Inline Versus Offline Inspection

Advantages to both

Each type of web inspection system has advantages depending on how it’s used. According to Durfee, inline inspection systems cut down on the makeready for a job. “Without inspection, the operator will have to stop the press to look for defects, wasting time and material,” he says. He adds that an inspection system will identify the issue on a press moving at speeds of 500-1500 fpm. Offline inspection systems, on the other hand, are suitable for converting rolls to an acceptable size. To make the process more efficient, a converter will run a larger master roll and rewind it offline to the size needed. When a problem is identified, the operator will flag it for the customer or splice it out right away. “Just like with inline systems,” adds Durfee, “detection by the naked eye requires a slower moving machine.”