QuadTech, Inc has announced the availability of its new TouchRegister module for use with its web viewing system, which enables fast and accurate register setting for CI flexo presses.
The module is available as an option and adds functionality to the web viewing system by bringing up to 12 colours into register automatically, saving time and waste. Typically, bringing a CI press into register manually can take 15 minutes with hundreds of metres of substrate wasted.
The web viewing system can capture a predetermined register mark for each colour and display them on the monitor while the press is stopped. The operator then adjusts the positions of the dots on the monitor. When the press is restarted, TouchRegister automatically brings the press into perfect register, to a tolerance of 50 microns. The ability to make adjustments with the press stopped dramatically reduces start-up waste.
Once in register, CI presses tend not to drift out of register, and the web viewing system can detect print faults before they can be seen by the human eye, up to an optical magnification of 16x. Register can also be adjusted at any time during the print run.
‘For converters, addressing the issues of make-ready time and waste directly impacts profit margins and the bottom line,’ said Randy Freeman, general manager of packaging. ‘By adding TouchRegister to the web viewing system production, efficiency, and profitability are immediately addressed and many companies can find they have more press time available for additional jobs.’
