According to Mark Samworth, Vice President of technology for PCC Artwork Systems, few variables have a more dramatic effect on flexo process print quality than imagesetter exposure. In truth, this process requires optimization of three interrelated variables.
The first is higher imagesetter exposures, second is calibrating to a curve instead of a line and last, applying a curve in screening. By implementing this technology, flexo can fade dots to zero, print white highlights and achieve saturated color. With conventional screening, a one percent dot is made with three laser off spots. This results in speckle dots on the film which are harder to hold on the plate and which tend to result in dirty printing on press. Using flexocal technology, the first step in the process is to turn up exposure on the imagesetter.

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