I studied real-life production samples produced using ECRM’s Newsmatic newspaper and Mako 400 commercial CTP systems and printed on UK newspaper printer Sharman’s web offset press and on a Heidelberg SM 52 press. These showed the same jobs produced side by side using AM screening and DM screening, with the commercial printing comparisons using a 175-line AM screen.
The work was not like the typical printed samples we see from many suppliers where difficult work such as flat tints are not being seen. The jobs printed included all types of work and were printed on coated and uncoated substrates of different weights.
In the commercial work, the quality was as good as I have seen with 400lpi AM screening, but without any of the potential moiré or colour shift problems. It was also as good as in the best FM work without the noise.
There were some real differences when compared with AM and FM screening (see ‘Key benefits’ box). So how can changing the screening approach enhance business? Firstly, the quality improvements are obvious and will allow a printer to stand out from other printers with better reproduction. It is also easier to run the press at optimum quality and speed because with the DMS dot structure there is more control on the press, getting up to colour quicker and being more stable once at colour. Makereadies are faster and with less waste than with AM or FM screening, while inaccuracies in registration are more forgiving than with AM screens where poor registration can turn clear-centred rosettes into dot-centred rosettes resulting in colour shifts. Another important benefit is the significant ink savings over conventional screening. These can be up to 20% without even having to use ink saving systems and without losing any quality.
ECRM DMS has real opportunities for improving commercial and newspaper printing. The output for newspapers that I have seen shows some of the best halftone, flat tints, vignettes and spot colours printed by CMYK on newsprint substrates. It will allow printers to print higher quality newspapers or new products using their existing equipment. In the commercial print market the quality of output allows printers to produce higher quality printing more efficiently with lower print costs.
Once newspaper and commercial printers look at what can be achieved using ECRM DMS screening with existing violet or thermal systems, they are likely to reach the same opinion concerning the benefits. It may not have been one of the new high-tech systems that were the main attraction at Drupa, but it may be the technology that can show the most immediate and lowest cost investment to improve business.
Andrew Tribute is an industry technology expert
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