FIRST Methodology Takes a ‘By the Numbers’ 
Approach

It works

The term "methodology" refers to controlling a given process in a certain way. This certainly goes for the FIRST specification. What FIRST does not explain, according to Madigan, "is how to control the process." Instead, "It's up to you how you want to control it," she explains. "FIRST leaves things open so that the process can easily 'fit' a variety of different types of flexo printing." Accordingly, Madigan explains, the latest edition of the specification, FIRST 4.0, released last year, does not prescribe ink densities, but rather suggests a range of densities based on the combination of plates, press, substrates, inks, etc. particular to the job. "FIRST 4.0 says that when you run a fingerprint, you want to set your yellow somewhere between 0.99 and 1.04, for example, and your black between 1.5 and 1.7," Madigan says. "For cyan and magenta, the specification says the only thing that's important is that the cyan be 0.10 higher than magenta. And they leave it like that—a window to squeeze into, rather than a single number to hit."