Zero defect production: new inline inspection system from Heidelberg

The print media industry frequently faces demands for high quality in combination with ever shorter throughput times, complex products, or just-in-time production. Any company wishing to be successful here needs a digitized and automated control systems that goes well beyond manual quality assurance methods, since even the smallest printing defects can cause significant costs and damage a print shop’s image.

Zero defect production and timely detection of printing defects are therefore becoming more and more important for industrial packaging, label, and premium commercial print shops. With the new generation of the inline inspection system Prinect Inspection Control 2 from Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg), print shops can now realize maximum reliability of productivity and quality in their day-to-day production. Prinect Inspection Control 2 thus ensures zero defect production, an aspect which Heidelberg will be addressing both at the Interpack trade fair in Düsseldorf and at the subsequent Packaging Days in Wiesloch-Walldorf. Both events will be taking place under the motto “Smart Print Shop – Zero Defect Packaging”.

Prinect Inspection Control 2 is now available for the Speedmaster XL 75, CX 102, XL 106, XL 145, and XL 162 model ranges with coating unit.

High level of automation through integration into the workflow

The Prinect Inspection Control 2 concept is based on a completely new hardware and software platform. It uses two high-resolution color cameras that inspect the full sheet at high speed without any loss of quality and point out any defects to the operator in real time.
Prinect Inspection Control 2 is fully integrated into the coating unit and thus offers ultimate protection against dust and splash waster. All electronic components are temperature-controlled via the connection to the inking unit temperature control for the best possible inspection results and a long service life.

Prinect Inspection Control 2 can be extended with two software options depending on additional quality and safety requirements. For example, the setup time can be shortened by automatically transferring inspection areas from the prepress stage (“Preset Inspect” option) or the system can be equipped with a PDF inspection function (“PDF Verification” option). With the “PDF Verification” option, a comparison with the prepress PDF is automatically performed during the setup process. This enables defects to be detected at an early stage and follow-up costs to be avoided.

Photo: Print shops can now realize maximum reliability of productivity and quality with the new generation of the inline inspection system Prinect Inspection Control 2. It uses two high-resolution color cameras that inspect the full sheet.

Prinect Inspection Control 2 automatically generates a digital reference sheet once production of good sheets begins, and every sheet is checked inline. The smallest defects like hickeys, missing print, streaks, smudging, and scumming are immediately detected and shown on the Wallscreen XL. The start and end of defective sheets are automatically marked by the tape inserter integrated into the delivery for further production reliability.

Complete integration into the workflow permits automatic assignment of all necessary job data, inspection areas, or the digital reference sheet. The operator can concentrate fully on the press, and is not preoccupied by time-consuming setup processes. After the job is completed, quality reports are automatically generated on a job-specific basis in the Prinect Analyze Point for tracking purposes.

Ease of operation combined with maximum inspection quality

Prinect Inspection Control 2 features automated and self-explanatory operation via Wallscreen XL. For different quality requirements, the printer can choose between five inspection tolerances that can be automatically loaded from the prepress stage. Printing defects that occur are shown on the Wallscreen sorted by their size and assigned to the position on the sheet so that the operator can immediately detect the defect – all in real time. The optimized sheet guide together with the LED illumination and continuous paper white measurement guarantees first-class inspection results with a minimum of maintenance.

First users report improved quality and cost savings through inline quality monitoring

Aug. Heinrigs, part of the RLC Packaging Group, is one of the first users of the new Prinect Inspection Control 2 on a Speedmaster XL 106-8+LYYL. The company mainly produces premium packagings for confectionery manufacturers and cosmetics at its location in Aachen. “Prinect Inspection Control 2 offers us added peace of mind in the production of premium packagings,” confirms Print Process Manager Daniel Blatt.

“Continuous monitoring of the printing process means that defects are detected immediately, and the operator can respond straight away. Our experience with the system has been very positive, because even the smallest defects that would normally go undetected are found. It goes without saying that this significantly reduces the risk of paper waste and complaints. Comprehensive quality documentation in the Analyze Point also enables complete transparency across the entire run.”

Novaprint in Oldenburg, a member of the Bagel-Packaging Group, is another of the first print shops to use Prinect Inspection Control 2. The company produces high-quality security labels as well as labels for the food and beverage industry using sheet and roll offset printing, and specializes in promotional packagings.

Photo: Novaprint in Oldenburg also uses Prinect Inspection Control 2. Production Manager Marco Berg (right) notes that the automated PDF comparison with the prepress data saves lots of time, particularly for printing forms with a large number of similar labels.

“The automated PDF comparison feature lets us perform a comparison with the prepress data during setup, which saves us a lot of time on the Speedmaster CX 102-8+L,” says Production Manager Marco Berg.

“This is a huge advantage, particularly for printing forms with a lot of similar labels, and substantially reduces the printer’s workload. We also use the presetting data from the prepress stage for the inspection. This speeds up the setup process and focuses the inspection within the punch contour on relevant defects in the repeat.”

According to Berg, the printers enjoy working with the system because it is highly automated and easy to use. As a result, Inspection Control 2 is used in every job for PDF inspection and production monitoring.

Press Release: Heidelberg