The X-Rite eXact 2 is the current generation of X-Rite's market-leading press spectrophotometer - a tool designed specifically for the demands of commercial and packaging printing environments. It is the instrument that modern print operations use to measure colour at the press with the speed, accuracy, and durability that production printing demands. Understanding what the eXact 2 does, what makes it better than its predecessors, and where it fits in a production colour management workflow helps print businesses make informed decisions about their measurement technology investment.
The eXact 2 is a hand-held spectrophotometer with an integrated touchscreen interface, designed to be used directly at the press without needing to be connected to a computer for basic operation. It measures spectral reflectance across the visible spectrum using X-Rite's proven spectrophotometric engine, calculates L*a*b* values, density, dot gain, and Delta E results instantly, and stores measurements internally for later download and reporting. In a busy press room where time is money and every setup minute represents cost, the eXact 2's combination of measurement speed and on-instrument data display is a practical advantage that press operators notice immediately.
Colour data from the eXact 2 can be transferred to X-Rite's quality management software, including Color iQC, for trend analysis, reporting, and quality documentation. The instrument supports Bluetooth connectivity for wireless data transfer, and its rechargeable battery provides a full day's operation without needing a wired connection. For print operations that measure across multiple presses in a large facility, the wireless capability significantly improves workflow efficiency. Seaga Group distributes the full eXact 2 range in Australia and New Zealand.
Key Features of the eXact 2
The eXact 2 measures in all four ISO 13655 measurement conditions - M0, M1, M2, and M3 - covering every measurement specification that commercial and packaging printers may encounter in their customer requirements. M1 measurement (under D50 illuminant with controlled UV) is particularly important for printers working with optically brightened substrates, where other measurement conditions can give misleading results by measuring the substrate's fluorescence differently from how it appears under D50 viewing conditions.
The instrument includes density measurement capability alongside spectrophotometric measurement, making it the single instrument that replaces both the traditional densitometer and the spectrophotometer in a modern press room. Press operators can check ink density for process control purposes and measure colour in L*a*b* terms for brand colour verification - without switching between instruments or changing their workflow. This combination is a significant practical improvement over maintaining separate instruments for density and colour measurement.
The eXact 2 supports auto-scan measurement - the ability to measure multiple patches by scanning continuously across a test strip, rather than stopping and pressing to measure each patch individually. For jobs with multiple spot colours or complex press condition verification requiring many measurements, auto-scan dramatically reduces the time required to complete a full measurement set. This efficiency benefit compounds across multiple measurements per run and multiple runs per shift.
Applications in Commercial and Packaging Printing
The primary application of the eXact 2 is brand colour verification in commercial and packaging printing. Whenever a job contains spot colours specified to a Pantone, brand-specific, or customer-defined colour standard, the eXact 2 is the instrument that verifies whether the press has achieved the target. The operator measures the spot colour patch on the printed sheet, the instrument displays the ΔE against the stored target, and a pass or fail is immediately clear. For jobs with multiple spot colours - common in packaging and commercial printing - the eXact 2 can store multiple colour targets and cycle through them during measurement, providing a complete colour verification for all critical colours in a single measurement session.
The eXact 2 is also widely used for press characterisation and profiling - the process of building ICC profiles that describe the press's colour response for use in colour-managed prepress workflows. Press characterisation requires measuring a large printed test chart (typically IT8 or ECI2002 format) containing hundreds of colour patches. With auto-scan capability, the eXact 2 makes this measurement fast enough to be practical in production environments, rather than a slow laboratory exercise that disrupts the production schedule.
For eXact spectrophotometer users looking to upgrade from an earlier generation instrument, the eXact 2 offers improved measurement consistency, updated connectivity, and support for current ISO measurement conditions - all in a physically familiar form factor that minimises retraining requirements. The X-Rite trade-in program provides a cost-effective path to this upgrade for businesses with existing eXact instruments.
Conclusion
The X-Rite eXact 2 is the definitive press spectrophotometer for commercial and packaging printing operations that take colour quality seriously. Its combination of spectrophotometric accuracy, density measurement, ISO measurement condition support, and production-practical design make it the instrument of choice for press-side colour management in demanding printing environments. For Australian print businesses seeking to improve colour consistency, reduce rework, and meet increasingly stringent brand colour requirements, the eXact 2 is the starting point for a professional colour quality program.