Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG

An Introduction to Screening Technology

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Expert Guide
05•2002 Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG

An Introduction to
Screening Technology

00.993.6112/01 en
Contents
Table of Contents 1 4 Screen Systems and Dots 23 7 Screens in Print 71
Prologue 2 4.1 Screen Angle Directions 23 7.1 Platemaking 72
4.2 Irrational Screening 25 7.2 Dot Gain in Print 72
1 General Screening 4.3 RT Screening 35 7.3 Selecting Screen Frequencies 73
Information 3 4.4 HQS Screening 39 7.4 Process Calibration 74
1.1 History 3 4.5 Dot Shapes 39 7.5 Proofs 74
1.2 What is a Halftone Screen 3 4.6 Gravure Screens 45
1.3 Color Shift 4 4.7 Diamond Screening 48 8 Tips and Tricks 76
1.4 Moirés 4 4.8 Megadot Screening 53 8.1 Angle Switchover 76
1.5 Laser Dots and Screen Dots 5 4.9 Megadot Plus 57 8.2 Vignettes 76
8.3 Media and Scanner Moirés 78
2 Screening Methods 6 5 Screen Settings in a 8.4 Spot Colors 78
2.1 Conventional Screening 6 PostScript Workflow 59 8.5 Seven-Color Printing 78
2.2 Rational Screening 9 5.1 PostScript Screening 59 8.6 Hexachrome Printing 78
2.3 Frequency-Modulated Screening 14 5.2 Heidelberg’s Concept 8.7 Processors/Film 79
2.4 Line Screens 15 for Screen Setups 61
5.3 Selecting Screens 63 List of Figures and Tables 81
3 Screening Technologies 16 Footnotes 82
3.1 Standard Halftone Cell 6 Laser Imagesetters 66 Index 84
Screening 16 6.1 External Drum Imagesetters 66
3.2 HQS Screening 17 6.2 Internal Drum Imagesetters 68
3.3 Supercell Screening 18 6.3 Flatbed Imagesetters/
3.4 IS Technology 18 Capstan Imagesetters 69
6.4 Resolution and Addressability 69
6.5 Light Rakes and Screen Dots 70
6.6 Imagesetter Calibration 70
6.7 Film and Plate Linearization 70
2 An Introduction to Screening Technology Prologue

Prologue
This book was written to help the user The development of Megadot Screen- edge about screening is needed. How-
become familiar with digital screening. ing has resulted in a smoothness in over- ever, to understand the general context,
It provides an overview of Heidelberg’s prints never thought possible before, basic knowledge about printing and
(Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG) and since it eliminated ‘offset rosettes’, color reproduction is helpful. The use
screening technologies, explains how Megadot Screening has improved resolu- of mathematical formulas has been
PostScript 1 RIPs (Raster Image Proces- tion as well. In many aspects, Megadot kept to a minimum, and they have only
sors 2 ) work and provides some tips and is the ideal screen as it can be processed been used to illustrate a point, when-
tricks for dealing with these systems. simply and without additional expense. ever this was necessary. This book is not
Over the years, a wide array of digital To be able to select the correct screen for intended to replace formal training,
screens were developed, offering special a specific purpose, the user must be aware but it will probably offer even the expe-
benefits for specific uses. Excellent repro- of the many factors that can influence rienced operator some interesting tips.
duction results are possible if users have screening. Thus, the first few chapters
the know-how for choosing the best of this book contain a few fundamental
screen. That is where this book will explanations about the screens, specific
help, with attention being drawn here screening aspects, screen-related aspects
in particular to Diamond Screening ® in printing, and RIP and imagesetter
and Megadot ™. properties.
Diamond Screening is a frequency- Customers, agents, trade schools
modulated screen that offers a previ- and other interested parties have asked
ously unattainable resolution for offset Heidelberg ® for information about
printing bordering on photographic screening and the technologies involved.
realism. More details about Diamond Since this book is aimed at a broad
Screening can be found in Chapter 4. spectrum of readers, little prior knowl-
 General Screening Information An Introduction to Screening Technology 3

1 General Screening Information

1.1 History and dots, they elaborated continually the damp stone repelled it. That is how 1.2 What is a Screen?
Ever since man has had the wish to on the system of crosshatching. This prints were transposed from drawings Unlike photography, differences in
reproduce and print images, artists technique was perfected with copper- to stone. This process made it possible lightness cannot be directly reproduced
have been asking themselves how they plate engraving, which eventually for the first time to simulate contones in offset printing. Printed paper either
can solve the problem which contones evolved into the versatile reproduction using minute elements so that they has color or none at all, meaning there
and the tones in between present. Wood- process of gravure printing. were no longer viewed as a disturbance. is no such thing as ‘a little color’. How-
cut, the earliest form of letterpress, was Etching, the process where a drawing All of these processes had one com- ever, screens trick the human eye into
accomplished by using knives to carve is engraved onto a metal plate, was just mon goal: to create the perfect illusion thinking that it sees differences in
lines for ornaments and simple figures. one of the many other artistic techniques of three-dimensional reality; a goal lightness.
Before Gutenberg invented poured and to follow. The lines in crosshatching can that was nevertheless instantaneously In a black-and-white image, different
movable type in 1450, complete printing be closer in an etching than in a copper- derided as being ‘unrealistic’ when pho- gray tones can be simulated by printing
forms with text and images were made plate engraving and thus produce the tography was discovered in the middle a number of small dots larger or smaller.
of woodcuts. The woodcuts were limited effect of a chalky gray. Wood engravings of the 19th century and became an imme- These small dots are arranged at regular
to clearly defined contours, and rarely achieved extremely fine nuances of diate success. Since then, photography intervals in a grid structure that is called
did the depicted objects contain any light and tonal gradations by covering has been able to recreate people, animals, a screen. The relationship of the dot
detail. Instead, the prints were hand- the surface with dots. Intersecting nature, objects and everyday scenes as size to the screen mesh or halftone cell,
painted afterwards in order to give white lines resulted in the soft, almost the eye perceives them to be. Film which
the illusion of plasticity. picturesque transition between light was invented in 1887 has also made it
Slowly, artists during the Middle and dark that is so typical of wood possible for us to make any number of Figure 1: Example of a screen.
Ages were able to create lifelike repre- engravings. copies of the original in any size desired.
sentations graphically by inventing Lithography, which was invented It is only when photographs are used
Hal
crosshatching. In order to differentiate in 1798, used sandstone’s natural grain in print that compromises must again f t on
e Ce
Scre ll
light from shadow, as well as contones, to simulate intermediate tones. Greased be made. And this is when we think en A
n g le
the artists carved horizontal, vertical, sticks were used to draw a print copy back very fondly on the techniques used
diagonal or curved lines over and next on stone, with grease particles adhering by the old masters.
to each other. By crossing over lines to the grains, the size of which depend-
Scre
several times, as well as by adding hooks ing on the contact pressure. In this plano- en P
erio
d
graphic printing process, the grease
particles absorbed the oily ink, while
4 An Introduction to Screening Technology General Screening Information

to use the technical term, results in The principle used in black-and- Screens that tend to shift color during
a dot percentage that gives the optical white printing can be applied to color printing are avoided because you cannot
illusion of gray. Whether or not the printing as well. Every color image control the results. The extreme example
individual dots can still be recognized can be broken down into process color used in figure 2 of two screens with the
depends on their size and on the dis- separations with the help of suitable same angle and frequency cannot occur
tance from which they are observed. filters and can be printed with the help using a Heidelberg screen system.
The classic screen with a regular, of screening. That is actually all there Similar but less significant effects
usually square grid structure, has is to screening. can also occur with different screens.
a screen period and a screen angle. Screening is the art of being able
The reciprocal of this period is called to use only three solid tint colors and 1.4 Moirés
screen frequency or screen ruling black as a contrasting color to simulate If two screens with slightly different
and is usually measured in lines per a natural-looking color image. As with screen frequencies are superposed, dis-
centimeter. To keep things simple, the all forms of art, screening requires turbances occur in the pattern, similar
dot shape is depicted here as a circle, substantial expertise. to the interference seen on a television
although dots can come in elliptical, screen when the screen’s resolution Figure 2: Color shift. The same screens printed on top
of each other and side by side.
square, round-square, rhombic or 1.3 Color Shifts superposes the newscaster’s patterned
other shapes, and the shapes within Before we delve into screening processes jacket, and the bright colors of the
light, middle and dark areas may any further, there are two effects that jacket dazzle your eyes. The effects
vary yet again. you should be aware of. produced by this superposing of two
Figure 3: Example of moiré resulting from differing
There are screens with regular struc- One of these effects is color shift, screens is called moiré. This also occurs screen frequencies (top) and from screen rotation
tures and screens with irregular struc- an important aspect when working with when the two screens are rotated by (bottom).
tures, as you will read later on in the color separations. An extreme case of it slightly different angles. To illustrate
chapter covering frequency-modulated occurs when two identical screens with this, the diagram here shows moiré
(FM) screening. Parameters that can be different colors are printed on top of patterns that result when screen
applied to regular screens such as screen each other. During the printing process, frequencies vary and when screens
frequency can’t be used in this case, a slight shifting of the color separations are rotated.
so the smallest dot size is often used as cannot be excluded, which means that
a criterion instead. screen dots are sometimes printed on
Usually, screening is used as a help- top of each other and sometimes side
ful tool for producing print media, but by side. The resulting color will be very
in some rare cases it is also used as an different each time, as illustrated in
artistic design element. Accordingly, figure 2.
the screen should not be visible or if so
at least not in a disturbing way.
 General Screening Information An Introduction to Screening Technology 5

1.5 Laser Dots and Screen Dots There is also another term which
Today, plates and films are produced seems to cause some confusion. Resolu-
almost without exception using laser tion refers to the number of laser lines
imagesetters. All laser imagesetters work per inch and is measured in dpi (dots
on the same principle, which is that a per inch) whereas screen frequency
laser beam, or several in parallel, moves refers to the number of screen dots per
line by line over the film or plate. The inch and is measured in lpi (lines per
laser is switched on in those areas in inch). It is simpler to use the metric
which the film or plate is to be exposed; Laser Dot Screen Dot Laser Line equivalent and speak of lines per centi-
and where no exposure is required, the meter, for example, a 60 screen is a
laser is switched off. The laser beam is screen with 60 lines per centimeter
switched on and off digitally at precisely or 150 lpi.
defined cycles, as illustrated in figure 4.
The individual laser dots are known
as pixels, a somewhat ambiguous term
deriving from ‘picture element’, and
each screen dot is made up of a certain
number of pixels. This principle lies
behind the way a screen is constructed
into the pixel matrix of an imagesetter.
Understanding this is important in
order to understand the upcoming
chapter on screening methods and
technologies.

Figure 4: Laser dots and screen dots.

 6 An Introduction to Screening Technology Screening Methods

2 Screening Methods
Traditional screening methods were moiré was concerned (see Chapter 1.4 this is that the dots of the different colors
described in Chapter 1.1. In this chapter, for more information on moirés). With- are only overprinted minimally. In shad-
we will cover digital screening, but we out knowing the mathematical corre- ows 4, in particular, this shape is more
will also include old screening methods lations, it was discovered that cyan (C), open and has slight advantages over the
when we discuss conventional screening. magenta (M), yellow (Y) and black (K = dot-centered rosette. A dot-centered
The main purpose of this chapter is key 3) had to be positioned at the 15°, 75°, rosette is one in which screen dots are
to talk about screening characteristics 0°and 45°screen angles in order to arranged around a dot. Accurate clear-
that are not linked to any one screening achieve the best results in the overprint. centered rosettes will rarely be seen
method. Because of the way separations were in practice since even the slightest mis-
produced, they all had the same screen registration5 can influence a rosette’s
2.1 Conventional Screening frequency. Conventional screening shape.
We know that, to be used in print, is the answer to solving color shift and
photographs must first be converted moiré.
to screened artwork, but the question Later conventional screening used
is ‘how?’. The most common solution a contact screen instead of a glass plate.
in the early days of this technology Conventional color screening produces
Figure 5: This is what an offset rosette looks
was to use the repro camera. This was offset rosettes in the overprint (see like when viewing a conventional screen through
accomplished by placing a precision- Figure 5). a magnifying glass.
made rotatable glass plate in front This rosette is also an overprint
of the film that was to be exposed. The moiré but is not considered disturbing
glass plate was etched with a screen since the screen period is very small
pattern and when the color separations and inconspicuous. When you look
were exposed, the image and the screen at the rosette, it actually seems coarser
were superposed on the film, resulting than the screen itself – it seems like
in a screened image. Naturally, color a screen with one and a half times the
filters were still required to create the screen period.
individual color separations. When screen dots are arranged
Conventional screening evolved around a white space, it is called a clear-
through trial and error. It soon became centered rosette. A clear-centered rosette
clear what difficulties were involved is generated automatically when digital
in overprinting colors, especially where screens are created. The advantage of
 Screening Methods An Introduction to Screening Technology 7

2.1.1 Overprint Properties 2.1.2 Accuracy

in Conventional Screening If unwanted effects such as color shifts
In conventional screening, separations or moirés are to be avoided in overprints,
are set traditionally at screen angles of you must keep to very stringent toler-
15°(cyan), 75°(magenta), 0°(yellow) and ances in your work. A color shift has
45°or 135°(black). Cyan and magenta the most impact if distortion amounts
form a moiré at 45°with an identical to one color period across the format.
screen period (equilateral triangles). This If you are unlucky, in some cases a color
usually isn’t visible since the period is shift can still have a maximum effect
too fine. Problems occur when the black with half a period. This means that,
separation is superposed at 45°, which if you want high-quality work, a devia-
nominally also has the same screen tion of a 1/4 of a screen dot across the
frequency. Many hues will have a long- entire format can just about be accepted.
wave moiré or color shifts if even the On an A2-sized signature that has
slightest deviations in screen angles a screen of 60 l/cm (150 dpi), the maxi-
or screen frequency occur in the screen. mum deviation for the screen angle
Users shouldn’t take this too lightly, is 0.003° and the maximum relative
because quality controllers with a deviation for screen frequency is 0.00005.
Figure 6: Cyan and magenta produce a moiré at 45°
trained eye, for example, in advertising These accuracy requirements are appli- (shown as a broken line). A line screen was selected
agencies, aren’t the only ones to spot cable for the entire production process, to make this clear.
these mistakes. but it is not always possible to comply
with them in printing. Therefore, it is
all the more important to be as accurate
as possible when generating screens
15°
so that errors don’t become cumulative.
The tolerances specified in the DIN16547
75°
regulations might be broader, but they
were not based on what was required
but on what was technically feasible
at that time.

135°
8 An Introduction to Screening Technology Screening Methods

2.1.3 Screen Angles Magenta was set at 45°, as you are

Cyan (C), magenta (M) and black (K) as sure to have noticed, so that the angle
defining colors usually are spaced at difference between yellow and magenta
angles of 30°. Yellow (Y) as the lightest
or least defining of the four process
would be large enough to avoid a yellow
moiré with magenta. This trick is used ...............
colors is sandwiched in between so that to produce very smooth skin tones, which ......
it is only 15°away from its neighbors.
In conventional screening, the smaller
by their very nature contain a consider-
able amount of yellow and magenta.
0° .....

.....
distance between yellow and its neigh- 45°

......
boring colors can cause the overprint to
have a slight yellow moiré in skin tones

........... ...............
in particular or in smooth gray-green
tones. This moiré is especially noticeable
when color separation films are laid

........
on top of each other.
To further minimize these overprint
moirés, especially with the elliptical 105°
screen dots generally used today, cyan,
magenta and black are generated at
angles of 60°from each other, resulting
in an allocation of the following colors

.
and angles:

....
.....

.
Color Screen ...... 165°
Angles ..........
.....
Cyan 165.0°
Magenta 45.0°
Yellow 0.0°
Black 105.0°

Table 1: Allocation of colors and angles.

Figure 7: Cyan, magenta and black are spaced 60°

apart to avoid moiré.
 Screening Methods An Introduction to Screening Technology 9

2.2 Rational Screening 2.2.1 Rational and Irrational Screening That’s about as much as we need
Rational screens, the first digital screens, It is quite common to talk about ratio- to know about the theory of numbers.
were developed at a time when com- nal and irrational screening in digital But remember, irrational numbers are
puter performance and memory was screening. Although these terms crop well named.
still very expensive. Rational screening up in everyday use because they are Whether a screen is rational or irra-
attempts to reproduce conventional short, they are strictly speaking incor- tional depends on the screen angle’s
screens as accurately or intelligently rect. You should at any rate know what tangent. Typical rational angles are 0°,
as possible. lies behind this terminology. 45°and 18.4°, with tangent values of
Screens have to be constructed into The terms ‘irrational’ and ‘rational’ 0.1 and 1/3. Typical angles with irrational
an imagesetter’s dot matrix. This dot are taken from mathematics. They define tangents are 15°and 75°. In other words,
matrix is then reproduced in the image- sets of numbers with certain character- the conventional screen is irrational.
setter’s memory. The simplest way to istics. A rational number is one that can Based on this definition, we actually
create an angle is to line up a certain be constructed as a fraction of integers. ought to talk about screens with rational
number of (a) dots in one direction and tangents and screens with irrational tan-
(b) dots vertically. The trigonometric Example: 0.333333333… = 1/3 gents, but since this is too complicated
function of tan ( b/a) best describes this 6. or 0.25 = 1/4 for daily use, we talk about rational and
However, to start with, let us look briefly or tan (45°) =1 irrational screening, also known as RT
at these somewhat strange terms. and IS Screening. RT, or rational tangent,
The opposite is an irrational number. is a more accurate term, as opposed to
These numbers cannot be constructed IS, or irrational screening. The chapter
as fractions of integers. dealing with IS technology describes
how to create angles such as 15°or 75°
Example: √2 = 1.4142135623730950488 ‘accurately’.
016887242097…
or tan (15°) = 0.2679491924311227064
7255365849413…
or tan (75°) = 3.7320508075688772935
274463415059…
10 An Introduction to Screening Technology Screening Methods

2.2.2 RT Screening
The attempt to recreate conventional
screens digitally was the starting point
for the development of RT Screening.
This resulted in a screening technology
in its own right that has its own special
advantages.
Rational screening will be explained
in more detail by using the 0°, 45°and
18.4°angles.

Figure 8: 0°screen dots. Dots set at an angle

of 0°can be easily created. A large area is
screened by simply lining dots up in a row.
 Screening Methods An Introduction to Screening Technology 11

In color printing, screen frequencies

are chosen so that the size of three dots
set at 0°is the same size as two diagonals
of the dots set at a 45°angle.
An angle of 18.4°can no longer be seen
as a rational approximation of conven-
tional screening’s irrational 15°angle.
It is actually 18.43494882292…°. The num-
ber is the arctangent 7 of (1/3).

Figure 9: 45°screen dots. Dots set at a 45°angle

can easily be created and a large area is screened
by simply lining up screen tiles.
12 An Introduction to Screening Technology Screening Methods

The 18.4°screen dots are arranged

so that three dots in one direction are
followed by exactly one dot in crosswise
direction. This simple procedure can
be used to create ‘tiles’ of 3
3 screen
dots that can then be pieced together
seamlessly. The fourth screen angle
at –18.43494882292...° is then generated
accordingly.

Figure 10: Diagram of an 18.4°screen tile.

The pattern is repeated every three screen
dots in both directions.
Screen Tile
 Screening Methods An Introduction to Screening Technology 13

Looking at the diagrams, you will

not only notice that the single color sepa-
rations are composed of screen tiles.
You will also notice that all four color
separations together are made up of
screen tiles, each with 3
3 screen dots
set at 0°. The great advantage of this is
that, when you create an overprint, any
moirés there will have a maximum of
three screen dots in one period. Con-
sequently, moiré will rarely be viewed
as a disturbance since the period is
so small.
Accuracy requirements cannot be
derived mathematically, unlike with
conventional screens. Our experience
shows that this screening method is
clearly less sensitive to misregistration.
This method is a solution that can
be easily implemented and that has very
good overprint qualities (see Chapter 4.3
on RT Screening).

Figure 11: Diagram of a screen composed

of screen tiles.
Screen Tile
14 An Introduction to Screening Technology Screening Methods

2.3 Frequency-Modulated Screening 2.3.1 Dithering 2.3.2 Error Diffusion threshold, the pixel is then exposed.
A conventional screen is composed of Dithering 9 has mainly been used for Several kinds of error diffusion are also It is not exposed if the result is smaller
compact screen dots arranged at regular laser and inkjet printers. The individual used for laser and inkjet printers. These or equal to the threshold.
intervals. The individual screen dots get laser dots are distributed as finely as methods decide whether a pixel will Naturally, this method only calcu-
larger as the density 8 increases, whereas possible in an orderly pattern, as you be exposed or not by comparing the cur- lates those adjacent pixels that are
their screen period and, consequently, can see in the following example. Today, rent pixel with some type of dot matrix actually set. The ‘errors’ that were made
their frequency remain constant. In fre- error diffusion is usually used (see and by taking into account the adjacent when each pixel was set continue to
quency-modulated screening on the Chapter 2.3.2). pixels. Usually, intermediate tints are diffuse (hence error diffusion) until
other hand, the frequency of the dots is You will notice that these images approximated by distributing white and the current pixel is corrected.
varied, while their size remains constant. become considerably darker when they solid pixels. Each of these pixels will
Frequency-modulated screens are com- are copied and are not really suited for give you a difference to the nominal
posed of a number of tiny, finely dis- further processing. The laser dots are density, and you are basically making Slow Scan
tributed dots. As their density increases, not distributed well enough for this pur- an ‘error’ that you are attempting to
the number of dots increase until they pose, with a border line that is much rectify. This principle will be explained
touch each other and eventually blend too long appearing between the black briefly using the classic Floyd-Steinberg
in together. To summarize, what changes and white elements (see Chapter 1.5, filter. 1 7
in this screening method is mainly the Laser Dots and Screen Dots). As described The ‘errors’ that originate when four
frequency. in Chapter 7 on screens in print, errors adjacent pixels are screened are added up

Fast Scan
To learn more about what factors occur mainly at the borders of screen with the statistic weightings shown in 5 *
should be taken into consideration when dots when film is copied to the printing the following diagram. In this procedure,
using a frequency-modulated screening plate and as a result of dot gain in print. the current pixel density, marked by an
process, see Chapter 4.7 on Diamond For that reason, screen dots should be asterisk, is added up with the statistical 3
Screening. placed as compactly as possible to mini- weighting of 16 (the sum of the other sta-
mize the size of the border line as much tistical weightings) and divided by the
as possible. sum of all statistical weightings. The
result is then compared with a threshold Figure 13: Statistical weighting in fast scan 10 and slow
value and if the result is larger than the scan directions using error diffusion.

Figure 12: An example of dithering.

 Screening Methods An Introduction to Screening Technology 15

This method tends to create artifacts 11 2.4 Line Screens Line screens have almost the same
in an image, with the flaws depending Firstly, the dot shape is what makes line dot gain as conventional screens (see
on the image. The statistical weights can screens different from conventional Chapter 7.2 for more information on dot
be varied at random to avoid this from screens. The lines begin in the highlight gain in print). In contrast to Diamond
happening, but then you are creating area as small dots, then change to elon- Screening, Megadot screening does not
relatively uneven tints in your image. gated ellipses that grow into lines. If lines require more care in its processing than
The various error diffusion methods are were used instead of dots in conventional conventional screening does. However,
very popular despite several disadvan- screening, the printed image would not unlike Diamond Screening, moirés
tages, in particular the time-consuming have any advantages. Line screens do between the screen and the original
mathematical computations. have the great advantage that two colors cannot be avoided.
with a 90°angle can be overprinted Megadot screens do well in color
2.3.3 Random Screening without creating a color shift. newspaper printing, where the rosette
As the name already implies, dots are Heidelberg’s recently developed in the coarser screens can often be
arranged quasi randomly in this type Megadot and Megadot Plus make opti- very disturbing, as well as in the pro-
of screening. This process, however, mal use of line screen benefits. Thus, duction of high quality art work, where
at the same time makes sure that tints Megadot and Megadot Plus cannot be excellent smoothness in the print is
with a constant gray tone are depicted compared to the screens described so possible even with relatively low screen
as smoothly as possible and repeating far. Megadot and Megadot Plus do not frequencies which are easier to print.
patterns are avoided. A purely random create offset rosettes, but instead pro- Because the typical offset rosette is miss-
arrangement of dots would create an duce impressively smooth color prints, ing, details can be reproduced more
image that appears very grainy. where the superior type of smoothness accurately.
Heidelberg’s Diamond Screening is obvious not just with coarser screens Unfortunately, line screens are not
is one of the quasi random screens. This but also when a standard 60 l/cm screen that well suited for silk screen printing
screening method makes it possible (150 lpi) is used. since lines tend to produce moiré more
for you to have a print with an almost readily in this process than in other
photo-like quality, achieving a sharp- screening methods.
ness in detail that is not possible with
any other screening method. The usual Figure 14: A comparison between a standard screen
and a random screen for 12.5% ink coverage.
offset rosettes that are so disturbing
do not appear with this method, but
instead your result can best be com-
pared to a color photograph.
16 An Introduction to Screening Technology Screening Technologies

3 Screening Technologies
This chapter deals with the technical 3.1 Single-Cell Screening where the corners of the screen dots fall This is a problem for color reproduc-
implementation and approximation of (PostScript Level 1 Screening) on whole recorder pixels. A larger screen tion in particular because there are only
the screening methods described so far. Single-cell screening was the only way tile is then formed based on the indi- very few combinations that have usable
In PostScript®, the dot shapes can to create screens at angles in PostScript vidual screen dots, the so-called screen overprint properties. It is only possible
be defined through functions that are Level 1. PostScript Levels 2 and 3 brought meshes or halftone cells. The screen is to create a subset in RT screening.
then internally transformed to matrices. enhancements that will be described constructed by placing these tiles seam- Every user should note that standard
Every screening technology described briefly after we cover HQS Screening®. lessly side by side. The tile in our example PostScript screening has quite a few
in this book saves screening information Single-cell screening is the most consists of a 4
4 screen mesh. restrictions as to what screen frequen-
as matrices. There are two basic methods: basic form of rational screening and Single-cell screening does not allow cies and angles can be used which in
1. The threshold matrix. will be explained first to have a better for many screen angles and screen fre- turn affects the quality you can have.
2. The lookup table. understanding of the context. quencies. Even if the example only has
In the first method, threshold values As already mentioned, rotated a deviation of 1°, it is enough to create
are saved in the matrix and compared screen dots must be constructed into significantly visible moiré in the over-
with the corresponding position in the the recorder’s dot matrix. This is done print. The deviation in screen angle and
image when it is being exposed. If the by using the next possible screen angle the different screen frequency of the
density is greater than the threshold and next possible screen frequency screen angles both contribute to moiré.
value, the relevant position is exposed,
otherwise it is not. Heidelberg’s screen-
ing technologies are based on this
threshold matrix method. Y

With lookup tables, a bitmap is saved

for every possible density level. Screen-
Nominal
ing is done by simply selecting the appro- Screen Mesh
priate density level from the memory
PostScript
and by outputting the bitmap directly. Screen Mesh

15° 14.036°
X

Figure 15: Standard PostScript screen cell.

 Screening Technologies An Introduction to Screening Technology 17

3.2 HQS Screening only have to fall on whole recorder previous chapter. Because screen tiles the bricks side by side as with square
HQS is short for High Quality Screen- pixels every few screen dots. This type can become quite large in this process, screen tiles but by creating a staggered
ing. In principle, it is a rational screen- of screening, also known as supercell they are not shown here graphically. wall. The screen bricks are often only
ing technology that allows excellent screening, allows a relatively close The fact that every supercell can be the size of one row of screen tiles and
approximations of irrational screen approximation of screen angles and converted into same-sized, rectangular since these bricks are usually pretty
angles. In HQS, a screen cell consists screen frequencies. The supercells are screen bricks can be mathematically long, address computations rarely have
of many screen dots to achieve a closer then placed together to form a screen proven. A screen is then made up of to be done.
approximation. The screen dot corners tile, similar to the example used in the these bricks. This is not done by placing

Figure 17: HQS supercell. The nominal screen mesh

(red arrows) and the screen cell that was actually
Figure 16: Standard PostScript screen tile. generated (black arrows) match quite well.

Screen Dot

HQS Screen Cell

Screen Tile

15°

14.036°
15.068° 15°
X
X
18 An Introduction to Screening Technology Screening Technologies

Relatively good screen angle and angle/screen frequency combinations 3.3 Supercell Screening With Halftone Type 16, Adobe® has
screen frequency approximations are without any disturbing moiré in the In this section, we will briefly go into opened the world of supercell technol-
also possible with smaller, easy-to-pro- overprint. HQS and RT screening use other screening options in PostScript. ogy to RIP manufacturers who do not
cess cell sizes as well. The supercells supercells made from several screen A more detailed description would not have their own screening technology.
often contain redundancies12 that can dots; they are enhancements of Post- fit the framework of this book and is Nevertheless, the considerable hurdle
be removed to further reduce memory Script screening. really only of interest to software pro- of generating threshold values still has
requirements. The rational screening methods dis- grammers. to be overcome. There is no PostScript
In HQS, all angles typically have cussed this far (as also used by other Ten screen types are described in screening method that produces better
slightly different screen frequencies. manufacturers) are all bound to the dot PostScript® 3™ (see PostScript Language quality results than HQS.
As a result, moiré in the overprint is matrix of a particular recorder. As a Reference. Third Edition). A few of these
a decisive criterion to remember when result, only certain screen angles and are still based on single-cell screening 3.4 IS Technology
selecting suitable supercells for the frequencies can be generated by it, (see Chapter 3.1) and the better screens Irrational Screening (IS) has made cut-
color print. For this reason, a program something which imposes restrictions are based on supercell screening which ting-edge technology available to Post-
was developed to calculate screen on quality as well. we just mentioned in the previous Script RIPs. This screening method is
section. Screen tiles are saved in some used to create extremely precise screen
screen types, but this requires quite a angles and screen frequencies. IS is used
Figure 18: HQS screen ‘brick’. lot of memory. The most complex screen, in the names of specific screens based
the Halftone Type 16, is on par with on IS technology.
an HQS screen with regard to its screen There are two very different imple-
angles and screen frequencies. There is mentations of IS technology: one for
no advantage over HQS, and calculating hardware and one for software. The
a threshold matrix is more laborious. two different implementations achieve
Two differently sized rectangles are practically the same results for screen
taken from the screen tile and placed angles and screen frequencies, but the
seamlessly side by side (see Figure 19). algorithms used to calculate the screens
are very different.

Figure 19:
PostScript Halftone Type 16 tiles: Calculating
addresses in the RIP is much more complicated
than with HQS screen bricks.
 Screening Technologies An Introduction to Screening Technology 19

3.4.1 Classic IS Implementation If the dot matrix limit is reached

in Hardware during calculation, the overflowing bit
Unlike the steps used in rational screen- is simply cut off and the resulting rest
ing, a 15°angle can’t simply be created of the address is used as the new coordi-
by going three steps forward and one nates. This step can be repeated as often
step to the side. Instead, the sequences as desired. At the end of a row, the start-
involved in creating IS screen dots are ing point of the new row is calculated
irregular and do not repeat themselves. by adding those address steps to the start-
The starting point for creating a ing point of the previous row.
screen is a dot matrix13 that, in newer RIP The RIP does not address each ele-
implementations, consists of 128
128 ment in the dot matrix during a run; dif-
elements. The dot shape is stored as a ferent elements are used for each run
12-bit gray tone in this matrix. We have for the 15°angle depicted in the example.
illustrated what this dot matrix looks However, it can happen that the same ele-
Figure 20: IS screen dots set an angle of 15°. The like when shown three-dimensionally. ments are always addressed with 0°and
sequences involved in IS screening are irregular
and do not repeat themselves.
The various screen angles are gener- 45°angles. This will be described in more
ated by transforming the coordinates detail in the pages to follow.
system in the imagesetter into the mainly IS screening gives you a screen period
Threshold Value rotated coordinates system of the dot that is accurate to ±0.000000015 and
matrix. Technically, this transformation a maximum angle error of ±0.0000012°.
takes place in a RIP that calculates the In other words, the first systematic devi-
dot matrix coordinates on-the-fly 14. ation from the nominal position by just
With one set of coordinates defined one recorder pixel will occur only on a
as the starting point, the address incre- film that is larger than 80 m
80 m. The
ments15 are added up very accurately level of inaccuracy found in supercell
in x and y direction, and in this way the processes when approximating to con-
X Y
coordinates are calculated for the dot ventional screens varies and amounts
matrix. The gray tone stored in the dot to some screen dots in every normal
matrix is compared to the density found recorder format (see Laser Dots and
Figure 21: Diagram of a dot matrix. Gray tones, which in the image, and depending on the Screen Dots in Chapter 1.5).
are shaped somewhat like this if a round-square dot,
is used, are stored in a matrix with an edge that
results of this comparison, the relevant
is 128 elements long in x and y direction. recorder pixel is exposed. The exposed
area is equivalent to a horizontal sec-
tional plane through the dot matrix.
20 An Introduction to Screening Technology Screening Technologies

This high level of precision has its Slowscan

price. Special hardware is needed here

Fastscan
Feed Direction v
because the calculations must be gen-
15°
Start of Screening erated quickly and yet must be exact.
A software implementation would be
much too slow. A further improvement
(2)

dvx
dvy
Dot M
at
in quality can be made without invest-
rix Y

dux
ing too much in hardware, namely by
Scan Line Direction u

New Laser Line

doubling the number of recorder pixels
in fast scan direction. However, to do
rix X

duy
this, the imagesetter must support the
at

Continuation of Laser Line

Dot M

asymmetric resolution mode and must

be able to process the resulting data
which is now doubled. Some imageset- Figure 23: Diagram of a screen dot with symmetrical
resolution in fast scan direction (rotational direction
ters are not familiar with this mode, of laser mirror or drum) and slow scan direction
Dot Matrix
others must reduce their imaging (feed direction). Size: 16
16 pixels.
speed, and others again only support
asymmetric resolutions up to a certain
(1) value. Asymmetric resolution not only
Slowscan
reproduces a better dot shape, but also

Fastscan
increases the number of pixels per screen
dot and in turn the amount of density
Figure 22: Transformation of coordinates in the RIP. levels that can be displayed.
Details can be found in the text.
It isn’t hard to see the advantages
in having many recorder pixels per
screen dot.
An example of this: A screen dot
made of eight laser lines is created if
a 120 l/cm screen (300 dpi) is exposed
with a recorder resolution of 1000 l/cm
(2540 lpi). Only 64 (8
8 = 64) different
density levels can be displayed using Figure 24: Diagram of a screen dot with double the
such a screen dot, which is by no means resolution in fast scan direction (rotational direction
of laser mirror or drum) compared to slow scan
enough. Even if the imagesetter pixels direction (feed direction). The reproduction of the
are doubled in fast scan direction,128 dot shape is considerably better. Size: 16
32 pixels.
 Screening Technologies An Introduction to Screening Technology 21

density levels are still not enough to show Multidot technology is implemented this technology, depending on the reso- Despite PostScript restrictions, the
a gray scale smoothly in an ink coverage to achieve the greatest number of den- lution and frequency, will guarantee quality of vignettes, film linearization
going from 0% to 100%. Breaks, or band- sity levels possible. The dot matrix mem- that more than 1000 density levels are (see Chapter 6.7) and calibration (see
ing 16, especially in the dark end of the ory is no longer loaded with just one always available. However, in most cases Chapter 6.6) of the printing process
scale, are very noticeable. dot, but with four, nine, or even 16 dots. only 256 gray levels of that can be used benefit substantially from the minimal
Because the human eye is very sensi- Each dot differs slightly from the next, because of the PostScript interpreter. The 1000 gray levels possible in screening.
tive to differences in dark areas, approxi- and the result is that adjacent screen only exception to this is smooth shad- Not all input levels can be mapped
mately 1000 density levels are needed dots also vary slightly. The difference is ing, which is described in Chapter 8.2, to an output level if mapping in process
to display a smooth vignette, at least if so small that it is not detected by the Vignettes. calibration is 8 bits to 8 bits (standard
it is constructed of even tints. See Tips naked eye since the eye only recognizes in PostScript). As a result, steps are
and Tricks in Chapter 8 for more details. integral densities. The selective use of lost and breaks occur in the vignettes
(see Chapter 8.2 for Tips and Tricks –
Vignettes). If mapping in process cali-
bration is 8 bits to 12 bits, there is usu-
ally an output level for every input
Film Linearization /Process Calibration level. The high number of output levels
reproduced is due to the higher reso-
lution in the 12-bit dot matrix. Normally,
8 Bits or 256 Levels 12 Bits or 4096 Levels no steps are lost during a conversion
from 8 bits to 12 bits, resulting in notice-
ably smoother vignettes.
The principles described here for
Multidot and 12-bit screen resolution
can be applied to all Heidelberg screens.
Output

Output

Input Input
Figure 25: Comparison of a calibration with 8-bit
and 12-bit resolution.
22 An Introduction to Screening Technology Screening Technologies

3.4.2 Modern IS Implementation The software solution does have a

in Software (Soft IS) cost advantage because the user doesn’t
The software solution for irrational have to purchase special screening hard-
screening is the most recent develop- ware such as the Delta™ Tower. A 500
ment in a long list of screening tech- MHz PC will have approximately the
nology innovations to come from same screen performance as a Delta
Heidelberg. Tower as long as there are no other
The classic hardware IS algorithm complex operations running on it.
cannot be processed quickly enough Probably the biggest advantage
in software. This is why the software of Soft IS technology is that IS, RT, HQS,
solution is based on completely different Diamond Screening and Megadot can
algorithms which are basically similar all be made available in one and the
to the HQS process described earlier. same product, so the user doesn’t have
Some crucial changes have removed the to worry about whether to choose HQS
HQS restrictions and enable full screen or IS when buying a solution. The over-
angle and frequency compatibility with all trend to software solutions makes
IS hardware screening. this a future-oriented solution.
Asymmetric resolutions are not sup- The quality of Soft IS is the same as
ported in the way they are in the hard- for hardware IS, so separate print proofs
ware implementation, not even when the are not necessary. The print samples in
film or plate recorder is capable of doing this book can also be used as references
so. In the software solution of this tech- for Soft IS. Soft IS speaks for itself –
nology, it takes twice as long to calculate it provides the best possible quality
screens when the resolution is doubled with the least amount of effort.
in fast scan direction, and the prolonged
imaging time is unacceptable. This
apparent shortcoming is compensated
for in Multidot technology by expanding
the dot matrices to more than 16, the
result of which is a vignette quality with
practically no difference between the
hardware or software implementation.
 Screen Systems and Dots An Introduction to Screening Technology 23

4 Screen Systems and Dots

This chapter is intended as a reference Several screen frequencies can be 4.1 Screen Angle Direction right-reading, and the emulsion side
for the various screen systems and dot chosen for each screen system. The value Screen angles were discussed in the pre- is usually face down. The examples
shapes. It does not build upon the previ- shown for frequency is a nominal value, vious chapters without explaining how used follow this principle.
ous chapters, so it is possible that some meaning that not all angles will be pro- they are measured. The absolute posi- In practice the user must clarify
of the details from earlier sections are cessed with precisely this screen fre- tion of the angle also wasn’t important whether the system will follow the
repeated here. quency. The nominal value usually refers in previous discussions. standard or be device-specific.
In color reproduction it is not a mat- to 0°or 45°. Related to the nominal value, The only thing that is crucial for the The dot shape also plays an important
ter of just supplying black-and-white the relation between the screen fre- overprint is the relative positioning of role in establishing the screen angle.
film for the four color separations, but quencies and the various angles remains one angle to another. This fact and the Because of the symmetry in round and
of achieving optimal overprint prop- constant, which means that overprint fact that PostScript has no specifications round-square dots, there are no clear-
erties for the repro material. There are properties do not depend on the screen in this respect meant there was never cut angles, but instead there are always
only a few combinations of angles and frequency but only on the system used. a uniform standard in the past. The zero two equally good angles staggered by
screen frequencies that guarantee good The overprint quality of most of the position was almost always 12 o’clock, 90°. The elliptical dot and the line screen
results so that is why it is important screen methods that do not use IS screen- but the counting direction was either are in contrast to this as they both have
to hit on exactly these combinations. ing technology depends on the screen clockwise or counter-clockwise, depend- clearly defined angles that are measured
We use the term ‘screen system’ frequency selected. This is also the case ing on the output system. The develop- in the direction of the first dot chain
when talking about such a combination. with HQS screen filters17. ment of digital screen proofing systems or the line. All of the following systems
A screen system always has four screen Many programs allow users to enter created a new scenario. To get a proof are defined for elliptical dots. Angles
angles, although the corresponding arbitrary screen angles and screen fre- with the exact same screen, film and rotated by 90°also occur if the dots show
screen frequencies may differ. The fre- quencies. This data is then approximated plate recorders must act the same as the symmetric properties.
quencies are selected to minimize moiré more or (usually) less accurately (see proofing system.
in the overprint, which is why you can’t Chapter 2.1.2 on Accuracy or Chapter 3.1 That is why new products implement
simply overprint any screen frequency. on Single-Cell Screening). However, screen angles in a standardized form,
Most screen systems have several dot since there are only a few combinations irrespective of the output system. This
shapes with which they work optimally. of screen angles and frequencies that is based on DIN 16547. The angles are
RT, IS, Megadot or Diamond Screen- guarantee good overprint results, counted as on a compass. Zero degrees
ing is strongly recommended for color it makes no sense for users to enter is north and the counting direction
work, and not the standard PostScript arbitrary screen angles. is clockwise. These approaches always
screening. refer to the finished print. On an offset
film, it means that the type must be
24 An Introduction to Screening Technology Screen Systems and Dots

The above rules are not valid, or

only to a certain extent, for situations
in which Heidelberg screens are deac-
tivated and PostScript screens are acti-
vated. Such cases depend on how the
application sets up screening. A deviat-
ing dot shape can cause a 90°angle rota-
tion even if angles that are compatible
with Heidelberg screens are specified.
A reverse counting direction is also
possible.
This chapter will now describe the
screen systems in the same order used
for screening methods in Chapter 2 and
then the dot shapes that are suitable
for each of these systems.

4.1.1 Print Results

Colors in the overprint can seem differ-
ent as a result of the varied overprint
properties of rosettes, line screens and
frequency-modulated screens.
This happens although the dot gains
in the single separations are identical
and cannot be avoided even if you cali-
brate your plate or film output device.
Further optimization of the printed
result in all tonal values can only be
achieved by using color management
on the basis of ICC profiles. This refer-
ence book was printed intentionally
without ICC profiles.
 Screen Systems and Dots An Introduction to Screening Technology 25

4.2 Irrational Screening (IS) 4.2.1 IS Classic

IS systems are conventional screen sys- IS Classic is the classic, conventional
tems where the defining colors, cyan, offset screen system.
magenta and black, are spaced at angles
of 60°. This large distance between the
The position of the angles in this sys-
tem can be seen in the diagram opposite. ...............
angles produces better overprint results, As can be seen in the table of relative ......
especially when using the standard
elliptical dot.
screen frequencies, the yellow separation
at 0°is somewhat finer than the other
0° .....

.....
IS systems are not approximations, screens. This reduces the moiré that can 45°

......
but exactly conventional screens with appear in yellow in conventional screen-
excellent quality. Irrational screening ing methods (see Chapter 2.1, Conven-

........... ...............
achieves a quality unattainable tional Screening).
with any other screening method. !

........
105°

.....
.....

.
...... 165°
..........
..... Color Screen Relative
angle screen
frequency

C 165.0° 0.943
M 45.0° 0.943
Y 0.0° 1.000
K 105.0° 0.943

Figure 26: Angles in the IS Classic screen system. Table 2: Properties of IS Classic.
4.2.1 IS Classic
Screen System: IS Classic
Dot Shape: Smooth Elliptical
Screen Frequency: 60 l/cm 150 lpi
Recorder Resolution: 1000 l/cm 2540 dpi

Figure 27
 Screen Systems and Dots An Introduction to Screening Technology 27

4.2.2 IS Y fine
The IS Y fine screen system is only avail-
able with Soft IS. It is modeled on the
conventional offset IS Classic screen sys-
tem. Yellow is generated as a fine screen ...............
in order to avoid yellow moiré found ......
in conventional screening.
As can be clearly seen in the table
0° .....

.....
of relative screen frequencies, the 45°

......
yellow separation set at 0°is finer than
the other screens.

........... ...............
........
105°

.....
.....

.
...... 165°
..........
..... Color Screen Relative
angle screen
frequency

C 105.0° 0.943
M 165.0° 0.943
Y 0.0° 1.414
K 45.0° 0.943

Figure 28: Angles in the IS Y fine screen system. Table 3: Properties of IS Y fine.
4.2.2 IS Y fine
Screen System: IS Y fine
Dot Shape: Smooth Elliptical
Screen Frequency: 60 l/cm 150 lpi
Recorder Resolution: 1000 l/cm 2540 dpi

Figure 29
 Screen Systems and Dots An Introduction to Screening Technology 29

4.2.3 IS Y60
IS Y60 is a conventional screen system in
which yellow is set at 60°and all colors
have exactly the same screen frequency.
...............
This screen system is more suited
......
for flexography or silk screen printing
than the IS Classic screen system. Moirés .....
between the screen and the silk screen

.....
or screen roller that inks the flexographic 45°

......
form are minimized as the system does
not have an angle of 0°. 60°

........... ..............
Some customers expect to benefit
in printing, for example, with slurs and
doubling18, by avoiding the 0°angle and

.........
for that reason use this screen system.
However, since yellow shows up very light
anyway, avoiding the 0°angle for yellow 105°
does not make any difference in screen
visibility.
The table shows the allocation of
colors to the screen angles and relative

..
screen frequencies.

..
.....

.
...... 165°
........
........ Color Screen Relative
angle screen
frequency

C 165.0° 0.943
M 105.0° 0.943
Y 60.0° 0.943
K 45.0° 0.943

Figure 30: Angles in the IS Y60 screen system. Table 4: Properties of IS Y60.
4.2.3 IS Y60
Screen System: IS Y60
Dot Shape: Smooth Elliptical
Screen Frequency: 60 l/cm 150 lpi
Recorder Resolution: 1000 l/cm 2540 dpi

Figure 31
 Screen Systems and Dots An Introduction to Screening Technology 31

4.2.4 IS Y30
IS Y30 is a conventional screen system in
which yellow is set at 30°and all colors
have the same screen frequency. It is the
...............
counterpart to the IS Y60 screen system
......
for the processing of negative films.
This screen system has the same prop-
30°
.....
erties as the IS Y60 system. It is more

.....
suited for flexography or silk screen 45°

......
printing than the IS Classic screen
system. Moirés between the screen

........... .............
and the silk screen or screen roller
that inks the flexographic form are
minimized as the system does not

.........
have an angle of 0°.
Some customers expect to benefit
in printing, for example, with slurs and 105°
doubling18, by avoiding the 0°angle and
for that reason use this screen system.
However, since yellow shows up very
light anyway, avoiding the 0°angle for

...
yellow does not make any difference

..
.....

.
in screen visibility.
The table shows the allocation of
...... 165°
colors to the screen angles and relative
........
screen frequencies.
........ Color Screen Relative
angle screen
frequency

C 105.0° 0.943
M 165.0° 0.943
Y 30.0° 0.943
K 45.0° 0.943

Figure 32: Angles in the IS Y30 screen system. Table 5: Properties of IS Y30.
4.2.4 IS Y30
Screen System: IS Y30
Dot Shape: Smooth Elliptical
Screen Frequency: 60 l/cm 150 lpi
Recorder Resolution: 1000 l/cm 2540 dpi

Figure 33
 Screen Systems and Dots An Introduction to Screening Technology 33

4.2.5 IS CMYK+7.5° This screen system is extremely well-

IS CMYK+7.5°is a conventional screen suited for conventional offset printing.
system that has been rotated by 7.5°. It has the best overprint properties of all
All colors have exactly the same screen
frequency.
conventional screen systems.
The table shows the allocation of ...............
This screen system was developed colors to the screen angles and relative ......
especially for flexography and silk screen
printing. The 7.5°angle minimizes moiré
screen frequencies. 7,5° .....

.....
between the screen and the silk screen
52,5°

......
or screen roller that inks the flexo-
graphic form.

........... ................
For this reason, this screen system
is especially well suited for offset-gravure
(OG) conversions with a HelioKlischo-

........
graph®.
In offset-gravure conversions, a lith
film is descreened in the scanning head
so that there are no moirés between the 112,5°
litho screen and the HelioKlischograph’s
gravure screen.
The HelioKlischograph can only
engrave circumferential lines. The IS

....
CMYK+7.5°screen system is very com- .....

.
patible with gravure screens when ......
172,5°
descreening originals as it does not ..........
have 0°or 45°angles. ..... Color Screen Relative
We will not go into offset-gravure angle screen
conversion any further as gravure print- frequency
ers have the necessary know-how any-
way and working directly with Com- C 172.5° 1.0
puter-to-Cylinder (CtC) in the meantime M 52.5° 1.0
has become commonplace. Y 7.5° 1.0
K 112.5° 1.0

Figure 34: Angles in the CMYK+7.5°screen system. Table 6: Properties of CMYK+7.5°.

4.2.5 IS CMYK+7.5°
Screen System: IS CMYK+7.5°
Dot Shape: Smooth Elliptical
Screen Frequency: 60 l/cm 150 lpi
Recorder Resolution: 1000 l/cm 2540 dpi

Figure 35
 Screen Systems and Dots An Introduction to Screening Technology 35

4.3 Rational Tangent (RT) Screening 4.3.1 RT Classic

These screen systems are ones in which An example of rational screening was
.................
all the angles have a rational tangent. described in Chapter 2.2.2. The over- ........
(Of course, all ‘rational’ screen angles print shows a weak, square structure ......
can be generated exactly with
IS Screening).
instead of the usual offset rosette
pattern. 0°
.....

.....
There are differences, some of them The table shows the allocation of

......
great, in the relative screen frequencies colors to the screen angles and relative 45°
for the various color separations of these screen frequencies.

.......
screen systems.

............
RT Screening was developed for the
first scanners and recorders that could
screen electronically. The overprint
qualities are nevertheless much better

....................
than those in the PostScript Level 1
screens that were developed much later.
108,4°

..................
161,6°

....
.....

.
...... Color Screen Relative
....... angle screen
............ frequency
......
C 161.6° 1.054
M 108.4° 1.054
Y 0.0° 1.000
K 45.0° 0.943

Figure 36: Angles in the RTClassic screen system. Table 7: Properties of RTClassic.
4.3.1 RT Classic
Screen System: RTClassic
Dot Shape: Smooth Elliptical
Screen Frequency: 60 l/cm 150 lpi
Recorder Resolution: 1000 l/cm 2540 dpi

Figure 37
 Screen Systems and Dots An Introduction to Screening Technology 37

4.3.2 RT Y45° K fine

The RT Y45°K fine screen system was
a further development of the RT Classic
................
screen system. Yellow is set at 45°and
.......
a fine black of 1.4 times the screen fre- ......
quency is used, which results in an
extremely smooth overprint. The yellow
....

.....
moiré that shows up sometimes when
45°

......
conventional screening is used cannot
45°

........
appear here.
RT Y45°K fine is well-suited for repro-
ducing skin tones.

..................................
This screen system is more suited
for flexography and silk screen printing
than RT Classic. Moirés between the
screen and the silk screen or screen
roller that inks the flexographic form 108,4°
are minimized as the system does not
have an angle of 0°.
The fine black used usually has a
different dot gain than the other colors

...
have when printed. This point should

....
be remembered when generating the

......
process calibration/film linearization ..... 161,6°
(for more details, see Chapter 6.7 and 7.4). ......
The table shows the allocation of ........ Color Screen Relative
colors to the screen angles and relative .............. angle screen
screen frequencies. frequency

C 161.6° 1.054
M 108.4° 1.054
Y 45.0° 0.943
K 45.0° 1.414

Figure 38: Angles in the RT Y45°K fine screen system. Table 8: Properties of RT Y45°K fine.
4.3.2 RT Y45° K fine
Screen System: RT Y45°K fine
Dot Shape: Smooth Elliptical
Screen Frequency: 60 l/cm 150 lpi
Recorder Resolution: 1000 l/cm 2540 dpi

Figure 39
 Screen Systems and Dots An Introduction to Screening Technology 39

4.4 High Quality Screening (HQS) 4.5 Dot Shapes 4.5.1 Elliptical Dot This dot shape also has its elliptical
High Quality Screening (HQS) is, in prin- Different dot shapes are used for differ- Smooth Elliptical is the dot shape that counterpart in HQS. This HQS dot has
ciple, a rational screening technology ent purposes, and we will discuss their is recommended for offset printing. the habit of turning into a round-square
that allows very close approximations use in this section. All screen dots are This dot starts off almost round in dot with certain screen frequencies,
of irrational angles. All the IS screen sys- optimized using a program that imple- the highlight area and then becomes especially at 0°and 45°.
tems and dot shapes have a counterpart ments methods of artificial intelligence increasingly elliptical. When the dots
in HQS. Nevertheless, there are a few and fuzzy logic19. Screen dots are created join21 the first time at 44%, the dot takes
small differences. The various screen along design rules so to speak, resulting on a rhombic shape. After the dots join
frequencies can have different relative always in top quality. the second time, at 61%, rhombic shapes
screen frequencies in these screen sys- One or two other points to note when are first created, then elliptical ones,
tems, something which also influences creating screen dots. They should have and finally round holes appear again
the overprint properties. a short border line, in this way making in the shadows.
PostScript functions can be used to them as compact as possible. The reason In offset printing, there is a density
generate screen dots in addition to the for this is that effects such as blooming jump when the dots join. In the case
dot matrices used for IS screening. As in platemaking and dot gain in print of elliptical dots, the density jump is
a result, there are more dot shapes avail- affect the border areas. A study con- split into two steps reducing the jump
able, but a dot produced with PostScript ducted by FOGRA20 has shown that it is effect and making it easier to control
does not have the same quality as an better to create dots that are as sharply with gradation curves 22.
IS screen dot. delineated as possible as you get better This is the ideal dot shape for
results when reproducing and process- offset printing. !
ing them. This dot shape is also recommended
The dot shapes in the following for silk screen printing, letterpress
sections can be used in all the screen printing and offset/gravure conversion.
systems presented earlier.

Figure 40:
Dot shape: Smooth Elliptical
Screen frequency: 2 l/cm.
4.5.1 Elliptical Dot
Screen System: IS Classic
Dot Shape: Smooth Elliptical
Screen Frequency: 60 l/cm 150 lpi
Recorder Resolution: 1000 l/cm 2540 dpi

Figure 41
 Screen Systems and Dots An Introduction to Screening Technology 41

4.5.2 Round-Square Dot This dot is also used to a certain

The Round-Square dot shape is the extent in traditional printing houses
classic dot shape used in offset printing, that want to avoid the organizational
originating from the glass engraving complications involved in changing
screen mentioned at the beginning of their production process, such as chang-
this book. In PostScript, this dot shape ing their process calibration or their
is also known as a Euclidian23 dot. quality control, something that wouldn’t
The round-square dot begins as a be necessary anyway as this dot shape
virtually round dot in the highlight area produces very smooth vignettes.
and becomes increasingly square in the
midtones until it reaches the shadows,
where round holes appear. The dots join
together at 50% and are slightly stag-
gered to smoothen the density jump
and to make it easier to control with
the gradation curve.
This dot shape is frequently used
for motifs like the one in the example
(e.g. metal surfaces etc.) in which the
density jump caused by printing is
used to increase the midtone contrast.
However, it is better to set the contrast
by changing the gradation curve in
the image editing system and to use
the elliptical dot during exposure.

Figure 42:
Dot shape: Round-Square
Screen frequency: 2 l/cm.
4.5.2 Round-Square Dot
Screen System: IS Classic
Dot Shape: Round-Square
Screen Frequency: 60 l/cm 150 lpi
Recorder Resolution: 1000 l/cm 2540 dpi

Figure 43
 Screen Systems and Dots An Introduction to Screening Technology 43

4.5.3 Round Dot

The round dot shape was developed
for flexographic printing. The dots
join at 78% with this completely round
dot, after which pincushion-shaped
holes appear, which then become round
in the shadows.
In flexographic printing, a letterpress
printing method with elastic print forms,
the screen dots are squashed and, as
a result, there is considerably more dot
gain here than in offset printing. With
this dot shape, the dots join together
at a point where the dots are already
smudged. A density jump that normally
occurs is avoided as a result of this late
dot joint.
Flexographic printing is mainly
used in the packaging industry (plastic
carrier bags, etc.).

Figure 44:
Dot shape: Round
Screen frequency: 2 l/cm.
4.5.3 Round Dot
Screen System: IS Classic
Dot Shape: Round
Screen Frequency: 60 l/cm 150 lpi
Recorder Resolution: 1000 l/cm 2540 dpi

Figure 45
 Screen Systems and Dots An Introduction to Screening Technology 45

4.6 Gravure Screens set with this tool. More details on this
Gravure screens were developed as an topic are offered in the tool’s help func-
option for photogravure (or rotogravure) tion. These gravure screens are not
where the dots in the cylinders are chemi- available for all RIPs.
cally etched. Nowadays, this process is
rarely used in the packaging industry in 4.6.1 Pincushion Gravure Dot
Europe but is still widely used in Asia and This dot shape can only be used with
Latin America, for one reason due to the special gravure screen systems. These
less stringent environmental regulations systems are equivalent to the ones
in those countries. covered so far, except that the screen
In Europe, gravure forms are frequency is limited in the upper range
almost always engraved, usually on since it makes no sense to create a pin-
a HelioKlischograph from Hell Gravure cushion gravure dot with an insuf-
Systems. Some aspects of photogravure ficient number of laser lines. !
will be explained briefly in Chapter 4.6.3 The pincushion dot starts in the
wherever more background informa- highlight area as a small, basically
tion about screens seems appropriate. round dot, which becomes square in
These gravure screens provide you the midtone and then later assumes
with a gravure tool that lets you restrict its pincushion shape. The pincushion
the maximum ink coverage to between shape was selected to off-balance under-
51% and 79% or the ratio of gutter to cutting, which is described in more
cell to between 1: 2.5 and 1: 8. You have detail in Chapter 4.6.3.
to be able to set these limits because
the values differ from printing house
to printing house. Four dots, each with
a different cell-to-gutter ratio, can be

Figure 46:
Dot shape: Pincushion
Screen frequency: 2 l/cm.
46 An Introduction to Screening Technology Screen Systems and Dots

4.6.2 Classic Gravure Dot 4.6.3 Brief Excursion into Photogravure During etching, material is removed
This dot shape can only be used with spe- The recesses in a printing form (or just not only from under the washed areas
cial gravure screen systems. These sys- simply ‘form’) do the actual printing in but also from under the gutters. This
tems are equivalent to the ones covered gravure printing. In this process, highly undercutting, as it is known, is more
so far, except that the screen frequency fluid ink is sprayed or rolled on to the dominant in the center of the gutters
is limited in the upper range since it recessed cells of the printing cylinder. than at the corners. Without the pin-
makes no sense to create a gravure dot A blade wipes off any excess ink from cushion shape to off-balance these
with an insufficient number of laser the cylinder so that the ink is only in undercutting effects, the cells would
lines. The square dot starts off as a small, the cells. The web that will be printed be rounder and would not be able
basically round dot, becomes square absorbs the ink from the cells as it passes to hold as much ink.
in the midtone and remains square between the cylinder and the pressure
in the shadows. ! roller. The gutter between the cells
This classic gravure dot was created should be even and stable so that the
in response to market demand because blade can sit properly.
changing routine production processes In photogravure with etching, the
from using a square gravure dot to using cells are created by applying photoresist 24
a pincushion one does not pay off for to an approx. 0.3 mm thick copper sur-
some printers. face. The layer is then exposed with
a screen film and the appropriate dot
shape so that the imaged areas are hard-
ened and the unexposed areas are later
washed away. The form is then etched
in a ferric chloride solution, and the
cylinder is then galvanized with hard
chromium so it will withstand long
periods in the press.

Figure 47:
Dot shape: Square
Screen frequency: 2 l/cm.
 Screen Systems and Dots An Introduction to Screening Technology 47

The cross-section of an etched

gravure cell shown opposite illustrates Photoresist
the undercutting effects.
Undercutting Cell

Copper Cylinder

Figure 48: Gravure cell cross-section.

Viewed from above, you can see that

the size of the cells can be larger since Copper Cylinder Copper Cylinder
the pincushion dot cells cover a larger
area and yet still have stable gutters.
This is what the cells look like:
Dot Dot
on Film on Film

Etched Cell Etched Cell

Figure 49: Square dots (left) and pincushion dots
(right) in etched gravure cells.
48 An Introduction to Screening Technology Screen Systems and Dots

4.7 Diamond Screening To demonstrate the excellent level of

Diamond Screening is a frequency- detail Diamond Screening provides, the
modulated screen in which the number image overleaf was reproduced using
of exposed dots increases as density both Diamond Screening and IS Classic
increases, increasing in turn the screen with a smooth elliptical dot shape.
frequency as well. In Diamond Screen- Another important advantage of
ing, these dots join and grow together Diamond Screening can be seen in this
as the dot percentage increases. The example: there is no moiré between
individual dot itself (i.e. its amplitude) the fine pattern of the textiles and the
does not get bigger, but there is an screen. Diamond Screening is especially
increasing number of dots, and, in turn, well-suited for technically demanding
a higher screen frequency. reproductions that entail many fine
The dots appear to be arranged ran- details, such as loudspeakers, textiles,
domly, but attention is paid that smooth wood grains and satellite pictures,
areas are depicted as smoothly as possi- etc. !
ble while at the same time repetitive pat- A point to note in passing: No screen
terns are avoided. Images would appear system will help you subsequently
very grainy if the dots were actually remove any moiré that appears between
distributed at random. the original and the scanning screen
Diamond Screening gives you a of your scanner. In this case, you just
print with an almost photo-like quality. have to rescan the original using a finer
It produces a sharpness in detail that resolution.
is unsurpassed by any other screening
method. The usual offset rosette, so
often a disturbing element, does not
crop up in this screening method.
Instead, you have a print that comes
closest to the quality of a color photo-
graph.
 Screen Systems and Dots An Introduction to Screening Technology 49

Figure 50: Standard screen dots compared with … Diamond Screening.

For comparison with Diamond Screening: IS Classic
Screen System: IS Classic
Dot Shape: Smooth Elliptical
Screen Frequency: 60 l/cm 150 lpi
Recorder Resolution: 1000 l/cm 2540 dpi

Figure 51
 Screen Systems and Dots An Introduction to Screening Technology 51

4.7.1 Diamond Screening Dot Shapes vacuum that fixes the mounting film
Diamond Screening comes with Dia- to the vacuum frame. The plate copier
mond1 and Diamond2 dot shapes. should be set so that line strengths
Diamond2 was developed for drysetters of 6 µ to 8 µ can still be copied.
and is more compact than Diamond1. Working with dry offset technology 26,
That is why there is less dot gain in plate- such as a Torray plate, is recommended.
making and in printing, making The general rule of thumb is that print-
further processing more stable. ! ing conditions should be closely moni-
Effects such as blooming during tored to keep them stable. Common
platemaking or dot gain in print are printing errors, such as dot slur, dot
found for the most part at the borders doubling or dot filling at high densities
of the dots (more details can be found should be avoided where possible,
in Chapter 7). Diamond Screening’s and registration should be carefully
Figure 52: A comparison of IS Classic 70 screen … larger border line in dots compared set. Minor misregistration is first only
to that in normal screen dots means noticed as blurring and only when
that certain points must be remem- it becomes large can it be seen as color
bered in processing. blanks. It would be a shame to impair
Extremely hard film, such as Kodak the excellent reproductive qualities of
S 2000, is recommended for imaging, Diamond Screening with minor misreg-
and the recorder should be carefully istration.
set. The larger dot gain in print should
be counterbalanced with process cali-
bration.
Alternatively, gradation corrections
can be made during scanning. More
details are available in Heidelberg’s
‘Diamond Screening User’s Guide’.
Diamond Screening demands care-
ful, clean work during platemaking.
and Diamond Screening. Diamond Screening’s fine Because of the tiny pixels used, cutting
distribution of dots produces excellent details.
edges cannot be covered up, and dis-
persion foil25 cannot be used. In particu-
lar, films where contact is poor should
be avoided, and no shortcuts in time
should be taken when creating the
4.7.1 Diamond Screening
Screen System: Diamond
Dot Shape: Diamond 1
Screen Frequency: 60 l/cm 150 lpi
Recorder Resolution: 1000 l/cm 2540 dpi

Figure 53
 Screen Systems and Dots An Introduction to Screening Technology 53

4.8 Megadot Screening should be remembered when generat-

The recently developed Megadot screens ing color data (see Film Linearization/
cannot be compared to the other screens Process Calibration).
described so far. Megadot is mainly Unlike Diamond Screening, moirés
a line screen, and the screens in this between the original and the screen
system do not create any offset rosettes cannot be avoided in Megadot.
but produce impressively smooth over- Megadot screening produces an
prints. This superior level of smoothness unsurpassed smoothness in the over-
can be seen especially in screens that print, with even better definition of
are coarser than the standard 60 l/cm detail at the same time since there are
screen. none of the usual offset rosettes. Added
Megadot screening is not only well- to all this, working with this screen
suited for printing color newspapers is also simple and uncomplicated, mak-
Figure 54: Comparison of IS Classic 70 l/cm (175 lpi) with their coarse screens, where the off- ing it practically the ideal screening
screen …
set rosettes can be very disturbing, but method for offset printing.
also for printing high-quality artwork,
where excellent smoothness in print can
be achieved with relatively low screen
frequencies, making printing easier.
The lack of a rosette results in a better
reproduction of fine details.
We already mentioned earlier in the
section on line screens that the main
benefit of such screens is that two colors
can be printed together at 90°angles
apart without causing any color shift.
The line screens used have almost the
same dot gain in print as conventional
screens. Unlike Diamond Screening,
and Megadot 70 l/cm screen. further processing with Megadot just
requires the same type of care that you
would take with a conventional screen.
Only the fine screen for black has a
slightly larger dot gain, just like the
RT Y45°K fine screen system. This fact
For comparison with Megadot: IS Classic
Screen System: IS Classic
Dot Shape: Smooth Elliptical
Screen Frequency: 60 l/cm 150 lpi
Recorder Resolution: 1000 l/cm 2540 dpi

Figure 55
 Screen Systems and Dots An Introduction to Screening Technology 55

4.8.1 Megadot CM 0° 4.8.3 Megadot Dot Shapes

Cyan and magenta are set at 0°and 90° Megadot and Megadot Flexo are the two
in this screen system. Yellow is set at 45° dot shapes available in Megadot screen-
and black is generated as a fine screen ing. The Megadot starts off as a small
at 45°as well. This screen system is char- round dot in the highlight area, then
acterized by its impressively smooth turns into an elongated ellipse and
overprints. continues on to become line-shaped.
Small round holes appear again in the
4.8.2 Megadot CM 45° shadows. This dot shape was developed
Megadot CM 45°is a variation of the mainly for offset printing, although
Megadot screen just described. It is also it is suited for other printing processes
essentially a line screen, with the defin- as well.
ing colors cyan and magenta set at 45° Megadot Flexo is an inverted Mega-
and at 135°. This screen is less visible in dot. It begins as a small round dot in
a single separation since the human eye the highlight area and then turns into
perceives horizontal and vertical lines an elongated, inverse ellipse; in other
better than it perceives diagonal ones. words, a line dot with side supports.
Yellow is set at 0°and fine black is posi- Once again, small round holes develop
tioned at 45°. The overprint properties, in the shadows. This dot shape was
however, are not as good as they are developed for flexographic printing.
in the Megadot CM 0°screen.

Figure 56:
Dot shape: Megadot
Screen frequency: 2 l/cm
4.8.1 Megadot Screening
Screen System: Megadot
Dot Shape: Megadot
Screen Frequency: 60 l/cm 150 lpi
Recorder Resolution: 1000 l/cm 2540 dpi

Figure 57
 Screen Systems and Dots An Introduction to Screening Technology 57

4.9 Megadot Plus as a Megadot screen of 70 l/cm. Of course, Color Screen Relative
Megadot Plus was developed from Mega- Megadot Plus has all of the positive fea- angle screen
dot, and it has even more benefits. The tures of the older Megadot mentioned in frequency
screen cells are not squares as in all the previous section, and some of them
other screening methods, but parallelo- are even enhanced in Megadot Plus. Off- C 90.0° 1.000
grams. The line-like dot shapes grow set rosettes do not exist, and the black M 0.0° 1.000
along the longer baseline of the parallel- fine screen is not necessary, which is an Y 45.0° 0.943
ogram. The following diagrams show additional benefit. K 135.0° 0.943
Megadot screen examples in the high- The line structure of this screen
light, midtone and shadow areas. causes the dot gain in print to be larger Table 9: Properties of Megadot Plus.
The colors are assigned to the screen than with conventional screens. For
angles and relative screen frequencies that reason, process calibration is rec-
as shown in table 9. ommended.
Megadot Plus appears approximately
50% finer than conventional screening
in the overprint and approximately 20%
finer than the previous Megadot. For
example, a Megadot Plus screen of 40 l/cm
(100 lpi) is about as fine as a conventional
screen of 60 l/cm (150 lpi) and a Megadot
Plus screen of 60 l/cm is about as fine

Figure 58: Megadot Plus in highlight,

midtone and shadows.
4.9 Megadot Plus
Screen System: Megadot Plus
Dot Shape: Megadot Plus
Screen Frequency: 60 l/cm 150 lpi
Recorder Resolution: 1000 l/cm 2540 dpi

Figure 59
 Screen Settings in a PostScript Workflow An Introduction to Screening Technology 59

5 Screen Settings in a PostScript Workflow

In the previous chapters, we explained The main aspects of screening in How these things were related was Even before PostScript Level 2 was
the differences between PostScript a standard PostScript workflow will be not clear to the user, who could not introduced, screening technology had
screens, which were implemented by covered in the sections below as well understand why his/her screen settings developed to such a stage that highly
Adobe in the interpreter, and Heidelberg as how the broader functionality found were ignored. accurate supercells and even irrational
screens. Now we will take a look at how with Heidelberg screening can be used PostScript Level 2 and PostScript screens were possible. This led to Lino-
these screens can be used in a PostScript within this scenario. This information Level 3 brought improvements to Post- type and Hell integrating their own
workflow. is meant to assist you when a screen Script screening, both in terms of what screening technologies into the Adobe
A PostScript production process does not image as expected. could be set as well as in terms of Adobe’s PostScript Level 1 interpreter. These
is based on the interaction of a number standard implementation. Part of Post- developments are the basis of Heidel-
of components that exchange data 5.1 PostScript Screening Script Level 2, with additional improve- berg’s screen solutions today, and an
through the means defined in the Post- When the first PostScript RIPs were ments in PostScript Level 3, is a super- important part of this is the concept
Script page description language, and developed in the 1980s, there were only cell technology where the screen angles that users can still enjoy all the benefits
sometimes through enhancements a few limited ways of generating screens. and screen frequencies can be compared of Heidelberg screening despite any
implemented by the manufacturer. While it was possible to configure dot to HQS. Nevertheless, HQS is still way restrictions in a standard PostScript
Applications such as QuarkXPress shape, screen frequencies and screen up front in the way it creates supercells workflow.
or InDesign®, and PostScript drivers such angles precisely through the Setscreen and, effectively, in producing a high-
as LaserWriter ® or Adobe PS ™, use these operator, PostScript screening by Adobe quality smoothness in print. 5.1.1 PostScript Halftone Types
means in various ways. At the end of the was implemented only as a single-cell Even in state-of-the-art PostScript Several screen types called halftone
production process is the RIP whose task screen. This resulted in several serious Level 3, any screen angle/screen fre- types are described in the PostScript
is to communicate with all of the various restrictions: quency combination is not possible, specification. These screen types can
products and in turn to be able to pro- • Only a certain number of gray levels although approximations can be be divided into two categories.
duce the correct result. However, in too were available, depending on the achieved that produce relatively good On the one hand, there are the clas-
many cases, not enough screen data is screen frequency and resolution used. results. The real ‘irrational angles’ sic halftone types, in which screen fre-
available in PostScript, which means the • The angles and frequencies that found in IS technology are still not quencies, angles and dot shapes are
RIP is left with the thankless job of hav- were actually possible only allowed available in the Adobe implementation. denoted mathematically. In the sections
ing to generate a decent screen out of the a very limited scope for color repro- below, they will be called ‘Setscreens’.
bits of information it has. duction, and only a small number These screens are converted to threshold
of RT screens was possible. matrices during the RIP process.
60 An Introduction to Screening Technology Screen Settings in a PostScript Workflow

Then there are screen types that are 5.1.2 PostScript Setups and User Inputs 5.1.3 PPD Screen Parameters Some examples of printer drivers are
supplied directly as threshold matrices Some of the screen parameters found PostScript Printer Description (PPD) the Apple® LaserWriter or Adobe PS for
where screen angles, frequency and in the PostScript specification are not files are formalized text files that comply the Macintosh® and various Windows
dot shape are defined implicitly from suited at all for user input, and some only with the Adobe PPD specification. They versions.
the dimensions and content of one or to a certain extent. With the Setscreen are not a part of the PostScript specifica- A PPD has invariable parameters and
two threshold matrices. In the sections operator, two of the three parameters tion. PPD files (or just PPDs) contain the parameter lists. The invariable parame-
below, they will be called threshold (screen frequency and screen angle) can specific information needed to generate ters can be, for example, the PostScript
screens. be taken directly from the input the user PostScript for a specific output system, version supported by the PPD, the name
Both categories have variations makes. Dot shape, on the other hand, such as a CtP recorder. A PPD describes of the manufacturer and the model num-
designed for a monochrome (separated) always conceals quite a long PostScript the properties of an output device or ber of the output device. The parameter
or a color (composite 27) workflow. You program, which means that simple dot device family and how they can be acti- lists offer several alternatives. The best
can read up on halftone types in the shape terms like ‘elliptical’ or ‘round’ vated using PostScript. A PPD-derived example here is the list of output formats.
‘PostScript Language Reference’ (ISBN must first be converted to the PostScript PostScript job is usually device-specific The user can choose from several stan-
0-201-37922-8). code. The PPDs contain the information nowadays, and this can lead to errors dard formats and, if it seems appropriate,
According to the PostScript specifi- needed for this that can be used by the when it is output to a different device. a user-defined one.
cation, screens are device-specific. This applications or PostScript drivers. PPDs are created by the manufac- The PPD specification does not have
means that you cannot expect to find In threshold screens, there are no turer of the output device and generally a hierarchical screen system concept
all the different screens listed in the direct references between the PostScript are made freely available by distribut- and, as a result, cannot support a full
PostScript specification in one RIP. The code and the description that a user can ing them with the widely used operat- description of Heidelberg screens. The
screen parameter setups that the RIP understand, so PPDs cannot help here. ing systems. Adobe places PPDs for out- complex interaction of screen system,
understands are usually defined as part The application should not make these put devices equipped with the Adobe screen frequencies, resolutions and dot
of a PPD (PostScript Printer Description screens available in PostScript data as PostScript interpreter on the Internet. shapes cannot be portrayed. The rules
File) file (see Chapter 5.2.3.1) or can be they are extremely device-specific. The The latest PPD versions can usually on how items are to be displayed in the
set at the RIP itself. RIP’s user interface provides the better be found through the manufacturer user interface are sometimes missing
Modern Heidelberg RIPs with soft- solution in such cases, with the right (e.g. www.heidelberg.com). as well. The result of this has been that
ware screening give their users not software setting up the link between PPDs are often described as printer some applications have a very confus-
only Heidelberg screen systems but also the threshold data and a user-friendly drivers. Strictly speaking, this term isn’t ing way of displaying items in the user
almost fully support all halftone types. description on the user interface. correct since drivers and applications interface.
Older RIPs with hardware screening are only take the information they need Consequently, the PPD restrictions
not as flexible in this respect and can about specific PostScript output systems do not allow applications and drivers
only support the halftone types to a and how to activate certain functions to define a full, job-specific screen setup
certain extent. from the PPD. However, PPDs, unlike for the output run.
printer drivers, do not generate code
which is the most basic task of a driver.
 Screen Settings in a PostScript Workflow An Introduction to Screening Technology 61

This is why Heidelberg developed reads the possible screens from the PPD 5.2 Heidelberg’s Concept screen should be confined to mono-
a supplementary concept (see below). and presents the user with comparably for Screen Setups chrome ornamental screens. Screens
In terms of screening, the PPD concept complex choices in the user interface. 5.2.1 Weaknesses in the Standard are device-specific, and Heidelberg
has been kept very simple. The PPDs Professional prepress applications have Workflow has invested a lot of effort into opti-
do not contain the angles of the differ- their own support system that enables On the whole, it can be said that appli- mizing screen systems and dot shapes
ent screen systems, but just the standard the user to choose from the PPD-based cations, drivers and PPDs do not support so that their customers can have top-
angles of 15°, 75°, 0°and 45°for CMYK. selection or to define customized screen screening in the way they should, and of-the-scale output quality.
A list of the most common screen fre- angle and frequency settings. the manufacturers of prepress applica- • The editorial or design department
quencies for the most frequently used The restrictions found with the tions will always come up with a good and production are separate units
imagesetter resolution is included as drivers (LaserWriter, Adobe PS) can be reason why. The user is faced with a in many firms. The responsibility
well. The resolution itself cannot be relaxed by the use of driver plug-ins28. number of drawbacks because of this, for quality and, consequently, for
selected in the PPD, and portraying the Heidelberg offers such a plug-in in the the most important of which are listed screens usually lies with production.
interrelation between screen frequen- shape of Jobstream™. This plug-in lets below: Therefore, giving production full
cies and resolutions cannot be imple- the user perform a complete parameter • Extreme accuracy is needed when control over screens without involv-
mented with PPDs. setup of Heidelberg screens, with the defining the setup to get suitable color ing the editorial department is some-
same ease as on a RIP. screens. Entering numbers with many thing that should be considered.
5.1.4 Screen Setups for Printer Drivers Applications must also tackle the digits for each color is full of pitfalls, For workflow quality and reliability,
and Applications subject of screen setups when they gen- and typos can prove to be expensive. we recommend working only with
A correct PostScript job for filmsetters erate PostScript themselves without • Customized screen setups can result Heidelberg screens and using the cor-
or platesetters must contain screen set- the support of the driver. Usually, there in unwelcome surprises in the over- rect PPDs to define their setup. If the
ups because these devices can only out- is a PPD-based selection to choose from, print. Not being familiar with a wrong PPDs are used, you might even
put gray levels through screens. A Post- but it is also possible to define the screen screening technology or not know- end up with a PostScript job that has
Script job for output to a non-screening angle and frequency for each color. ing how the RIP deals with the no screen parameters at all. If this job
contone output device, on the other Fully integrated support for applica- inputs can produce bad overprints. happens to be separated as well, an out-
hand, does not need this information. tion-specific screens using the methods • PPDs are not capable of describing put with suitable color screens is often
This means that the application or the described in the PPDs is rarely found. the complex potentials and relations impossible (see Filtering Screen Angles).
driver must include the device-specific Inputs made in the user interface are screens have in a prepress workflow.
properties of the output path when almost always converted to the Set- • It is practically impossible for an
the PostScript code is being generated. screen PostScript setup because thresh- application manufacturer to offer
Most of the applications generate old PostScript screens are much more optimal screens for all the different
the PostScript code in conjunction with complicated to use and require very output devices that exist on the mar-
the operating system’s PostScript driver. specialized know-how. ket today. However, using a screen
The screen parameter setup is often left that is not optimal involves the risk
up to the printer driver. Similar to other of artifacts appearing in print. For
device-specific properties, the driver that reason, using an application’s
62 An Introduction to Screening Technology Screen Settings in a PostScript Workflow

5.2.2 Advantages of the Heidelberg The following components are The reason for this is that PostScript possible. Any of the missing parameter
Prepress Concept included in the conversion process: does not recognize the concept of screen settings required for a Heidelberg screen
The many restrictions in all of the • Jobstream driver plug-in systems. Nevertheless, it must also be have to be added somewhere else.
components described above led to • Printmanager in the RIP possible to use Heidelberg screens even This is what the RIP’s Printmanager
the development of a Heidelberg con- • PPDs if jobs do not have information about does. The Printmanager has numerous
cept for screen setups. This concept • A screen filter in the RIP that the the screen system. input channels, with each one acting as
works on the principle of only a mini- user cannot directly see an independent output device in the net-
mum number of standard-based screen • Applied screens. 5.2.3.1 PPDs, Jobstream and Print- work. A complete set of output parame-
setups but yet allows flexible use of The item ‘Applied screens’ is only manager ters can be allocated to each input chan-
Heidelberg screening. The user can listed for completeness. It has nothing As already mentioned, PPDs are not capa- nel, screening being an important part
benefit from this concept as follows: to do with the screen setups, but only ble of providing a full setup for screen- of this.
• Heidelberg screen systems can be with the accuracy and quality of the ing. Used in the framework of the Heidel- Creating an input channel with the
used despite the standard PostScript output screens. The settings themselves berg concept, PPDs have the important appropriate screen setup allows each
language restrictions. Every Post- have already been defined. job of providing the required minimum job to be assigned a Heidelberg screen,
Script file that fulfills the minimum setups. Seen in this context, Heidelberg providing this job has the minimum
requirements for screen parameters 5.2.3 Heidelberg Screen Setups PPDs deliberately only contain 0°, 15°, 45° standard PostScript screen parameters.
can be imaged with Heidelberg A RIP must have the following infor- and 75°angles, even though there is no
screens. Even non-standard Post- mation to be able to expose a PostScript screen system that has exactly this com- 5.2.4 Filtering Screen Angles
Script can be processed in most job for each color separation with the bination of angles. Filtering is a special RIP function.
cases. right screen: A filter program in the RIP assigns It evaluates the screen parameters in
• The user can select parameter sets • Screen system the angles in the PostScript code to the a PostScript job on the basis of the
from lists in the output device’s user • Dot shape angles of the selected screen system. settings specified in the user interface.
interface. The screen system concept • Imagesetter resolution Unlike PPD-based PostScript generation,
does away with the need to enter • Screen frequency Jobstream fully supports the setup of 5.2.4.1 Minimum Screen Setups
figures for the single color separa- • Color separation. Heidelberg screens. Heidelberg exten- in a Job
tions. Specialized screen know-how From the RIP’s point of view, it would sions overcome the deficits of Post- When dealing with the minimum
is not required, and the chance of be ideal if all of this information were Script, and a code that does not need screen setups in a PostScript job, you
producing faulty overprints because included in the PostScript data of the any other parameter settings can be must keep in mind the difference
of typing errors is slim. job, but this is usually not the case. This created directly while PostScript is between a composite and a separated
• The user can decide for his/her busi- means, for example, that details about being generated. Any settings in the PostScript.
ness whether screens will be set the screen system are only included if RIP are ignored.
directly during the job in the appli- Heidelberg software was used when the Sometimes, the enhancements that
cation or driver or in the RIP. Pro- PostScript file was being generated. Jobstream makes in the PostScript code
duction or prepress can be involved are not wanted because the generated
here if desired. PostScript is meant to be as neutral as
 Screen Settings in a PostScript Workflow An Introduction to Screening Technology 63

There are no minimum requirements Color PostScript Screen format! These comments are not an obli- 5.3 Selecting Screens
for a composite PostScript. Screen sys- angle system gatory part of a PostScript job, but they Screens are set in special user interfaces.
tem, dot shape, resolution and screen angle have turned out to be pretty reliable and The basic settings can be found in similar
frequency can be set at the RIP, and are even essential for some functions. form in all Heidelberg RIPs, even though
information about the color separations Y 0° 0° Customer-specific comments are also the graphic design or one or two minor
is created automatically with the sepa- C 15° 165° possible with DSC – something that details might be different. The screen
rations. K 45° 105° is frequently used. settings in the RIP are valid for a certain
Separated PostScript is a different M 75° 45° Probably, the most well-known use input channel. The parameters only have
matter where the separations are con- of DSC comments is OPI (Open Prepress to be selected, making any typing in of
cerned. The information about the Table 10: IS Classic example of a PostScript angle Interface), where the PostScript code figures unnecessary.
as a color alias.
color separations is not contained in between two comments is removed and In many cases, the various screen
the actual PostScript code. The RIP replaced by another code. This lets low- parameters are correlated. When one
regards a separation in a separated job The advantage of this approach is resolution images be replaced by their parameter is changed, the choices you
as a black-and-white page and cannot that the user doesn’t have to think about high-resolution versions, taking place have for another parameter can also
assign it to an angle in the screen sys- screening when printing from the appli- before the PostScript code is interpreted. change. This interaction is integrated
tem without receiving more informa- cation but can always work with the The PostScript interpreter cannot access in the user interface, and only available
tion first. The information it needs same settings. The generated PostScript these DSC comments. parameter combinations are displayed.
can be provided in two different ways: code can be output later with any screen Certain color comments, including Because of this interaction, you should
• The screen angle acts as an alias system. customer-specific ones, are evaluated always select parameters in the user
for the color. for screening. Once the color is noted, interface in the given order. The screen
• The PostScript file color comments 5.2.4.3 Filtering Comments a color separation can be clearly allo- system should always be selected first.
are evaluated. In separated PostScript, Heidelberg cated an angle of the active screen
screens can be controlled not only by system. 5.3.1 Selecting Screen Systems
5.2.4.2 Screen Angles as Color Aliases evaluating the Setscreen PostScript The filtering of PostScript comments All the screen systems in a RIP can be
Angles generated in the PostScript code commands as described above but also has become quite widespread in screen- viewed in a pop-up 30 menu in the user
are evaluated in a special way in Heidel- by evaluating the PostScript comments. ing. In newer products, Setscreen para- interface. One of these systems can then
berg screening. They only serve as an Adobe defined the so-called Docu- meters are now only evaluated if a job be selected from the list. Using several
alias for a color separation. The color ment Structuring Conventions (DSC has no PostScript comments. Heidelberg screen systems within one
is a stepping stone in the allocation comments) as a supplement to the Post- job is only possible with a device-specific
of an angle in the screen system. Script specification. These DSC com- PostScript code.
ments should not be confused with the
DCS 29 (Desktop Color Separation) data
64 An Introduction to Screening Technology Screen Settings in a PostScript Workflow

One of the screen systems in the pop- The first item depends on whether 5.3.3 Selecting Resolutions and The screen frequency set in the user
up menu disables Heidelberg screening the RIP used has software or hardware Screen Frequencies interface can be set to default or over-
and enables PostScript screening. The screening. Almost all Delta Technology 31 There is a close connection between write. The job either uses the screen fre-
system can be named ‘Default’ or ‘Stand- products have hardware screening, so resolution and screen frequency (see quency from the Setscreen setup or
ard’, depending on the product. When it’s technically not possible to generate Chapters 6.4 and 7.3). ignores it, depending on what is set. The
this system is enabled, all the RIPs can IS screens on HQS hardware and vice Not every screen frequency is avail- values from this job are then rounded
support at least PostScript screening versa. able for every recorder resolution. The off to the next value in the screen system.
with Setscreen setups. The generated The output device mainly influences selection dialog of these two parame- In this case, the job must have the same
screens are then based on original Adobe screening through the resolutions it has. ters ensures that only available combi- value for all the color separations. The
screening or, in the case of hardware The screen frequencies that can actually nations can be selected. The values user should enter these settings carefully,
RIPs, on a compatible Heidelberg imple- be generated depend on this factor. Cer- the user can select also depend on the because the RIP cannot balance out mis-
mentation. tain screen frequencies are only available screen system used. takes. Screen frequencies that do not
Combining PostScript screens in Set- with certain resolutions, their combi- A nominal value is selected for the match are imaged as well.
screen setups with Heidelberg screens nation usually depending on the output screen frequency, although there are
within one job is only possible if a special device you use. generally slight differences between the 5.3.3.1 Extremely High Screen
PostScript code is used. The third item refers to screens that nominal value and the actual screen fre- Frequencies
PostScript threshold setups are sup- aren’t included in the standard scope quency. This is something that cannot An extremely high screen frequency
ported in some of the newer software of delivery, but which can be purchased be avoided if the user prefers to use just is found whenever the ratio between
RIPs. When this functionality is avail- separately, for example, Megadot and one value for all the separations, leaving resolution and actual screen frequency
able, it operates independently of the Diamond Screening. aside the many different screen frequen- is less than 12. With 1000 l/cm the limit
selected screen system, making it pos- cies to choose from in the screen systems is an 80 l/cm (200 lpi) screen, and with
sible to combine a Heidelberg screen 5.3.2 Selecting Screen Dots (see Chapter 4). 500 l/mm it is set at a 40 l/cm (100 lpi)
with a PostScript screen in a job. The user has a choice of dot shapes Another reason for the difference screen.
Which screen systems are available in almost all screen systems. The dot in values is that the quality-based corre- In these screens, less than 12
12 pix-
in a certain product depends on three selected in the Heidelberg screen’s lation between resolution and screen els are available for a single screen dot.
factors: dialog is not changed by the PostScript frequency usually results in odd num- The dot shapes that are possible and the
1. The product itself job’s dot shape. This was possible for bers for the actual screen frequency number of gray levels in a single dot
2. The output device a while in older Heidelberg products, and these are not at all suitable for user were restricted.
3. The availability of an option. but it led to quality issues that could interfaces. The actual values are docu-
not be solved. mented in each instance. In critical
cases, the user should make note of the
values available in the RIP to avoid any
unwelcome surprises.
 Screen Settings in a PostScript Workflow An Introduction to Screening Technology 65

In older RIPs, these high screen fre- 5.3.4 Assigning Colors to Angles sions of the most common graphic pro-
quencies were implemented in special Each screen system has a definition stat- grams use this function, making a
screen systems whose shortcomings, ing which angle belongs to which color. special pattern analysis in screening
i.e. restrictions in quality, were made This can be regarded as the default set- superfluous.
no secret of. Meanwhile, most of these ting. An appropriate dialog lets the user In rare cases, during the output
restrictions have been removed, and assign the color separations to other of older PostScript files, a screen will
extremely high screen frequencies are angles as well. However, only the four be output instead of a pattern. It is
integrated in normal systems. angles that are in the screen system more than likely due to the misuse of
Customers with a highly trained eye can be used. the screening algorithm, and in such
can possibly still discern a difference Only these angles are available for a case the user will have to switch over
to lower screen frequencies and if so, we spot colors as well. Each spot color can to PostScript screening. However, any
recommend that they switch to a higher be assigned one of the four angles with color screen on that page will not be
resolution. the help of filter comments (see Chapter output optimally.
The absolute highest screen frequency 5.2.4.3).
most screen systems support is up to With PostScript filtering for a sepa-
240 l/cm (600 lpi) at a 2000 l/cm (5080 dpi) rated output, the set allocation of colors
recorder resolution. The naked eye can and angles only works when the job in
not discern any improvements in smooth- question has the color/angle allocation
ness or details above a screen frequency defined in the PPD. If not, angles could
of 120 l/cm. Great care is recommended be switched unintentionally.
when processing plates and prints, prefer-
ably dry offset. 5.3.5 Fill Patterns
Apart from the quality factor, In the early days of PostScript, screen-
extremely high screens can be used to ing was sometimes used to create fill
boost productivity as well. An example patterns. Consequently, provisions were
of this would be that the most com- made in older RIPs to attempt to recog-
monly used screen frequency of 60 l/cm nize such patterns and to disable Heidel-
(150 lpi) can be imaged with a recorder berg screening in such a case. This was
resolution of 500 l/cm (1270 dpi) instead only marginally successful. So-called
of the usual 1000 l/cm, which would patterns were introduced with PostScript
result in significant advantages in speed Level 2, so there was no more reason
when RIPping and imaging. to misuse screening for such purposes.
Patterns are processed in the RIP totally
apart from screening. All newer ver-
66 An Introduction to Screening Technology Laser Imagesetters

6 Laser Imagesetters
The vast majority of all print originals of pixels. This procedure is used to con- The film or printing plate awaiting
are created nowadays with laser image- struct a screen within the pixel matrix exposure is mounted on the outside
setters or plate recorders (Computer- of an imagesetter. of the drum on this type of imagesetter.
to-Plate 32). This chapter will describe the In practice, both the line spacing Exposure takes place along the length
structure and principal properties of and the pixel frequency normally lie of the rotating drum using a laser head
various types of imagesetters. Certain between 7.5 and 30 µm. (see below), which in turn moves along
imagesetter properties influence what Unlike the electron beam in TV tubes, the drum with great precision by means
is possible in screening. These aspects laser beams cannot be deflected by elec- of a spindle.
will be examined below. tromagnetic fields. Light can be deflected The material is moved by the drum
There are three key technologies for over large distances only using mechan- rotating, and this writes the image lines,
designing laser imagesetters: ical means. Added to this is the fact that while the slow movement of the laser
• External drum imagesetters, the deflection must be bi-directional – head effects the feed from image line
• Internal drum imagesetters, rapidly in the direction of the laser line, to image line.
• Capstan imagesetters. and relatively slowly from laser line This type of construction requires
All laser imagesetters work on the to laser line. a very stable design because of the
same principle, which is that one or Many publications use the terms relatively large moving masses and the
more laser beams ‘writes’ image infor- image line, scan or fast scan instead of imbalance created by the material
mation line by line, in parallel, onto ‘laser line’. The direction perpendicular clamped to the drum. Fixing the mate-
photosensitive material. to this is the feed or slow scan. rial to the drum is not an easy matter
The laser is switched on in those areas The various types of imagesetter at all. To keep the centrifugal force and
where the film or printing plate is to be differ mainly in terms of the principle imbalance at an acceptable level, the
exposed; otherwise, it remains switched used for generating image lines and feed. rpm count must be kept relatively low.
off. The laser beam is switched on and To achieve acceptable imaging times,
off digitally in a precisely defined cycle. 6.1 External Drum Imagesetters several laser beams are used at the same
The individual laser dots that can be In the repro industry, external drum time. These beams can be arranged
switched on and off are known, some- imagesetters are filmsetters for color so that different areas of the drum are
what confusingly, as pixels, derived from work that traditionally offer high exposed at the same time, or so that
‘picture element’. Each screen dot is quality. This technology also has advan- a ‘light rake’ exposes image lines lying
therefore made up of a certain number tages in the field of plate imaging. side by side.
 Laser Imagesetters An Introduction to Screening Technology 67

The principle of the light rake is

a well-known one. Lasers, beam splitter
and modulator are all housed in the
optical head. Different designs can be
used for generating parallel laser beams.
The most popular one is the splitting
te
/ Pla
of a single laser beam into a ‘light rake’ Film
comprising parallel light beams which
are then modulated individually. Laser
Light Rake
An acousto-optical modulator (AOM)
is used for this purpose. A laser diode
array is also sometimes used.
Regardless of the design of the optical
head, there are two properties that can
Lens
influence the quality of the screen: Deflecting Mirrors
1. The individual beams in a light rake AOM
may possibly have a different light
intensity.
2. It is also possible that the spacing
between them is not the same.
Both effects can cause a periodic
‘light rake stripe’, which can interfere
with the screen and needs to be taken
into account during screening (see last
section in this chapter).
Examples of imagesetters that follow Figure 60: Schematic diagram of an external drum
imagesetter.
this design are Heidelberg’s recorder
R30X0 from the 3000 series, Heidelberg’s
Trendsetter and Topsetter ™ plate
recorders and the Kodak Approval
proofer.
68 An Introduction to Screening Technology Laser Imagesetters

6.2 Internal Drum Imagesetters

Internal drum imagesetters are used
for both typesetting and repro. They are
available on the market as both film-
setters and platesetters. The material to
be exposed is held in position inside a
partially open hollow cylinder. The laser
te
/ Pla
is then moved along its exact center. Film
m
On some units, only the deflection unit Pris
ting
is moved. The laser beam is focused onto lec
Ref
the material using a lens and deflected
Laser
onto the film via a fast-rotating prism.
Lens
The image lines and the feed are effected Motor
by moving the optical system. The mate-
rial is not moved during the exposure
process.
The rotating deflection unit is a small
component and can rotate at high speed.
This means that production can be very
quick using a single laser beam. Although
the optical paths are significantly longer
than on external drum imagesetters,
on the whole, it is easier to buffer vibra-
tion since only small masses are being Figure 61: Schematic diagram of an internal drum
imagesetter.
moved. The optical system as a whole
is kept significantly more simple.
This type of imagesetter enables
maximum quality in the repro sector
at very high speeds and at a moderate
price. It has established itself on the
market as a filmsetter and platesetter.
Examples are the Herkules®, the
SignaSetter ®, the Primesetter ™ and
the Prosetter ™ – all from Heidelberg.
 Laser Imagesetters An Introduction to Screening Technology 69

6.3 Flatbed Imagesetters/Capstan Because of the unavoidable pyrami-

Imagesetters dal errors34 of a polygon, interference
Flatbed imagesetters and capstan image- between the screen and the polygon can
setters 33 originate from the world of occur in this situation, similar to the one
typesetting. On these imagesetters, the involving the light rake on the external
material to be exposed is clamped onto drum imagesetter.
a flat platen or slowly fed over a roller. Laser This type of imagesetter combines
The exposing laser beam is then gener- Polygonal Mirror both good quality at reasonable costs
ally deflected at right-angles to the and moderate quality at higher speeds
feed direction of the transport platen Scanner Lens and lower costs.
Transport Roller
or roller using a fast-rotating polygonal Examples of flatbed units include
mirror or oscillating mirror, and then Deflecting Mirror the recorders of the newspaper page
imaged onto the film using a large lens transmission system PRESSFAX®,
(scanner lens). while the range of capstan imagesetters
Film
Capstan imagesetters allow any includes the Linotronic ™ 3X0 and 5X0,
length of film to be exposed. The length plus Heidelberg’s Quicksetter ™.
is only limited by the actual length of the
material. Specialist expertise is required 6.4 Resolution and Addressability
to make sure that the film is transported Laser imagesetters feature quite a num-
with sufficient accuracy. Similarly, accu- ber of resolutions which are usually
racy is also required when exposing color quantified in terms of lines per centime-
separations. ter (l/cm) or dots per inch (dpi). This
Because of the long optical routes, value is often misinterpreted, since it
flatbed imagesetters in particular are often doesn’t describe the actual resolu-
constructed using vibration-absorbing tion, but rather the spacing between
materials such as synthetic concrete and two image lines. A better term for this
are positioned on vibration absorbers. Figure 62: Schematic diagram of a capstan imagesetter. would be addressability. The imageset-
This ensures that the exposing laser beam ter’s resolution can be determined from
is not deflected by ambient vibrations the size of the laser dot (‘spot size’). In
that could adversely affect the imaging ideal situations, this should be around
process. The scanner lens is extremely 20% larger than the addressability. This
well designed since the image lengths value is the best possible compromise
in the middle of the film and at the edge between even exposure and maximum
differ considerably and the image needs resolution.
to be focused throughout.
70 An Introduction to Screening Technology Laser Imagesetters

Example: An imagesetter with an This rule of using whole numbers 6.7 Film and Plate Linearization still very imprecise. It’s also hard to deal
addressability of 1000 l/cm has a laser is, wherever possible, also applied on The actual dot percentage achieved with light capture effects in lineariza-
line spacing of 10 µm. The laser dot internal drum imagesetters using just on the film depends on the film type tion such as those described in the Tips
should therefore have a diameter of one beam, since otherwise the screen and the developing conditions. Most and Tricks chapter.
12 µm. Because the intensity of the laser itself may contain interference struc- films have a dot percentage of around
beam decreases towards the edge, even tures. This limits the screen frequencies 53% at 50% nominal density, provided
exposure is achieved through the nomi- that can be achieved at specific levels the processor has been set correctly.
nal overlap of 2 µm. Individual laser of addressability. With the correct method of working,
lines without neighbors will be a fairly There are also specific, preferred even this deviation should be corrected
precise 10 µm wide. This of course only combinations of 0°and 45°angles for by linearizing the film.
works if the intensity of the laser has color reproduction. There are no pairs In order to linearize a film, a gray
been set correctly for the material that of equal 0°and 45°screen frequencies scale 35 with the appropriate density
is used. where the dots of both angles are made levels must be exposed, developed and
up of a whole number of lines. For this measured. In the film linearization tools,
6.5 Light Rakes and Screen Dots reason, the 0°angle often has a different the corresponding values are entered
Light rakes can be found on both exter- screen frequency. in a table with columns for desired and
nal drum and capstan imagesetters. The actual values. The ‘Nominal’ column lists
usual number of laser lines is between 6.6 Imagesetter Calibration the dot percentage the film is to have,
6 and 250. The interplay with the screen The calibration of the imagesetter while the ‘Is’ column lists the actual per-
period can result in interference which to the specific material and processor centage measured. The program then
is mostly perceived as stripes running is crucial for optimizing the optical calculates the correction tables so that
parallel to the image lines. Screens at system and minimizing the effects of the exposure results match straightaway.
0°and 45°are particularly susceptible the light rake. Depending on the type Newer tools store the data in a data-
to this phenomenon. of imagesetter used, the prescribed base. Information about the validity
At these angles, therefore, the screen procedures for the light value, filter range for linearizations is also kept on
dots are best made up of integral mul- value, focus, zoom etc. have to be pains- file so that this work does not need to
tiples of the light rake. takingly carried out and repeated at be repeated from scratch for each screen
Example: A 60 l/cm screen at 1000 regular intervals. A poorly calibrated combination.
l/cm would have to be made up of 16.67 imagesetter cannot give you good Printing plates are rarely linearized
laser lines. On an imagesetter with quality. since density measurement on a plate
8 light beams, it would actually consist is extremely difficult and the measuring
of 16 lines, giving an exposure result devices that are currently available are
of a 62.5 screen.
 Screens in Print An Introduction to Screening Technology 71

7 Screens in Print
Screening is an integral part of the over-
all print production process. It therefore
makes sense for those in the business
of print products to concern themselves Scanning
with the other stages of the process, in
particular print processes. The process-
ing stages following creation of the
color separation films involve a few
Creation Graphics Layout
other aspects that need to be taken into
consideration when the films are first
being created. Some of these stages do
not apply when printing plates are being
imaged directly. Text
This is a very broad area, and it is not
possible to examine all the aspects of
printing within the confines of this pub-
lication. However, the next few pages
will list a few of the main ones.
Imagesetting

Proofing

Platemaking

Printing Binding Packing

Figure 63: Printing production process.

72 An Introduction to Screening Technology Screens in Print

7.1 Platemaking Blooming or side lighting influences Normally, printers try to cover up the The ink is applied to the plate cylin-
By way of an example, we will look at the ink coverage when copying the films cutting edges on the film. This is done der via an inking unit, and the water,
the process for making a positive offset to the printing plates. In many films, the using the blooming effects described and which is mixed with alcohol, is applied
plate. The printing plate consists of an edge of the screen dot is not absolutely possibly even a dispersion foil25, and the via a dampening system. From there,
aluminum substrate with a light-sen- sharp – i.e. there is a gray zone. Blooming dots that are generated are generally the ink is transferred to a blanket cylin-
sitive synthetic layer. Exposure with UV can occur even on extremely hard-dot 36 ‘pointed’37. A number of special points der and only then is it printed onto the
light causes chemical bonds to be bro- films with a sharp edge, since the photo- need to be observed in Diamond Screen- printing stock. It’s easy to see that the
ken down so that the exposed sections graphic layer always is at a minimal dis- ing, and these are listed in Chapter 7.4. printed dots are ‘squashed flat’ during
can be washed away. The oleophilic, tance from the plate and is itself approxi- these transfer operations. The resulting
i.e. oil-friendly, synthetic layer absorbs mately 1µm thick. Reflections on the 7.2 Dot Gain in Print dot gain in print can be influenced by
the oily ink, while the hydrophilic, metal substrate and stray light also play The most important effect that needs a number of factors, including the quan-
i.e. water-friendly, aluminum substrate a role. to be taken into account when creating tity of ink, the ink/water balance and
is moistened in the press before each lithos is the dot gain in print. This will the pressure of the cylinders.
new printing run so that it cannot be explained using offset printing as an
absorb any ink. example.

Figure 64: Blooming during platemaking. Figure 65: Diagram of an offset press.

Impression Cylinder

Light Source

Plate Cylinder

Dampening System

Film Substrate
Stray Light Adhesive Layer
Photogr. Layer
Sheet
Scratch-protection
Layer Inking Unit
Core Shadow Light-sensitive
Half Shadow Synthetic Layer
Printing Plate (Al)
Blanket Cylinder
 Screens in Print An Introduction to Screening Technology 73

7.3 Selecting Screen Frequencies printed between the dots is a crucial fac-
100 A screen should be fine enough that tor here. Because the human eye is very
90 it cannot be perceived by the human sensitive to densities in the shadows,
80 eye. With a 60 l/cm (150 dpi) screen, it is important to print gaps that are as
the individual screen dots are just about small as possible. The table below sets
70
discernable – this is the visibility limit. out the maximum ink coverage that can
60 For monochrome images, reproduction still be printed just below the full ink
50 with 60 l/cm (150 lpi) is sufficient. coverage of 100%.
40 Conventional screens produce a some- This sensitivity of the eye in the
what larger rosette in the overprint, with shadows means that losses of 1% are
30
Percent in Print

the visibility of the rosette depending noticeable already in the shadow defi-
20 on the hue. Studies carried out by FOGRA nition. The size of the dot that can still
10 have shown that the visibility of the be printed depends on many factors,
0 rosette more or less corresponds to the particularly the paper. It may well be
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 visibility of a screen with a 1.5 fold possible to copy 7.5 µm, but it won’t be
Percent in Film Screens 80 lines/cm period, i.e. the rosette would still be possible to print it. Generally speaking,
Screens 60 lines/cm visible on an 80 l/cm (200 dpi) screen. printing uses relatively coarse screens
High-quality artwork should there- because they’re easier to process. Expe-
Figure 66: Example of a printing characteristic with fore be printed using at least an 80 l/cm rience with Diamond Screening has
marked dot gain in the midtone.
(200 dpi) screen. shown that dots with a diameter of
However, printing aspects are often 20 µm are still stable in print, but that
A further important factor for dot screen frequency. If one of these factors more important in the choice of the difficulties are experienced with dots
gain in print (around 12%) is the light changes, a new process calibration screen frequency. The smallest possible smaller than this.
capture effects in the reflective light is usually required. dot or the smallest gap that can still be
densitometer described in the section A standard dot gain is already taken
about density in the Tips and Tricks into account in the color gradation
chapter. during an image scan. It is then adapted Screen frequency Diam. Max. Diam. Max. Diam. Max.
The printing characteristic (curve) to the current printing characteristic l/cm lpi µm % µm % µm %
is obtained by plotting (or mapping) the during digital screening. This requires
ink coverage produced during printing that film linearization and process 40 100 10 99.8 15 99.7 20 99.5
against the dot percentage of the film. calibration were performed beforehand. 60 150 10 99.7 15 99.4 20 98.9
This shows a significant dot gain in the 80 200 10 99.5 15 98.8 20 97.9
midtone. The dot gain can vary quite 120 300 10 98.8 15 97.5 20 95.5
considerably, depending on the press, 240 600 10 95.4 15 89.8 20 81.9
printing conditions, type of paper and
Table 11: Smallest printable dot and maximum
ink coverage.
74 An Introduction to Screening Technology Screens in Print

Screens of 34 l/cm (85 dpi) or 40 l/cm Process calibration is performed Often, process calibration is the same There are a number of very different
(100 dpi) are the general standard in using a special utility in the RIP. A test for all colors, at least within the toler- proofing processes:
newspaper printing. A 60 l/cm (150 dpi) page is output using the screen that ances. It is color-dependent at least in • from a straightforward output on
screen is used in Europe for printing is to be calibrated. A key element of the the RT Y45°K fine and Megadot screen a desktop printer,
magazines and catalogs, although the test page is the gray scales with density systems described in Chapter 4 because • right through to proofs made on the
trend is moving towards the 70 l/cm levels of between 0% and 100%. A proof the screen frequencies in the color sepa- printing press.
(175 dpi) screen, as is already the stand- print of the page is then output to the rations differ greatly in these systems. Various aspects can be assessed,
ard in South-East Asia. For artwork material that is to be calibrated and Process calibration of the other screen depending on the method used. Com-
on coated38 paper, an 80 l/cm (200 dpi) measured. systems can be color-dependent, espe- mon to all the methods is the fact that
screen is recommended. The user enters the data measured cially when caused by rheological40 dif- they all allow text, typefaces, graphics,
and the nominal values in the dialog box ferences in the colors or press settings. print control elements, register and cut-
7.4 Process Calibration of the calibration tool that then calcu- The new Heidelberg calibration ting marks to be checked, with varying
Process calibration is a tool for standard- lates the calibration tables for electronic manager stores the calibration data in degrees of efficacy. The presence of
izing the entire process of producing screening. These tables are saved and a database. This makes color-dependent images can also be verified, although
artwork masters and for allowing them can be used afterwards in production. process calibration possible. Informa- it is not always possible to check the
to be used in different presses. Although The calibration tables obtained this tion about the validity range of calibra- correct image resolution. Screens can
standardization does not give a printer way are usually so good that the print tions is also stored so that the time- only be assessed by using a handful
full artistic freedom, good results are results are in the tolerance range right consuming calibration process does of methods. Digital proofing methods
much faster to achieve, and this means away. Even if you make more major not have to be repeated from scratch can only produce a true-color screen
there’s also less startup waste. color corrections subsequently, i.e. you for every screen combination. proof if the resolutions of the proofer
Process calibration is intended to are doing the job of a lithographer at and CtP/CtF recorders are the same.
balance out the deviations of individual the press, a good process calibration 7.5 Proofs Table 12 lists examples of the various
presses from print standards. The key gives you sure, centered results, provid- The proof basically shows you what proofing methods along with their
requirement for process calibration is ing you with a solid base for any artistic the colors will look like in print. Because differing properties. Common to all
that all the processes involved are stand- designs needed. many different processes and often proofing methods is the fact that texts,
ardized and stable. The press in partic- If the table does not already have a number of different companies are typefaces, print control elements and
ular must be set carefully. Your entire boxes for the following density levels, involved in the production of a print the presence of all images and graphics
production depends on a good process it is advisable to add them: 2%, 7%, product, it is important to make sure can be checked.
calibration. The principle behind the 93%, 97%, 98% and 99%. that you get the results you want. The With some inkjet printers and high-
process calibration workflow is the same proof plays an important role, especially end proofers, an excellent approximation
for Computer-to-Plate (CtP) and Com- as regards the coordination between of the print can be achieved by carefully
puter-to-Film39 (CtF). prepress and the printshop. The proof calculating the color transformation
is the template for the inks used during tables and using good color management.
printing.
 Screens in Print An Introduction to Screening Technology 75

Proofing method Color fidelity Check Chromalin and laminate proofs offer
very few options for changing the repro-
Laser printers No colors, but single Register and cutting marks, duction characteristic and adjusting it to
black/white separations possible data special printing characteristics. They can
Blueprints No colors, but single Register and cutting marks, only supply proofs for a standard print-
black/white separations possible data, imposition layout ing characteristic. This has both benefits
Color laser printers Not very precise, Coloring (depends on color and drawbacks since both methods pro-
limited reproducibility, management), duce proofs of excellent color constancy.
sometimes screens no imposition layout Proof printing provides users with
Inkjet Varying precision, Coloring (depends on color a lot of scope for varying color repro-
reproducible, management), imposition layout duction, making it possible to match
sometimes screens on large-format printers various printing characteristics in
Thermal sublimation Good reproducibility, Coloring (depends on color the production run. However, it often
printers no screens management), no imposition layout remains to be seen whether the satis-
Iris proofer Good reproducibility, Coloring (depends on color factory result obtained from the proof
(color inkjet) no screens management), print will be produced at all on the pro-
(possibly) imposition layout duction machine, and if it is, whether
High-end proofs Excellent, Coloring, color balance, the result will be stable.
(digital) excellent reproducibility, gray balance, moiré effects,
e.g. Kodak Approval, original screens (possibly) imposition layout
Trendsetter Spectrum
Laminate proofs Excellent, Coloring, color balance,
(Imation, Fuji) excellent reproducibility, gray balance, moiré effects,
original screens films, inaccurate registration,
(possibly) imposition layout
Proof print Good, Coloring, color balance,
good reproducibility, gray balance, moiré effects,
original screens films, accurate registration,
imposition layout
Chromalin Excellent, Coloring, color balance,
excellent reproducibility, gray balance, moiré effects,
(with toner) films, accurate registration,
original screens (possibly) imposition layout

Table 12: Proofing process.

 76 An Introduction to Screening Technology Tips and Tricks

8 Tips and Tricks

This chapter deals with a number of them so that it is only 15°away from its The relevant user manuals will
tips and tricks that can be of assistance neighbors. When conventional screen describe how to switch the angles.
during your everyday work. systems are used, the smaller distance The illustration opposite shows two
between Y and its neighboring colors rectangles with a critical hue that were
8.1 Angle Switchover can lead to a slight yellow moiré in the imaged in the IS Classic screen system
It can sometimes be useful to switch the print. This moiré can be minimized by using a 60 l/cm (150 dpi) screen and 1000
screen angles in order to get better results switching the screen angles, depending l/cm recorder resolution. In the top
for certain motifs. In conventional screen on the motif. This applies regardless rectangle, the angles are not switched.
systems, such as the IS Classic, the colors of the method used to generate conven- On the bottom, they are.
are assigned to the screen angles as tional screens or their approximations. The effects are particularly clear
shown in the following table. Generally If skin tones are predominant, then in generated areas. These kinds of image
speaking, the applications return the the angle allocation specified above motifs only appear rarely in practice,
input angles listed below for the corre- is the best solution. Greens (e.g. vegeta- however.
sponding colors, which are then con- tion) are generally inherently structured,
verted by the IS Classic screen system so this moiré will not be visible. Alter- 8.2 Vignettes
into the output angles shown. natively, the IS Y fine or RT Y45°K fine Vignettes are very suited to demonstrat-
C, M and K, as the defining colors, screen systems can be used, since they ing the sensitivity of the human eye.
are spaced 60°or 30°apart. The lightest have no yellow moiré. In the shadows especially, the human
color Y has to be sandwiched in between If smooth gray-greens are predomi- eye is able to distinguish even very slight
nant, then switching the screen angles differences in dot percentage. To demon-
of C and M is recommended to avoid strate this, the linear vignette shown
Color Input Output any moiré between cyan and yellow. below was generated with an 8-bit reso-
angle angle Only the screen angles for C, M and Figure 67: By switching the angle, better results lution in QuarkXPress. The dot per-
can be achieved for certain motifs or critical hues
K should be switched. Yellow should (top: standard setting, bottom: cyan and magenta
centage ranges from 50% to 100%. Over
C 15° 165° always remain at 0°. This applies not just switched). a length of 250 mm, this means that
M 75° 45° to this screen system but to the other a new level begins approximately every
Y 0° 0° ones as well. 2 mm. The levels can be seen particularly
K 45° 105° We strongly recommend that in the shadows. An imagesetter offering
yellow is not assigned to another angle – premium quality reproduces such levels
Table 13: Input and output angles for the IS Classic it should retain its angle allocation. with utmost precision.
screen system.
 Tips and Tricks An Introduction to Screening Technology 77

Another interesting aspect is the it been possible to generate smooth An example: With a recorder reso- tion enables older PostScript routines
optical illusion that takes place. The vignettes with a 16-bit resolution lution of 500 l/cm and a 60 l/cm screen, to be detected and replaced with more
brain sharpens contours in such a (65537 levels) using the ‘Smooth Shad- the application assumes that a dot will modern ones. For the vignettes men-
way that the levels on the lighter side ing’ function. be made up of just 8
8 recorder pixels. tioned here, this means that functions
appear darker than on the dark side Many image editing applications This would mean that only 64 density that generate vignettes using the
of the vignette. A similar effect can also do not yet use the new features and gen- levels could be displayed, and so the method described above are searched
be seen in short vignettes which form erate vignettes using the old methods, vignette is only made up of 64 levels. for in the PostScript document. These
the transition from a white area to a i.e. they juxtapose strips of gradually This is, of course, way too little, and functions are then replaced in the RIP
black area. Directly beside the vignette, increasing density. If you’re lucky, the banding can easily be seen. with modern methods that generate
the white parts appears whiter than full 256 density levels are used and the In most image and graphics editing smooth vignettes.
white and the black ones blacker than vignette’s transition from 0% to 100% programs, there are setting options that Unfortunately, for reasons relating
black. dot percentage is completed in 256 grad- can be used to apply ‘smooth shading’, to PostScript’s internal configuration,
uations. This produces useable results or at least prevent a reduction of density it is not possible to detect or replace
8.2.1 Generating Vignettes if the vignettes do not extend right into levels. These setting options are often all inadequate vignette functions. It may
How various applications generate the shadows or they are relatively short. well concealed in the user interface. be necessary to use image editing soft-
vignettes would require a section all Some applications try to save mem- In view of the wide range of applications ware to smoothen vignettes afterwards.
of its own. But first a note about Post- ory and computing time by generating available, it is not possible to list all Banding may also occur in vignettes
Script. In Level 2, images are specified vignettes from as few levels as possible. these options here, particularly since as a result of process calibration or a gra-
with 12 bit pixels, i.e. there are 212 = To do this, the application requests the they often vary from version to version. dation curve. If process calibration
4096 gray levels. For performance rea- recorder resolution set on the RIP and A remedy for vignettes generated involves particularly steep sections or
sons, just like in most image editing the screen frequency and uses this infor- using the ‘old-fashioned’ methods comes bends, these can cause banding, mainly
programs, PostScript only uses 8 bits mation to calculate the number of pos- from the ‘Idiom Recognition’ facility in short vignettes.
internally, i.e. 256 levels, for screening. sible density levels. used by Heidelberg RIPs from Post-
Only from PostScript 3 onwards has Script 3 onwards. This PostScript func-

Figure 68: Vignette ranging with 50% to 100%

dot percentage with an 8-bit density resolution.
The stepping that appears when density resolution
is restricted can clearly be seen.
78 An Introduction to Screening Technology Tips and Tricks

A multidot technology is used in cesses. Heidelberg’s NewColor ® software 8.5 Seven-Color Printing Color Input Output
IS or HQS screening, as already described incorporates such filters. The user can Seven-color printing will only be touched angle angle
in the chapter on screening methods. set the screen frequency that needs to upon briefly here since the process of
This means that there is always a suffi- be filtered out and obtains outstanding generating the separation gradations Cyan 15° 165°
cient number of levels (more than 1000) results every time. is discussed in the scanner manuals Blue 45° 105°
to display a vignette smoothly. Even (e.g. in the ‘HiFi Color DC 3000’ book). Magenta 15° 165°
if the PostScript software reduces the 8.4 Spot Colors The use of enhanced GCR (Gray Compo- Red 45° 105°
number of levels to 256, they are uni- The IS Classic, IS Y60 and IS Y30 screen nent Removal41) is recommended. Only Yellow 15° 165°
form and are therefore less intrusive. systems can be combined for spot colors three different screen angles are then Green 45° 105°
that are not just to be printed as solid required for 7-color printing. Black as the Key 75° 45°
8.3 Media and Scanner Moirés tints. To avoid overprint moirés, users dominant color is assigned to 45°, the
Moirés are disturbances, as described should not forget that the screen angles six chromatic colors cyan, blue, magenta, Table 14: Color allocation in 7-color printing.
in Chapter 1.4. They can occur when of 60°and 30°are only 15°from the red, yellow and green are alternately
unsuitable screens are overprinted, and neighboring angles and that the colors assigned to 165°and 105°. The IS Classic,
also between the print screen and fine, are assigned accordingly. This means IS Y60 and IS Y30 screen systems can Table14 suggests allocations of screen
uniform patterns in the original. Exam- that the contrast to the neighboring col- be used for this. angles to colors. Rational screen systems,
ples of this include certain fabrics, ors should be a low as possible, or the With this method, each hue is gen- Diamond Screening or Megadot can,
as shown in the Diamond Screening spot colors should be light, like yellow. erated using just three colors. Black of course, also be used with the relevant
print example. Moirés can also occur The fine black of the RT Y45°K fine provides the gray component, and any screen angles.
between a striped shirt and the print screen system is also fully suited for a hue can be generated in combination
screen. These types of moiré can be spot color with these systems. Another with two neighboring colors. A maxi- 8.6 Hexachrome Printing
avoided by using Diamond Screening, option is to assign a spot color to the mum of 10% of a complementary color Hexachrome printing will also only
which was described earlier. angle of a color with which there is as can be added to darken the color with- be touched upon briefly here since the
Similarly, moirés can also occur little overlap as possible. out causing any risk of color shift. This process of generating the separation
between the original and the scanner’s The 60°and 30°screen angles of the process is practically a colored black/ gradations is discussed in the scanner
scanning screen. These moirés cannot IS Y60 and IS Y30 systems can be com- white print. For example, all printable manuals (e.g. in the ‘HiFi Color DC 3000’
be eliminated using a downstream bined with the Megadot screen in every hues between red and yellow can be book). Here too, the use of enhanced
process. They can usually be avoided regard. created using black and these two pro- GCR (Gray Component Removal) is
by rescanning the original at a higher The most stylish solution is to use cess colors. The same applies for all recommended.
resolution. Diamond Screening, at the same time other hues. Essentially, only three col- In contrast to 7-color printing, hex-
Very pronounced moirés sometimes remembering to take into account ors are printed on the same part of the achrome printing requires more than
also occur when scanning originals that the varying dot gain in print (see Chap- image. This means that it is possible three screen angles. Because there is an
have already been screened. Reliable ter 7.4. Process Calibration). in 7-color printing to use just 3 different odd number of chromatic colors, they
descreening can only be achieved in screen angles without running the risk cannot be assigned alternately to just
these cases by using special filtering pro- of color shifts.
 Tips and Tricks An Introduction to Screening Technology 79

two different screen angles. The follow- color can be added to darken the color For stable results, it is vital that the 8.7.1 Density
ing screen combination is therefore without causing any risk of color shift. correct amount of light be set on the Transmission42 is a key criterion when
suggested: This process is practically a colored recorder. Just enough light (but not any assessing films. The transmission of a
Black as the dominant color is black/white print. For example, all print- more) is required to ensure that the film, or the reflectivity 43 of photographic
assigned to 45°fine black in the RT Y45° able hues between cyan and green can film is no longer in the high-contrast paper or print can be measured as a dot
K fine screen system. The five chromatic be created using black and these two part of the gradation curve. percentage going from 0% to 100%, or
colors cyan, magenta, orange, yellow process colors. The same applies for all While stepping up the amount of as a density. Normally, the final density
and green are then assigned to 165°, 45°, other hues. Essentially, only three colors light only increases the final density of of a film or print is measured in loga-
105°, 165°(0°) and 45°in the IS Classic are printed on the same part of the the film slightly, blooming, on the other rithmic units as a density. This is recom-
screen system. If applied accordingly, image. hand, is more pronounced. In other mended since light absorption is pro-
the IS Y60 and IS Y30 screen systems can Table 15 suggests allocations of screen words, at high dot percentages, the portional to the log of the thickness of
also be used for the chromatic colors. angles to colors. small gaps become blurred, negatively the light-absorbing ink layer. Density
Another item to note: Cyan, magenta affecting the shadow definition. is, therefore, a measure of the thick-
and yellow generally have color loci that 8.7 Processors/Film The settings depend on the recorder ness of the ink layer. Screened areas are
are significantly different from those Premium-quality recorders require that and the type of film used. Their job mostly measured as a dot percentage.
familiar from 4-color printing. With this users give some thought to choosing and is to make work as stable and simple In densitometers, these values are simply
method, each hue is generated using using films, chemicals and processors. as possible without any overexposure. converted using the formula below.
just three colors. Each recorder has a list of films and
Black provides the gray component, chemicals that are suitable for that par- Figure 69: Gradation curve of a hard dot film with the
and any hue can be generated in com- ticular model. In this context, please correct exposure range.
bination with two neighboring colors. refer to the documentation provided
A maximum of 10% of a complementary by the relevant manufacturers. In this
6
section, we will just mention a few
general items of interest.
5
Color Input Output Hard dot films in particular have Correct Exposure
angle angle a steep gradation, and thereby generate 4

Density
an exceptionally sharp, high-density
Cyan 15° IS10 165° dot. Of course, films with extremely 3

Magenta 75° IS10 45° sharp screen dot edges are more stable
2
Orange 45° IS10 105° in processing than films with blurred
Yellow 15°/(0°) IS10 165°/(0°) edges. 1
Green 75° IS10 45°
Key 45° RT Y45°K fine 45° fine 0

Laser Intensity
Table 15: Color allocation in hexachrome printing.
80 An Introduction to Screening Technology Tips and Tricks

Density (D) is defined as the negative Measurements always involve mea-

logarithm to the base of 10 of transmis- suring errors of varying degrees. Light Source Light Source
sion (T) or reflectivity: If the reflective capacity of a print
D = – log 10 (T). or a photographic paper is measured, Lens

To give an overview of these dimen- then measuring errors will mainly arise Condensor Condensor
sions, table 16 lists the values for trans- from light capture effects. Figure 70
mission, dot percentage and print shows just how these systematic mea-
density. suring errors occur. Other sources
Hard dot films can achieve final den- of accidental measuring errors include
sities greater than 5 on modern record- stray light caused by dust on the photo-
ers. This means that less than 1/100000th graphic paper or print.
of the light is transmitted. Figure 70 shows how light reacts in Stray Light
At light quantities as low as these, the measuring head of a densitometer. Half Shadow Core Shadow
it can easily be imagined how measuring The original is illuminated from the
errors caused by noise in the densitome- side by condenser lenses, and a centrally Figure 70: Light capture effects in a reflective light
densitometer.
ter, ambient light, stray light from dust positioned lens transmits the diffusely
or even the tiniest pores in the film can reflected light onto a photocell that mea-
influence the result considerably. Some sures it. Light mirrored on the surface 60 l/cm (150 dpi) screen, this represents
densitometers, therefore, limit the dis- does not enter the lens in this configu- a dot gain of approximately 12% in
play to a maximum value. Data fluctua- ration. In this diagram, the lenses dis- the midtone range. If screened films
tions should not be taken too seriously played are far too small compared to the are copied to photographic paper, light
in a density range greater than 5. screen dots and too close to the paper capture effects must be remembered
surface. when the paper is being measured.
Transmission Dot Print The light capture effects mainly The dot gain measured in print is
(T) percentage density (D) occur by the light not being reflected mainly due to light capture effects. Light
directly at the surface, but rather by capture effects do not need to be taken
1.000000 0.0000 % 0 it penetrating the paper and only being into account in printing characteristics
0.100000 90.0000 % 1 scattered back from this point. Part of since they are already implicitly factored
0.010000 99.0000 % 2 the light is scattered below the screen in there.
0.001000 99.9000 % 3 dots and absorbed by the inked areas;
0.000100 99.9900 % 4 in other words, it is ‘captured’ under
0.000010 99.9990 % 5 the screen dots. A half-shadow forms
0.000001 99.9999 % 6 around the printed dots and increases
the size of the dot by a few µm. That
Table 16: Transmission and print density. doesn’t sound like much, but on a
 List of Figures and Tables An Introduction to Screening Technology 81

List of Figures List of Tables

Figure Name Page FigureName Page FigureName Page Table Name Page
1 Screen Cells 3 27IS Classic Print 26 55IS Classic Elliptical Print 54 1 Allocation of Colors and Angles 8
2 Color Shift 4 28Angle Position of IS Y fine 27 56Megadot Dot Shape 55 2 IS Classic 25
3 Moiré 4 29IS Y fine Print 28 57Megadot Print 56 3 IS Y fine 27
4 Laser Dots and Screen Dots 5 30Angle Position of IS Y60 29 58Megadot Plus 57 4 IS Y60 29
5 Offset Rosette 6 31IS Y60 Print 30 59Megadot Plus Print 58 5 IS Y30 31
6 Cyan and Magenta Moiré 45° 7 32Angle Position of IS Y30 31 60External Drum Imagesetter 67 6 IS CMYK+7.5° 33
7 Angle Spacing 60° 8 33IS Y30 Print 32 61Internal Drum Imagesetter 68 7 RT Classic 35
8 Screen Dots 0° 10 34Angle Position of IS CMYK+7.5° 33 62Capstan Imagesetter 69 8 RT Y45°K fine 37
9 Screen Dots 45° 11 35IS CMYK+7.5°Print 34 63Workflow 71 9 Megadot Plus 57
10 Screen Tile 18.4° 12 36Angle Position of RT Classic 35 64Overexposure Effects 72 10 PostScript Angle
11 Screen with Screen Tiles 13 37RT Classic Print 36 65Offset Press 72 as a Color Alias 63
12 Example of Dithering 14 38Angle Position of RT Y45°K fine 37 66Characteristic Printing Curve 73 11 Smallest Printable Dot 73
13 Error Diffusion 14 39RT Y45°K fine Print 38 67Changing Angles 76 12 Proofing Process 75
14 Comparison of Standard 40Elliptical Dot Shape 39 68Vignette Scale with Stepping 77 13 IS Classic Angles 76
Halftone Screen and Random 41IS Classic Elliptical Print 40 69Gradation Curve 14 7-Color Printing 78
Halftone Screen 15 42Round-Square Dot Shape 41 of Hard Dot Film 79 15 Hexachrome Printing 79
15 Standard PostScript 43IS Classic Round-Square Print 42 70 Light Capture Effects 80 16 Transmission/Print Density 80
Screen Cell 16 44Round Dot Shape 43
16 Standard PostScript 45IS Classic Round Dot Print 44
Screen Tile 17 46Gravure Pincushion Dot Shape 45
17 HQS Supercell 17 47Gravure Square Dot Shape 46
18 HQS Screen ‘Brick’ 18 48Etched Gravure Cell 47
19 PostScript Screen Type 16 Tiles 18 49Square and Pincushion Dots 47
20 IS Halftone Dot 15° 19 50Diamond Screening 49
21 Dot Matrix 19 51IS Classic Elliptical Print 50
22 Coordinate Transformation 20 52IS Classic Elliptical/
23 Symmetric Resolution 20 Diamond Screening 51
24 Asymmetric Resolution 20 53 Diamond Screening Print 52
25 Calibration with 8 and 12 bits 21 54 Comparison: Diamond
26 Angle Position of IS Classic 25 Screening/Megadot 53
82 An Introduction to Screening Technology Footnotes

Footnotes
1 PostScript is the worldwide standard device-independent page description language developed by Adobe 12 Redundancies are repeated or additional elements that can be used to detect or correct transmission errors.
to output text, graphics and images. 13 This mathematical term is loosely used to describe a two-dimensional table that assigns coordinate vector
2 A RIP is a Raster Image Processor. It translates the text, image and graphic elements defined in a page reference values for the density.
description language into a form that the output device (printer, proofer, filmsetter or plate recorder) 14 On-the-fly describes calculations that are processed while the machine is in operation. With normal
can represent. In most cases, image, vector or other graphic information is used to generate a bitmap. pages, the RIP process, including screening, operates faster than the imagesetter, so the imagesetter can
3 Black is assigned K for Key, because B is already used by Blue. image at full speed. However, a RIP interpreter can slow down an imagesetter when it is processing very
4 In the printing industry, the dark areas in a print or film are known as the shadows. Light areas are known computation-intensive pages.
as highlight and the mid-range as the midtone. 15 Address increments are added to the current address to obtain the next one.
5 When a signature runs through a printing press, slight deviations in angle or position inevitably occur 16 Banding, or shadestepping, occurs when there are too few steps in a blend or vignette. See Chapter 8.2,
from one printing unit to the next. These deviations, known as misregistration or register errors, must Tips and Tricks, to learn more about vignettes.
not be more than 1/100 mm. If misregistration is larger, the print will lose its sharpness, and color blanks 17 The user input is converted in the screen filter to values that guarantee good overprints (see context).
will become visible around the contours of colored areas when viewed under the magnifying glass. Color 18 Slurs and doubling are printing press errors that become apparent through the widening or doubling
blanks can be seen with the naked eye only in very low-quality prints. Misregistration also very frequently of fine lines in circumferential direction. In offset printing, the printed image on the plate cylinder
causes color shift. is printed first on a blanket cylinder and then on paper (see Chapter 7.2 Dot Gain in Print). These errors
6 In case you need a math refresher: If you draw a perpendicular line from one side of an angle to another, occur when the plate cylinder and the blanket cylinder are not synchronized exactly.
you get a right-angled triangle. Its tangent is a ratio of side to base. 19 Fuzzy logic is an approximate logic. This logic not only contains the yes/no decisions of classic logic,
7 Arctangent = the opposite of a tangent, it gives the tangent angle. but also the in-between values and transitional areas. Many illogical actions that humans conduct can
8 Density is the negative logarithm to the base of ten which measures the transmission of light, i.e. its be simulated to carry out jobs. An example of this would be the anti-wobble feature in video cameras.
transparency (with a film) or reflection (with a print) (see Density in Tips and Tricks). This term is often 20 FOGRA Symposium 1989.
misused when describing linear transmission or reflectivity. 21 The area where individual screen dots just about join at the corners is known as dot chain.
9 Dither = shiver, erratic movement. 22 In film, gradation describes the correlation between light quantity and the resulting density. With scanners,
10 The term ‘fast-scan direction’ means the rapid movement of a laser beam over film or printing plate. gradation describes the correlation between the lightness of the original and its digital output value.
It generally refers to the direction of rotation of the laser mirror or drum, in contrast to slow-scan 23 The Greek mathematician Euclid based his Euclidean theory of geometry on a set of axioms. Axioms are
direction which generally refers to the feed direction. basic principles from which all others are derived.
11 Artifacts are artificial elements that are not present in the original. In the Error Diffusion method 24 Light-sensitive synthetic layer.
described in this book, contours are sharpened in a certain direction. Additional lines can form along 25 A dispersion foil scatters light, thereby making it more diffuse. This significantly increases blooming
these contours. Artifacts is an indirect way of saying that an image has imperfections. so that cutting edges cannot be copied.
 Footnotes An Introduction to Screening Technology 83

26 Dry offset is the opposite of wet offset. Offset printing is a lithographic procedure where the printing 39 In Computer-to-Film (CtF), the data is prepared ready for printing, impositioned to whole sheets and output
parts are given an oleophilic (oil-friendly) synthetic layer which absorbs the oily ink. The printing plate, on film.
generally made of aluminum, is moistened by a fountain solution containing water and alcohol in order 40 Rheology concerns the flow phenomena of liquids, colloidal systems and solids under the influence
to reject the ink. With dry offset, the printing parts of the plate are also provided with an oleophilic of external forces.
surface, while the non-printing parts are given a coating which rejects ink (e.g. Teflon). The additional 41 Gray Component Removal (GCR) and Under Color Removal (UCR) are modern technologies for making
fountain solution and the dampening system are therefore not required. The dot gain in print is also color sets that were originally developed for 4-color printing. These technologies create the gray tones
significantly less and is more stable than in wet offset (see Chapter 7.2 Dot Gain in Print). in an image mainly from black, and the chromatic colors are essentially used for coloring. This process
27 In a composite workflow, the PostScript description of each page contains information about all the color cuts the use of expensive chromatic inks and makes color sets more stable in structure. The classic process
separations. This is in contrast to a separated workflow, in which each page is only one color separation. builds the gray tones mainly from the chromatic colors and uses black essentially as a contrast enhancer.
28 A plug-in is an additional product module that performs certain functions the original program could not A very discerning balance of the chromatic colors is required to achieve a neutral gray. Even small errors
do or that makes certain functions available. can lead to considerable color shifts.
29 DCS = Desktop Color Separation is an EPS file format that contains the four color separations and a file 42 Transmission is the ratio of transmitted light to irradiated light.
for the placement of images. 43 Reflectivity is the ratio of reflected light to irradiated light.
30 Screen menu, in which the information ‘pops up’.
31 Delta Technology is a RIP and workflow product from Heidelberg.
32 In Computer-to-Plate (CtP), the data which has been prepared for printing is imaged directly on the
printing plate – i.e. without being first transferred to film.
33 Capstan = rollers. The name capstan imagesetter refers to the roller-driven material transport.
34 Manufacturing aspects mean that the individual reflecting surfaces of a polygon are not aligned absolutely
parallel to the axis of rotation. Pyramidal errors are the slight deviations from the target direction.
35 The gray scale or step wedge is a measuring strip with areas of gradually increasing density. It is used
to check film linearizations or printing characteristics.
36 A ‘hard-dot’ film has a steep gradation curve. This means that a film does not react to small quantities
of light, but only after a relatively high threshold is reached. Above this threshold, only a small amount
of additional light is required to expose the film to saturation.
37 Screen dots are copied pointed if they are made smaller through overexposure and blooming.
38 Art paper is coated with a layer of fine fillers (natural gypsum, titanium white, chalk, talcum or porcelain
clay) and then reglazed. This improves the white content and the gaps between the fibers are filled in.
84 An Introduction to Screening Technology Index

A Accuracy requirements 7, 13 D Dot shapes 4, 15, 16, 19, 20, 23, M Megadot screens 2, 15, 22, 23, 53 – 57, R RT screens 10, 16, 18, 23, 35, 37, 53,
Allocation of colors to angles 8, 29, 31, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 – 46, 48, 64, 74, 78 59, 74, 78, 79
33, 35, 37, 63, 65 50 – 52, 54 – 64, Moiré 4, 6 – 8, 13, 15, 16, 18, 23, 25, 27, RT Y45°K fine 37, 38, 53, 74, 76, 78, 79
Angle allocation 65, 76 Dot shapes for Megadot 55, 56 29, 31, 33, 37, 48, 53, 75, 76, 78
Angle distance 8, 76 Multidot technology 21, 22, 78 S Screen cells 16, 17, 57
Angle switchover 76 E Elliptical dot 4, 8, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30, Screen dots 4 – 6, 8, 10 – 20, 39, 43, 49,
32, 34, 36, 38 – 41, 48, 50, 54, 60 O Offset rosette 2, 6, 15, 35, 48, 53, 57 51, 64, 66, 70, 72, 73, 79, 80, 82, 83
B Blooming 39, 51, 72, 79, 82, 83 Etching in photogravure 45 – 47 Overexposure 79, 83 Screen pattern 6
External drum imagesetter 66 –70 Overprints 2, 6 – 8, 13, 15, 16, 18, Screen period 3, 4, 6, 7, 14, 19, 70
C Capstan imagesetter 66, 69, 70, 83 23 – 25, 33, 35, 37, 39, 53, 55, 57, 61, 62, Screen systems 4, 23 – 55, 60 – 65,
Cells 3, 16, 17– 19, 23, 45 – 47, 57, 59, 80 F Fill patterns 65 73, 78, 82 74, 76, 78, 79
Chromalin 75 Flatbed imagesetter 69 Screen tiles 10 – 13, 16 – 18
Classic gravure dot 46 P Photorealistic printing 2 Screening 2 – 25, 27, 35, 37, 39, 48 – 53,
Color filters 6 G Gradation curves 39, 41, 77, 79, 83 Pincushion gravure dot 45, 47 57, 59 – 67, 71, 73, 74, 77, 78, 82
Color gradation 73 Gravure 3, 33, 39, 45 – 47 Pixel matrix 5, 66 Screening methods 5, 6, 13 – 16, 18,
Color separations 4, 6, 8, 13, 23, 35, Pixels 5, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 51, 66, 77 24, 25, 48, 53, 57, 78
62, 63, 64, 65, 69, 71, 83 H High-end proofs 74, 75 Platemaking 39, 51, 71, 72 Side lighting 72
Color shift 4, 6, 7, 15, 53, 78, 79, 82, 83 HQS screening 16 – 18, 22, 23, 39, PostScript 2, 16 – 18, 21, 23, 24, 35, 39, Smallest printable dot 73
Conventional screens 9, 10, 13 –15, 19, 59, 64, 78 41, 59 – 65, 77, 78, 82, 83 Soft IS 22, 27
25, 29, 31, 33, 53, 57 HQS supercell 17– 19, 59 Print control elements 74 Spot colors 65, 78
Correction tables 70 Print sample 22 Standard dot gain 73
Cutting mark 74, 75 I Impression cylinders 72 Printing characteristic (curve) 73 Standard PostScript screening 16, 17,
Ink coverage 15, 21, 45, 72, 73 Process calibration 21, 37, 41, 51, 53, 23, 62
D Density 14, 16, 19, 20, 21, 39, 41, 43, Internal drum imagesetter 66, 68, 70 57, 73, 74, 77, 78 Supercell screening 17, 18, 59
48, 51, 70, 73, 74, 77, 79, 80, 82, 83 IS Classic 19, 22, 26, 25, 27, 29, 31, 40, Processors/films 79
Density levels 16, 20, 21, 70, 74, 77 42, 44, 48, 50, 51, 53, 54, 63, 76, 78, 79 Proofing methods 74, 75 T Thermal sublimation printer 75
Diamond Screening 2, 14, 15, 22, 23, IS CMYK+7.5° 33, 34 Proofs 22, 23, 74, 75 Tips and tricks 2, 21, 70, 73, 76
48 – 53, 64, 72, 73, 78 IS screens 9, 18, 19, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29,
Dispersion foil 51, 72, 82 31, 33, 35, 39, 51, 53, 64, 76 –79 R Rational screens 9, 10, 16 – 19, 35, 39, 78 V Vignettes 21, 22, 41, 76 –78, 82
Dithering 14, 82 IS Y30 31, 32, 78, 79 Recorder resolution 20, 64, 65, 76, 77
Dot gain in print 14, 15, 39, 51, 53, 57, IS Y60 29 – 31, 78, 79 Reflections 72, 82
72, 73, 78, 82, 83 Register 74, 75
Dot matrix 9, 14, 16, 18 – 21 L Laser dots 5, 14, 66, 69, 70 Round dot 23, 41, 43 – 46, 55, 60
Dot percentage 4, 48, 70, 73, 76, Laser printer 14, 75 Round-square dot 4, 19, 23, 39, 41, 42
77, 79, 80 Line screens 7, 15, 23, 24, 53, 55 RT Classic 35 – 37
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG

An Introduction to Screening Technology

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69115 Heidelberg
Germany
Phone +49-62 21-92-00
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Fonts: Heidelberg Gothic, Heidelberg Antiqua Apple, LaserWriter and Macintosh are registered trademarks
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Expert Guide
05•2002 Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG

An Introduction to
Screening Technology

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