Assistance systems to increase efficiency and quality have become indispensable in today’s printing world. However, flexographic and gravure presses today usually include a number of systems from different suppliers for web viewing, inspection, print impression, register setting, and more. Complexity and interface problems are the result. But simplicity of operation is an important criteria for the efficiency of a machine. For this reason, W&H has consistently worked for years to bring all of the systems required under one roof.
W&H EASY
It all started in 2006 with the EASY product family containing all the necessary assistance systems to ease the production start up. This covers three areas, namely impression setting, register setting and colour matching..
Zero waste
With EASY-SET S and EASY-REG S impression and register settings are automated by using sensors in the printing unit. This way waste production during start up is minimized to zero.
Real production conditions
EASY-SET HD and EASY-REG M/EASY-REG D in the contrary produce some amount of waste, but set the register and the printing pressure under real production conditions. As a “1st Sample” is always required, there is no more waste compared to a static proof, where a first sample is pulled in any case.
Setting the right colors
The third assistance tool is EASY-COL to help fine matching of the correct colour settings. EASY-COL considers the real ink volumes in the machine and is generally faster and more reliable compared to adjustments in the ink room.
W&H VISION
W&H has, due to the developments of EASY SET S, EASY-SET HD and EASY-REG D, a very close interface with the inspection camera on the machine. This is why the VISION system, launched in 2016, was the consequent addition to reduce further unnecessary interfaces and improve usability at the same time.
VISION is the first fully integrated inspection system by W&H. The uniform operator interface for machine and print inspection reduces the number of data entries and makes handling during setup and changeover more intuitive, reliable and faster. Frederik Petzold, Product Manager Printing and Finishing, says “As everything comes from a single source, the mechanical, as well as the electrical integration, is perfect. But should there be any problems, the accustomed W&H service with 24/7 hotline and worldwide local service is also applicable to our VISION systems.”
W&H continued this path by launching RUBY in 2019 – their own IoT system that enables customers to digitize their workflows with plug-and-play solutions from W&H.
W&H RUBY
The RUBY platform was introduced during the K Show 2019. It collects all machine data from printing presses, extrusion lines, and converting machines. Various RUBY extensions can create additional value for customers. The RUBY Check extension is an interface to check and evaluate all print inspection data easily from the office. Areas with insufficient quality can be marked and cut out fully automatically by a downstream slitter or doctor machine. In addition, the combination of machine data and inspection data in one platform enables the user to visualize correlations between print defects and machine parameters during production. In this way, it is possible to see whether a series of defects is caused by an increase in ink temperature, for example, or whether the web tension has been correctly adjusted on a roll that has wrinkles. “Understanding where the defects originate in the printing process is a necessary step towards consistent quality improvements. The next generation of print inspection systems will not differentiate by a higher camera resolution, but with more intelligent defect analysis and automated print corrections. Our VISION system in combination with RUBY is already laying the foundation for this,” comments Frederik Petzold before concluding “All solutions are certainly retrofittable.”.