| From left to right: | Wet Density Target | ||
 | 0.95 | 1.05 | 1.08 |
| # of newspapers responding | 1 | 8 | 2 |
Some newspapers reproduce images sharply, and others don't. If you'd like to be among the former, then read on.
The Metro Users Group Inc. sent surveys to 17 newspapers from across the United States, asking them a broad range of technical questions about their methods, materials and machinery. These weren't just any newspapers, however--they were the winners and runners-up from some of the most competitive print-quality contests in the country. TechNews compiled the answers from the 13 respondents, and the result is a blueprint for what it takes to be a print-quality champion.
The competition sponsors and their corresponding winners were:
All but Detroit, Palm Beach, Phoenix and Sedalia participated in the survey.
The results of the survey are given below. When the total number of newspapers does not add to 13, either some newspapers did not answer the question or some provided more than one answer.
When asked whether they use gray bars to control color-ink density, the respondents were fairly evenly split: seven said yes, six said no. Of those who said yes, their film-dot percentages range from 21 to 40 for cyan, 17 to 35 for magenta and 17 to 27 for yellow. Their density targets range from .42 to .66 for cyan, .44 to .60 for magenta and .41 to .60 for yellow, with margins of plus or minus .02 or .03.
A large majority (10) of the print-quality winners use densitometers to set black ink. Wet density targets are as follows:
| From left to right: | Wet Density Target | ||
| 0.95 | 1.05 | 1.08 |
| # of newspapers responding | 1 | 8 | 2 |
Wet density-target ranges are:
| From left to right: | Wet Density Target Range | ||
 | ±0.02 | ±0.03 | ±0.05 |
| # of newspapers responding | 1 | 3 | 3 |
On the pre-press side, the winning newspapers reported using the following screen rulings for color photographs...
| From left to right: | Screen Ruling for Color | |||
 | 80 | 85 | 100 | 120 |
| # of newspapers responding | 1 | 4 | 7 | 1 |
...and these screen rulings for black-and-white photos:
| From left to right: | Screen Ruling for Black and White | |||
 | 80 | 85 | 90 | 100 |
| # of newspapers responding | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
No one brand of input scanners is used for editorial and advertising color by a large number of the respondents. The situation is different, however, for certain editorial black-and-white scanners...
Editorial Black-and-White Scanner
 | Blue: Other (4) |
Red: ECRM Autokon (5) | Yellow: Kodak 2035 (3) |
and advertising black-and-white scanners:
Advertising Black-and-White Scanner
 | Yellow: Other (4) |
Green: ECRM Autokon (3) | Blue: Triple-I 3700/3750 (2) | Red: UMAX (2) |
The respondents reported using the following imagesetters or film recorders:
Imagesetter or Film Recorder
 | Yellow: Other (5) |
Pink: Triple-I 3810/3850 (5) | Green: Scitex (3) | Red: Agfa (2) | Blue: Panther Pro 46 (2) |
The newspapers use resolutions of 1,000 to 1,270 dots per inch when outputting to film.
Only four newspapers reported using page facsimiles. Their vendors were Linotype-Hell, Crosfield and Ad/Sat.
An overwhelming majority (11) use offset presses, while one reported using a flexo press. Nine newspapers use double-width presses, and two use single-width. The print-quality winners reported using the following types of presses:
Press
 | Pink:
Man Roland (1) |
Green: KBA (1) | Yellow: Harris (1) | Blue: Goss (8) | Red: TKS (2) |
Finally, the winning newspapers use a wide variety of dampening systems:
| From left to right: | Dampening System | ||||
 | Spray Bar into Ink Train | Spiral Brush into Ink Train | Flicker Blade | Spray Bar Direct to Plate | Other |
| # of newspapers responding | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
No single newsprint supplier stood out as the favorite of the quality-contest winners. However, nine respondents reported having standards for newsprint brightness and opacity, while only three did not. Opacity standards ranged from 92.8 to 96, while ISO brightness standards ranged from 56 to 60.
Respondents did have favorite black-ink suppliers...
Primary Black-Ink Supplier
 | Red: Other (2) |
Yellow: Flint Ink (6) | Blue: U.S. Ink (6) |
...and color-ink suppliers:
Primary Color-Ink Supplier
 | Green: Heritage Ink (2) | Red: Other (2) | Blue: U.S. Ink (6) | Yellow: Flint Ink (5) |
The print-quality winners reported using the following brands of fountain solution:
Primary Fountain-Solution Supplier
 | Green:
Other (3) |
Blue: Rycoline (4) | Yellow: Anchor (3) | Red: C&W (2) | Pink: Nensco (2) |
When asked to specify their current blanket supplier, the newspapers responded as follows:
Primary Blanket Supplier
 | Blue: Other (3) |
Yellow: Grace (4) | Green: Nensco (4) | Red: Day International (2) |
All but one of the respondents said that they remove their press blankets after the blankets sink below a certain gauge. The gauge, however, varies by newspaper:
| From left to right: | Blanket Gauge | ||||
 | 0.75 | 0.76 | 0.77 | 0.78 | 0.79 |
| # of newspapers responding | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
In the final survey question, the winners of these highly competitive print-quality competitions were asked whether they had any other comments on improving quality. Some talked about technology: "Use process-control software and color-management software," said one. "Watch your blankets carefully--check them daily," advised another.
Interestingly, though, other quality winners chose to focus on the human factor. Said one, "Train your production personnel continuously, and hold quality team meetings with managers once a month." The real keys to quality printing, said another, are "people, teamwork and top-management commitment."
©1997 Newspaper Association of America. All rights reserved.