EXCLUSIVE FEATURE Machine Vision & Web Inspection
may be perfect, a data integrity error, such as the wrong data on a label, can lead to very costly re-runs. Printing technology cannot always be 100 per cent relied upon and therefore third party inspection technology is becoming a requirement.”
Identifying inkjet errors Other areas where Lake Image is seeing growth is in inkjet printing, but this brings a wealth of potential issues, such as blocked or out-of-sync print heads. This is where the company’s niche lies, according to Khatri. In the more traditional commercial printing market, inkjet is added as a bolt-on, but by working with inkjet manufacturers like Domino, the company can devise better solutions to detect errors and initiate quality improvements allowing the operator to make adjustments and monitor their performance. Also, inspection cameras have to sit outside or above the printing line in order to capture an image of the whole web or material. With wide webs, the camera has to sit even higher above, which then leaves it subject to vibrations and other flaws. As a result, Lake Image has started working directly with digital print companies to build systems as part of the actual press. In terms of technological advancements, Khatri says that systems will be put under
Lake Image’s MaxScan system is one of the newest additions to the company’s Discovery MultiScan family. The MultiScan Manager pulls together the images and data from a wide variety of cameras to read, control, inspect, verify, log, track and report – providing 100 per cent quality inspection.
Fully integrated into a single housing, the MaxScan technology uses a unique sensor, lens and illumination arrangement that enables the unit to operate at a close working distance while maintaining clear, sharp image definition over its entire length. Unlike standard camera technology, the MaxScan image sensor array produces an image with 600dpi resolution for print inspection applications at web or sheet widths up to 929mm. This enables a variety of inspection functions including missing or blocked ink jets and the MaxScan also provides full colour images with excellent colour representation and repeatability. MaxScan has a working distance of just 12mm and with a maximum headroom requirement of less than 130mm, it is perfect for integration within the transport system of a press. Furthermore the MaxScan can be placed unobtrusively inside printers, winders and cutters preventing it from collecting dust and being knocked - causing unnecessary maintenance or calibration issues. MaxScan units are available in three different lengths, enabling it to fit a wide range of devices and applications. At the end of September last year, Lake Image was jointly awarded the 2015 Label Industry Global Award for Innovation for the MaxScan product. The award was presented at the Awards ceremony that took place at the Labelexpo Europe 2015 event in Belgium. The judges “were particularly impressed with MaxScan key benefits
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more pressure as print quality and resolutions increase and machines get faster. There is also more data to verify, sometimes across multiple operations or devices.
Looking to the future The company is set to grow into new markets in the coming years, including Latin America, Asia and Eastern Europe, but it will require further research into what the issues and trends are, says Khatri. “We’re heading for more of an application focus rather than a product focus; offering all the product specifications is useful, but advising on what the benefits are for the customer is key.” Keats agrees: “Spreading into new markets and technologies is the key to our success. Package printing will be one of our focuses at the drupa show later this year, but we also want to focus on security, like security labels, and track and trace. “Our expansion approach is much more educational - teaching people what inspection can do, how it can reduce waste and costs, and improve product quality. We’re keen to position ourselves as providers of variable data verification and print quality inspection systems to a broader market, leveraging our 20+ years of expertise in the printing industry.”
over traditional line scan camera technology, such as uniform 600dpi inspection resolution and virtually no angular variation, to provide label converters with tools to accurately detect print defects without the need for expensive additional rollers, re- designed web paths or complex optical assemblies.” “This is a wonderful milestone for Lake Image Systems,” says Keats. “We constantly strive to develop solutions for our customers to help them produce error-free print, easier and more efficiently, thereby mitigating risk, reducing production costs and minimising waste. We recognised the need for a compact, integrated and high resolution vision solution for data verification and print quality inspection which can be integrated without any modifications.”
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www.lakeimage.com February 2016
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