# Accurip not printing halftone from Illustrator



## thecadmancan (Dec 2, 2012)

Hopefully I have placed this issue in the right place. Have Illustrator CS6, have Accurip. All (2) colors are spot colors, have made sure the accurip setting is selected, all proper settings in Illustrator as seen from other video tutorials (maybe, missing something?). Accurip has round for screen, angle 22.5, and 60 LPI. Why is the output film only solid black instead of halftone? Please help. Was hoping to finish this tonight. Thanks in advance.


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## thecadmancan (Dec 2, 2012)

It should be stated that I have 3 colors in Illustrator spot white, red and black and have it setup how I would like to see the design on a t-shirt. I turn off black and only want to output 2 pieces of film (red, white, both spot, CYMK). The red, white ink on a black shirt is what I am after. Thanks.


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## 20vK (Jul 9, 2011)

I have the same software and it works fine for me.

YOu need to make sure accurip handles halftones, not illustrator. THis is under your print - graphics window.
Make sure you have your spot colour opacity at something less than 100% to generate halftones too


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## thecadmancan (Dec 2, 2012)

My settings are close to what you have in your screenshot. The one thing I havent done is putting my red at less than 100%. I will try that. Thanks. Will let you know how it goes.


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## 20vK (Jul 9, 2011)

That's the only way you are going to get a halftone through accurip! 

100% is exactly that - solid ink being laid down. So if you print a square, it is going to be completely solid

Now 50% opaquness means in the same area you only have half the ink being put down. On illustrator it will look less opaque and more transparent. When you print it through accurip, it will print half solid half nothing. To achieve that, it will print small solid dots. Your eye will average out where there is ink and where there isn't and give you the appearance of a lighter shade.


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## 20vK (Jul 9, 2011)

Make sure you set the halftone lpi in accurip to suit your screen mesh count


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## thecadmancan (Dec 2, 2012)

Richie Rich,
Can I ask what youre settings for output and color management are? I beleive rather firmly that my issue lies in Illustrator. The settings in Accurip are rather straightforward. I am trying to preview a halftone output to pdf or something rather than burn through another expensive piece of film. 

I know once you go to output and then seperations , you have a choice to set lpi and dpi. Obviously we can do the same in Accurip. Does one overwrite the other? I also read somewhere that alot of issues can lie in the color management option in the print dialog. Thanks!


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## 20vK (Jul 9, 2011)

Sure - here you go

I don't touch anything wrt lines or angles in illustrator. Accurip handles all of that - My halftones are always printed on a 230, so I can keep my halftone settings untouched in accurip

You need to make sure you have separations clicked on output and unclick the cmyk. You don't need that for spot colours.


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## 20vK (Jul 9, 2011)

TO save a file instead of print, change the setting in General like attached.

It will create a ps file, which I can double click on my mac and it will convert to pdf


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## thecadmancan (Dec 2, 2012)

Really appreciate you taking the time. So far I have the same settings as your screen captures show, accurip is set with screen on round, angle 22.5, and LPI on 45 with will be for 230 mesh, my spot colors are selected (no CYMK). Is there a way to determine or test that halftone will come out without film? I guess I can drop some paper but am trying to conserve ink. Was hoping there was someway to preview (like a print preview or a pdf that has the accurip halftone). Thanks. Going to be a late night


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## thecadmancan (Dec 2, 2012)

Sorry I am bit behind. Page isnt reloading. Probably need to restart. I think i am replying to your last comment when your replying with a new one. My fault.


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## 20vK (Jul 9, 2011)

Yup - look at the last screen shot I posted - change the printer to look similar to mine. Now look at the bottom right and you'll see it has changed to save instead of print. Now click that and you can choose your file destination. 

Edit : No worries


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## thecadmancan (Dec 2, 2012)

You rock! Funny starting this whole venture I actually assumed that I knew how to draw so silk screening t-shirts is easy. HA! So many little things can go wrong. From Illustrator to printer to emulsion to exposure, on and on. Enough to make weak men cry. This isnt going to beat me. Appreciate the help.


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## 20vK (Jul 9, 2011)

No worries at all - you can also print the PDF if you ever run into trouble....but I like to print straight from illustrator and have accurip control my ink laydown.

once you develop a workflow, it becomes really simple. I'd never designed anything before I became a screen printer, so you can imagine my learning curve when I bought both a mac (new to me) and Adobe, along with having to learn the screen printing process! 

If you have any problems at all, just hit us up on this forum - I'm always asking questions!


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## thecadmancan (Dec 2, 2012)

Seem to be having trouble. Maybe you can glean something from my attachments. The PS file isnt exactly giving me what I need and not sure why.


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## thecadmancan (Dec 2, 2012)

the pdf is coming out solid where I am going to want my red. As is the ps file.


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## 20vK (Jul 9, 2011)

send me the illustrator file and I'll have a look

I've pm'd you my email address


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## thecadmancan (Dec 2, 2012)

So after getting some extra help it was determined that a gradient to the areas I wanted halftoned wasn't applied. Once the gradient was applied in Illustrator and then went to Accurip the halftones appeared!! Thanks Richie Rich (20vK). Will post a pic of the t-shirts when done.


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## amdivoff (Jun 6, 2012)

is there anyway of doing a preview for accurip halftones with just opacity changes in illustrator? tried the steps from a couple posts above with no success. 

thanks

Andre


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## thecadmancan (Dec 2, 2012)

I don’t believe there is a way to preview the halftone other than printing a pdf. And I don’t think the actual setting *opacity* has anything to do with halftones. There could be others that chime in and say different.


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## 20vK (Jul 9, 2011)

amdivoff said:


> is there anyway of doing a preview for accurip halftones with just opacity changes in illustrator? tried the steps from a couple posts above with no success.
> 
> thanks
> 
> Andre


Change your output from accurip printer to accurip file, then you can save the file and look at it. (Saves printing)

Opacity of a spot colour will change the halftone pattern. 50% opacity = 50% halftones……although this will then be affected by dotgain during your exposure and printing


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