Steve Katz, Editor07.10.19
Print defects cost converters time, materials and valuable resources. A converter’s labels are only as good as the quality control process behind them, and inspection equipment plays a pivotal role in that department. To meet the need for error-free labels leaving the shop, industry suppliers continue to innovate and upgrade camera and inspection technology. Here’s a look at what some of the label industry’s leading inspection system suppliers have to offer.
Baldwin Vision Systems (BVS)
Baldwin Vision Systems (BVS) brings together decades of experience in advanced color and inspection technology. The company is the result of the 2018 merger that saw QuadTech, PC Industries, and Web Printing Controls strategically united to form the new Baldwin Vision Systems. The resulting combination of businesses and technologies represents what BVS says is the industry’s most comprehensive portfolio available for print process automation, inspection and related services.
Craig Du Mez, global branding and communications for BVS, explains, “The BVS strategy aims to offer printers multiple options that best fit their specific applications, processes and budgets. By combining worldwide engineering resources, BVS looks to speed the pace of innovation and development of data-connected workflow solutions. Ongoing service and support for BVS technology is also boosted by the integration.”
Promising to help printers eliminate defects, deliver perfect color, and automate their workflows, BVS offers:
Guardian PQV 100% print inspection eliminates every defect with a more efficient, accurate, data-connected inspection workflow. The system provides complete print quality verification from prepress through production, reporting and archiving.
Guardian RTM Real-Time Monitoring enables press operators to monitor changes as they happen and make highly-informed decisions about print quality. Introduced at Labelexpo Americas, Guardian RTM uses a central server to monitor, collect and display real-time inspection data on a simple, uncluttered dashboard.
Guardian OLP offline proofing and inspection finds and highlights print quality differences between a test image and an approved master image. The files used for production are then verified to match the customer-approved master file 100%.
Autotron 3600 helps users achieve optimum control over register errors at every stage of the printing process. They can ensure perfect register, reduced waste and a solid return on investment, the company says.
ColorTrack “color expert in a box” software facilitates fast, accurate press-side correction of ink formulations. Users can reduce the number of ink corrections needed to achieve accurate, optimal color.
Color Measurement with DeltaCam delivers color consistency press-to-press, shift-to-shift and plant-to-plant. DeltaCam offers affordable, accurate inline spectral measurement on film, paper or board – reducing waste and ensuring all printed products are within customers’ color specifications.
NDC Technologies
NDC Technologies recently announced a new measurement solution for narrow web lines in lithium ion battery electrode manufacturing.
“Production processes for high-performance lithium-ion batteries (LiB) used in mobile devices, electric vehicles and stationary energy storage systems have to adhere to very high-quality standards to ensure maximum performance, the utmost safety and longest battery lifespan,” says Mark Rainville, product manager at NDC Technologies. NDC Technologies’ new measurement system solution enables lithium ion battery cell manufacturers with narrow web lines to produce consistent, high-quality electrode components.
NDC’s new Photon Sensor precisely measures the coat weight of coatings applied to anode/cathode copper and aluminum foil substrates, as well as provides fine detail of the coating uniformity.
NDC’s new Micro-Caliper Thickness Sensor is optimized for press-line calendering applications and provides sub-micron accuracy, high-resolution thickness measurements for deeper insight into variations in coating and calendering processes.
The new Beta LaserMike LaserSpeed Pro precisely monitors and controls the speed of the battery coating and press lines with better than +/-0.03% accuracy.
Grafikontrol
Grafikontrol’s newest addition to its TQC-360° platform is Lynex-S, a 100% inspection system for narrow web printing that enables automatic detection and classification of every defect.
“The ability of the Lynex-S to continuously inspect the full width image, combined with its ease of use have made it, in a very short time, an appreciated and sought-after system by label makers,” says Thomas Merlie, vice president of Grafikontrol North America.
Thanks to its modern multitasking interface implemented on a 23" high-resolution multi-touch monitor, the operator can analyze the entire format in real time and benefit from automatic detection of both print and media defects. Immediate alarms, when imperfections are detected, eliminate defective material. Lynex-S also provides production analysis and data collection.
Lynex-S is a highly flexible system and combines one or more linear color cameras, configurable as needed, that can work at production speeds up to 1,000 m/m without changing the image resolution. Lynex-S is suitable for defect detection on any type of printing and substrate. White LED lighting ensures quality and light distribution without any degradation of the image, even on reflective materials and inks. This newest descendant of the Lynex family is an excellent fit for label and narrow web producers, the company says.
EyeC
EyeC has launched new Audit Trail Viewing Software. Defects on pharmaceutical print products can put patients’ lives in jeopardy and expose pharmaceutical companies to a high liability risk. To ensure the quality and transparency of their production processes, pharmaceutical companies must comply with strict legal and normative regulations. Inspection solutions, such as the EyeC Proofiler for print sample testing or the EyeC Proofiler Graphic for prepress proofing, ensure pharmacists perform automated and safe packaging quality controls. EyeC software takes into account the newest requirements for data integrity, data security and audit trails. To complete this offer, the German company now launches the EyeC Audit Trail Viewer, a new software that simplifies the preparation and review of audit trailing data.
With the EyeC Audit Trail Viewer, responsible persons can now analyze and document process interventions for auditing in a convenient, controllable and comprehensive way. The software enables users to flexibly load and visualize trailing data and provides all the relevant information in a human-readable format as required by the US FDA Title 21 CFR Part 11. Various filter options enable refining entries to focus on critical events. For instance, the user can search for criteria such as date, user or event type or use alternative or combination of search terms. Created search queries can be saved and modified, allowing companies to perform consistent audit trail reviews and save time. Comprehensive reports can also be generated from the reviewed results at any time and used to bring evidence to auditors.
“With the EyeC Audit Trail Viewer, pharmaceutical companies ensure the consistency of their audit trail reviews and save valuable time in process control,” says Ansgar Kaupp, CEO of EyeC. “Audit trail reviews are now more goal-oriented and therefore faster.”
Baldwin Vision Systems has been in operation since December 7, 2017, uniting QuadTech, PC Industries, and Web Printing Controls into a single print technology unit. BVS spent its first year rebranding those former company names into Baldwin Vision Systems, owned by Baldwin Technology Company Inc. The thought behind it was based on the notion that combining wide-ranging expertise would expand and speed up the pace of development not only in terms of technology, but also by offering a broader product portfolio. L&NW recently caught up with Vince Balistrieri, the new president of Baldwin Vision Systems. He answered our questions about his new role, explains what progress the company has made since inception and shares his vision for BVS and its customers moving forward. Here’s an excerpt:
L&NW: Is it too soon to expect that this merger has in any way benefited your customers, or the print industry in general?
VB: We have already seen that when diverse technical capabilities are brought together under one umbrella, there is substantially more innovation taking place – and being developed more quickly. Rather than working independently on individual products, we are able to deliver data-connected workflows that enable printers to streamline their processes, troubleshoot problems and train staff, and prove the quality of their work. And all of these solutions now have a wider, global service and support network. By combining the resources of the three legacy companies, we have greatly expanded our ability to serve as valuable process consultants, rather than just being suppliers of equipment.
L&NW: Previously, QuadTech, PC Industries and Web Printing Control were in direct competition with each other. How have you found the process of bringing all three companies together to form BVS?
VB: We have worked very hard to ensure that we are not just offering a combination of all three product lines but that the different products complement each other. The merge has provided us with a fantastic opportunity to determine what makes our products successful, and then apply this to new and existing products as we continue growing the BVS product portfolio into a stronger and more complete set of solutions. Working together has positioned us well to help our customers move to that more profitable level, and has given us a much better understanding of their needs and how to address them. Together, we can now offer printers the ability to choose between multiple options in a product class and select the option that best fits their specific application, processes and budget.
L&NW: Can you tell us about any successes BVS has had this year?
VB: At the start of the year, our focus was on connecting our companies together and meeting the needs of our clients in terms of satisfying orders and improving our own efficiency. We quickly shifted to focus on aligning our leadership and technical teams across the businesses to put together a road map of smart, connected solutions for the future. Combining our respective knowledge and expertise has really helped us discover some great solutions that we plan to launch in the coming months.
L&NW: Establishing BVS as its own company will certainly pave the way for success moving forward. What hopes do you have for BVS for both the near-term and long-term future?
VB: We are committed to building a strong and secure future for our customers as well as our own employees, so we will continue to invest in research and development so that we can surpass our competitors within the market in terms of the value that we provide. We are bringing more technology options and more support resources to our existing customer base. We have greater capability to respond to their ongoing needs in order to secure future business with them as well as driving new business in new markets to help BVS expand within the industry.
L&NW: How do you think the label and package printing industries will evolve, and how will BVS fit in?
VB: Many of our clients have concerns with regards to hiring new people with enough expertise to replace those that leave. The technology that we provide can help in these situations, because with automation it is possible to see consistently good results and monitor the printing jobs adequately. This way, printers are able to continue to improve the quality of their printing and their performance. QuadTech alone didn’t have a readily available solution for this issue in terms of the narrow web and labeling industries, but with BVS forming and the sharing of knowledge and products, we now have very strong solutions to meet the needs of these markets.
Baldwin Vision Systems (BVS)
Baldwin Vision Systems (BVS) brings together decades of experience in advanced color and inspection technology. The company is the result of the 2018 merger that saw QuadTech, PC Industries, and Web Printing Controls strategically united to form the new Baldwin Vision Systems. The resulting combination of businesses and technologies represents what BVS says is the industry’s most comprehensive portfolio available for print process automation, inspection and related services.
Craig Du Mez, global branding and communications for BVS, explains, “The BVS strategy aims to offer printers multiple options that best fit their specific applications, processes and budgets. By combining worldwide engineering resources, BVS looks to speed the pace of innovation and development of data-connected workflow solutions. Ongoing service and support for BVS technology is also boosted by the integration.”
Promising to help printers eliminate defects, deliver perfect color, and automate their workflows, BVS offers:
Guardian PQV 100% print inspection eliminates every defect with a more efficient, accurate, data-connected inspection workflow. The system provides complete print quality verification from prepress through production, reporting and archiving.
Guardian RTM Real-Time Monitoring enables press operators to monitor changes as they happen and make highly-informed decisions about print quality. Introduced at Labelexpo Americas, Guardian RTM uses a central server to monitor, collect and display real-time inspection data on a simple, uncluttered dashboard.
Guardian OLP offline proofing and inspection finds and highlights print quality differences between a test image and an approved master image. The files used for production are then verified to match the customer-approved master file 100%.
Autotron 3600 helps users achieve optimum control over register errors at every stage of the printing process. They can ensure perfect register, reduced waste and a solid return on investment, the company says.
ColorTrack “color expert in a box” software facilitates fast, accurate press-side correction of ink formulations. Users can reduce the number of ink corrections needed to achieve accurate, optimal color.
Color Measurement with DeltaCam delivers color consistency press-to-press, shift-to-shift and plant-to-plant. DeltaCam offers affordable, accurate inline spectral measurement on film, paper or board – reducing waste and ensuring all printed products are within customers’ color specifications.
NDC Technologies
NDC Technologies recently announced a new measurement solution for narrow web lines in lithium ion battery electrode manufacturing.
“Production processes for high-performance lithium-ion batteries (LiB) used in mobile devices, electric vehicles and stationary energy storage systems have to adhere to very high-quality standards to ensure maximum performance, the utmost safety and longest battery lifespan,” says Mark Rainville, product manager at NDC Technologies. NDC Technologies’ new measurement system solution enables lithium ion battery cell manufacturers with narrow web lines to produce consistent, high-quality electrode components.
NDC’s new Photon Sensor precisely measures the coat weight of coatings applied to anode/cathode copper and aluminum foil substrates, as well as provides fine detail of the coating uniformity.
NDC’s new Micro-Caliper Thickness Sensor is optimized for press-line calendering applications and provides sub-micron accuracy, high-resolution thickness measurements for deeper insight into variations in coating and calendering processes.
The new Beta LaserMike LaserSpeed Pro precisely monitors and controls the speed of the battery coating and press lines with better than +/-0.03% accuracy.
Grafikontrol
Grafikontrol’s newest addition to its TQC-360° platform is Lynex-S, a 100% inspection system for narrow web printing that enables automatic detection and classification of every defect.
“The ability of the Lynex-S to continuously inspect the full width image, combined with its ease of use have made it, in a very short time, an appreciated and sought-after system by label makers,” says Thomas Merlie, vice president of Grafikontrol North America.
Thanks to its modern multitasking interface implemented on a 23" high-resolution multi-touch monitor, the operator can analyze the entire format in real time and benefit from automatic detection of both print and media defects. Immediate alarms, when imperfections are detected, eliminate defective material. Lynex-S also provides production analysis and data collection.
Lynex-S is a highly flexible system and combines one or more linear color cameras, configurable as needed, that can work at production speeds up to 1,000 m/m without changing the image resolution. Lynex-S is suitable for defect detection on any type of printing and substrate. White LED lighting ensures quality and light distribution without any degradation of the image, even on reflective materials and inks. This newest descendant of the Lynex family is an excellent fit for label and narrow web producers, the company says.
EyeC
EyeC has launched new Audit Trail Viewing Software. Defects on pharmaceutical print products can put patients’ lives in jeopardy and expose pharmaceutical companies to a high liability risk. To ensure the quality and transparency of their production processes, pharmaceutical companies must comply with strict legal and normative regulations. Inspection solutions, such as the EyeC Proofiler for print sample testing or the EyeC Proofiler Graphic for prepress proofing, ensure pharmacists perform automated and safe packaging quality controls. EyeC software takes into account the newest requirements for data integrity, data security and audit trails. To complete this offer, the German company now launches the EyeC Audit Trail Viewer, a new software that simplifies the preparation and review of audit trailing data.
With the EyeC Audit Trail Viewer, responsible persons can now analyze and document process interventions for auditing in a convenient, controllable and comprehensive way. The software enables users to flexibly load and visualize trailing data and provides all the relevant information in a human-readable format as required by the US FDA Title 21 CFR Part 11. Various filter options enable refining entries to focus on critical events. For instance, the user can search for criteria such as date, user or event type or use alternative or combination of search terms. Created search queries can be saved and modified, allowing companies to perform consistent audit trail reviews and save time. Comprehensive reports can also be generated from the reviewed results at any time and used to bring evidence to auditors.
“With the EyeC Audit Trail Viewer, pharmaceutical companies ensure the consistency of their audit trail reviews and save valuable time in process control,” says Ansgar Kaupp, CEO of EyeC. “Audit trail reviews are now more goal-oriented and therefore faster.”
Baldwin Vision Systems has been in operation since December 7, 2017, uniting QuadTech, PC Industries, and Web Printing Controls into a single print technology unit. BVS spent its first year rebranding those former company names into Baldwin Vision Systems, owned by Baldwin Technology Company Inc. The thought behind it was based on the notion that combining wide-ranging expertise would expand and speed up the pace of development not only in terms of technology, but also by offering a broader product portfolio. L&NW recently caught up with Vince Balistrieri, the new president of Baldwin Vision Systems. He answered our questions about his new role, explains what progress the company has made since inception and shares his vision for BVS and its customers moving forward. Here’s an excerpt:
L&NW: Is it too soon to expect that this merger has in any way benefited your customers, or the print industry in general?
VB: We have already seen that when diverse technical capabilities are brought together under one umbrella, there is substantially more innovation taking place – and being developed more quickly. Rather than working independently on individual products, we are able to deliver data-connected workflows that enable printers to streamline their processes, troubleshoot problems and train staff, and prove the quality of their work. And all of these solutions now have a wider, global service and support network. By combining the resources of the three legacy companies, we have greatly expanded our ability to serve as valuable process consultants, rather than just being suppliers of equipment.
L&NW: Previously, QuadTech, PC Industries and Web Printing Control were in direct competition with each other. How have you found the process of bringing all three companies together to form BVS?
VB: We have worked very hard to ensure that we are not just offering a combination of all three product lines but that the different products complement each other. The merge has provided us with a fantastic opportunity to determine what makes our products successful, and then apply this to new and existing products as we continue growing the BVS product portfolio into a stronger and more complete set of solutions. Working together has positioned us well to help our customers move to that more profitable level, and has given us a much better understanding of their needs and how to address them. Together, we can now offer printers the ability to choose between multiple options in a product class and select the option that best fits their specific application, processes and budget.
L&NW: Can you tell us about any successes BVS has had this year?
VB: At the start of the year, our focus was on connecting our companies together and meeting the needs of our clients in terms of satisfying orders and improving our own efficiency. We quickly shifted to focus on aligning our leadership and technical teams across the businesses to put together a road map of smart, connected solutions for the future. Combining our respective knowledge and expertise has really helped us discover some great solutions that we plan to launch in the coming months.
L&NW: Establishing BVS as its own company will certainly pave the way for success moving forward. What hopes do you have for BVS for both the near-term and long-term future?
VB: We are committed to building a strong and secure future for our customers as well as our own employees, so we will continue to invest in research and development so that we can surpass our competitors within the market in terms of the value that we provide. We are bringing more technology options and more support resources to our existing customer base. We have greater capability to respond to their ongoing needs in order to secure future business with them as well as driving new business in new markets to help BVS expand within the industry.
L&NW: How do you think the label and package printing industries will evolve, and how will BVS fit in?
VB: Many of our clients have concerns with regards to hiring new people with enough expertise to replace those that leave. The technology that we provide can help in these situations, because with automation it is possible to see consistently good results and monitor the printing jobs adequately. This way, printers are able to continue to improve the quality of their printing and their performance. QuadTech alone didn’t have a readily available solution for this issue in terms of the narrow web and labeling industries, but with BVS forming and the sharing of knowledge and products, we now have very strong solutions to meet the needs of these markets.