New workflow management from BST Pro Mark

BST Pro Mark has launched Lector Work Flow Management – a software tool for managing print quality and throughput from printing to shipping across multiple machines.

Lector Work Flow Management is a new product that is used in conjunction with the companies Shark 100% inspection systems or Premius print process management systems, installed on presses or re-winders up to 80” web widths.

Lector Work Flow Management is used to display and evaluate process job data and to help manage throughput from one machine to the next – for example, press to re-winder – and to generate reports for jobs that have been produced on machines with BST Shark or Premius systems as the inspection/print quality assurance system. It is installed and operated on a personal computer, which is linked to the inspection/quality assurance systems in the process, and accesses the job data via a network.

Lector Work Flow Management provides access to all events and information collected by the inspection/quality assurance system, from basic job information (name, customer, operator, machine, start and stop times and number of rolls) to detailed defect information and images. This includes all defects identified (color coded by type of defect) and the ‘master’ image, as well as exactly where in the roll each occurred and precisely where on the web each is located. An image of each defect is also kept in the database and displayed. ‘Events’ are also tracked and shown, such as roll changes. Job data can be viewed from the beginning of the job or from the end of the roll, and can be sorted by customer name, machine or job name, simply by clicking on an icon. The user can view the data on a selected job in either table view or graphical web view, simply by clicking on an icon. Navigate through the jobs via the scroll bar, keyboard, or navigation icons on the Lector Work Flow Management interface. In graphic mode, a scale provides location in web running direction.

Lector Work Flow Management is said to simplify the process of reviewing a job and its quality issues, typically done by the quality manager – and facilitates subsequent removal of all bad material from the web prior to shipment. Check boxes allow easy management of the data, which can be done individually or in groups. The user can mark defects for downstream removal, deactivate defects or events determined to be irrelevant, and can mark those that need to be subsequently reviewed in a downstream process. Defects or events marked can later be cancelled.

Specific defects in each job’s database can be selected, and a window displays the actual defect area, with the identified defect marked and color coded, next to the golden master image, for reference. This makes defect evaluation simple and easy. The user can look at detailed information on a specific defect, or for a particular roll, or an overview of the entire job.

Lector Work Flow Management also has a filter function which allows the user to produce reports with only selected information shown. This is useful when sharing data across multiple machines and processes and for preparing reports for internal or external customers.

Five types of filters – events, defect type, classification, defect size and lane – and creative software make the process simple. Reports are saved in XML or PDF format and can be exported to other programs or networks, with or without defect images.

When using Lector Work Flow Management with a re-winder, a Sync function allows synchronization of the graphic report view with the winding progression of the web. The Sync function facilitates synchronization of processes and machines such as a press to a re-winder. It is commonly used to help facilitate removal of faulty material in downstream processes, without having to print on the web.

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