American color technology group X-Rite presents Autura Ink, a cloud-based ink formulation and quality control solution. Autura Ink has been designed to enable ink suppliers, printers and converters to speed up ink formulation. Developed from InkFormulation software, the Autura Ink online platform centralizes all formulation, storage, approval, retrieval and quality control requirements for offset, flexo, gravure and screen printing inks for printing and packaging.
Autura Ink "can be easily implemented" and integrate X-Rite spectrophotometers, including the eXact 2 portable spectrophotometers, and PantoneLive digital standards," explains Ming-Pong Liu, Product Manager Software Solutions at X-Rite, in a press release.
Autura Ink should simplify data sharing between formulation, quality control and PantoneLive, eliminating the need for users to switch between different applications.
Users can use predefined templates or create formulation models with predetermined parameters tailored to customer needs. "This improves repeatability and productivity, enabling the whole team to respond effectively to different formulation requirements." assures X-Rite.
Autura's BestMatch function determines whether an ink meets specifications, whether the right color can be achieved by modifying film thickness, viscosity or press settings, or whether the formulation needs to be adjusted.
If the color on the press does not meet specifications, the Quick Correct function makes it easy to add the necessary ink.
This could save companies precious time. For German ink manufacturer Siegwerk, color calculation time has even been halved.
"We used to race against the clock when formulators chose complex color combinations, but now Autura Ink calculates the formula almost instantaneously. Our drivers also appreciate the intensity measurements provided during the formulation process. We used to select formulas that were too bland, forcing us to rework them. Today, we can determine the intensity in advance, to save time and reduce waste by avoiding additional formulations" said Chad Lackey, color applications engineer at Siegwerk, for X-Rite.
Autura Ink will be on show at Drupa 2024, Hall 8b/A12, at Messe Düsseldorf, Germany, from May 28 to June 7.
