Esempi di
applicazioni
Rexam Graphics automates data
collection using the Wedge
Over the past 60 years, Rexam
Graphics, South Hadley, MA, has become a world leading manufacturer
of electronic imaging materials which include precision-coated
papers and films for color printing, plotting and copying
technologies. Rexam manufactures and supplies products to some of
the world's largest color printer equipment manufacturers, and
continues to be a major supplier of microfilm, conductive film and
phototool products worldwide.
Since color tolerances in
electronic imaging materials are tight and quality control is
critical, Rexam maintains high quality standards during their
manufacturing and R&D processes. With that superior quality goal in
mind, Rexam constantly monitors color, color change and overall
color gamut for consistency, durability, and overall color fidelity.
Color Quality System
Troy McBride, an engineer with Rexam,
developed a Microsoft Excel-based automated data collection system
for product testing. His operating system is Windows 95. The
automated system ensures efficiency, accuracy and consistency in
manufacturing and R&D. The system utilizes Model 938
spectrodensitometers and Model 301 densitometers by X-Rite
Corporation, Grandville, MI. Designed for the printing industry, the
spectrodensitometer combines the capabilities of a spectrophotometer,
a colorimeter, and a densitometer in a single color measurement
instrument. The spectrodensitometer measures and calculates data,
and converts it into different numeric color expressions. The
densitometer measures color characteristics such as density, dot,
trap, hue error/grayness, and print contrast.
The X-Rite instruments offer serial
(RS232) output, therefore allowing direct connection to PC com ports.
To complete the automated data collection system, McBride uses
SoftwareWedge for Windows Standard version (WinWedge) by TAL
Technologies, Inc. which serves as the interface between the
instruments and his Excel-based system. WinWedge parses and filters
the data from the instruments to ensure that only the necessary data
is transmitted in the proper format to the Excel spreadsheet.
To further ease the data collection
and analysis process, McBride developed a series of Excel templates
for each of the different instruments and applications. To use the
templates, the user simply selects the measuring instrument from a
group of icons, and the appropriate WinWedge configuration file is
automatically opened, along with the Excel spreadsheet template. The
user is then ready to start taking readings from the instrument and
Excel performs the analysis. The analysis includes color difference
measurements, color gamut calculations, and graphing routines.
Before developing this system,
McBride noted that they used a custom program that didn’t suit their
needs. The new data collection and analysis system offers a flexible
and analytically powerful solution, which is also user-friendly and
cost-effective.
Benefits
- Cost effective solution
utilizing Microsoft Excel
- User friendly and versatile data
collection
- Completely accurate data
collection
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