Major newspaper printing operations note spectral precision of groundbreaking color control and inspection technology; fan-out control and Proactive Care mean more reductions in waste, downtime.

Sussex, Wisconsin, USA – Under a theme of "the color and inspection experts... moving your forward," the global press control technology leader QuadTech will demonstrate how its color control, web inspection, register control and data management systems help newspaper printers significantly reduce waste and boost quality at IFRA Expo in Vienna, Austria (Stand B550), 10-12 October, 2011.

Color control and inspection capabilities

QuadTech's latest technology advancement combines industry-leading color control and web inspection, all from the same sensor. The QuadTech Color Control and Web Inspection System with AccuCam utilizes a proprietary 6-channel spectral sensor for L*a*b*-based color control – eliminating the need for colorbars or graybars. This closed-loop system analyzes the entire image and automatically obtains target aim point values from a high-resolution prepress file to maintain accurate color by automatically adjusting ink keys. The system also automatically controls and optimizes the ink ratchet for superb inking performance, creating better color, reduced waste and minimized operator intervention. All surfaces are inspected and common print faults such as scumming, blanket smashes, incorrect plates, and color variations are detected.

The system has been installed at a number of high-profile newspaper printing operations in the last 12 months. Five towers are being installed on two manroland Colorman XXL presses at Herold Druck und Verlag AG, based in Vienna, Austria. IFRA visitors who are interested in seeing the AccuCam running on a live job at Herold Druck can contact QuadTech's Europe headquarters at +31 294 496222.

In Japan, Sankei Shimbun's  Hokusetsu (Osaka) plant has also used AccuCam on 16 towers to achieve NSAC-standard color. The plant is now producing the best color quality in the Sankei group, and has established the color standard for all Sankei plants to meet. AccuCam was launched after successful trials at the Newsprinters Knowsley (UK) plant, which prints national News International titles such as the Times, the Sunday Times and the Sun.

Proven Register Control Performance

QuadTech's MultiCam has provided accurate color-to-color register, cutoff register and sidelay register to newspaper and commercial web printers in over 100 countries. With over 10,000 cameras installed, MultiCam is the world's best-selling register camera.

The Ribbon Control System with MultiCam is a closed-loop, print-to-cut and print-to-fold registration system that uses two types of compensating devices to control registration: cutoff compensators control print-to-cut registration to minimize cutoff (circumferential) error, and sidelay compensators, such as angle bars, control print-to-fold registration to minimize sidelay (lateral) error.

Register Guidance System, which includes the MultiCam camera, has been enhanced with automated features such as fan-out control and front-to-back register control. QuadTech's fan-out control software automatically keeps the press in lateral register across the full width of the web, throughout the entire run. Register control cameras mounted on both the gear and operator sides of the web capture tiny shifts in lateral register and instantly make automatic corrections via an interface with the bustle wheels.

Unequaled Support

The Performance Proven Guarantee initiative is a pledge that customers will receive guaranteed levels of performance improvement as a result of their investment in QuadTech technology. The Guarantee shows promised annual savings, and calculates a specific ROI schedule.

When an order is placed, QuadTech specialists agree with the customer on the level of performance improvement expected after installation. Performance is then tracked using the reports generated by the QuadTech equipment. Customers who do not experience agreed-upon levels of improvements, after a specified period, are entitled to a full refund of the equipment cost.

Unlike most remote diagnostic services, QuadTech's "Proactive Care" provides around-the-clock health and condition monitoring of QuadTech ICON systems by skilled technicians, proactively identifying equipment issues before they become a problem. The new diagnostic service analyzes every alert, makes an educated diagnosis, notifies the press crew and determines the best solution before press performance is compromised.

With a thorough knowledge of QuadTech products, Proactive Care's rapid-response technical staff monitors alert messages, eliminating any potential problems so that presses are kept constantly running.

Karl Fritchen, President of QuadTech, comments: "Our press control technology is engineered to allow printers to achieve uncompromising quality consistency. For printers interested in employing  lean production methods, our innovations can be instrumental in reducing waste and minimizing operator involvement. This has been recognized by major players in the newspaper print industry who have improved their bottom line thanks to both the performance of the technology, and the first-class, global, round-the-clock service guaranteed to all QuadTech customers. IFRA-Expo 2011 will be the perfect opportunity to discover these benefits  firsthand."

The QuadTech Color Control and Web Inspection System with AccuCam offers color control along with inline scumming detection and plate verification from the same sensor.