Consistent quality inspection

MORE than half of automatic inspection/quality designs installed around the world are from AVT (Advanced Vision Technology) Ltd, one of the top providers of print process control, quality assurance and colour control for the packaging, labels, folding cartons, metal decoration and commercial print markets. Last year, the company debuted several cutting-edge solutions for digital printing at LabelExpo Americas, including the ZeroSet Automated Inspection Workflow for digital presses.

 

Most recently, its Argus Turbo 100% print inspection system was installed on 10 colour printing presses at Western Concord Manufacturing, a vertically integrated film extrusion, print and converting company based in Vancouver, Canada. Marketing manager Guy Yogev talks to FPMJ about the company’s inspection systems which incorporate into any automated production line.

 

How long has AVT been in the business of print inspection and verification? 

AVT has been in the business of print inspection and verification for the last 22 years. We are the market leader in print inspection in the packaging and labels market, specializing in print inspection, press controls and inline color measurement and management, with more than 3,500 print inspection platforms installed worldwide.

 

Based on your experience with customers, what problems do they usually encounter in production as far as inspection is concerned? 

The two major aspects of inspection during the manufacturing process are process control and quality assurance. Starting from job verification against the original approved digital file in order to make sure the right job is printed and manufactured, through the ability to detect evolving print problems very early in the process.  This saves material waste and valuable time, resulting in 100% quality assurance and insuring defect-free material sent to brand owners.  

 

Although most printers and converters today are aware of the solutions available, some companies still do not take full advantage of print inspection in their production processes. The main concern to brand owners would be the quality level they get, the consistency of product quality and brand colours from various providers and differing orders throughout the year.

 

For printers, the cost of error is very significant – the need to re-print due to errors is very costly and painful in terms of wasted material, machine time and wages, not to mention less jobs that could have been printed and converted per day. The ability to provide high and consistent quality can be the difference between getting more jobs and customers or being rejected as an accepted provider.

 

Please tell us more about AVT’s full automated inspection and verification system.

As digital printing becomes a significant tool in packaging and labels, print inspection tailored to these specific needs was developed by AVT and made available to serve various markets and applications. 

 

Digital printing enables printing very short runs and adds variable data printing abilities into packaging applications. Both issues are also part of the AVT offering, with Zero-Set automatic setup developed with Esko, and variable data inspection of variable codes and numbers in parallel to 100% print inspection.

 

AVT is a partner of HP Indigo and was selected as the inspection provider of choice for the full line of HP Indigo presses, which print products ranging from narrow web and labels to wide web flexible packaging and folding cartons. When it comes to inkjet based presses, AVT provides an integrated press control solution to quality control to the print nozzles and other essential factors during the printing process. Both Landa and Gallus-Heidelberg had chosen AVT as their providers for press control and quality assurance solution for digital inkjet presses.

 

What are the main features, and how do they benefit companies with markets in the food & beverage industry? 

AVT digital solutions offer close-loop benefits that ensure efficient calibration process, colour uniformity and quality of the printed nozzles.  This makes it feasible to make even very short runs commercially viable. 

 

Does the system integrate easily to an existing production line? 

Yes indeed.  In addition to integrated closed-loop solutions that are being incorporated into the inspections systems of new machines, AVT also offers solutions such as Helios to any customer with a digital press.  In either scenario, implementation is smooth, quick, and fully supported by AVT’s team of experts. 

 

Do you see the market growing for inspection systems like these in Asia? 

Absolutely.  Based on 2014 sales, we see that the demand for digital solution is growing steadily in Asia. This is coming through in the resources dedicated to Asia, meaning that digital vendors are adding more and more sales forces in these regions.  As digital becomes more available and the cost-per-copy of digital becomes more comparable, it will grow even further in Asia.