When printing a Spot Process® halftone file versus a spot color vector PDF, the choice of mesh count can vary for a number of reasons.
For Spot Process jobs, it’s important to use the same mesh count on all screens to achieve the best results. This includes the base screen.
A common mistake among screen printers is lowering the mesh count on the base screen, thinking that white ink requires a lower mesh count because it has a thicker viscosity. Today’s base white inks are no thicker or thinner than other inks used in the process. The detail on the base screen is crucial to the final print quality. Reducing the mesh count removes critical detail required during screen exposure adversely affecting the overall print result.
Here’s why: When printing Spot Process halftone jobs, all films are imaged with the same halftone size and angle. If you lower the mesh count on just one screen (example: the base), it will result in less detail on that screen compared to the others, which throws off the balance of the entire design. Separations are mathematically calculated, altering the mesh count disrupts the "math". This change will negatively impact the secondary and tertiary colors, which rely on precise mathematical relationships to produce the correct result. The base screen sets up the foundation for all the other screens. Consistency is key to printing success.
When running a vector job, mesh count isn’t as critical since most vector prints use butt registration as well as a variety of ink styles including specialty ink. You're free to choose any mesh count and print order that achieves the desired result.
(c) Freehand Library Article / AccuRIP / Separation Studio NXT / Spot Process / Dmax / Amaze-Ink / DarkStar
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