IPEX 2010 – Prinect Innovations Improve Color and Quality Management in Print Shops for Shorter Makeready Times and More Consistent Print Quality
03/04/2010
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New Prinect Image Control with enhanced spectral image
measurement
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Prinect Inpress Control available for Speedmaster SM 102 /
CD 102
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Prinect Inspection Control / PDF - new inline sheet
inspection system with PDF inspection and up to 17 percent
higher productivity
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Netprofiler solution delivers quality assurance for Prinect
color measuring equipment
At IPEX 2010, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) will be
showcasing a range of color measuring and control system
innovations that form part of its Prinect print shop workflow.
These will further boost color and quality management and ensure
even greater focus on cost-efficiency and quality. For print shops,
this means shorter makeready times, more consistent print quality,
and better press performance.
New Prinect Image Control for enhanced spectral image
measurement
The new "next-generation" Prinect Image Control is being
unveiled at IPEX 2010. The completely new system features much
higher resolution for spectral image measurement and is more
user-friendly. Interplay with the Prinect Press Center press
control station and the new automated setup functions of Prinect
Image Control based on prepress data make for more reliable
production and ever faster setup. Prinect Image Control performs
its control function using the new, small quality control strip
(height: 4 millimeters/0.16 inches) and also directly on the sheet.
In commercial printing, the system is particularly useful for
printing spot colors, logos, and work-and-turn jobs. Color
adjustment to true-color proofs is now performed at the touch of a
button on the touchscreen.
In packaging printing, repeats on the print sheet can be
matched to samples and printed originals, for example. Direct image
control reduces fluctuations in color and tonal value, especially
with medium/long runs and repeat jobs.
Integrated process control with Mini Spots allows process
standards to be controlled directly in real time. Integration into
the Prinect workflow makes Prinect Image Control the key quality
station between prepress and pressroom. Color management with
Prinect Image Control generates and corrects ICC profiles or
creates / adjusts tonal value curves. In addition, the new
Netprofiler solution (see below for details) ensures color
fidelity.
Following further development, an offline sheet inspection
module will also be available. This will enable objective
inspection of the relevant print sheet against the reference sheet
stored in the system or against a PDF from prepress at any time.
Possible errors on the printing plate and errors in print will be
identified and rectified immediately. Retrofitting will be possible
for new Prinect Image Control systems that have already been
delivered.
The new Prinect Image Control will be available from the end
of 2010 for the Speedmaster SM 52, SM 74, XL 75, SM 102, CD 102,
and XL 105 with Prinect CP2000 Center or Prinect Press Center. One
system can be used as a color measuring and control system for up
to four presses.
Prinect Axis Control - improvements to the standard measuring
system boost efficiency
A number of improvements to Prinect Axis Control will be
on show at IPEX 2010. This system is integrated in the Prinect
Press Center press control station. It measures the color values in
the quality control strip and then adjusts the color online for up
to eight printing units. Along with the Netprofiler solution (see
below for details), the small Prinect micro quality control strip
with a height of just 4 millimeters (0.16 inches) will be available
from mid-2010. This will further improve the variable positioning
of the quality control strip for full use of the print sheet.
What's more, quality reports can be documented along with the
job information in Prinect Pressroom Manager. This provides easy
and centralized access to all job-related production data at all
times.
Prinect Axis Control is available on all Speedmaster presses
with the Prinect Press Center.
Prinect Inpress Control inline measuring system now also
available for the Speedmaster SM 102 and CD 102
The Prinect Inpress Control inline measuring system is now
also available for Speedmaster SM 102 and CD 102 presses. It
ensures rapid setup and continuous production control.
The system automatically measures and controls color and
register inline - doing so on the fly and at any speed - and
records process colors, spot colors, and register in the quality
control strip. Any corrections required are immediately forwarded
to the Prinect Press Center press control station for attention.
The press does not need to be halted for setup or production run
monitoring.
This system is ideal for print shops with frequent job
changes, short runs, and standardized jobs. If a print shop also
has Prinect Pressroom Manager, it will be possible in future to
document quality reports directly with the job information. This
will enable print shops to make their production quality more
reliable and thus boost their cost-efficiency.
Prinect Inpress Control is now available for Speedmaster XL
75, SM 102, CD 102,
XL 105, XL 145, and XL 162 presses. The spectrophotometric
measuring unit is always located in the final printing unit. In
perfecting presses, there is an additional measuring unit in the
printing unit immediately before sheet reversal.
Prinect Inspection Control / PDF - new inline sheet inspection
system with PDF inspection
From mid-2010, Heidelberg will be adding the new Prinect
Inspection Control / PDF system to its portfolio of inline
inspection solutions for print shops producing items such as
packaging and inserts for the pharmaceuticals industry where safety
is key. The new sheet inspection system is based on two
high-resolution grayscale line scan cameras and enables the entire
run to be monitored and documented in the press. In an automatic
and objective process, Prinect Inspection Control / PDF uses the
prepress PDF to check the first print sheet rapidly and reliably
before approval to print. Possible errors on the printing plate and
print errors can be identified and rectified immediately. This
ensures that all print sheets meet customer requirements both when
printing starts and during the production run. The system offers an
excellent return on investment. Up to 15 minutes per job can be
saved simply by automating the time-consuming manual reconciliation
with the planning sheet. Depending on the number of jobs and
repeats per sheet, initial users can expect to see their
productivity improve by up to 17 percent. They will also have less
paper waste and benefit from greater reliability in production.
RGB and PDF versions of Prinect Inspection Control can now also
be incorporated in XL 105 printing units
Both the new Prinect Inspection Control / PDF system and the
Prinect Inspection Control / RGB system that has been available
since February 2008 can be incorporated in the coating unit of the
Speedmaster XL 105. The Prinect Inspection Control / RGB color
inspection system with its link to prepress identifies the tiniest
of print errors, scratches, hickeys, etc. and is specifically
designed for packaging, label, and high-end commercial printers.
From the end of 2010, it will also be possible to incorporate
both inspection systems in the final printing unit of the
Speedmaster XL 105 or the final unit and the unit immediately
before sheet reversal in perfecting presses. This will enable both
sides of the sheet to be monitored, for example in perfecting mode.
Unlike with other systems, the printer has no need to worry about
obstructing the camera when operating the printing unit. This opens
up interesting options for commercial printers, too.
Both inspection systems deliver seamless monitoring and
documentation of the entire run - an outstanding advantage when
seeking to boost customer loyalty and attract new business.
Netprofiler solution - enhanced measuring quality thanks to
spectral calibration
At IPEX 2010, Heidelberg will be unveiling its Netprofiler
solution for colorimetric checking and calibration of Prinect color
measuring systems.
The three-stage concept employed by the Netprofiler solution
comprises checking, calibration, and certification of the relevant
spectrophotometric Prinect color measuring system and can be
customized as required. All that is needed to check the color
measuring systems is a new color chart with reference data. The
operator can measure the color chart at any time and immediately
see whether his Heidelberg measuring system is still operating
within the tolerance values. If the Netprofiler calibration
software is installed, the measuring system is automatically
calibrated after this check has been performed. Any deviations from
the target values are automatically corrected and adjusted to the
measuring system's factory settings. If the print shop also has
an online Remote Service connection to Heidelberg Systemservice,
the customer will automatically be e-mailed a detailed report and a
certificate confirming that the measuring equipment has been
checked as specified by the manufacturer. Consequently, when
covered by the Systemservice maintenance contract, the relevant
measuring device virtually always remains in the condition in which
it was delivered, as certified by the manufacturer. The Netprofiler
calibration software eliminates negative effects on color
reproduction by minimizing deviations between color data from
different years or different equipment. This is of benefit both
when coordinating with the customer and for standardized printing
to ISO 12647-2, which requires systematic compliance with the
narrowest of print tolerances.
From mid-2010, the Heidelberg Netprofiler solution will
optionally be available with the new S10A Prinect Press Center
software on the Prinect Axis Control and Prinect Inpress Control
color measuring systems. This option will also be available for the
new Prinect Image Control from the start of series production.
Figure 1: The new Prinect Image Control with enhanced
spectral image measurement.
Figure 2: The new inline sheet inspection system with PDF
inspection on a Speedmaster XL 105-8 with perfecting device.
Figure 3: The Netprofiler ensures efficient checking and
calibration of Prinect color measuring systems.
For further information, please contact:
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Corporate Public Relations
Matthias Hartung
Phone: +49 (0)6221 92 5077
Fax: +49 (0)6221 92 99 5077
E-mail:
matthias.hartung@heidelberg.com
Heidelberg at IPEX 2010:
The terms
HEI Performance and
HEI Value reflect the extensive portfolio of
state-of-the-art technologies and services from Heidelberg for the
economical and environmentally friendly production of print
products. At the trade show, the company will be providing
practical demonstrations to highlight how media service providers,
print shops, and postpress specialists can act on current market
trends and adapt their portfolios accordingly. Heidelberg will be
demonstrating how to optimize business and production processes
across the entire value added chain of sheetfed offset printing,
while also minimizing their environmental impact.
The numerous practical demonstrations will enable visitors to
the event to find out how they can achieve economic success with
short-run high-end print applications, stand out from the crowd
with creative print applications, and make the Internet an integral
part of their business strategy.
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