ICE debut for new QuadTech automated press control technologies

Press control specialist QuadTech will launch a host of new technologies at next month’s International Converting Exhibition (ICE) to show how automated press control technology is the key to lean, precision quality in package printing.
 
This will include two innovations never before seen in the industry: a new method for stabilizing film in-line, enabling accurate color measurement at full press speeds; and a new 2,500 dpi high-resolution dot viewing capability that allows operators to view abnormalities such as pin-holing, bridging, doughnuts and halos on the running press.
 
Technologies to be on show on the QuadTech stand at ICE, running November 8-10 in Munich, include the Autotron 2600 with ClearLogic Register Guidance System. This is a color-to-color system that features specialized solid-state scanning heads that can detect a wide range of pale and low-contrast marks, thus ensuring complete control regardless of substrate, ink or printing technique.
 
The QuadTech Inspection System inspects the entire substrate in-line during printing, laminating and rewinding. Inspecting the entire substrate width 100 per cent of the time instead of scanning small sample areas, QuadTech said the Inspection System achieves total defect detection with the press or laminator running uninterrupted at normal production speeds. The Inspection System with SpectralCam combines true 100 per cent inspection with advanced color measurement in a single system. The system assures continuous, in-line monitoring of most web-fed package materials, including unsupported transparent, translucent and opaque film substrates in addition to paper. The SpectralCam camera calculates accurate L*a*b*, ΔE and ΔDensity values at maximum press speeds. Its true 31 bin spectrophotometer technology measures up to 72 color targets within the work, and provides far greater color accuracy than existing three-channel RGB-based systems.
 
Other technologies on show include: the PDF Verification program makes structural comparisons between the golden template and the customer-approved digital artwork file; the stand-alone Color Measurement System with SpectralCam provides fast, accurate color measurement on the running press; the QuadTech Web Viewing System provides a high-resolution ‘freeze-frame’ view of web sections, so defects can be analyzed while the inspection system continues scanning the web; Data Central for Inspection is a database for logging and analysis of defects and press performance; and the Waste Management System uses print inspection and process information to perfect waste removal processes.
 
Karl Fritchen, QuadTech president, said: ‘In the current highly competitive and uncertain economic environment, printers have an increasing need to improve margins and reduce waste. Our response has been to accelerate product development and provide a first-class support network, so customers can fulfill their own future plans and move forward.
 
‘Quite a few companies have cut back on research and development expenses because of the economy. We’ve taken the opposite approach. QuadTech has invested more effort into R&D this year than we have in any of our previous 30 years, and we have some exciting innovations that we expect will have a big impact on the packaging and converting markets.’