Oosterhout, October 2011  - Q.I. Press Controls has been offering better results since 1996. We invite you to celebrate this milestone with us at IFRA Expo 2011

Q.I. Press Controls has used specially designed process analysis tools since 1996 to optimize the printing processes and system performances at customer sites worldwide. This resulted in cooperation’s between Q.I. Press Controls and her worldwide customers to come to innovative solutions in achieving waste reductions and process optimizations. Thanks to this intense cooperation with their clients, they know that their solutions will always result in lower cost and high quality newsprint. Q.I. Press Controls continuously listens, learns and innovates: for already more than 15 years. Therefore they always guarantee their clients “no good, money back”.

Also simplicity can lead to better results
In 2004 Q.I. Press Controls proudly released the next generation of analysis system: IQM. IQM automatically generates detailed reports on the total quality of productions instead of scanner measurement analysis information. The simplicity of the IQM not only provides detailed process information but also allows customers to optimize the printing processes themselves without the help of Q.I. Press Controls specialists.

Eye for optimization and savings
In March 2004 Q.I. Press Controls was the entrepreneur for measuring colour out of the printed image without the use of a colour bar combined with the identification of print defects and filed a worldwide patent for this functionality. The human eye uses three colour sensitive cones that correspond roughly to RGB which resulted in RGB as the worldwide standard for camera’s, monitors as well as print that uses CMY ink to visualize RGB. Therefore the only logical step to measure colour is by using RGB as well.
Q.I. Press Controls measures colours by using RGB matrix sensors with mathematical Neural Neugebauer algorithms using ICC profiles and digital print to split colours in 32 different channels for real spectral colour measurements. These 32 channels create colour values far within an accuracy of ?E1 which is a demand to comply to ISO standards. The camera is the only one in the industry using LED D50 light, polarizer’s and ideal black backing as required for ISO standards. The use of polarizer’s allows measuring wet ink with the same values as dry ink. This provides the flexibility of reading the different colours due to the drying process of ink anywhere in the web lead. This benefit combined with the capability of the camera’s to measure from an unsupported web creates multiple advantages. The installation does not require additional mechanical hardware on the press which prevents extra cost, installation time, maintenance cost, pollution in the print and waste due to extended web lengths. The light passing through the paper cannot be reflected by a supporting idler and therefore not disturb the measurement. Measuring from an unsupported web requires less camera cleaning since there are no air flow circulations with ink mist as appearing around idlers. To prevent long installation times the colour control system IDS does not require heavy cabinets to be located on the press due to the simplicity of the camera with powerful in house processing capacity. The low energy required by use of low energy electronic components and LED technology instead of Xenon lighting resulting in additional long term savings.

Detect and advise
Using RGB matrix sensor technology allows high resolution measurements. The IDS system measures with 400 DPI which allows to measure colour in small black text. Solutions such as 6 channel line scanners only measure with maximum 25 DPI or RGBI point scanners only measure with 6,25 DPI.
The expertise obtained in 7 years of successfully controlling print to ISO standards at multiple customer sites has not only resulted in a proven colour measuring technology but also in special controlling and alarming features. An example of a special feature is that the faults identified in print are not only translated to alarm messages but also to advise messages. The printer is for example alarmed for scumming or toning failures and at the same time advised to correct them by increasing water or decreasing ink. This prevents operator failures that result in waste and claims.

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