QuadTech's Innovative Color and Inspection Technology to Be Featured at Emballage 2012

Exhibiting for the first time at Emballage 2012, QuadTech, Inc. (Hall 6, E126) will offer the flexo and gravure package printer fast in-line inspection and spectral color measurement solutions for film, foil, paper, and various laminates. QuadTech’s performance-proven press controls reduce setup time, eliminate waste and ensure perfect quality is maintained across the web.

Product portfolio

QuadTech’s Color Measurement System with SpectralCam HD enables continuous, in-line monitoring of virtually all web-fed package materials, including transparent and translucent substrates. The SpectralCam camera calculates accurate L*a*b*, ΔE and ΔDensity values at maximum press speeds. It measures multiple color targets within the work—without the need for color bars or patches—and is many times more sensitive to subtle color differences than the human eye. Featuring an optional HD capability, images are captured at up to 2500dpi and made available to the operator via the user interface. As a result, a host of defects common to central-impression flexo, such as pin-holing, bridging, doughnuts and halos, can be identified and remedied without production stoppages. 

The system ensures accuracy with the patent-pending web stabilizer. Its vacuum system stabilizes the moving web on a low friction surface, enabling it to maintain a constant distance from the camera at the point of measurement. This provides a controlled, repeatable way of taking accurate spectral color measurements on transparent and opaque films or paper, on-the-fly, without risk of damage to the substrate.

Launched in May 2012, the QuadTech Color Quality Solution is a collaboration that extends QuadTech’s true spectral color measurement capabilities to ink formulation.

The solution involves in-line spectral data obtained from QuadTech, ink formulation data from X-Rite, and ink dispensing technology from Huber Group, based on its consistent high quality printing ink base colors. The process begins with customer-defined color targets, typically supplied by Pantone color standard library, a Color Exchange Format (CxF) file, or color samples. These targets are evaluated off-line, manually, using the industry standard X-Rite SpectroEye. A spectral color curve is obtained and loaded into X-Rite’s InkFormulation software, which then formulates an “ink recipe.”

A Huber Group Color Database provides data to the ink dosing machine, which then prepares the ink can. After successful quality control by means of a draw-down, the ink goes to press.

The color targets are loaded into QuadTech’s Color Measurement System with SpectralCam. Obtaining the color target data occurs simultaneously with live color measurements taken at full press speeds. Any color deviations are automatically captured and reported in ?E values. A new color CxF file can be sent back to the InkFormulation software.

The QuadTech Inspection System inspects the entire substrate in-line during printing, laminating and rewinding. Inspecting the full substrate width 100% of the time instead of scanning small sample areas, the QuadTech Inspection System achieves total, uninterrupted defect detection at full production speeds.