Screens are Screaming for Attention

Different dots

A brand new technology brought out by Esko-Graphics (Vandalia, Ohio), called Groovy Screens, is designed to improve the performance of flexo printing in the shadow areas of the screen. This screening technique uses variable lines or grooves—at operator-chosen angles and starting at any part of the tonal range—through to a point determined as "solid", where the maximum amount of ink density can be carried, retaining a smooth, even ink laydown. "The transition between the normal screen pattern and the line pattern is smooth, leading to a smooth gradation on print between the lower density of the non-groovy print (highlights and mid-tones) to the higher density (shadows) of the groovy print," he says.