System Brunner AG

The objective of the meeting was to have an open exchange of experiences between the staff of the event organizers and their customers, and also to learn what needs the leading users have in their day-to-day operations. Besides that, the delegates were informed about various projects and new developments. A highlight of this Users’ Meeting was a report on the launch of the new spectral scanner in November 2008 and the key customers received detailed technical information. This scanner replaces the inline video densitometer measurement system used up till now and together with Instrument Flight permits more precise color control due to the fact that additional colorimetrical measured data is now included in color control and extended colorimetrical reports are produced.

The CCS-IF system
The around 450 QuadTech color control systems combined with Instrument Flight (CCS-IF) installed so far on web offset presses worldwide record print data with a video densitometer that reads a control strip across the running paper web and not only in the solid ink densities of the CMYK colors but also in the tone value curve of all colors. The integrated Instrument Flight analysis and control system from System Brunner controls the ink zone slides in the printing units and regulates with priority on the gray balances taking into account tone value increases, overprint behavior, solid ink densities, etc. More than 30 parameters are used to carry out multidimensional color control that evens out the dynamics of the printing process, keeps the print result in balance, and thus achieves a constant picture impression. On the color display at the press control console, the printer sees the recommended regulations in every ink zone and when starting to print can see when he is within the standard and can then compare the printed sheet with the proof.

There are two reasons why video densitometer technology has been used so far. One is that the video camera precisely records the pixels in the measurement patches and can detect any deviations within the patches and automatically correct them. The other reason is that the video camera can record the micro-measurement strips fast enough because up to 15 measurement patches are simultaneously measured and processed. The speed of measurement data recording is becoming increasingly important because printing presses are becoming faster and wider all the time.

In recent years the use of spectrophotometrical measured data in the L*a*b* color space in prepress (e.g. proofing and profile creation) has continually increased and has also been adopted for international standards and industry standards. Therefore the recording of spectral measurements is increasingly demanded by users for communication between prepress and printing.

The SpectralCam
For a long time it was not possible with spectrophotometrical scanning to record the micro-measurement strips fast enough on a running web press and the measurement patches could only be measured one after the other. This is why QuadTech developed a spectral scanner for the CCS-IF system which has been provided as standard equipment for all systems since November 2008 under the name SpectralCam. SpectralCam contains two cameras. One video camera locates the measurement patches in the control strip and guides the spectral scanner. This also compensates for paper web deviations in the lateral direction and running direction. The spectral scanner can simultaneously record more than 10 measurement patches and is thus fast enough to record not only solid ink density but also the tone value curves. Instrument Flight now takes over the reflectance values and from these calculates the multifilter densities and the L*a*b* data.

Instrument Flight control includes colorimetry
A new feature however is that for the evaluation, besides the multifilter densities, Instrument Flight also includes the color locus of the printing inks in the regulation and so the proven regulation with the priority on balance is now supplemented by further parameters. In addition, the measured values can be analyzed with the QuadTech Data Central reporting software and displayed and printed out as L*a*b* and Delta E values in the form of a report. This colorimetry report not only serves as a quality control tool for the printer but if necessary can also be used as a quality verification instrument vis-à-vis the customer.

Exchange of experiences
QuadTech was represented at the highest level by Randall W. Freeman, Vice President of Business Development, and Greg Wuenstel, CCS System Product Manager, who expertly moderated the discussions with the users.
Here answers were given to practical questions that were asked by printers at the first Users’ Meeting (Deutscher Drucker No. 40/2007). For example, the undesirable oversteering of ink zone slides that leads to a sawtooth effect has been examined and remedies have been found.

Standardization in prepress and printing
Daniel Würgler, CEO of System Brunner, went into detail about how the Instrument Flight color control system has been expanded with colorimetrical information that has been added by spectral data acquisition. His talk was supplemented by Torsten Abele’s presentation of the new Print Expert Suite which consists of Proof Checker, Plate Checker, PrintCurve Checker and PrintChecker. Toralph Franz also explained the experiences System Brunner has had with the introduction of CCS-IF, and the benefits printing companies gain through training and check-up tests. Printers who achieve good results can be provided with System Brunner certification.

Printing inks
Gerry Schmidt from Sun Chemical gave a very interesting talk about the different demands that printers place on inks. He spoke about the many influencing variables involved in ink manufacturing and how these have an effect on rheology, opacity and thus the print results. He also showed how dependent the print result is on the dampening solution along with the paper and its structure. With the same inking settings on the press, different papers result in different densities, L*a*b* values and tone value increases.

The in-depth final discussion with the users showed the staff of QuadTech and System Brunner that with the addition of SpectralCam they are on the right track and that the colorimetrical expansion of the CCS-IF system is a valuable step forward for customers.

	2. CCS-IF Anwendertreffen in Volendam
	The objective of the meeting was to have an open exchange of experiences between the staff of the event organizers and their customers, and also to learn what needs the leading users have in their day-to-day operations. Besides that, the delegates were informed about various projects and new developments. A highlight of this Users’ Meeting was a report on the launch of the new spectral scanner in November 2008 and the key customers received detailed technical information. This scanner replaces the inline video densitometer measurement system used up till now and together with Instrument Flight permits more precise color control due to the fact that additional colorimetrical measured data is now included in color control and extended colorimetrical reports are produced. The CCS-IF system The around 450 QuadTech color control systems combined with Instrument Flight (CCS-IF) installed so far on web offset presses worldwide record print data with a video densitometer that reads a control strip across the running paper web and not only in the solid ink densities of the CMYK colors but also in the tone value curve of all colors. The integrated Instrument Flight analysis and control system from System Brunner controls the ink zone slides in the printing units and regulates with priority on the gray balances taking into account tone value increases, overprint behavior, solid ink densities, etc. More than 30 parameters are used to carry out multidimensional color control that evens out the dynamics of the printing process, keeps the print result in balance, and thus achieves a constant picture impression. On the color display at the press control console, the printer sees the recommended regulations in every ink zone and when starting to print can see when he is within the standard and can then compare the printed sheet with the proof. There are two reasons why video densitometer technology has been used so far. One is that the video camera precisely records the pixels in the measurement patches and can detect any deviations within the patches and automatically correct them. The other reason is that the video camera can record the micro-measurement strips fast enough because up to 15 measurement patches are simultaneously measured and processed. The speed of measurement data recording is becoming increasingly important because printing presses are becoming faster and wider all the time. In recent years the use of spectrophotometrical measured data in the Lab* color space in prepress (e.g. proofing and profile creation) has continually increased and has also been adopted for international standards and industry standards. Therefore the recording of spectral measurements is increasingly demanded by users for communication between prepress and printing. The SpectralCam For a long time it was not possible with spectrophotometrical scanning to record the micro-measurement strips fast enough on a running web press and the measurement patches could only be measured one after the other. This is why QuadTech developed a spectral scanner for the CCS-IF system which has been provided as standard equipment for all systems since November 2008 under the name SpectralCam. SpectralCam contains two cameras. One video camera locates the measurement patches in the control strip and guides the spectral scanner. This also compensates for paper web deviations in the lateral direction and running direction. The spectral scanner can simultaneously record more than 10 measurement patches and is thus fast enough to record not only solid ink density but also the tone value curves. Instrument Flight now takes over the reflectance values and from these calculates the multifilter densities and the Lab* data. Instrument Flight control includes colorimetry A new feature however is that for the evaluation, besides the multifilter densities, Instrument Flight also includes the color locus of the printing inks in the regulation and so the proven regulation with the priority on balance is now supplemented by further parameters. In addition, the measured values can be analyzed with the QuadTech Data Central reporting software and displayed and printed out as Lab* and Delta E values in the form of a report. This colorimetry report not only serves as a quality control tool for the printer but if necessary can also be used as a quality verification instrument vis-à-vis the customer. Exchange of experiences QuadTech was represented at the highest level by Randall W. Freeman, Vice President of Business Development, and Greg Wuenstel, CCS System Product Manager, who expertly moderated the discussions with the users. Here answers were given to practical questions that were asked by printers at the first Users’ Meeting (Deutscher Drucker No. 40/2007). For example, the undesirable oversteering of ink zone slides that leads to a sawtooth effect has been examined and remedies have been found. Standardization in prepress and printing Daniel Würgler, CEO of System Brunner, went into detail about how the Instrument Flight color control system has been expanded with colorimetrical information that has been added by spectral data acquisition. His talk was supplemented by Torsten Abele’s presentation of the new Print Expert Suite which consists of Proof Checker, Plate Checker, PrintCurve Checker and PrintChecker. Toralph Franz also explained the experiences System Brunner has had with the introduction of CCS-IF, and the benefits printing companies gain through training and check-up tests. Printers who achieve good results can be provided with System Brunner certification. Printing inks Gerry Schmidt from Sun Chemical gave a very interesting talk about the different demands that printers place on inks. He spoke about the many influencing variables involved in ink manufacturing and how these have an effect on rheology, opacity and thus the print results. He also showed how dependent the print result is on the dampening solution along with the paper and its structure. With the same inking settings on the press, different papers result in different densities, Lab* values and tone value increases. The in-depth final discussion with the users showed the staff of QuadTech and System Brunner that with the addition of SpectralCam they are on the right track and that the colorimetrical expansion of the CCS-IF system is a valuable step forward for customers.
	© System Brunner AG, CH-6600-Locarno