‘Nu’ From Phototype

Before NuDot, says Socrates Rettos, NuDot product manager, “A single plate could print a good solid or a good highlight, but it couldn’t do both.”

NuDot’s primary challenge, therefore, was to achieve optimum solid densities and deliver excellent reproduction of shadow tones without over-impressing the highlight range. This is a tall order by conventional “round dot” screening standards, where ink is squeezed out from under the dot, producing irregular, doughnut-shaped dots prone to dot gain and mottling. “A regular flexo plate on a plastic substrate is like an Indy tire in the rain,” says Gary Russell, VP of research & development. In contrast, NuDot’s uniquely shaped “shorelines” relieve that hydraulic pressure and ensure that ink is retained within the structure of the dot, yielding well-formed, printed dots, smoother ink lay and better image reproduction.