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New FD-7 Spectrodensitometers from Konica Minolta

Product News Thursday, July 19, 2012: Konica Minolta Sensing Americas

Next-generation measurement tools that streamline color adjustment in printing, even on substrates with fluorescent whitening agents. The FD-7 can measure the evaluation light source and then calculate data under that source.

Accurate evaluation, even on substrates with fluorescent whitening agents

As graphics-related industries shift more and more to digital methods, there is an increasing reliance on numerical control of the quality of printed materials as being both faster and easier than visual evaluation by the human eye. However, since the final materials are intended to be seen by the human eye, measurement results that closely resemble the results of visual evaluation are needed.

A potential problem is that the paper on which materials are printed influences the final viewed color. Many kinds of paper used for printing contain fluorescent whitening agents (FWAs) to make the paper appear brighter, and the effect of the paper fluorescence on the color of printed materials is particularly large when viewed under Illuminant D50*1. For this reason, ISO 13655-2009*2 defined Measurement Condition M1 as having illumination corresponding to CIE Illuminant D50 to minimize differences in measurement results due to paper fluorescence, but such effect was difficult to measure with conventional handheld spectrodensitometers.

The FD Series spectrodensitometers offer unique solutions to this problem by utilizing Konica Minolta’s original VFS (Virtual Fluorescence Standard) technology, enabling color evaluation while taking into consideration the fluorescence of the paper under Illuminant D50, the standard light source used by the printing industry for color evaluation. These are the first instruments to provide measurement results corresponding to ISO 13655 Measurement Condition M1.

*1 An artificial light source defined by the CIE having a spectral distribution simulating daylight commonly used for color measurement.

*2 ISO 13655-2009: Graphic technology – Spectral measurement and colorimetric computation for graphic arts images

Accurate evaluation, even on substrates with fluorescent whitening agents

• Density and color control by printers
• Measurement of fluorescence in R & D of printing machinery manufacturers and paper manufacturers
• Printed color patch measurements
• Input sensor for ink CCM systems