DEFECT DETECTION AND PREVENTION

Overview
PREMIUS digital 3Chip
PREMIUS digital 3Chip Testimonials Page

PREMIUS digital 3Chip

WORLDS FIRST DIGITAL 3 CHIP INSPECTION &
PRINT PROCESS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
System Provides Eight Technical Advantages Over Competitive Systems

BST International, and it's US subsidiary company, BST Pro Mark, have introduced PREMIUS digital 3Chip, the worlds first web inspection and print process management system to use a digital 3chip camera.

The new system is also the worlds first to integrate digital camera technology, a digital interface, 3chip resolution and a new extra large field-of-view. This unique combination of state-of-the-art technologies allows PREMIUS digital 3Chip to harness the full power of process management (defect detection, color monitoring, etc.) as never before, while making huge strides in operator functionality and ease of use.

For example: defect detection on the entire repeat can now be performed 4 times faster than before. The amount of material inspected (sampling ratio) is also improved by a factor of 4. Defects are found and corrected far more quickly, resulting in less waste and greater productivity from the press.

PREMIUS digital 3Chip uses a digital 3 chip camera with 4.2 megapixel resolution, which is more than 300% better than all other systems on the market, including the finest 3 chip analog systems with analog data transfer. To the user this means image quality that is photographic, with crisp detail, sharp contrast and rich vibrant color.

The new camera technology employed has many other benefits. The unique combination of camera and other technologies reproduces colors on the monitor precisely as they are printed on the web. Finally, the new camera technology has a direct impact on process management functions – resulting in defect detection and color monitoring that is more powerful, capable and reliable than ever before; and finds defects other systems do not find.

For example : the high resolution of the camera is ideally suited for identification of extremely fine doctor blade streaks or haze that is all but invisible to the naked eye. The improved resolution detects difficult as well as other more common defects, with greater ease, reliability and accuracy.

Enlargement of the above image illustrates the significantly improved detail and contrast that comes from a digital 3 chip camera. The left image was made using a 3 chip camera with analog data transfer (ADT) used in high end video systems and the right image was made with the digital 3 chip camera with digital data transfer (DDT) used in Premius Digital 3 Chip.

The new camera technology used in PREMIUS digital 3Chip also features a Dynamic Range – the ability to show light and dark detail at the same time - that is substantially better than any system made. This allows sharp contrast along the entire color spectrum, and in particular at the high and low ends where it is most useful to a printer, resulting in superior, more reliable print defect detection.

For example: the system is more effective at seeing variations and detecting defects or color changes in areas of very low contrast, such as red overprint on a black background, or white print on a clear film substrate.

Automatic color monitoring too, is greatly improved by the use of the new camera technology. With three times as many pixels to manage color, PREMIUS digital 3 Chip will sense far more subtle color differences and gradiations (vignettes) than any system on the market.

Enlargements of images captured using these cameras test patters illustrate the superior performance of a 3 chip digital camera. The left image is from an analog 3 chip camera with analog data transfer and the right image is from the Premius Digital 3Chip camera with digital data transfer (DDT).

A common and troublesome problem with analog defect detection systems is the loss of data that occurs during image capture and processing. But because PREMIUS digital 3Chip uses Digital Data Transfer (DDT) technology, zero information is lost during image capture and processing. The data stream is pure, resulting in greater accuracy and reliability for all process management functions such as defect detection, color monitoring, bar code verificaiton or register pre-setting.

PREMIUS digital 3Chip also offers a dramatic improvement in functionality for the operator. A new 330mm X 440mm (17 ½ " X 13") "extra large" field-of-view is now offered as an option. This is a 42% improvement over the largest field of view previousely offered and four times larger than the standard field of view for the competition. A new Electronic Loupe provides 32 times magnification for viewing details.

Because PREMIUS digital 3Chip uses such a high resolution digital camera, 30"- 40 " flat screen displays can now be effectively used for viewing purposes. For the first time ever, print from the web can be displayed to the operator at full size and with sufficient resolution to see detail and color just as they would with the naked eye. This is expected to have an enormous impact in the press room as operators will for the first time ever, be able to look at the printed web at full size without having to stop the press.

Better Technology Means Better Results Let Us Show You Precisely How

PREMIUS digital 3Chip outperforms and is technologically superior to all competitive systems in eight important ways. Use this link (rquest a sales call) to ask your local BST Pro Mark sales person to visit you and explain the differences in detail.

Effective Print Process Control and Improved Print Quality,
In Real Time
Premius Digital 3 Chip is a print management system that begins with full visual inspection capabilities.  Using our unique Virtual Repeat™ Technology, the operator is able to see and easily navigate about the entire print repeat at the touch of a button.

There are significant benefits from having a powerful visual inspection capability on your press.  Because the press operator can clearly see images of the print, in real time and magnified up to twenty times -- they can control and reduce streaking, hickeys, voids, chalking, halation, moiré and fill-in very effectively.  Corrective action can be made in real time at full press speed.  The net result is a reduction in overall press waste and in improvement in overall press quality, with little additional effort.

An Expandable Platform That Can Grow As You Grow
PREMIUS digital 3Chip is by design an expandable platform that can grow with your business.  As your needs change, so can your print management system.  Add Defect Detection, Color Monitoring, Bar Code Verification, Register Pre-Setting, Reporting or Front-To-Back Image Overlay as the need arises.  You invest in technology customized to your specific needs and that will be functional for a long, long time.

“Smart” Visual Capabilities
Premius Digital 3 Chip has a comprehensive standard package of “smart” visual inspection capabilities that make it easier for your operators to manage print quality on press in real time:

• Auto Constant Scan (ACS)
• Automatic Image Centering
• Quick Zoom
• Two Touch Camera Navigation
• Positional Memory
• Split Screen
• Job Save

Combine this with a unique graphic interface that can be learned in a snap and you have an extremely intuitive and equally powerful press room tool that will impact the bottom line on every job.

Premius Digital 3 Chip will allow you to achieve all the benefits of both visual inspection technology and advanced print process management, allowing you to use your press to its optimal productive value on every job, every day.

Download application stories on Premius Digital 3 Chip

Following are summaries of the optional software modules available:

Color Monitoring Increase print color consistency by monitoring real time color against a preset standard, with user defined tolerances, alarm values and color space selection. Package includes color space data in: CIELab, CIELab ƒ¢E, HSI, and RGB. This is proven color technology. We pioneered on press color monitoring in 1996 and have over 1,000 installations world wide.  In 2004, independent tests were undertaken to study the correlation of color results between Premius Digital 3 Chip and a spectrodensitometer. The results, presented at the FTA Forum, found almost a perfect correlation between color data from a spectrodensitometer and the Premius Digital system.  No other system in the world has had it’s color effectiveness measured and confirmed as effective by an independent study such as this. Click here to request a copy of the full study.
Bar Code Monitoring Identify print problems with bar codes on the fly and allow press operators to correct them immediately. This program monitors the quality of printed bar codes (UPC, UPC-A, EAN, I2 Of 5) printed in either ladder or picket fence orientation. An on-screen display reports the quality reading and the acceptability of the code. When problems are found, an alarm alerts the operator and displays the problem area, allowing isolation and correction of problems with bar codes before they contaminate the run! The previous 100 inspection results are graphically displayed in a real time histogram.
Automatic Defect Detection Premius Digital 3 Chip system performs high resolution defect detection over the entire repeat area, automatically. The use of digital images and digital signal transmission technology results in a system insensitive to electronic noise and ambient light. Premius Digital 3 Chip utilizes powerful algorithms which allow it to automatically detect a variety of common print defects such as streaks, hickeys, voids, spots, haze, mis-register, missing type and fill-in. Powerful defect management software allows you to determine if and when a particular defect should be flagged or defined as acceptable; or to select certain areas of the job for more or less comprehensive inspection. Highly advanced algorithms compensate for stretch, skewing, stretch and snap-back common with extensible films. Advanced Image-Lock with Global positioning lock guarantees a steady image, automatically stabilizes any possible image-offset on the screen and deploys a Trigger-Tracking facility to automatically correct image drifting caused by web tension variation.
Register Pre-Setting For Flexo CI Presses One of the most effective ways to improve productivity of a Flexographic Central impression press is to reduce the time in make-ready. By incorporating this remarkable technology, the process of bringing a new job into correct registration can be accomplished in less than half a minute. A research study done in conjunction with the Flexographic Technical Association and presented at their Forum 2002, determined that the average converter using this technology saves three minutes and 1100 feet of material, per job. They also gained 8 minutes of billable time, per job. Request a copy of the full study The time savings produced by the register control system can be expected to translate directly into additional productive hours. Because make-ready will now be accomplished in substantially less time, you will be able to produce more product on this press, resulting in greater overall productivity and throughput. Utilizing this new technology will enable you to bring jobs into register more quickly. As a result, your total cost to produce each job will decrease and your gross profit margin per job will increase.
Job and Roll Reporting Generating comprehensive reports on the quality of print from a press is easy. Our new reporting function automatically generates job and roll reports, provides a comprehensive statistical analysis of the job and a detailed statistical and informational analysis of each roll that comprised the job. For example: the bar code section of the report provides the grade distribution and shows the average grade produced, the amount of material that did not meet the defined quality parameters, and the user settings. Following the overall job report are individual reports for each roll that made up the job. The roll reports contain much greater detail on quality parameters and on every specific ?gevent?h that occurred as the job was produced. Job and roll reporting can be an important part of a TQM system and can be actively used to evaluate overall quality performance and define areas for improvement.

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