More newbie questions and why.

[farmboygraphics]

For most of my 20+ years doing this, the majority has been 1 to 3 color prints.
More and more orders are requiring some form of process printing, which I enjoy and I'm not jumping on the transfer band wagon.
Everything (6 color Diamondback) here is paid for and I intend to use it and learn how to use it better.
Right now I'm using clear film and stock Epson ink in an Epson T3270 and using a new LED unit for screens.
My hope is to print and hold better halftones with the above equipment and I'd love any recommendations before
sampling every film under the sun. As much as I'm opposed to putting anything but OEM inks in the printer, I'm open to suggestions.
Thank you :-)

[tonypep]

Switching to all black in cartridges will yield a denser dot.

[balloonguy]

What RIP are you using? I have the same printer with GORIP. It works on mac. I don’t love it though. I have to dial in my settings but I am finding anything over 40 lpi is too dark.
I am testing a ryonet LED exposure. I am not sure I love that either. I have been using an M&R 3140 for years. I just put a new bulb in… I am trying to see if I can dial the LED times in as like we did with the older exposure. I think the speed of the LED makes the window a lot smaller and harder to get perfect.

[farmboygraphics]

What RIP are you using? I have the same printer with GORIP. It works on mac. I don’t love it though. I have to dial in my settings but I am finding anything over 40 lpi is too dark.
I am testing a ryonet LED exposure. I am not sure I love that either. I have been using an M&R 3140 for years. I just put a new bulb in… I am trying to see if I can dial the LED times in as like we did with the older exposure. I think the speed of the LED makes the window a lot smaller and harder to get perfect.

I'm using Accurip Black Pearl.
Also using Ulano Orange, coating 1/1 sharp edge on S-mesh. Using a brand new Light Speed LED exposure unit.

[whitewater]

I use a printer that prints films, the brand changes when I need a new one. I use photoshop to sep  halftones.I just make it as black as I can, with whatever setting I saw on the birds here a bunch of years ago. A Lawson Nova-QS litebox, and Maurakami HPV Emulsion.


Halftones come out great..

Watch, because I said that, they will suck from now on...LOL

[3Deep]

I'm still running my 1430 printer and using film switch from Accurip to PrintFab as PrintFab don't want me hold me hostage, also I use film Direct UV Blocking black Ink, I get very dark black seps and halftones are great.  Process work goes on 230 to 300 plus  mesh screens using Ulano Orange emulsion with a Led exposure unit, but every shop is different in quality of prints.

[Sbrem]

We ran an Epson 3270, Photo Black only, Accurip Black Pearl. Never had an exposure problem, using the 450 watt Saati. I knew how to halftone in Photoshop, learned that back in the 90's, but found a RIP did a better job.

Steve

[Nation03]

I'm using a Canon Pro-200 Printer. Only OEM ink after too many issues over the years doing refillable mods. I do miss having all black ink and I wish you can just put all black cartridges in there without an error, but because of the specific chips, I can't do it. That said, this has been the least amount of issues I've ever had with a film printer (knock on wood). I don't use a RIP. I just convert the halftones manually in Photoshop. I don't do a ton of halftones, but I haven't had any complaints, so it seems to be doing just fine. As for films, I've tried various brands, and it seems like all films have went to crap. I haven't found any that lay perfectly flat anymore. All of them have curved edges and it drives me nuts. Especially since they curve upwards so the printer head strikes them as it's printing. I've just come to accept it. I'm not going to go CTS. I'm just going to ride whatever equipment I have now into the sunset lol.

[Dottonedan]

AccuRip Black Pearl (if you have it already), does have a TEST file built in that you print out, and it tells you where or (what output settings) to run it at that will work best. The output settings I'm referring to are the ink  density resolutions. (they call them resolutions) but it's not pertaining to image detail in this case. It's ink output.  I don't remember what exactly they are, but they look like  1200x xxxx etc. there the other varible is output speed. FAST, SLOW.  Not sure if there is a medium.  but changing one changes the output.  Once you nail that down then...you can adjust the dot gain curves to provide a more open mid tone and pre-compensate on all prints.

[farmboygraphics]

AccuRip Black Pearl (if you have it already), does have a TEST file built in that you print out, and it tells you where or (what output settings) to run it at that will work best. The output settings I'm referring to are the ink  density resolutions. (they call them resolutions) but it's not pertaining to image detail in this case. It's ink output.  I don't remember what exactly they are, but they look like  1200x xxxx etc. there the other varible is output speed. FAST, SLOW.  Not sure if there is a medium.  but changing one changes the output.  Once you nail that down then...you can adjust the dot gain curves to provide a more open mid tone and pre-compensate on all prints.

Thank you Dan. After checking my settings I've apparently had them wrong for years. 
It's gotten the job done but the few test prints I just made look crisper. Another rabbit hole to run down. 

[Evo]

Once you nail that down then...you can adjust the dot gain curves to provide a more open mid tone and pre-compensate on all prints.

To dig the rabbit hole deeper...

Curve adjustments should go hand in hand with specific inks used on press, squeegee speed, angle and pressure, etc etc. Tune and record all the variables that determine ink film thickness and dot gain on press, as these are the indirectly what you are trying to compensate for in the art department and screen room.

Adjust, observe, record, repeat.