Sizing Up Software

Burgess says control over trap shape is particularly important to disguise the larger, easier-to-see traps used in flexo, while Ferland recommends trapping flexibility that doesn't lock flexo printers into trapping the lighter color into the darker color.

Flexo brings up fresh functional needs at several other process steps. For accurate step-and-repeat, prepress software must compensate for flexo's variable repeat lengths, and for flatbed or rotary diecutting operations. For correct calibration with an output device, the software's calibration capabilities should account for flexo dot gain tendencies. Screening software must generate flexo-specific angle sets and dot shapes.