Greyscale Halftone Film 700 x 800

This is a polyester photographic film greyscale , created using a halftone effect that is often used in printing technologies. Available upto 1000 lpi, with pixels down to 6um. it is ideal for graphics type of work, with large areas of varying tones of grey.

A greyscale halftone image is one where each pixel in the image represents a different rate of grey intensity. The general consensus is to use a range where 0% - totally clear and 100% is totally black. Our process is a binary one, whereby we can only image "black" pixels on clear film, so we cannot create a normal greyscale image as defined by "photography". However, we have a solution that works in the vast majority of cases, and that is pixelation or dithering to create a halftone.

By creating a halftone -  part of the process is to make the pixel that creates the "grey" smaller than the lens (or eye) can resolve. In this manner, the lens will just see an overall grey tone rather than individual pixels. The halftone process uses dots of differing sizes (pulse-width modulation) and spacing (frequency modulation) to build up that image.

PIXEL AND RESOLUTION 

The resolution of a halftone screen is measured in Lines_per_inch (lpi). This is the number of lines of dots in one inch, known as the screen ruling, The higher the pixel resolution of a source file, the greater the detail that can be reproduced. We have 4 standard resolutions that can be chosen, although you are free to choose any resolution LPI if you need a specific spatial frequency.  For reference, a typical laser printer will print greytones at 65 LPI, and high quality professional book printing would be 150 LPI.

Below are guides to pixel sizes dependant on the resolution chosen. At 1000 LPI resolution, a 20% grey tone would be made up with a 13um black pixel on a clear background, where  a 90% tone would be made up of a 6um clear pixel in a black area.

CAD FORMAT

Please tell us what format you will be sending. Data formats listed above are only a small section of what is available. If your chosen format is not listed, please contact us for further information and clarification. We are also able to provide a full drafting service whereby we can create your designs from drawings and descriptions.

POLARITY Films are normally referred to as Clearfield (positive) &  Darkfield (negative) Positive means that the data you have supplied Black on the film, with the background being clear film. Negative is the opposite of this, where the image supplied will be inversed and the picture will be clear and the background will be black.

PRODUCTION SCHEDULE

Our standard production turnaround is 4 days from receipt of the artwork, purchase order and related documents. We generally send checkplots with every order, and it is vital that these are replied to within a short delay in order that we can meet the schedule required. The production schedule assumes the original data package is correct and does not need to undergo revisions or changes. For large volume orders, or large photomasks on high resolutions, please enquire before ordering premium services.

Standard (4 days) :   This is our standard service, and whilst we get 99% of orders shipped within this period, these are guidelines only and may change in periods of high demand. Where data packages are good, and all paperwork is completed promptly, we can often ship early.  

Premium (2 Days ) :   A premium service. A complete manufacturing package (data/instructions/order) must be with us by no later than 11.00am.

INSPECTION

All photomasks are subject to a rigorous inspection process, regardless of the selected inspection class. Critical parameters such as CD (Critical Dimension) size and uniformity are measured and recorded internally. High-magnification images are captured using Nikon MM40 (900×) and OGP ZIP 300 (400×) systems, and stored with our production records. In some industries—particularly medical or automotive—additional inspection documentation may be required for compliance with quality systems. You can select the level of documentation to be provided with your order. 

Standard: Full inspection performed; no documentation issued.

Certificate of Conformance: Printed certificate confirming compliance with inspection criteria.

Certificate of Measurement: Verifies up to 10 user-defined dimensions against specified tolerances. A CAD file or drawing must be provided indicating the positions to be measured. Additional measurements available on request.

CHECKPLOT

Before production, we supply a checkplot—an essential part of our approval workflow. This checkplot is a high resolution PDF graphic, emailed to you for review. It provides an overview of the design layout, helping you confirm pattern alignment, feature placement, and polarity. However, it is a rasterised image and not suitable for verifying precise dimensions.

For critical designs where dimensional accuracy must be confirmed at the CAD level, we recommend using our online CAD checkplot viewer. This platform allows you to inspect your design using vector data, ensuring that features such as linewidth and spacing match your expectations. You can zoom in to inspect fine details, toggle layers, and therefore compare your submitted file against our interpreted version.

Checkplot approval is mandatory before manufacturing begins. No production will start until confirmation is received. Ensure that your review includes polarity, reading direction, and any reference markers required by your process.

For more details, see our Checkplot Information Page.

YOUR DRAWING NUMBER

Please let us know the CAD file name / number so that we can tie together the uploaded data and the order.

NOTES

Here you can inform us of any other requirements or specifications regarding the order.

Please see the TECHNICAL sections, DOWNLOAD sections and FAQ for further information. If you still require clarification, please either email or click for LIVE SUPPORT.