Global Graphics CTO Martin Bailey will use The Inkjet Conference in Düsseldorf in October to pose the question: How do you achieve the optimum image quality on a high-speed inkjet press?
With one inkjet press manufacturer describing droplet placement while inkjet printing at high-speed like “high-level bombing in a gale” the subject is a topic of much debate. Global Graphics Software has been working with a number of inkjet press manufacturers to develop a new halftone screening technology for presses that can vary the amount of ink delivered in any one location on the media.
Bailey said: “We’re still at the exploratory stage and we’ll be sharing some samples at The Inkjet Conference. UV inkjet press vendors we speak to have problems with droplets ‘randomly’ coalescing at some tone values, leading to an uneven or streaky effect. In the same way aqueous inkjet vendors suffer from the loss of extreme highlights in a way that’s reminiscent of flexography. Both are affected significantly by media selection, but most press vendors struggle to prevent their customers from using the most cost effective media at the quality they require and cannot avoid the issues by recommending different media.
“Colour management is very important, but it’s not enough. If you’re printing graphics, images, graduations and anything else that requires a full range of tonality, the half-tone screening that we’re developing is what you will need to avoid artefacts. It works hand in hand with good colour management.”
Bailey’s session is titled ‘Colour management is not enough: achieving maximum inkjet quality with screening’ and will take place on 7 October.