DUO#ColorControl® – Inline Farbmanagement für stabile Druckprozesse

Precise control of temperature, viscosity and ink condition ensures reproducible print quality, reduces cleaning downtime and measurably lowers ink consumption.

Why Is Professional Color Management Critical?

In modern flexographic and digital printing processes, temperature, viscosity and the chemical balance of the ink have a direct impact on print quality and overall process stability. Even minor deviations can result in color tone fluctuations, increased cleaning effort or unnecessary ink consumption.
Particularly with water-based inks, the mixing ratio changes due to temperature increase and evaporation of volatile components. The result is unstable viscosity, altered color consistency and frequent production interruptions.

Grundlagen der Farbmischung

  • pH 9.0–9.5: Optimal mixture.
  • pH 8.0–9.0: Amines begin to evaporate; pigments and water separate; color stability and viscosity change.
  • pH 8.0: Amines have almost completely evaporated; pigments and water have separated; printing is barely possible.

Consistent inline color management ensures that all relevant color parameters are continuously monitored and automatically maintained at a stable level. This allows printing processes to be operated in a reproducible manner and optimized for cost-effectiveness.

Real-life values

 

  • If the temperature remains constant, the viscosity and pH can also be kept constant.
  • The graphs show how viscosity and pH change at constant and increasing temperatures.
  • (The measurements were taken at 15-minute intervals).

Modular Inline Color Management with DUO#ColorControl®

  • Ink cooling for stabilizing ink temperature
  • Inline viscosity measurement for continuous process monitoring
  • Automatic dosing and pH control for active ink stabilization

By combining these modules, a closed-loop color management system is created. Process fluctuations are detected at an early stage and automatically compensated. As a result, color deviations are minimized and manual interventions in the printing process are significantly reduced.

Ink cooling

Viscosity control

Partikelfilter

Benefits of DUO#ColorControl®

With DUO#ColorControl®, you sustainably stabilize your ink processes and create reproducible conditions for high-quality print results.

Your key advantages:

  • Stable ink temperature during production
  • Consistent viscosity and pH levels
  • Significantly reduced plate cleaning intervals
  • Lower ink consumption through optimized dosing
  • Increased machine availability
  • Reproducible print quality
  • Modular adaptation to your production requirements

Integrated color management measurably improves process reliability and the economic efficiency of your printing operation.

Typical Applications and Configurations

Depending on the production profile, DUO#ColorControl® can be configured differently.

Configuration for frequent color changes

Configuration for long CMYK production runs

  • Focus on rapid temperature stabilization
  • Stable viscosity during ink preparation
  • Ink cooling often sufficient
  • Continuous process monitoring
  • Automatic adjustment of ink parameters
  • Complete system recommended

Detailed information is available on the respective module pages.

Technical Specifications: DUO#ColorControl®

DUO#ColorControl® is available in modular configurations and is adapted to the specific machine and production requirements.

Typical system parameters:

  • Target ink temperature: approx. 20–21 °C
  • Cooling principle: cold-water heat exchanger
  • Viscosity measurement: inline sensor without bypass
  • Dosing: automatic amine addition possible
  • Integration: per print unit or centralized
  • Retrofit capability: yes

Additional customized configurations are available upon request.

  • Can the system be retrofitted?

    Yes. The modules can generally be integrated into existing printing presses without major modifications.

  • Is it necessary to install the complete system?

    No. Thanks to the modular design, the solution can be precisely adapted to your specific application.