X-Rite Incorporated, a global leader in color science and technology, has introduced Autura™ Ink, a cloud-based solution for ink formulation and quality control. Designed for ink suppliers, printers, and packaging converters, Autura Ink aims to streamline ink development by providing a centralized platform for formulation, storage, approval, retrieval, and quality control of inks used in offset, flexo, gravure, and screen printing.
“Autura Ink is built on a serverless and secure architecture that can be easily implemented due to its highly intuitive user interface, minimizing the need for operator training,” said Ming-Pong Liu, Software Solutions Product Manager at X-Rite. “It integrates with X-Rite spectrophotometers, including the eXact 2 family, and PantoneLIVE™ digital standards to create a connected color workflow. By unifying formulation and quality control in a single platform, customers can fast track ink development, minimize press downtime, and reduce press returns.”
Autura Ink enhances data sharing between formulation, quality control, and PantoneLIVE, allowing users to validate formulas seamlessly within the platform. This integration helps press operators quickly identify ink variations and minimize downtime caused by color mismatches. The integrated BestMatch™ feature helps operators determine if an ink is within specification or if adjustments are needed. If on-press color fails to meet specifications, Autura’s Quick Correct feature facilitates necessary adjustments, ensuring the press resumes operations quickly and reduces returns. This promotes a more sustainable approach to print production by encouraging the reuse of materials.
Autura Ink also minimizes the risk of errors with its customizable templates tailored to specific customer needs. These templates improve repeatability and productivity by allowing users to handle diverse formulation requirements efficiently without sacrificing quality. “As the industry continues to struggle with staffing, Autura Ink makes onboarding easy with a user-friendly interface and preset templates designed to reduce mistakes,” added Liu.
Autura Ink will be showcased at drupa 2024 in Hall 8b/A12 at Messe Düsseldorf, Germany, from May 28 to June 7.