Entry+ tier · web inspection
Freezes the moving print at production speed: 2 MP camera, 30X optical zoom, 100 × 75 mm window — so the operator judges the print without stopping the press.
Two builds of one system: 4000R manual rail, 4000M motorized rail up to 3 m.
01
The system
The Observer 4000 is a still-picture viewer. The camera freezes the moving web into the controller and shows it on a monitor, so the operator can judge registration, ink coverage, small text and surface defects at running speed.
It replaces two habits on most presses: walking the web with a loupe or a hand strobe, and stopping the machine to pull a printed sheet. It does not replace an inspection system that rejects defective print — that is a different job, covered further down.
Who it is for: press operators, QC and shift supervisors on label, flexo, gravure, coating and laminating lines who need a repeatable view of the print without slowing the run.
Where it sits: Entry+ tier — above a mark-only viewer (Scout 3, OR-A), below the touch-screen patrol viewer (Overseer, Mid) and the full-width viewer (OR-D, Mid+). It is deliberately basic: capture and freeze, nothing to configure on the shift.
Why this platform: more than 2,000 sets delivered a year and over 10,000 in service. That installed base is what keeps spare parts, settings knowledge and service response available years after delivery.
02
Fit
A viewer answers one question: can the operator see the print clearly at speed. If the job needs automatic judgement, another model in the range does that.
| What you need | Observer 4000 | Where to go instead |
|---|---|---|
| Visual check of registration, ink dots, streaks, voids, barcodes, small text | ✔ | — |
| Label, flexo, gravure, coating and laminating presses, narrow to wide web | ✔ | — |
| Manual or motorized traverse, rail made to your web width | ✔ | — |
| Only crosshair or registration marks | — | Scout 3 (Entry) or OR-A (Entry) |
| Saved-position patrol (fixed points, remote recall) | — | Overseer 100 / 200 (Mid) |
| One-shot view of the full web width | — | OR-D (Mid+) |
| Automatic recognition with alarm, marking, stop or reject | — | OK series (High) |
Route in one line: marks only → Scout 3 / OR-A (Entry); saved positions → Overseer (Mid); full width in one frame → OR-D (Mid+); automatic 100% → OK (High).
Limits
03
Specifications
Shared by 4000R and 4000M. The only structural difference is the traverse.
| Parameter | Figure | What changes it |
|---|---|---|
| Camera | 2 MP CMOS, 1280 × 1024 output | Camera model may change with configuration; confirmed at order |
| Field of view | 100 × 75 mm | Working distance and lens; confirmed against your print |
| Optical zoom | 30X | Digital fine adjustment 1–64X |
| Capture rate | 10 images/sec | Lighting and selected mode |
| Line speed | Above 400 m/min in production | Web width, repeat length and defect size; confirmed from your print |
| Working distance | Best 8–12 mm; usable 5–15 mm | Mounting and press geometry |
| Sync | Gear sensor, inductive proximity or encoder | About 90% of orders use a gear sensor; encoder optional |
| Voltage | 110–240 V, 50/60 Hz | Local plug and supply |
| Environment | 0–40 °C; 20–80% RH, non-condensing | Press-room conditions |
| Camera | 3 kg; 110 × 238 × 290 mm | — |
| Controller | 6 kg; 350 × 350 × 90 mm | — |
| Monitor | Not included | Any 24-inch HDMI monitor, bought locally |
| 4000R | 4000M | |
|---|---|---|
| Traverse | Manual | Motorized |
| Rail length | Made to order | Made to order, up to 3 m |
| Control | Body keyboard plus wired remote, 3–5 m | Wired remote; configuration confirmed at order |
| Best for | Narrow web; the operator walks the rail | Wide web; repeat patrol with the operator at the screen |
| Packing | 3 boxes, 28.3 kg reference | Depends on rail length; confirmed at order |
04
Applications
Typical lines: label and flexible packaging, pre-printed cartons, pharmaceutical traceability text, thermal print, LDPE film, and general print-quality checking on rotary presses.
| Check | How the viewer helps | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Registration / misregistration | Frozen image, split-screen against a reference | Repeat length and web width |
| Ink dots, streaks, voids, missing print | 30X optical zoom with digital fine adjustment | Smallest defect you must see |
| Barcode, QR, lot and date codes, small text | Zoom on the code and read it on screen | Contrast and lighting |
| Paper texture and print surface | High-magnification image | Substrate and lighting |
| Colour drift | Optional RGB/CMYK value detection | Your ink set |
| Double-sided or multi-layer print | Add a manual or electric backlight box | Layer structure |
| UV, varnish or bronzing | Special light source | Photo check |
05
Configuration
| In the set | Not in the set |
|---|---|
| Camera, control box, remote keyboard with bracket | Monitor (24-inch HDMI, bought locally) |
| Gear or proximity sensor with bracket | Freight, duty and local taxes |
| 5 m main cable with tank chain; power cable | Options: backlight box, special light, colour detection, extra monitor, saved-position memory |
| Guide rail to order, brackets, limiter | Engineer travel and accommodation (see Delivery) |
| English software and manual | — |
You supply: a stable power supply, mounting space and the press interface, a local monitor, a press drawing or site photo, and a photo of the print.
| Level | Covers | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Viewer set: camera, controller, keyboard, sensor, rail, cables | Mounting on an existing press with a local monitor |
| 2 | Level 1 + backlight, special light or colour option | Double-sided, multi-layer or special ink |
| 3 | Level 2 + line integration and commissioning support | Multi-press or multi-line projects |
06
On the press
The system mounts on the press frame or on a stand over the web. It works on label flexo, combination, stack, satellite and gravure presses. It needs no internet connection; the controller and monitor run locally.
| What we need from you | Why |
|---|---|
| Web width | Rail length and traverse choice |
| Rail total length | Made to order |
| Cable length | 5 m standard; longer lengths confirmed |
| Sync method | Gear sensor, proximity or encoder |
| Press type and photo | Mounting position and clearance |
| Power supply | 110–240 V, 50/60 Hz |
| Working distance | Best 8–12 mm |
| Traverse hole to camera bottom | 200 mm reference; bracket confirmed at order |
| A photo of the print | Field of view and zoom |
07
Your print
Send a photo of the print. We tell you whether the defect will show on this system — and if it will not, we say so before you order.
| What decides it | How we judge it |
|---|---|
| The defect | The smallest mark you must catch, measured on your print, from the photo |
| Field of view | 100 × 75 mm covers your repeat — the photo shows whether it fits |
| Sync | Gear sensor, proximity or encoder, depending on your press |
A clear phone photo of the printed web is enough for a first answer. If it is borderline, a short run on your material settles it — no need to ship anything first.
08
Evidence
| Evidence | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Reference machine photos (4000R / 4000M) | The camera, controller, keyboard and rail arrangement |
| Video: freeze, zoom, split-screen | The operator workflow at running speed |
| Photo check, or a run on request | Whether a specific defect is visible on your print |
| Authorised customer clip, when available | A real installation in production |
09
Service
| Item | What we confirm |
|---|---|
| Lead time | 7–10 working days after payment for the standard rail; longer rails confirmed per order |
| Shipping | Express (DHL / FedEx / UPS / SF) to your door, or sea-worthy packing for a full line; commercial invoice, packing list and certificate of origin on request |
| Warranty | Two years from arrival for non-consumable parts, excluding normal wear; lifetime technical support |
| Spare parts | Available for the life of the system; quoted per item |
| Installation and training | Remote video guidance is standard; an engineer can attend when the project needs it, with travel and accommodation arranged with the buyer |
| Support | Video-call guidance during commissioning and afterwards; response times are confirmed in the order |
10
FAQ
Narrow web, and the operator can walk along the press: 4000R. Wide web, or you want the camera to patrol while the operator stays at the screen: 4000M. Both use the same camera, controller and software.
No. It freezes the print on screen and the operator judges. Systems that alarm, mark, stop or reject automatically are a different range — the OK series.
Often yes, but it depends on the lighting and the contrast of the defect. Send a photo of the print and we tell you before you order.
A mounting point on the press or a stand, 110–240 V power, a 24-inch HDMI monitor (bought locally) and a dry, level floor. The rail and sensor come with the set.
Yes. Send a photo first; if the defect is marginal we run your material and send the screen recording, so you can judge the image yourself.
11
Choose
Five tiers, one job each. The Observer 4000 and OR-B/C share the Entry+ tier: still-picture viewing, no automatic judgement.
| Tier | Models | What it does | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | Scout 3, OR-A | Mark and crosshair viewing | Registration marks only |
| Entry+ | Observer 4000 R / M, OR-B/C | Capture and freeze the print; operator judges | General print viewing, narrow to wide web |
| Mid | Overseer 100 / 200 | Touch-screen GUI, saved-position patrol, AutoScan | Repeat patrol between fixed positions |
| Mid+ | OR-D | Full-width image in one shot | See the whole web at once |
| High | OK-4000 / OK-6000 | Automatic detection, alarm, marking, stop or reject | 100% inspection and records |
Next step
Four items get you a configuration review.
Send your product, material and target output. We reply with a configuration and an itemised quotation.
