MCG’s commitment to print quality is again demonstrated by our latest investment in digital technology – digital cromalin and digitally imaged plates. From comprehensive fingerprint information both processes can be calibrated with press characteristics. This optimises the quality of print, giving a much accurate and quicker match to cromalin, so both you and your clients have greater confidence in the final printed product.

Digital cromalins are much more faithful to final printed results and can be calibrated to take account of different printing substrates. Due to the filmless CDI process, much greater levels of detail transfer are imparted into the printing plate via direct laser engraving of the surface. This cuts out the distortion of passing UV light through a refractive film layer, creating a sharper, more rigid dot structure on the plate. The resulting print has the added benefit of reduced dot gain and the tonal range can be extended to 1% dot. This being of particular benefit for vignettes which can now provide a smoother fade off. Highlight areas can also be sculptured more accurately. This is especially useful for light tonal areas such as with fish, ice cream, rice, flesh tones, etc. Printed and reversed out text are more sharply defined even down to reduced point sizes.

The CDI platemaking process is fully repeatable ensuring that all replacement plates are identical to the originals. The accurate calibration of the two systems to the press conditions means a much quicker set up time to achieve a match to proof. The digital imaging and proofing process finally closes the quality gap between flexo, offset and gravure but with the economic benefits of flexo retained in versatility and run length. MCG is now leading the way in digital repro to produce the best in quality and flexo print and continues to search for further ways to close the digital loop from product shot to final print.