Page History

Question

Is there any way to adjust the Image to Screen ticket to remove all partial dots (= broken dots, = scum dots)?

Answer

We are busy developing a tool, the Dot Cleanup tool, which is currently in pre-release state. We don't have an interface yet, so the tool is command based that post-processes a ripped file (but can be automated in Automation Engine with the Script Runner).

The ‘Dot’ Cleanup tool is to cleanup broken ‘dots’ on bitmap files, the kinds of dots that can NOT be removed by DGC curves.

See these KB articles explaining those broken dots or scum dots:

In many conditions the scum dots will not be visible on prints. In such cases the Dot Cleanup tool is not needed.

However, for some critical objects in designs and dependent on plate-making and printing conditions, dots or pixel clusters below a critical size must be prevented. Otherwise, they can result in grainy or unstable printed output.

The tool is not designed to remove specific objects, like hairlines, simply, because the intention of such objects is not known in a bi-level bitmap file.

For e.g. some hairlines are part of the design while others are unwanted ones. Such objects should be removed on vector level (PDF).

Please contact your local Support if you're interested in this tool.