Aqueous Coatings and FM Line Screen
It used to be next to impossible for people to be able to get a decent color printing order produced. These days the world is your oyster. As a consumer of fine design and commercial printing you can really supercharge your finished product at little to no extra cost. In your homes and businesses you can leverage this knowledge in many ways. What I am going to share with you is a secret I stumbled across a few years ago. It is a sweet combination of two printing techniques that go together like peanut butter and chocolate. One technique occurs at the beginning of the printing process while the other happens at the end. The two processes are known as Aqueous Coating and Frequency Modulated (FM) Line screen. Below I will explain each one and why they work so well together.
FM Line Screen
It's all in the frequency modulated dot structure.
AM Line Screen
AM Line Screen (Amplitude Modulation)
Advantages of FM (Frequency Modulated) Line Screen
Because of the precise spacing and dot structure there are many advantages for the consumer. One of the most significant is the addition in the vibrancy of colors. You will notice a certain smoothness in the finished print that is distinctly superior when stacked beside a non-FM line screened print. In pre press you automatically downsize every image with this line screen by about 25% when FM line screen is applied. The printing press that produces work from FM halftone screened plates will notice that balancing water and ink is easier, plates remain cleaner longer—keeping the quads crisp looking for longer runs. When a FM line screened job is on press sporting heavy ink coverage you will have a more dynamic range of color. And because ink and water are more balanced print jobs will dry faster.
- - Improved mid-tones
- Quick press plate set ups
- Little to no Moiré
- Reduced file sizes
- More dynamic colors
Compare the Difference
FM Screening |
Conventional AM Screening |
The two photos are scanned from the finished printed newspaper. In both cases the identical digital file was used for output. You can see the visible difference
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Protective and Aqueous Coatings
If you have been out shopping for custom printing you have no doubt heard the term “protective coatings”. Although it is self explanatory it’s a good idea to understand the different levels of protective coatings. When you boil it down to the brass tacks there are really only 4 Types of protective coatings in commercial printing.
Most Expensive Print Covering
Laminate Coating- This is a relatively expensive form of protective coating that is typically used in the restaurant industry for protecting menus and table talkers. The technique uses a film that traps and seals the paper. The process can also be performed using a liquid laminate.
2nd Most Expensive Print Covering
UV Coating- Is a print coating used to protect annual report covers, business cards and postcards. It is available in many different finishes such as matte and glossy. UV coatings can also be applied as spot effects, where only certain parts of a printed piece are printed with a coating.
3rd Most Expensive Print Covering
Aqueous Coating- Is a fast drying cost efficient coating applied online (on the printing press). It is scuff resistant and allows printing jobs to move instantly into finishing operations like cutting or folding. It is my favorite because turn around time and quality can easily be attained. AQ can also be printed in spot effects.
4th Most Expensive Print Covering
Varnish Coating- Is applied on the press and treated almost exactly like ink. It can be applied over-all, in spot graphics, tinted or mixed in ink. Press varnish requires curing time (usually 24 hours), offset printing powder and are my favorite for artistic coating effects.
Aqueous Coating & FM Line Screen
You may be wondering why I have drawn a relationship between AQ (Aqueous Coating) and FM Line Screen. Besides the fact your printing budget is reduced, production time accelerated and your printing is preserved; it will accent your FM Line Screen printing even more. This water-based print coating has become a standard option for many printers. And that is the secret behind this post. Do your homework when you are getting your business cards, postcards, report covers, or catalogue covers printed. If you are in a hurry, want speed and quality this dynamic duo will never disappoint—just ask your printer they have and AQ unit online!
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