Apex International, a supplier of anilox, glue set, embossing, and metering products, has announced its partnership with MicroDynamics LLC, a provider of anilox inspection solutions. The new partnership aims to improve anilox inspection accuracy and establish a new standard in quality control practices for roll manufacturers and printers/converters alike. Apex International (Booth #324) and MicroDynamics (Booth #329) will both be showcasing the new QC solutions at FTA INFOFLEX in Columbus Ohio, April 17-18.

Apex International has been a long-time user of the MicroDynamics 3DQC Classic microscope, utilizing more than 20 inspection instruments across their 7 global manufacturing facilities.

Over the last 18 months, Apex has worked with MicroDynamics to innovate a closed-loop quality control platform that leverages the capability of MicroDynamics’s new 3DQC Veritas microscope and MicroScan3 software.  As the largest anilox manufacturer in the world, Apex provided key insight into their manufacturing and QC process, which MicroDynamics utilized for Veritas product development.

Built from the original 3DQC Classic, Veritas is the newest anilox inspection microscope from MicroDynamics that is strategically innovated for printers and converters. The new technology is touted by Apex as the fastest, most accurate inspection solution available on the market today. Utilizing non-contact white light interferometric volume measurements, users receive accurate anilox measurements with +/- 1% repeatability, in less than 8 seconds. The MicroScan3 software captures data from the Veritas system to review and analyze results and track roll quality over time.

“With competitor systems, some anilox customers have complained of volume measurements not matching ours. Or worse, they’ve grown complacent with a large margin of error and no longer see the value in anilox inspection. Now with the Veritas system, our customers can accurately inspect their anilox rolls using the same device we rely on, at a price point right for them. This has already minimized discrepancies between our measurements and our customers – discrepancies that are simply not there. The Veritas system fills the void between accurate manufacturer-grade QC devices, and economic printer QC systems to create an accurate standard between all parties,” says Nick Harvey, Apex technical director.

The new inspection system brings the power of true anilox measurements to the shop floor, empowering printers with the same QC instruments and software trusted by Apex International for years. Furthermore, Apex and MicroDynamics have extensively validated a revolutionary calibration technique using a proprietary set of calibration plates.

By utilizing the Veritas microscope, the MicroScan3 software and Apex calibration plates, Apex International and MicroDynamics hope to establish the first industry standard process for accurate anilox measurements and roll quality inspection.

“With years spent developing the Veritas system to meet the needs of printers, we’re excited about the collaboration with Apex that will push the industry forward,” states Brent Zurcher, director of operations of MicroDynamics.

“The technical expertise and design excellence from MicroDynamics combined with the manufacturing knowledge and engraving expertise from Apex has been a very rewarding project that has really delivered the first Industry standard for determining measurement accuracy and roll quality. We are already seeing the benefits of this innovative system in our quality control practices and we look forward to seeing the impact it will continue to have in the anilox performance and quality control processes of our print customers, “comments Ken Ralton, chairman of Apex International.