Dot gain or spread refers to an increase in dot size when transferred from its original size onto paper during printing, as ink transfers from printing plate to report, or when paper absorbs more ink than expected. It may also occur if the paper absorbs more ink than desired during this process.
Dot gain can wreak havoc with printed images in multiple ways. As dots become more extensive and darker, their overall contrast decreases, leaving your printed imagery dull and murky. Furthermore, too much dot gain can cause dots to overlap, leading to loss of detail and overall degradation of published imagery.
Printers face dot gain issues regularly. There are various strategies they can employ to mitigate it, including using special paper coatings that limit how much ink absorbs each paper and altering their printing process accordingly.
Dot gain is an integral aspect of printing that must be considered if high-quality prints are to be produced.
Dot gain, commonly referred to as dot spread, refers to any increase in size between an original dot and its printed replica. It can be caused by various factors, including ink quality, paper density, and environmental conditions – among many others. Dot gain must be managed adequately as its presence can significantly alter print quality; too large dots will bleed together, creating fuzzy text; too few will appear dotty or pixelated upon output, thus necessitating careful measurement and management during any printing process. Various techniques for controlling dot gain should be considered when setting parameters, such as when beginning and ending print processes!