Pittsburgh, PA, October 3, 2007--PIA/GATF is pleased to announce a new addition to its outstanding family of test forms: the Technology Watch Resometer. This "resolution meter" fills the need for a practical reference tool to measure quality and resolution of digitally printed images.
The Resometer is an EPS computer file that runs on any device that can read EPS or PDF files--digital presses, proofers, imagesetters, CTP systems, copiers, and the RIPs associated with them, to name a few. The file assesses the RIP and the image output device, providing a way to measure the actual image quality by evaluating resolution along the entire imaging chain.
Evaluation is done on a number of levels, including contrast resolution, addressability, quality of small type and fine lines, smoothness of gradients, directional tone value changes, and differences in RIPing of vector and bitmap images. It then uses a combination of PostScript code and logarithmic curves to automatically update its targets and gives the viewer a deeper look into the output device's capabilities of producing quality print.
Not only does the Resometer measure the performance of the RIP with the printing device it is driving, but it also helps printers select RIPs to drive output devices and allows them to determine if the output from the printing device matches the resolution settings on the RIP. In addition, it measures how a given paper will influence resolution, as well as toner and ink levels.
With all of this new information at their fingertips, the press operator and the prepress operator will have a digital fingerprint of their output devices. The Resometer will:
- Help to preflight the RIP's settings for an optimal workflow
- Aid press operators with print consistency by allowing them to collect tangible results from their output device
- Facilitate standardized procedures for file setup and provide feedback for automation
- Assist the press operator in producing the highest quality image from their specific output device
- Allow users to monitor the performance of a device over time, making comparisons between days, weeks, or months.
The Resometer is available as part of the PIA/GATF process controls test form portfolio (Product R8017D). For more information or to purchase the Resometer, contact Jessica Meyers at 412-259-1791, email [email protected], or visit www.qcproducts.org.