What is automated proofreading?
Packaging materials such as packaging, labels or package inserts fulfill different purposes: they
- protect the contents of the packaging,
- arouse the desire to buy,
- ensure brand recognition,
- inform and advertise the product contained and
- fulfill legal labeling requirements.
The latter includes, for example, certain seals, barcodes, Braille, pictograms, or text notes. Alongside branding and marketing elements, they are a central part of the artwork of packaging materials and are usually regulated by ISO and DIN standards.
Especially in the context of pharmaceutical products, elements subject to labeling must be free of errors. The automated proofreading of the artwork file is a necessary step in quality assurance. The inspection prevents printing errors by detecting defects in the artwork before the printing plates are created. In this way, it makes a significant contribution to avoiding damage to health and costly recalls.
Which systems support reliable artwork proofreading?
Automated proofreading of printing samples usually refers to the visual comparison of the approved artwork file with the print file by software. The method has a decisive advantage: deviations are already detected before the printing process.
The reference file resulting from the artwork check can also serve as a starting point for further checking procedures in the printing process: Other possibilities are, for example, print image inspection, in which the pre-press or a print sample is compared with the reference file, or spot checks of finished prints in production or finishing, i.e., offline, and inline inspections.
Sophisticated proofreading software compares the respective files and contributes to efficient quality assurance. In addition, other inspection steps can be combined with artwork inspection: For example, a suitable proofreading system performs both text and graphic checks as well as distance measurements of the printed products.
Printers, pharmaceutical producers, brand owners as well as design and pre-press agencies benefit from sophisticated inspection solutions. Automated proofreading provides them with the following advantages in particular:
- reduction of material waste
- time-saving compared to manual visual proofreading
- avoidance of costly reprints and overproduction
- greater planning reliability
- better warranty for customers
- better image and customer satisfaction
What aspects of the printing sample are checked during artwork inspection?
Artwork inspection saves time and money because it identifies errors in just one step in the early stages of the printing process.
The following elements of the graphic design are checked during the artwork check:
- Font
Are the text elements legible? Sophisticated checking systems check expression and spelling errors in both German and foreign languages. - Graphics
The artwork check ensures that the graphic elements are in the right place or do not cover each other. - Colours
Part of the artwork check is the color check. Do the colors match the artwork? - Barcodes
1D and 2D code checks prevent barcodes from being unreadable due to dark backgrounds or printing errors. - Braille
The depth and correctness of Braille embossing can be visually checked during artwork inspection. Flawless printing must be guaranteed, especially for packaging materials in the pharmaceutical industry. - Punch contour and cut marks.
The position of contours and embossing can also be checked optically in the artwork inspection.
What are the advantages of automated proofreading software for artwork files?
Automated artwork checking by inspection software, also called proofreading software, is an essential part of quality assurance in the pre-press phase. The EyeC Proofiler Content compares documents in the initial artwork stage. Other software solutions can be used in the further course of the printing process: The EyeC Proofiler Graphic compares pre-prints with reference documents in the pre-press stage, and the EyeC ProofRunner and EyeC Proofiler check print quality outside or inside the production line.
In contrast to manual visual inspection, automated artwork proofreading brings decisive additional advantages:
- greater accuracy than the human eye
- traceability of errors through comprehensive inspection reports and audit trailing
- time-saving due to checking several parameters in one step.
EyeC's control systems ensure print quality throughout the entire manufacturing process – from automated artwork proofreading to checking the finished printed product. They serve as an efficient solution for quality assurance for printers, designers, and manufacturers of packaging materials.