“We have seen a surge in interest from the new developing Asian markets and we expect visitors from these countries at Drupa to be serious buyers,” says Centurfax’s managing director Bob Leslie.
All of which means that if the Asian markets are going big on quality control, then it’s vital that UK printers take an interest. As margins are squeezed, being able to guarantee quality control is one way printers can differentiate themselves from the competition.
Crucial technology
There are two main areas that can help. “Products that use densitometry analyse and report on the characteristics of the dot,” says Graham Manders, general manager at Troika Systems. “Spectrophotometry analyses and reports on the characteristics of the colour.”
Densitometers measure the reflected light returned from a target while spectrophotometers measure the colour of the target by splitting the reflected light into its different wavelengths to produce a spectrum. “With some devices, the output data from a spectrophotometer can be used to measure density if required,” adds Centurfax’s Leslie.
Dotmeters take a digital photograph of a few square millimetres of a plate, which is then analysed and, if linked to a computer, is sent off for further analysis. There are models that can also read films, halftone proofs and the final print. Some products also provide measurement of the anilox roll, crucial to the process control for flexo printing.
On-press systems make it possible to continuously monitor, and to some extent control, the quality of the production process. Benefits of these systems include faster colour measuring operations within the print production itself.
Repeatability, reliability and consistency are crucial when making an investment, according to Troika’s Manders. Buyers need to consider whether the device will provide repeatable measurements over the long term and if its operational cycle will be fast enough. The product should, to some extent, contribute to cost savings in the production process as well as the quality of the overall work being produced.
Quality of build and support are absolute givens for any electronic device, Leslie adds. Buyers should find out where the support and back-up comes from, if the product can be upgraded and if it meets latest industry colour standards.
WHAT'S NEW IN PROCESS CONTROLS I
• Micropress became the first UK printer to install Heidelberg’s Inpress Control internal spectrophotometer for its five-colour Speedmaster XL 105. The firm said the investment, made in January, had cut makeready times by up to 20%
• X-Rite rolled out the latest member of the SpectroEye family last November. It claims the SpectroEye LT will help users move from densit-ometry to spectrophotometry. The product is targeted at users checking CMYK prints in the press room aiming to achieve ISO standards
• Pantone and X-Rite launched a set of low-cost colour management tools in March. The range, named Color-Munki Photo and Design, includes an entry-level spectrophotometer and colour control software. It is the pair’s first joint launch since X-Rite bought Pantone last November
• Kodak will unveil its colour management tool, Colorflow, at this year’s Drupa. The software provides integrated colour control across monitors, scanners, halftone and inkjet proofers, as well as digital and conventional presses
Read the original article at www.printweek.com.
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