Successful retrofit in the Black Forest, Germany
Last year AS-Druck decided to extensively update the electrics and mechanics of its 20-year-old Compacta 213 to prevent expensive production downtimes. The thoroughly aging control technology as well as securing the right spare parts proved to be quite a problem for the German printing company from the Black Forest.
As part of the retrofit KBA-FT Engineering engineers replaced the old S5 control and several Baumüller Omega controls in the printing units and folder with a cutting-edge 1500 Siemens S7 control system. The ink-key computer made of specially developed circuit boards was also integrated into the new control system. Integration into a standardised SPS control system guarantees long-term spare parts availability which was no longer the case for the circuit boards. What is more, future extensions should be no problem.
New consoles optimise operation
The two new independent consoles significantly enhance ease of operation of the press and deliver additional status information. KBA-FT Engineering installed two Siemens Industrie PCs here. The system is redundant ensuring that one of the computers remains fully operational in the event of a breakdown.
Manual operation at the console was integrated into the new control system to allow press operators to carry on working as usual. In addition, the press was also retrofitted with copy control in the folder as well as the installation of a VPN remote maintenance option.
Preliminary tests at the Frankenthal site minimise efforts
The control module was constructed at the Frankenthal site. Benefit: The entire construction could be tested in advance which minimised modification efforts on-site. Modification and commissioning of the retrofits were carried out at the same time as the complete mechanical overhaul of the printing units. A press downtime of only a week was used most effectively. In the end the press was fired up without any problems.
