The Relationship Between Paper Properties and the Optical and Mechanical Dot Gain of Prints

A procedure using relatively inexpensive laboratory equipment is described for measuring the physical areas of halftone dots on lithographic prints. Means for validating such measurements are described and then demonstrated using a series of measurements of a test form that was printed on fifteen different substrates ranging from #1 coated to uncalendered newsprint. The same series of measurements is also used to determine the corresponding mechanical and optical dot gains. Data from a previous paper are recalled to show how these two components of total dot gain are related to paper properties.