Achieve reliable and repeatable color across rigid, flexible, thick, structured, and transparent materials used in flatbed printing. Barbieri spectrophotometers provide accurate spectral measurement for ICC profiling and color quality control across demanding flatbed printing applications.

Flatbed Printing

Reliable color across diverse flatbed printing materials

Flatbed printing is used on a wide variety of materials, including acrylic, PVC board, aluminum composite panels, glass, wood, corrugated board, coated panels, and other rigid or semi rigid substrates. Each combination of printer, ink, print mode, surface finish, and material has its own color characteristics.

Material thickness, surface texture, gloss, opacity, transparency, and sample weight influence both visual appearance and measurement repeatability. Backlit and transparent applications may additionally require transmission measurement.

Barbieri spectrophotometers are developed for the specific requirements of professional digital printing. They support automated chart measurement on a wide range of rigid, flexible, thick, structured, transparent, and specialty materials.

Depending on the instrument and configuration, reflection and transmission measurement, variable measurement apertures, and dedicated sample holders support efficient profiling and color quality workflows.

What Makes Color Control in Flatbed Printing Difficult

Ink and surface interaction

Ink layers, primers, white ink, varnishes, and surface coatings influence gloss, texture, opacity, and color appearance. The resulting surface characteristics must be considered when profiling and evaluating printed output.

Rigid, thick, and structured materials

Flatbed printing includes thin films, rigid boards, corrugated materials, thick panels, and structured surfaces. Reliable measurement requires suitable sample positioning, sufficient thickness capacity, and an appropriate measurement aperture.

Transparent and backlit applications

Printed acrylic, transparent films, and backlit materials may be evaluated in transmission rather than reflection. The appropriate measurement condition depends on the material construction, backing, illumination, and intended viewing situation. Automated transmission measurement provides the spectral data required for profiling under defined backlit conditions.

Where Color Measurement Fits in Your Flatbed Printing Workflow

Material and process characterization

Measure the color behavior of each printer, ink set, print mode, material, coating, and finishing combination as the basis for accurate profiling.

ICC profile creation

Print and automatically measure profiling charts to create accurate ICC profiles for specific printer, ink, print mode, and material combinations. Use reflection or transmission measurement according to the intended viewing and illumination condition.

Production quality control

Measure control charts or production samples at defined intervals to identify color deviations and verify consistency between jobs, materials, and production runs.

Barbieri Instruments

Backlit and transparent application profiling

Measure profiling or control charts in transmission when the final application is viewed with light passing through the printed material.

Recommended Add ons for Flatbed Printing

Complete your flatbed measurement setup with accessories engineered for the physical demands of rigid and heavy substrates

Set of 2 Sample Holders for thick and heavy media

Securely fixes rigid and heavy substrates up to 20 mm for safe automated measurement.

A pair of dedicated holders for measuring thick, rigid or heavy materials such as ceramic, glass, wood, plexiglas and rigid plastics. Holds substrates flat and stable during automated chart measurement, supporting media up to 20 mm thick on the Spectro LFP qb.

Polarization Filter

For eliminating first surface reflectance on glossy and metallic substrates.

The Polarization filter attaches to the Spectro LFP qb measurement head to suppress first-surface reflections from glossy, metallic and varnished substrates. It enables M3-compliant measurements per ISO 13655 and is essential when measuring polarized materials in graphic-arts and packaging color management workflows.

Electrostatic Sample Holder

Holds flexible substrates flat without adhesive for clean, repeatable measurements.

Uses an electrostatic charge to keep flexible non-textile substrates such as paper, film and thin plastics flat during measurement. Avoids residue or damage that adhesive holders can leave on sensitive materials. Ideal for graphic-arts and packaging substrates where surface integrity matters.

See how industry leaders use Barbieri.

Packaging & Label

CGS ORIS GmbH

CGS ORIS GmbH is a leading developer of color management solutions, contract proofing systems, and workflow software for the printing industry.

Textile

Sync-Innovation

SYNC-INNOVATION is a Japanese one-stop shop for consumer goods, integrating design, production, inventory, and delivery for major e-commerce platforms.