The Proof Is in the Package

Digital (thermal) halftone proofers use screening and high resolution to match screening and resolution on press, typically offering CMYK and special Pantone colors, in addition to extended color sets like Hexachrome and Opaltone. Most important, thermal halftone devices claim to limit dot gain and achieve a high degree of repeatability by proofing directly on the packaging substrate. Prepress features include halftone patterns, calibrated inks, and built-in press profiles. Although the price of halftone proofing devices continues to come down, they are still more expensive than inkjet devices and use proprietary, rather than off-the-shelf, consumables. And while digital halftone proofing is a fairly mature technology by now, improvements in automation and an expanded range of format sizes suggest that an old dog still can learn a few new tricks.