GERMANY • Bsb Label is one of two beta site customers to participate in a field test of BST eltromat’s Powerscope 5000 web monitoring system. The new system for narrow and medium-width printing processes was redeveloped by BST eltromat, following the previous version, the Powerscope 4000.
Book, screen, flexo, and digital printing – with its ten printing machines featuring various technologies, bsb label GmbH can offer its customers range of features regarding labeling, marking, and decorating products. “In eight of our ten printing machines, BST eltromat’s web guiding systems ensure that the printed material passes perfectly,” states Brigitte Alers, managing director of the Bielefeld-based roll label specialist. “In addition to that, we verify the print quality in three machines using the manufacturer’s video systems.” The Bsb Label systems from BST eltromat are also used for the high-speed stamping presses from Feldbaum + Vogt and inside the converting machines of Grafisk Maskinfabrik.
The partnership of these two companies goes back to 2008. At that time, Bsb Label replaced the web edge guiding systems and web monitoring in its narrow-web Gallus ECS 340 flexo printing machine with solutions from BST eltromat. “Our sister company Bsb Proprint had been using systems from BST eltromat for years already,” shares Alers, remembering how their relationship came about.
Since the end of 2014, Bsb Label has been using the Shark 4000 LEX 100% inspection system to inspect large label rolls in a production machine. The system inspects the labels on the rolls to see if they correspond to the reference labels and verifies that the matrix are properly removed.
In spring of 2016, BST eltromat asked Bsb Label if it would be interested in participating in a beta test of its Powerscope 5000 digital web monitoring system, which was new at the time. Then in mid-2016 it was installed in the Gallus ECS 340. Peter Bellmann, Bsb Label’s head of printing department, refers to the importance of quality assurance in label production: “Many customers expect us to have complete control over their products”.
New web monitoring system
The new system for narrow and medium-width printing processes, which was presented at drupa in 2016, was redeveloped by BST eltromat. According to the company, compared to the previous version (the Powerscope 4000), key components were to be improved, starting with the traverse where the camera is mounted and positioned in the printing machines, to the camera and software, which included the user interface.
“With the Powerscope 5000, BST eltromat simplified the user interface to include only the necessary functions, which resulted in a clean design,” points out Daniel Dießelhorst, who is responsible for strategic purchasing at Bsb bentlage, remarking on the system’s improvements. Machine operators only need to enter a few application parameters into the menu, such as format lengths and widths. They can accomplish that by selecting shortcut keys on the external keyboard or by using the multitouch screen.
Running with up to five job changeovers daily on this machine, the new solution reduces the number of work steps required. “We can save settings, such as camera positions with image sections or the zoom factor, and then access these again at any time. The camera automatically moves to the corresponding positions. We need one to two minutes at most to set up the system for each job,” says Bellmann.
Quality control
The split-screen function enables machine operators to contrast paused live images from the production process with reference images on the 21.5” wide multitouch screen. According to the company it also allows paused images to be compared with the live images, and for image sections to be enlarged with the wear-free, electronic zoom, free of distortions. This makes is easier to view the details of the printed labels, such as the quality of the registers, and to detect irregularities. Also the punching lines are set to be clearly visible. The digital camera provides high resolution, while the high-performance LED flash illuminates the webs.
According to the company it is possible that Bsb Label will modify further printing machines with the Powerscope 5000. “With our high production speeds, our printers need systems that reliably detect print quality, including the register.” states Bellmann.