Automated Scanning System & Color Control Software for Offset Presses

PressLink combines our best-in-class automatic scanning color SpectroPhotometer, SpectroDrive, with color control software and hardware into an integrated closed loop color management solution. It’s installed and integrated with your press-side ink key console and moves the keys for you. It will eliminate the guesswork of color correction and reduce make ready times and the waste created from inferior production runs of all your offset presses. As your customers continue to demand greater color accuracy and color consistency from every new SKU, PressLink helps you maintain customer satisfaction.

With PressLink, you’ll how to stop turning away or losing offset business because you can’t meet a customer’s color specs or pricing expectations profitably. PressLink makes it possible to deliver the perfect printed piece at the right price and increase overall profitability of your entire press room. In fact, PressLink’s machine learning capabilities and efficiencies increase over time and the return-on-investment (see ROI calculator below) of an installation is typically less than 6 months! Integration with the press consoles of Akiyama, Ferrostaal, Heidelberg, KBA, Komori, Manroland, RM Machinery and Sakurai offset presses is achievable.

Calculate How Much You’ll Save With Automated Color Control

Our handy ROI calculator let’s you pump in a few numbers and see how it easy it is to pump up profits from an older press by “going closed-loop”. A PressLink system is a simple and affordable retrofit that pays back fast.

Try the Calculator >>

1. If you’re wondering how to automate color with PressLink, first, before the press run begins, an Ink Presetting module in PressLink’s Color Control Software will analyze the digital imposed image and automatically open and close the ink keys on press so the printed densities will be fairly even across the sheet at the start of the job.
2. While the press is running, a sheet is pulled and the SpectroDrive automatic color scanning spectrophotometer measures all ink zone locations in one single pass. These measurements are automatically sent to your PressLink closed loop color management software.
3. The color control software checks that the press is “printing to the numbers” correctly (density, TVI, graybalance, G7, CIELab, etc.) and, if not, automatically calculates and sends the necessary ink zone corrections directly to the press console.

The result is accurate and consistent color across the sheet, throughout the press run, across multiple press runs, and across multiple presses & press crews.

PressLink is available in 3 different configurations. All configurations include the same ink preset software, quality management software, PC with touchscreen display, and a hardware interface for communication with the make and model of your press.  Just choose the spectrophotometer solution that best meets your scanning and budget requirements and leave the rest to us.  We’ll come to your site for installation of the system, training of your staff, and optimization of the ink presetting system.

All solutions include PressLink’s closed loop Color Management software. The software gives operators quality control feedback during the run and can automatically adjust the ink keys to keep the colors on target during the press run. Current color values and trends are shown on the screen. Ink fountain adjustments are calculated by the software and sent to the press console. The console adjusts ink keys so that required density values are maintained for the entire press run.

Are you interested in a closed loop system, but wondering if it will work in your environment? Answer these basic questions and we’ll get you started: