The starting point for this integrated system is A B Graphic International Ltd’s Omega 330 module which incorporates pneumatic unwind mandrel with auto-brake tension control, inspection table and electronic guidance controls.

Comments Tony Bell, Sales Manager “Our design team, along with the people at Flytec, worked closely with the personnel at Labelgraphics to ensure the
Omega and Flytec combination would accurately meet their expectations of zero defect tolerance at a reasonable cost”.

Mr. Robert Dams, Flytec’s Sales Manager adds, “the fleyeVision system is mounted above the Omega inspection table and once the machine has been powered up, reference images with printing tolerances are loaded into the system. A 100% inspection of the printed output is initiated with the start of the electronic controller. When a flaw is detected, the machine is slowed and the web stops with the defective image in a pre-defined position. Any further errors occurring in this phase are stored in the system’s memory. As soon as the defective image has reached the stop position it is displayed on the screen for correction by the operator.”

Labelgraphics is an established supplier of labels to the high-end wine, spirit and pharmaceutical and packaging markets. States Mr. Alex Mulvaney, MD, “the cost penalty of not providing 100% inspection and validation of our finished product is not an option. Should just one label be off specification, the chances are we would see the rejection and return of the entire job lot. Our workload demands that we operate three shifts a day. Because of the high level of 100% visual inspection required, the Omega/Flytec system operates continuously, hence, the need for a second inspection device. Due to the reliability and the performance of the equipment plus the service support provided by A B Graphic International Ltd, the decision to purchase a second Omega machine was a simple and straight forward one.”

Concludes Mr. Bell, “the days of inspection and verification via manual or strobe light means are essentially over. Today it is crucial for profitable printers and converters to provide 100% quality assurance at speeds of up to 250 m/min to meet the demands for today’s defect-free product, short runs and JIT delivery”.