Hybrid screening is designed to improve print quality by increasing the output LPI for any given resolution. For example, if a printer is currently imaging plates at 2400 DPI with output at 150 LPI and is able to hold a 1% dot when printing on the required substrate, using HXM screens it would be possible to print at 200-250 LPI without any special pre-press or on-press requirements. The TVI difference between the current printing setup and the HXM screens would need to be adjusted to optimize the printing.
The areas that suffer most when trying to increase the LPI for a given printing condition (typically the substrate) are the loss of dots in the highlights and merging of dots in the shadow, resulting in loss of detail. Using current computer-to-plate imaging systems at 2400 DPI, it has been shown that a 0.5% dot can be produced on some plating material. However, only a very controlled printing system on the finest sheet fed presses with premium gloss paper stock can this 0.5% dot actually print over the course of a reasonable press run. This is where HXM comes in. HXM recognizes the issue and is, therefore, designed to carefully control the dot size and placement in the 0-8% and 92-100% range within the tonal scale.
HXM Generic screen sets include those for three specific industry segments: Newspaper printing, Commercial printing and Flexo printing. The recommended screens for Newspaper printing are the traditional dot shape screens at 1200 DPI at 210 LPI and 240 LPI. Commercial printing should again use the traditional dot screen at 2400 DPI at 133 LPI and 150. The working set for Flexo printing comprises entire round dot offerings at 1200 DPI at 75, 85, 95, 105 and 120 LPI along with 2400 DPI at 133 and 150 LPI.
Step 1: Download the RTI Harlequin® RIP v.8.1 Demo
To download your free trial version of the Harlequin® RIP please select the operating system you will use to run the RIP software:
Windows 2000, 2003, XP or Vista™
Macintosh 10.4 or 10.5™
Once you have downloaded the RIP installer you will need to unzip the file and then complete the installation by double clicking on the setup icon. The install program will install an RTI RIP folder on your computer's hard drive.
Step 2: Install HXM
Download and unzip the appropriate plugin. After installing the plugin you will need to unlock the plugin by following the directions listed below.
Windows HXM Installer
Macintosh HXM Installer
Step 3: Unlock HXM
Start the RIP by double clicking on the RTI icon within the RTI folder on your hard drive. Go to the 'RTI RIP-Kit' menu ('File' on Macintosh versions of the RIP) and scroll down to Configure RIP. Click on the Extras button and highlight 'HXM' then click Add. Enter the HXM password: 5181900 and click OK. While in the Configure RIP Window you will also want to Configure the RIPs memory. Change the Printer Buffer = 32,768 and then click OK. The RIP will say that it needs to reboot. Click Yes to reboot the RIP and then start the RIP back up by double clicking on the RTI icon.
Flexo Update
If you are installing the Flexo version of HXM you will need to download and install the following file "HXMFlexo1200.ps" into the RTI \ SW \ Tiles \ hxmgeneric folder (overwriting the existing file). This is an update that only needs to be installed if you are using the Flexo version of HXM.
Flexo HMX Revision File
Step 4: Create Page Setups
In order to print to the RIP and have the RIP output you must first create a page setup.
HXM Page Setup
Step 5: Create Shared Printers
Once you have created a page setup you can share that page setup so that other computers on the network will be able to print to the new page setup. Before you share printers from your RIP you will need to download the RTI PPD. The PPD folder contains the RTI Postscript Printer Description (PPD) which can be used to print to the RIP from both Windows and Macintosh computers.
Download the RTI PPD (works on both Windows and Macintosh computers)
This PPD folder contains PPDs for a wide variety of devices. The RTI PPD is a universal PPD.
Creating a Shared Printer from a Windows RIP
Creating a Shared Printer from a Macintosh RIP
