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New digitally modulated screening technology, called Auraia, has a potential to greatly enhance the output quality of current imaging optics. It is called digitally modulated screening because it utilizes immense power of today’s computers to digitally modulate each and every single pixel within the context of the neighbouring pixels. It uses clever algorithms to create dots in a controlled manner and to make sure that details are placed exactly where it is needed.
Digitally modulated screening actually draws from both AM (repeating a fixed pattern of dots) and FM (randomly marked pixels) with addition of special algorithms which basically makes it sort of a hybrid. We can also look at it like an FM screening with elements of AM screening on top. That special twist which looks for every pixel over a large area of neighbouring pixels makes it stand above the two.
Problems with AM and FM techniques are numerous like moire, rosette drift, color shifts, banding, dot gain, dot loss etc. All those problems should now be the problems of the past as Hamillroad has conducted successful tests of Auraia screening using the Harlequin RIP. A number of CTP devices, plates, and presses were used in this tests and Auraia was reportedly producing outstanding print equivalents to 350 lpi while using 420 lpi equivalent dot.
Andy Cave, chief executive of Hamillroad Software, said that something like this could not be done five years ago because it would take 10 minutes to produce a plate instead of 10 seconds which is needed today. Patent pending digitally modulated screening should represent a fundamental change and a big step towards better print quality.
For more information visit Hamillroad Software pages.
