Offset Printing

“Operate anywhere!”

Tuesday 30. October 2012 - One Touch operation from manroland web systems convinces industry experts

For its appearance at the World Publishing Expo 2012, manroland web systems will focus on the new One Touch operating concept for webfed presses. In the future, the latest touchscreen technology, such as MobilPads and UnitPads for the control of printing units during maintenance procedures, will replace conventional operating keyboards and keypads. This makes manroland web systems an early adopter of successful mobile communications technology for greater efficiency in print production.
During the first demonstrations at drupa, responses from the general public ranged from “It’s a whole new generation!” to “Practical – it saves time and money”, and even “That’s the future right before our eyes!”. Expert feedback at the stand was impressed to enthusiastic. For many stand visitors, One Touch from manroland web systems will be the highlight of the World Publishing Expo 2012. Athesia Druck in Bolzano, Italy, was the first customer to choose the new technology. “Our brand-new COLORMAN XXL autoprint will also be equipped with the latest operating technology. We were excited and convinced by what we saw in Düsseldorf at drupa,” said Athesia Production Director Sigmund Pernter, explaining the decision for the One Touch concept.
From press operator to process manager
One Touch is the general operating philosophy that guides the Web 2.0 generation of press operators: All relevant information is available at a glance, with intuitive touch control. Anytime and anywhere. Today, these ideas have become the benchmark for press facility operating systems. manroland web systems formulated the One Touch strategy of the press operator as production manager back in 2008. This line of development started with the automation of production runs, changeovers, and production planning, complemented by modules such as APL logistics and the Inline Control systems for closed-loop quality and production control. With the new, uniform operating system for newspaper printing and heatset web offset presses, this vision has now become a reality. The concept defines the press operator as a production process manager and supervisor. The market leader in web offset printing has set yet another benchmark for the graphics industry.
Optimization phase complete
In the past months, the engineers in Augsburg have taken the system one more step towards series maturity. Both ideas and suggestions from operators and scientific usability studies, as well as the needs of pilot customers were integrated in the system. Even more functions, such as ink zones and registers, can be actuated via gestures and group selection. The system has non-glare operating screens and intelligently designed displays. Operators can see everything that is important for production progress and where they can make improvements at a glance. In addition, images from WLAN webcams can be accessed from the ControlCenter and MobilPad, e.g. to monitor reel storage or the transport of copies to the mailroom. The ControlCenter and PressManager are linked online for job preparation. The production plan is also provided on the ControlPad with intuitive touch operation.
Available as standard and retrofit, not only for manroland customers
(Beyond the world of manroland web systems)
Athesia Druck in Bolzano, in the Italian province of South Tyrol, will be the first customer to receive the One Touch operating system at the beginning of 2013. Other international customers with 4-page single-circumference CROMOMAN presses and 8-page double-circumference UNISET presses will follow. “One Touch is a concept that we developed as both standard equipment and a retrofit for all of our newspaper press series, as well as commercial presses,” explained Manuel Kosok, Manager Project Engineering & Product Management Automation. “We designed the One Touch system as an operating solution that can also be offered as an upgrade to users of presses made by other manufacturers,” Kosok continued.
Three modules, one system
An additional key aspect for the developers of One Touch was the reduction of complexity. The new operating concept for manroland web systems presses therefore consists solely of four perfectly matched hardware modules and a software program geared towards the needs of operators. Flexibility was a further demand. Only the ControlCenter is still located in a permanent position. The other two hardware modules are mobile. Operators can use them to make adjustments exactly where they are needed on the press, for example, in the folder superstructure or at the delivery. The system does away with conventional keyboards on the ControlCenter, the printing units, and the folder. Operation takes place on a touch-sensitive screen. This state-of-the art technology has been tried and tested in numerous applications around the world, from smartphones to automated ticket dispensers. The user interface relies on an intuitive design and is based on current developments in the field of telecommunications as well as the decades of experience of manroland web systems. One Touch, the printnetwork system, and PECOM have been integrated in industrial print production from the ground up, since all printing press and automation components at manroland web systems are developed in house. This basic structure saves time and minimizes waste. One Touch is therefore a key component to economic success in the highly competitive printing industry.
ControlCenter – the One Touch base
The ControlCenter is home base for the press operator. All aggregates can be controlled from this location. A touchscreen is used to select and operate the entire range of functions, i.e. the ControlCenter does not include any conventional keyboards. A single multi-touchscreen, the ControlPad, visualizes all components integrated in the printnetwork system and displays their current status. Corrections to the settings can be carried out directly on this touchscreen. Two screens are optionally available to newspaper press operators for the Softproof display of newspaper pages. A special TrueColorProof solution is available for commercial printing companies.
autoprint and expert mode
With autoprint, manroland has created an options package consisting of software and hardware modules for the complete automation of print production. This highly innovative production concept has already won over several modern newspaper publishers, and proven increasingly attractive to heatset press owners. The One Touch concept therefore also includes the option to select between the autoprint mode or expert mode. In autoprint mode, an invisible hand appears to guide the print processes. Similar to a navigation system, the autoprint menu provides step-by-step guidance to press operators, who have the option to choose between automatic production and manual intervention at any time. Only truly relevant events are displayed on the touchscreen that might require an action on the part of the operator. Approximately 80 percent of production runs at an autoprint newspaper publisher occur automatically. The press system delivers standardized quality. If required, the operator can switch to expert mode, which provides complete flexibility to use the entire range of system functions.
SlidePad – quality management with a sure touch
SlidePad is the tool for quality management. As the modern successor to keypad-based ink zone control, it slides along a rail at the bottom of the product tray and combines the navigation and control for color, fountain roller, water, and the color register on a single screen. This accelerates operation and cuts waste.
Although the SlidePad is only as large as a tablet PC, the operator can use it for the precise and simultaneous setting of more ink zones than could be controlled by the former ten-finger system. This is made possible by the zoom function. Color and water can also be set at the same time.
MobilPad – your mobile ControlCenter
MobilPad is your mobile ControlCenter. With a WLAN connection to the system, MobilPad is housed in the charging station next to the ControlPad when not in use. The operator can simply take it along for adjustment operations in the folder superstructure or on the folder. Thus, all adjustment options are immediately accessible on site. This saves time during production changeovers in the folder superstructure and reduces waste occurring when fine-tuning the folder quality at the delivery. MobilPad can also be taken to meetings, giving you all necessary press performance data, past and present, at your fingertips.
UnitPad with haptic touchscreen
Soon, large control keypads on the individual printing units will be a thing of the past. Their function will be transferred to the portable UnitPad. Only safety-relevant keys will be located on the components. The UnitPad also has a touchscreen at the core of its operating concept. The interface features tactile input fields, which ensure reliable, easy operation, even under poor lighting conditions. Depending on where the UnitPad is used, the controls have a context-dependent function. The operator can select the desired menu as needed. Because WLAN signals between the printing units are often not reliably received, the UnitPad is integrated in the printnetwork system via a data cable. The extremely robust design meets the high requirements for direct use on the printing unit as well as maintenance operations.