by the first-order screening technology.

More than 1,000 companies have used Creo's Staccato screening solution, which has been recognized as the best FM screening technology. However, there are also users of mixed screening solutions who believe that their methods are equally effective.

Paresh Patel, a prepress specialist at Shapco Printing, said: “We use Creo's Trendsetter platesetter and Heidelberger Satin screening technology because we like the Heidelberg Print-Ready front end system. I don’t think there is much between Staccato and Satin. The difference is that both technologies are licensed by Global Graphics (an OEM RIP supplier). I have observed under a 100x magnification and found that the two outlets are very similar."

For a long time, Creo has been claiming that their square dot imaging technology and the Staccato FM screening technology can bring printability, consistency and stability to the printer and the designer, so sometimes at the customer's The print job requirements will also specify the use of these two technologies.

Wayne Eddins, the prepress executive at Gateway Press in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, told us: “We tried random grid technology after installing CTP equipment. We had received a government department In India, it listed the use of Creo's Staccato screening technology in the production instructions. They had achieved great success in sales, and we had to use random screening technology for production printing. So we used Rampage. The company's first-order stochastic screening technology."

Another appealing aspect of FM screening technology is its ability to reduce the amount of ink used. Gordon Pritchard, Creo/Kodak's marketing manager, said: "FM screening technology will make your printing production more consistent and wider color gamut. Even if customers don't care about the dot, but the printer You can use this to reduce your labor costs, because the color adjustment time for Indo-Print is reduced, and you can also get bright colors on non-premium paper.

At the Techalert conference a few years ago, Mr. John Lind, research director of the PIA/GATF (American Printing Association/Printing Technical Committee) explained the savings theory: "Assuming $1.25 per pound of ink, the speed of the press per hour. 60,000 prints, eight hours per shift, 166 pounds of ink to be used for random screening, saving $196. Three shifts per day will save $180,000 in ink per year."

Source: China Printing and Packaging Network