DM1573 Graphic Arts Technology 7.5 credits

Lectures on: survey of the graphic arts industry, basic reproduction technology, colour theory, principles for colour printing, page making, printing methods, ink and paper, post press handling and distribution.

Laboratory work: production of a simple printed matter, image processing, colour management systems for print adaptation and measurement of colour strength.

Visits to companies in the industry.

After completing the course the students are supposed to be able to:

• describe the structure of the graphic arts industry in Sweden
• describe the process steps in the graphic arts production chain
• explain the colour systems; RGB, CMYK and CIELAB
• describe basic image processing methods and apply them in practice
• explain the principle of print preparation and colour management according to ICC and apply them in practice
• explain the process steps of paper production
• select suitable printing method according to product
• select suitable paper grade according to printing method and product
• describe the main printing methods; lithography, flexography, gravure, silk screen and digital printing
• describe the principle for environmental marking of printed products
• explain the principle for measuring print quality in the form of print density, dot gain, optimal ink level, NCI, using a densitometer and perform the measurements
• produce a print ready original
• produce a one-colour print in sheet-fed offset
• work with the main text, image and layout programmes for producing print ready originals
• explain digital image representation of images in vector or bitmap format.
• explain the main file formats
• describe the print start up sequence until approved stockpile
• describe quality control methods in the graphic arts production work flow
• describe the main post production operation steps

so that the students

• can produce technically well structured and typographically appealing documents
• make suitable choices for the production of printed products with respect to the number of copies, print quality and delivery time
• can produce print ready digital original adapted to the printing press
• will be able to follow the subsequent courses in the “Print communication” programme.

For single course students: completed upper secondary education including documented proficiency in Swedish corresponding to Swedish B, English corresponding to English A.

To be announced at least 4 weeks before course start. In a very similar course they used: K. Johansson: Grafisk kokbok. Guiden till grafisk produktion. Arena.

If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.

• LAB1 - Laboratory Assignment, 3.0 credits, grading scale: P, F
• TEN1 - Examination, 4.5 credits, grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F

Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.

The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.

In this course all the regulations of the code of honor at the School of Computer science and Communication apply, see: http://www.kth.se/csc/student/hederskodex/1.17237?l=en_UK.

Leif Handberg

• All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
• In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
• In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.

This course cannot be counted in the degree if the student has taken 2D1574/DM1574/DM1570.

This course has replaced DM1570 Graphic Arts Technology 1.