Roland DG Announces VW-S1 densitometer for easy and affordable colour matching

Roland DG Corporation has announced the worldwide release of its proprietary VW-S1 densitometer to make colour matching between printers easier.

Roland DG’s inkjet printers are bundled with VersaWorks 6 RIP and print management software that provides a broad range of functions to streamline users’ printing operations. According to Koji Takahashi, Project Manager at Roland DG Digital Printing Business Division, one of the important functions of VersaWorks 6 is colour matching*, to accurately control colour differences between printers.

Its process involves printing a colour chart for each printer, then measuring the results with a spectrophotometer to generate individual values that are compared and automatically adjusted. Using a spectrophotometer is considered essential for this process.

“Until now,” Koji Takahashi said, “users needed to purchase their own commercially available device. With such devices often costing around USD $1,500 or more, this sometimes proved restrictive for customers.”

“In response to customer feedback our new VW-S1 densitometer was developed for VersaWorks 6 based on the concept of being affordable and easy to operate for anyone. The VW-S1 specialises in density measurements required for colour matching, yet at approximately a third of the price of ordinary spectrophotometers. It’s designed to be easy to operate by simply tapping the tip of the VW-S1 against the relevant colour in the colour chart specified by VersaWorks 6 and pressing the button.”

Measurements can be completed quickly, with a 4-colour chart taking approximately one and a half minutes, and a 6-colour chart taking around two minutes.

“The device is also ultra-compact,” he added, “with a size similar to a penlight, which makes it easy to use and store just about anywhere.”

“If you produce volume work from one client with multiple printers, or print a large, combined graphic with two printers, the final output from each printer needs to be as consistent as possible,” he said.

“The VW-S1 makes it easy for anyone to colour match with reliable printing results. It can also be used to match the original colour of a printer that is slightly different compared to when it was installed due to ageing or replacement print heads, which provides peace of mind to clients when printing repeat jobs.

“We will continue to meet the specific requirements of our customers in order to increase the quality and efficiency of printing operations and we hope to contribute to the development of even more creative business opportunities in the future, ” concluded Koji Takahashi.

To find out more about the VW-S1, go to https://www.rolanddg.com.au/products/software/versaworks-6

* The colour matching function between printers is valid only when using the same model printers with the same ink type and configuration. Files must be printed with the same print settings including “Media Type” and “Print Quality.”