Offset Printing
Heidelberg unveils an enhanced version of the Prinect Axis Control color measuring system
Tuesday 11. March 2008 - Integrated into the Prinect Press Center press control station Double the measuring speed and simpler operation Documented quality possible at all times New Prinect Image Control design
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) will be unveiling a new version of its spectrophotometric color measuring system Prinect Axis Control at drupa 2008. This new version is fully integrated into the also new Prinect Press Center press control station, and can be operated using its touchscreen. At 200 millimeters (7.87 inches) per second, the new-generation Prinect Axis Control measures at double the speed of its predecessor. During setup, the system automatically identifies the type of quality control strip and its position on the print sheet. The fact that the strip does not have to be positioned manually results in a time saving of over 50 percent. In addition, the strip can be placed anywhere on the sheet.
In conjunction with the press control stations Intellistart function, which enables the next job to be prepared while the current one is being printed, the number of operating steps can also be cut dramatically.
The Prinect Axis Control measuring table now has a sheet suction device that acts on the print sheet uniformly over its entire surface, irrespective of grammage. This stops the sheet slipping during the measuring process. If the operator has not aligned the sheet precisely on the measuring table, the measuring system corrects the misalignment within a given tolerance.
If required, all measuring results, the number of results and quality parameters can automatically be logged, saved and used to provide the customer with documented proof of quality. Variations in coloring can be displayed clearly on the wallscreen that is available as an option with the new press control station.
The Prinect Image Control high-end color measuring system has also been redesigned to coincide with the launch of the new press control station. The latest version of the color measuring and control system, unveiled in December 2007, is equipped with the integrated Prinect QualityMonitor software. This function enables easier and faster quality analyses of print products during the production process. As a result, press operators can access all key quality parameters, such as dot gain and color deviations, for each measured sheet at the touch of a button and see at a glance whether the values match in-house quality standards.