EXCLUSIVE FEATURE Machine Vision & Web Inspection
Adoption of inspection is critical for efficient print processes
Founded in the UK in 1994, Lake Image Systems has become one of the world leaders in the design and development of
imaging and scanning technologies for the printing, labelling and packaging industries. With company subsidiaries across the world, the company has installed over 3,500 systems globally and has since become one of the biggest solutions providers for all variable print and document integrity applications, focusing on inspection, verification, tracking and feedback reporting. The company started out reading batch and sell-by data in bottling and tin can production, but saw significant opportunities in the supermarket loyalty cards and direct mailing markets. As a result, Lake Image took its main inspection disciplines and began focusing on print. Here, managing director, Martin Keats, and Nick Khatri, the company’s marketing manager, speak exclusively to Converter. “In packaging environments speeds are
increasing and new substrates and print technologies are constantly evolving,” says Keats. “Moving webs cannot readily be stopped in the event of an error, so it’s about identifying print errors and tracking them through the process to deal with later. With traditional print inspection, it’s rare to get one individual defect. With variable data on packaging, you can get a single defect, which may be data integrity or print quality related. As we move into this area, our software is being developed further.” Lake Image’s main product is its core Discovery software platform that is
customisable across different printing and finishing processes to identify and report back on various kinds of defects or errors, such as incorrect variable data or poor print quality. The system provides options for the machine to alert the operator and log all errors during the complete print run to either re-print the defected pages or cut the segment out altogether. Keats says that provides a complete end-to-end solution.
Waste reduction is key “In the digital press area we could be working with sheets or web. With conditional processing, a growing quality issue can trigger information to be sent to the print controller to initiate a test pattern, to stop the press, drive a print purge, or perform a head clean. The primary aim is to reduce paper and ink waste,” he explains. “People look at waste-saving as an added benefit, but the importance of this is growing. In the US, printers regularly over- print by as much as 10 per cent to ensure they can deliver 100 per cent of a perfect product. In Europe, the driver for environmental standards is greater. Most printers are pushed to reduce waste in order to comply with environmental standards.” “Typically on a web, we wouldn’t stop
production unless it’s a very gross error that’s being repeated,” adds Khatri. “For individual errors, it’ll be recorded and reported back so that it can be eliminated afterwards. Our system would typically alert the operator in the event of an error, who can then make the decision whether to stop the press or not; this can also be automated.”
Khatri also explains how some security printers have intensive manual quality control processes, but Lake Image’s technology can work automatically to save on labour costs and mitigating substantial liability risks. Return on investment in these areas can be very quick.
The company’s vision and inspection system is a consolidated product - it combines print quality inspection and variable data verification onto a single software platform that interfaces to a wide range of printing and finishing equipment. There are three main functions; firstly, capturing high quality images, using varied camera technology, including the latest area and line scan cameras as well as its recently launched high-resolution linear scanning device, called Discovery MaxScan. Secondly, processing the images to do a print quality inspection and to read and verify any variable data such as barcodes and text. Lastly, the final stage, where the analysis of defects takes place and action is taken to notify the operator and log the location and type of defect so that the print errors can be rectified or even replaced. The software constructs a variety of productivity and integrity reports to provide a complete closed-loop overview of the whole printing job, all while the press is still producing product at very high speeds. “We are finally seeing inspection being considered as a critical part of the print process,” says Keats. “With digital print maturing and now moving into the packaging markets, businesses are beginning to realise they need to inspect their products as clients are becoming more demanding and much more educated.” “Those who are successful with digital print understand and adopt inspection as an integral part of the project, rather than just as an after thought. While print quality
22 February 2016
www.convertermag.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40