True inline colour measurement
AVT is meeting demands from the flexible packaging market for ever higher standards of colour consistency and density with its ISO-compliant online spectrophotometer
In response to customer demand for more detailed and accurate colour monitoring Advanced Vision Technology (AVT) has developed the on-press online spectrophotometer for colour and density measurements suitable for flexible packaging printing and the label printing markets. It allows consistent colour and density quality in repetitive packaging and
label images – within the job and between jobs. An extremely robust, revolutionary system employing the latest technology in colour measurement, SpectraLab provides a true inline spectrophotometric measurement of the printed colours on virtually all flexible and carton substrates.
Absolute colour and density
Believed to be the only ISO-compliant spectrophotometer available on the market for online measurement of absolute colour and density values of colour which is essential in package and label printing, SpectraLab is an optional add-on module. It operates in conjunction to the existing AVT PrintVision/ Jupiter and to the PV/Argus II Automatic Inspection Systems or to the new PV/Argus Elite system.
The measured colours are reported during run-time by the inspection system, on pressside displays for the operator to immediately take action as needed. A spectral measurement unit (SMU) measures in conformance with the recognised ISO standards for graphic arts colour measurement devices (including ISO 13655 and ISO 5.3). For better accuracy the SMU is automatically and constantly calibrated.
“SpectraLab is truly unique in being the only ISO-compliant spectrophotometer available to packaging printers for on-press measurement of printed colours,” explains VP of marketing Amir Dekel. “It provides a significant value to press operators because now they can specifically ‘print to the numbers’ supplied by the end customer instead of relying primarily on subjective perception of comparable quality.
“In addition, the system is completely intuitive for production personnel. Ready access to a wealth of highly accurate, runtime colour measurements is a ‘game changer’ for both process and quality control. SpectraLab will quickly become a standard in the printing of colour packaging by eliminating the need for inefficient multiple press stops and starts which up to now were needed for collecting off-line, manual colour measurements.”
Measurements are taken automatically by sampling user-selected points anywhere on the web: several points of the same colour and/or a large number of different colours – solid colours and halftone colours. The system interface allows the operator to add or change measurement locations, adjust target colour values and customise other key parameters as needed, even when the press is in production. It can reliably measure dedicated control targets areas or colour regions of interest as required.
Operating in several sites around the world, SpectraLab accurately measures colour on clear and opaque substrates; on clear films it can measure colour printed on either side of the web.
“Using SpectraLab’s automated measurements, printers can satisfy their customer’s increasing demands for more detailed and more accurate colour quality monitoring,” comments Gilad Dekel, AVT’s packaging product manager. “SpectraLab performs online, absolute colour measurement that correlates closely with colour measurements made offline by prepress departments and print buyers.
“Accurate colour measurements can be made anywhere on the printed web at any time during the entire production run. Such comprehensive measurements thoroughly document colour quality and also provide valuable feedback on press performance. This will drive process improvement well beyond traditional quality levels.”
Visual defect indication
The AVT PrintVision platforms are Automatic Defect Detection solutions, Press Control systems and Quality Control for web printing applications. With their Advanced Automatic Inspection software module and ergonomic design, they visually inspect all kinds of printed materials on the press including flexible, transparent and opaque substrates used in the packaging and label industries. The PrintVision platforms provide a visual indication of the position and nature of the defect and directs the press operator to its source.
Operators can then quickly react to correct the problem. A coloured light tower, clearly visible from a distance, informs the operator when a defect is detected.
AVT has a large installed base within the packaging and labels markets and is seeing a growing demand for inspection solutions on both traditional and digital presses.
Advanced Vision Technology
T: +972-9 761 4444