DigiPix > CASE STUDY: PRINTED FABRICS
THE APPLICATION: - Imaging & Colour Measurement of printed designs.
The DigiEye system, manufactured in the UK by VeriVide, is used for the imaging and colour measurement of samples, which would be impossible to assess using a standard spectrophotometer. DigiEye using the DigiPix software is able to measure an area as small as one pixel and so it is ideal for measuring a busy printed fabric where a printed spot or flower petal is smaller than the 4mm minimum, which can be measured on a spectrophotometer.
Where a print design has a very large pattern repeat, common in home furnishing fabrics such as throws and curtains, the DigiEye Large Area Imaging system is an ideal solution to image the complete design for measurement, recolouration or communication.
ISSUE 1: - Traditional Colour Measurement of very small areas of colour is difficult.
Colour Measurement has traditionally relied on spectrophotometers, however they were designed to measure flat areas of 2D solid colour, which are at least 4mm in size. Any sample smaller than this could not be measured and in reality larger samples were required for better accuracy of result.
In the busy floral printed example to the left it would have been impossible to measure the individual colours within the printed design. It would also be difficult to find a large enough area of the base colour to be measured for assessment.
Quality control of printed fabrics has therefore relied upon visual matching techniques and communication of results has traditionally required shipping of physical samples.
ISSUE 2: - Real sampling of print fabrics is required to assess new colourways.
Traditionally selection of new print colourways has relied on production of physical strike-offs and verbal communication of shade matching adjustments. This requires a lengthy and costly selection process.
THE TECHNICAL BIT
The calibrated camera captures data in RAW format for very high-resolution images; since the image is captured in controlled and consistent lighting the software can transform the RGB data from the camera into CIE colour space thereby enabling accurate non-contact Colour Measurement of any type of fabric.
Consistency is the key, as the environment is controlled, measurements are repeatable. The image can be retained with its associated data for visual assessment and correlation. The whole of a design repeat can be imaged and since an item as small as a single pixel can be selected and measured using the DigiPix software it is ideal for small flower or dot designs.
The software also contains a choice of Colour difference equations so that components can be imaged with and compared to an agreed standard component.
The DigiPix Colour Replacement software also enables an object to be recoloured using colour information from a variety of sources including Pantone colours, or company colour library information in several data formats. The appearance of the fabric is retained during the recolouration, enabling an accurate visualisation of the final colour.
THE BENEFITS
With DigiEye and the DigiPix Software, manufacturers and suppliers can image printed fabrics and extract accurate colour measurements of each component colour against any standard.
This provides enhanced quality control by enabling tighter colour tolerances to be applied, the images captured and the colorimetric data can be electronically communicated around the globe, leading to savings in time and shipping costs.
This can revolutionise quality control of printed fabrics by speeding up the process and ensuring right first time fabric is delivered.
Fabrics with distressed or wash effects can also be imaged and measured or analysed such as the design illustrated.
A further benefit with the use of DigiEye on this type of fabric is the enhanced visualisation possible, using the DigiPix Colour Replacement feature, during the product development of new colourways. This is very useful for designers and buyers who can use the software to decide on the most appropriate colours before ordering real sampling.
WISH TO KNOW MORE?
Further details of the DigiEye System - including the Large Area Imaging (LAI), are available via the Datasheet below (click on the relevant links to download or open).
Alternatively please contact Pete Laban - Sales Manager to arrange a demonstration.
| DIGIEYE DATASHEET | LAI - DATASHEET | CONTACT PETE LABAN |
 |
 |
 |
| DOWNLOAD PDF | DOWNLOAD PDF | p.laban@verivide.com |