Techkon receives FTA Technical Innovation Award 2024 for its AI-based ChromaQA with SmartINK ink toning technology. A groundbreaking AI driven, new feature, that allows anyone to make precise ink toning adjustments. Either on press or in the ink room, without the guesswork or inherent experience that has been required until now.
The award has presented on Sunday, May 5, during the Awards Banquet ceremony at FORUM & INFOFLEX 2024. FTA’s annual four-day technical conference and exhibition.
Said Joe Tuccitto, Director of Education at FTA:
Recipients of the FTA Technical Innovation Award have chosen by a panel of flexographic experts for having strong potential to positively influence the future of flexography. The judging process is very competitive and thorough, and Techkon should be very proud of this outstanding achievement. ChromaQA with SmartInk represents a groundbreaking development in making ink toning in a pinch easy, fast, and widely accessible.
Techkon has one of two announced winners this year. So it underscoring the importance of the achievement and the impact ChromaQA with SmartInk can make.
George Adam, President at Techkon USA, received the award on behalf of the entire Techkon team:
All of us at Techkon are extremely proud to have been recognized for what we believe is an important innovation in an area that is traditionally based on decades-long experience of highly skilled individuals. With the looming skilled labor shortages and the influx of a new inexperienced workforce. Tools like SmartInk will be imperative to allow printers of all sizes. To increase efficiency, reduce waste, and improve profitability.
How does SmartInk work?
ChromaQA with SmartINK allows anyone to tone ink quickly and efficiently with just a few clicks. First, for example, users define their specific base ink sets and substrates. A one time-setup to make sure that the AI driven algorithms have correctly tailored to the specific environment. From there, whenever ink corrections are necessary to get below a certain deltaE tolerance (and when simple density adjustments don’t suffice), things get really simple.
- Select the correct base ink set and substrate combination.
- Set the starting amount of ink in the bucket or on press.
- Set the maximum desired amount of ink to add.
- Click button to run corrections.
- Make the required ink recipe corrections.
As Techkon says, it’s really that simple! So the users can even change the max addition amount and restrict which inks to use. But rest assured, SmartInk will provide the best recipe correction every time.
What benefits does it provide?
- ChromaQA with SmartInk provides substantial benefits and cost savings for a variety of applications.
- Significantly reduces make ready times, allowing for increased billable press-time.
- Substantially reduces wasted materials, both in shortening make-readies and in increasing the work-off of waste ink. So thereby reducing cost while at the same time improving the sustainability footprint.
- Is a viable substitute for full blown ink formulation software at a fraction of the cost, while being much easier to learn and use.
- Can help address skilled labor shortages in the industry as it empowers anyone to perform ink toning on press efficiently and without prior experience.
- Makes it easier to deliver consistent high-quality color on target, on time and on budget for customers.
More details about the FTA Technical Innovation Award winner ChromaQA with SmartInk are available at www.chromaQA.com website.
