Output

Output Type

  • Output: here you can define what kind of file the RIP has to produce. Options:
    • Composite: if you select this option, the RIP will generate a composite file
    • Separated: if you select this option, the RIP will generate separated files without a screen
    • Separated Halftone: if you select this option, the RIP will generate separated files with screen
  • Bits per channel: here you can define the number of bits per separation. For example:
    • 1-bit tiffs = 21 gray levels = 2 = white (0) or black (1)
    • 2-bit tiffs = 22 gray levels = 4
    • 4-bit tiffs = 24 gray levels = 16
    • 8-bit tiffs = 28 gray levels = 256
    • 10-bit tiffs = 210 gray levels = 1.024
    • 16-bit tiffs = 216 gray levels = 65.536

Resolution

  • Vertical: here you can define the vertical resolution of the output file.
  • Horizontal: here you can define the horizontal resolution of the output file.

Output Properties

  • Pages: here you can define the pages that you want to output. You can select all pages or a range of pages.
  • Rotation: here you can rotate the file for output.
  • Page Box: here you can select the page box for output.
  • Horizontal Distortion: here you can define the horizontal distortion.
  • Vertical Distortion: here you can define the vertical distortion.
  • Seamless screening: if you select this checkbox, the screening in the file is horizontally continuous between the jobs, from left to right. This means that, if you would put the beginning and the end of the output file together in a horizontal direction, there would not be any gaps or broken dots. Seamless screening is especially used when making flexo cylinders, for example for wall paper.
  • Negative Output: if you select this checkbox, the output of the file will be negative.
  • Mirror Output: if you select this checkbox, the output of the file will be mirrored.
  • Enable Harlequin Precision Screening: if you select this checkbox, Harlequin Precision Screening (HPS) is enabled.

    HPS is a color screening technology that ensures high-quality reproduction with any screening option in the RIP (defined using a spot function). It allows you to select any screen frequency and to use the usual CMYK screen angles of 0°, 15°, 45°, and 75° (plus multiples of 90°). To reduce moiré patterning, HPS uses an adaptive screening technique that can adjust each halftone dot so that it is placed within one half pixel of its ideal location. HPS also ensure rosettes are always hole centered, and it will generate extra gray levels, allowing the use of higher screen frequencies than the resolution would normally allow.

    Enabling HPS screening sometimes results in another ruling or angle than requested. This is a consequence of the Precision Screening, which prevents rosettes from shifting. The ruling and angle are always optimal as HPS sets out to achieve the best possible match with the parameters the user defined. When you select the Favour Angles option, the algorithm favours angles to best match your parameters. When you select the Favour Ruling option, the algorithm favours ruling to best match your parameters.

TIFF Format

  • Strip format: here you can select if the output file should contain one or multiple strips.
  • Compression: here you can select the compression of the output file.
  • Anti-aliasing: here you can select the anti-aliasing type.
    Note: Anti-aliasing is only possible in case of with 8-bit TIFF files.
  • Bit order:
    • Reverse bit order: if you select this checkbox, the TIFF file will be output with reverse bit order.
    • Pad to 32-bit alignment: if you select this checkbox, each line of the TIFF file data will end on a multiple of 32 bits. This is an efficiency setting, for monochrome output only, that may make the file faster to read in some applications.