A new set of hybrid screens that improve print quality for flexo work, has been launched by Global Graphics Software. The flexo screens address the issues of how to achieve high-quality in the highlight areas of images, such as tones close to white or skin tones, and how to print these areas with smooth gradations.

It’s a technical challenge that the Harlequin product team has solved using its Harlequin Cross Modulated screens as the basis for development. “It’s about giving the pre-press operator the choice of the right tools for the job in hand,” says Martin Bailey, CTO Global Graphics. “To achieve premium quality you need to be able to select from a wide choice of screen resolutions, rulings and dot sizes so that different graphical objects can be produced as well as possible.

“So we’ve expanded the number of screens available with Harlequin and included a mechanism to auto select the calibration that goes with a particular screen. Pre-press operators also now have the ability to bump up curves at the highlight end to compensate for flexo not being able to produce tones close to white clearly. The result is that you can achieve smooth gradations even in high-key images.”

The Harlequin RIP has been used in the flexo market for many years by Global Graphics OEM partners. “We’ve become increasingly involved in the conversation about how to achieve high-quality at the premium end of the market,” continues Bailey, “and due to our extensive partner network we’ve been able to take input from a variety of vendors to fine tune our plans.”

Harlequin Cross Modulated Flexo (HXMFlexo) works with the latest editions of the Harlequin RIP. Cross modulated screens give smooth, noise-free flat tints while retaining fine detail in highlights and shadows. They allow you to print screens at a higher line ruling than would normally be considered reliable, produce pin-sharp images and help overcome common printing imperfections like visible rosettes and moiré.

Last year Global Graphics and ThermoFlexX announced joint development work on hybrid screens for ThermoFlexX imagers.