Vision Systems: Beware of Cheap Solutions

The conventional wisdom that all vision systems for monitoring printed material are the same leads some organizations to purchase lower-cost and less robust solutions. Lower-cost vision technology typically lacks features and capabilities essential to ensuring the integrity of the output. Some organizations that assumed they were saving money on vision systems found out much later that the workflow component on which they relied did not protect them as they thought. Failing to process a batch, mismatched inserts, or mailing undetected duplicates are examples of potentially disastrous outcomes that might be missed by under-powered document integrity systems.

DDS vision solutions offer site-wide coverage. A central database tracks all print activity. With DDS iDataScan, an organization’s print integrity does not depend on a system that merely performs sequence-checks. DDS solutions enable complex applications like read and print, item matching, and the ability to support quality control at production print speeds.

In-plant and commercial printers should avoid low-cost vision systems for validating printed documents. Such systems often lack essential features and capabilities to ensure the complete integrity and quality of output, resulting in a false sense of security.

Consider the following characteristics of low-cost vision systems, which may ultimately harm production and integrity.

  • Limited functionality: Low-cost vision systems often need more advanced features for comprehensive validation, such as barcode verification, text recognition, color detection, and defect detection. Without these features, the system may not accurately identify errors or anomalies in the printed material.
  • Reduced accuracy: Lower-end vision systems may use less sophisticated algorithms or hardware components, leading to lower accuracy in detecting errors or discrepancies in printed documents. This can cause false positives or negatives, indicating undetected errors or incorrectly flagging valid prints.
  • Lack of lighting and contrast control: Robust vision systems use advanced lighting and contrast management to guarantee consistent and reliable image capture, even in varying environmental conditions. Cheaper options may need help in this area. Similarly, resolution and image quality may be limited. Lesser solutions may have lower camera resolution and image quality, making it harder to detect defects, errors, or inconsistencies in the printed output.
  • Inability to scale: Low-cost solutions may not be scalable to accommodate the growing needs of the organization. The strength of the DDS product catalog is the ability to upgrade and add functionality as needs change. This ability is foundational to the DDS business model. As the volume or complexity of printed material increases, lower-cost systems often struggle to keep up with the demand, leading to bottlenecks in the workflow and potentially compromising quality control.
  • Limited support and updates: Entry-level vision systems may not provide the level of technical support or frequency of updates to address issues or improve functionality. Lack of support can result in prolonged downtime, increased maintenance costs, and an overall negative impact on productivity.
  • Risk of undetected errors: Low-cost vision systems may not detect critical mistakes or inconsistencies in printed documents, such as missing pages, printed duplicates, or incorrect content. These errors can have serious consequences, including regulatory infractions, customer dissatisfaction, and damage to the organization’s reputation.
  • Long-term costs: While low-cost solutions may seem attractive initially due to their lower upfront investment, they can cost more in the long run. The need for additional equipment, maintenance, and potential rework to correct undetected errors can offset the initial acquisition savings. Investing in a high-quality vision system from the beginning can save money by reducing the likelihood of costly mistakes and downtime.

Summary

In-plant and commercial printers should prioritize the quality and reliability of vision systems for validating printed documents to confirm the integrity of their output and protect their reputations. The elements of print and mail jobs can vary wildly. Many operations have had the unpleasant experience of explaining an error they never thought was possible to an unhappy customer. Without a full arsenal of vision-based quality control measures, companies risk making expensive mistakes that wipe out the savings they enjoyed by purchasing a lower-level vision system. The cost of re-work, loss of customers, and a damaged reputation can far exceed the cost of bargain-price vision solutions.

Vision Systems from DDS

Document Data Solutions provides unrivaled customized data collection, quality control, and printing solutions. DDS has a quarter century of experience and research in the print and mail industry and maintains strong strategic industry partnerships with complementary technology. We engineer each solution specifically for individual applications using pioneering software and hardware technology.

DDS vision solutions ensure 100% accuracy for mail inserters, web presses, booklet makers, and track-and-trace applications. Once a scan is complete, captured data is available to many applications. The DDS iDataScan system offers high-speed, robust inspection, allowing multi-region of Interest (ROI) inspection within the same camera view. iDataScan’s modular design provides easy integration and the option of upgrading as volumes increase or needs evolve.