BST launches inspection products at Labelexpo Americas

The launches are being show in booth 837, along with the entire portfolio of products for narrow web applications sold by BST North America.  

WideArray Edge Sensors

BST North America is using Labelexpo to demonstrate the many possible uses in narrow web applications for its AccuWeb brand WideArray edge sensors, which are now available with the company’s line of Compact Guides for narrow and mid web applications, and to demonstrate a new interface that allows WideArray sensors to be retrofitted and used with the companies ekr500 digital controllers.

WideArray sensors feature large detection ranges – up to 18.5in – to accommodate variations in web width. As a result, web widths can be changed on the fly, eliminating the need to physically reposition edge sensors, which means time-savings and reduced downtime, says the company. They also allow the operator to change web position with the touch of a button.

Every WideArray sensor features AccuWeb’s patented Compensated Array Technology, which automatically compensates for dust, changes in temperature and humidity, as well as web flutter and passline variances, along with other environmental factors. As a result, the Infrared WideArray is suited to non-woven applications, where dust and lint are common problems.

New DualEdge Technology allows a single WideArray edge sensor to monitor both edges of the width web simultaneously, for highly accurate centerline guiding of web widths up to 18.4 inches. They are used with the EVO 150 controller, a very compact package that offers many communication protocols, and is capable of oscillation, electronic guide point adjustment, web width measurement and web position monitoring.

Powerscope 5000 web viewing system

Powerscope 5000 is the next generation of BST’s widely used narrow web visual inspection system. It is a basic web viewing system, but super compact so it can easily fit on narrow web presses with minimal effort. Over 15,000 units have been sold since the first Powerscope was first introduced twenty years ago.

Among the improvements to the Powerscope 5000 is in image quality, thanks to its new high resolution 16 Mb digital camera. The result is detailed images of the moving web essential for viewing and inspection of register marks, traps, die-cuts, reverse print, tiny type and many other print attributes. The camera has a field of view of 4in x 3in, and can zoom into an area as small as 1in x 0.75in, providing 35x magnification.

Other improvements to the new Powerscope include a high performance LED strobe as standard, which provides even illumination across the entire field of view even on reflective substrates; a 24 volt power supply, which adds yet another element of simplification to the installation; and 90 degree electronic image rotation.

Auto Constant Scan allows a user to inspect portions or all of the print repeat area at the touch of a single icon. While the manual Powerscope contains ACS in machine direction only, the Powerscope mot contains ACS both across the web and in machine direction.  Using the On Screen Settings, the operator can also select the preferred inspection pattern.An optional 21” touch screen is available, which uses “gesture” controls for the operator controls and eliminates the use of any mouse or pointing device.

The Powerscope 5000 is available with either manual or motorized camera movement.  Both allow the touch commander and or the touch screen to be mounted in a variety of ways, allowing the inspection system to be easily mounted on a wide variety of machines.

TubeScan Eagle View

Tubescan EagleView is the newest model within the Tubescan 100 percent inspection product line. Tubescan EagleView has two cameras in a single housing. One camera provides 100 percent inspection of the material, while the second camera, which is on a moving traverse, simultaneously provides highly magnified images of any area or detail within the print repeat.  

The detail viewing camera allows looking at areas of 1.25in x 1in, at a resolution of 1,600 x 1,200 pixels, and would be used to look at register marks, traps, reverse print, slur marks and other important print quality indicators.

The camera housing footprint is compact and requires only 5in in web running direction, and is only 12in tall.

Tubescan EagleView models are available for webs from 10in to 22in (250mm to 550mm) at running speeds up to 820 feet per minute (250 m/min), and will perform 100 percent inspection and identify defects as fine as 0.3 sq mm (dependent on web width).

iPQ WorkFlow

Once a facility has begun using 100 percent inspection, it can then begin to integrate and link the various machines (presses, slitters, doctor machines, laminators), processes (printing, converting, finishing) and departments (pre-press, production, quality control) in the plant, which is done with a workflow product. iPQ Workflow is a complete package of products for this purpose from BST North America, which is used with the company’s Shark 4000 LEX and iPQ-Check 100 percent inspection systems

iPQ Workflow enables assessment, correction and efficient removal of defects, allows for data sharing among machines and departments, helps to simplify finishing processes and helps standardize and streamline quality control from pre-press to shipping of finished product.