Hamillroad Software Announces Digitally Modulated Auraia Screening for Newspapers at IPEX 2010
10th May, 2010
CAMBRIDGE, UNITED KINGDOM — Hamillroad Software, a leading RIP and screening innovator, today announced that following successful Beta testing, its revolutionary Auraia screening for newspaper printers is being launched at IPEX 2010. Auraia screening enables a newspaper printer to achieve improved print quality equivalent to 200-250 lpi (at 1016-1270 dpi), whilst achieving an estimated ink saving of around 10-15% over a conventional 100 lpi screen. The patent-pending software upgrade is now available for newspaper printers to evaluate. For more information, go to www.hamillroad.com.
Successful Press Testing
In beta testing over the last six months, Hamillroad has successfully tested the Auraia screening using the Harlequin RIP with an ECRM NEWSmatic CtP device (at both 1200 and 1270 dpi) using Fuji NV2 plates on a Goss Community Press. The Auraia screening has consistently produced outstanding prints equivalent to between 200 – 250 lpi. This marks a substantial improvement to the industry standard 100 lpi screen typically used for newspapers. In all cases, highlights down to 0.5% and shadows up to 99.5% were obtained, with smooth vignettes, flat tints and exceptional image detail. Testing of other newspaper CtP devices is currently in progress, with the expectation that any device (violet or thermal) that can currently achieve a 100 lpi screen will be capable of producing a 200 – 250 lpi screen.
Ink Savings
In testing at a newspaper printer, it was found that Auraia screening could be used with lower ink key settings on press, which points to increasing ink savings. Based on the experience and advice of knowledgeable industry experts, it is expected that savings of around 10-15% should easily be achieved.
Andy Cave Quote
“Following our announcement of Auraia screening for commercial printers last September at GraphExpo 2009, we have been hard at work testing the technology for newspapers,” comments Andy Cave, Hamillroad Software’s CEO. “It has now been in constant use for six months at a major commercial newspaper printer in New Zealand that deals in papers with a minimum run of 1,000 copies and up to 200,000 copies. The results they have been getting have far exceeded our expectations and we are absolutely delighted with them. For the first time a newspaper printer can improve the quality of their newspaper, save money on ink and do so with a screen that is extremely easy to use on both plate and press; what more could anyone ask for?”
User Feedback
“I highly recommend this screening to anyone; it has proven to be superior and better than any of the conventional and FM screening that we have previously used.”, comments Mr. Trevor Hannam, Horton Media Ltd, Group Prepress Manager. “We ran a standard FM screen for about four years and have benefited from the advantages of FM, but always had problems with the short comings of the first and second generation of FM screening. Auraia screening has been excellent and has addressed our issues there. Running the Auraia dot means being able to find the combination of highlight and shadow dot that best suits our press. This gives much better consistent and repeatable quality for customers. Tints are much smoother and colours appear to be much cleaner and brighter.”
Higher Quality Results
Traditional AM screens suffer from a loss of detail, especially in the hilite and shadow regions. Although FM screens often improve detail, they tend to suffer from dot wear in hilite areas, an inconsistent dot structure in mid-tone areas resulting in noisy flat tints and significant gain issues in the shadow regions. This often causes these areas to fill in and lose detail. In contrast, Auraia screening maintains a carefully controlled and consistent dot throughout the tone range which produces a reliable hilite dot, smooth flat tints in mid-tone areas, whilst shadow regions are easily kept open and retain detail.
Improved Consistency and Robustness
Due to its patent-pending dot gain reduction technology, Auraia screening produces a more consistent and robust plate, especially in the shadow areas, which is much easier to control on press. If a printer is a little lazy in maintaining a constant ink density, or the page content demands high ink density Auraia screening stays open for much longer and retains shadow detail. In contrast, traditional AM or FM screens very quickly plug shadows and lose valuable detail.
On View at IPEX 2010
Hamillroad will be exhibiting the revolutionary Auraia screening for newspaper at IPEX 2010 on the Compose booth (Hall 10 #C291), where is will be showing numerous titles that have been printed with it, including the International Edition of the Telegraph, the International Edition of the Express, the Oriental Weekly, New Zealand Weekender and several other newspaper titles.
Availability
The Auraia Screening module for newspaper printing has completed final pre-release testing and is available through Hamillroad Software’s resellers, at the beginning of May 2010. For a list of dealers, please go to http://www.hamillroad.com/main/sales/dealers.htm . For further details, please go to http://www.hamillroad.com/main/products/auraiascreening.htm.
About Andy Cave
Andy Cave, the inventor of the Auraia ‘DM’ screening, was previously the original developer of the Harlequin RIP in 1987, and the founder of the Digital Printing Division within Harlequin. As the Chief Designer of the Harlequin RIP for over 12 years, Andy was one of the key personnel who designed and developed many of the advanced algorithms that still today mark the Harlequin RIP as the leading high performance PostScript and PDF RIP used in print. During his tenure at Harlequin, Mr. Cave was responsible (amongst many things) for the design and development of HPS; the Harlequin RIPs high-quality AM screening solution.
About Hamillroad Software
Hamillroad Software is an independent software group, with offices in Cambridge, UK and Cape-Town, South Africa. The company specialises in the development and sale of software products relating to Harlequin and other RIPs in the prepress industry. Currently offering two high performance RIP related products, FirstPROOF and Lightning TIFF, Hamillroad constantly seeks to develop and sell products that will dramatically change the way users work, making them more productive. For more information on Hamillroad Software and its products please visit their web site at http://www.hamillroad.com.