Pagevision adopted by Leading Newspapers
by Caj Södergård
Pagevision is a tool for inspecting newspaper pages both before and during the printing run which is in daily use at several European newspapers. The Pagevision system has been developed at VTT Information Technology as result of several years of research in image processing and management and was brought to market in co-operation with DATA Engineering Ltd.
The system solves some of the problems arising from the increasing use of colours in the newspapers. The colours make reading newspapers more fun, but they also complicate the task of achieving high printing quality under tight time schedules. Printing presses need new means of inspecting and controlling the colour quality factors. The Pagevision system consists of a network of PCs. The system provides a means to view the pages on the monitor at the different stages of the production process. The page data is fed into the system from the editorial system, the page transmission receiver, or the printing plate scanner. The pages are held in a database of the server, from where they are called up to the viewing stations. The proofs are available on the monitor for checking after page make-up, during page transmission and platemaking. The displayed proof is especially important in the fast production of colour pages where physical proofs are not available. Especially in satellite printing plants it is laborious to deal with unusual colour combinations or spot colours such as those in company logos. If there is no proof available, it is almost impossible for the press crew to know if some process colours are missing or wrong.
The Pagevision system in use.The system includes spectrophotometric measurement devices and a mathematical model of the colour responses of the monitor and of the printing process, and so the colour tones on the monitor closely match the colours of the printed product. The system shows the progress of the page production, indicating the colour separations that have been completed on eacg page. Major quality defects, such as striping and transmission errors as well as missing or interchanged colour separations, can be detected early in the process. Pagevision also helps the pressmen to control the colours that come out on the printed pages.
Pagevision gives an easy-to-understand overview of the current production situation. Different printing products editions, inserts and special sections can be overviewed separately. The pages are laid out in a mosaic pattern on the screen and they can be enlarged and studied in detail.
Pagevision is used by the largest newspapers in Finland (Helsingin Sanomat, Ilta Sanomat and Savon Sanomat), Sweden (Aftonbladet, Eskilstuna-Kuriren, Sydsvenskan Tryck Ab, Dagens Nyheter, Expressen and Östgötakorrespondenten), Norway (Oslo Dagbladet), France (L'Indépendant), Germany (Berliner Verlag) and the Netherlands (De Telegraaf).
Please contact:
Caj Södergård - VTT Information Technolgy
Tel: +358 9 456 5963
E-mail: caj.sodergard@vtt.fi
