Based on AVT’s trusted, market-proven Helios product line, AVT Helios D is a superior automatic 100% print inspection solution designed to meet the unique needs of labels and narrow web digital print jobs. Helios D supports every stage in the digital production workflow, starting with missing nozzle detection in the printing stage, to comprehensive print quality and process control.
Helios D automatically inspects printed labels or packages for defects and imperfections, delivering exceptional quality results and eliminating customer rejections, raising the bar on automatic print inspection.
Easily installed on any digital press, Helios D immediately identifies defects, such as missing nozzles, spots, substrate damages and color changes as soon as they occur. The process effectively reduces waste, enhances production performance and over time, provides comprehensive inkjet print head status monitoring.
Further, Helios D is designed to work seamlessly on any application and substrate – from food and beverages to pharmaceuticals, label stock to transparent film, or on any highly-reflective foil.
Helios D allows operators to take corrective measures at the very start of a defect, before waste becomes widespread, including a preventive maintenance scheduler tool which continuously tracks the inkjet print heads.
Helios D is equipped with advanced algorithms to detect specific digital defects, including streaks, non-uniform colors and ink dripping on top of other common print defects, such as Die-cut register and Matrix removal. Once a defect has been detected, a pop-up screen appears, while traffic lights indicate the severity of the defect, enabling operators to take immediate action. The system also detects other label-related defects, such as missing labels, text defects, color variations, mis-registrations, mis-prints, spots and splashes, die-cut registration and more.
An advanced setup and press maintenance solution, Helios D is designed to reduce setup time, minimize waste and manage press-related problems prior to running a job. Proprietary AVT calibration targets are printed, giving operators real-time analysis of all quality parameters in a single file, saving significant time in comparing each parameter separately.
When installed on a printing press, Helios D operates as an inline quality assurance and process control solution, alerting on potential print problems and recording every relevant defect. Via an integrated reporting mechanism from press to rewinder, the WorkFlow Link module (optional) is later used for downstream repair on the finishing machine or in quality reports for the end-user. Helios D is also equipped with a built-in PrintFlow module, where operators use inline reporting to review job/order/roll reports, edit and export to digital files, or print reports for later material handling.
Supports shorts runs and print on demand, the key benefits of digital printing. By inspecting each individual label, tracking barcodes and detecting digital defects, Helios D allows customers to enjoy the real benefits of digital printing.
With fast and easy automated setup time of one minute or less, clear and concise pop-up messages and smart alerts, Helios D allows operators to take immediate action once a defect starts, minimizing waste and managing press-related problems prior to running a job.
Equipped with a built-in PrintFlow module, Helios D efficiently handles all data archiving and reporting, including detailed information about the status of inkjet print heads.
Supports all label stock, paper and plastic label stock, flexible, transparent & opaque films, paper & cartons, and thick embossed metalized foils, as well as highly reflective holographic foils and laminates.
Significantly reduces waste and production costs, decreases re-prints, and boosts overall productivity and efficiency.
To prevent costly production errors, job verification is performed early in the process, during the setup stage. AVT’s verification toolset includes a robust PDF comparison module that compares every new job to the original PDF digital file or to the previously saved master image in case of re-runs.
AVT’s barcode and variable data verification enables label printers to inspect and verify 100% of the printed 1D and 2D codes as well as human readable items. It detects and alerts on any duplications, missing codes, barcode quality and readability, or any other code validity concerns. The system can compare and validate printed codes against the original database and export complete reports per roll or job.
Possibly the most important component of any print job is its workflow – the key to streamlining and standardizing the steps required to carry out a task. AVT Helios D’s range of workflow modules help speed up overall print production via seamless transfer of quality data from the press to the rewinder, to efficiently remove defective material. AVT Workflow Link automatically stops the rewinder at the relevant defect location, saving valuable time and resources and automating the quality assurance process.
In order to efficiently collect, analyze and edit the quality PrintFlow data collected by the Helios D inspection platforms, a data management tool (PrintFlow Manager) provides key users with remote data access directly from their desktop. A central automatic storage of job data and roll reports, AVT PrintFlow Central supports central backup of all data, enabling continuous availability of inspection data at all times for analysis, management and complete workflow downstream.
The success of any print production process rests on process automation. To ensure quick and secure system setup, save production time and ensure consistent quality standards, several AVT Helios D modules were designed. Modules include communication with existing MIS (ERP) systems in the production facility and remote system setup using offline setup utilities to prepare jobs in advance. This is achieved through connectivity with Esko’s automation engine and pre-press to enable fully-automated setup and inspection for both conventional and digital presses.
An integral part of the print inspection process, inline color monitoring and measurement offers a variety of modules to support the workflow. Inline Delta E color monitoring enables a simple, standard method of alerting on color deviation during print run. In parallel, an inline spectrophotometer delivers real inline, ISO standard, dual-beam spectral color measurements on existing color targets or in image areas for absolute, accurate L*a*b*, density and dot gain measurement with enhanced reporting and a complete color workflow.
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