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Suomen Lehtiyhtymä Oy decides for a retrofit and extension from WIFAG
Tuesday 31. March 2009 - WIFAG received an order from Suomen Lehtiyhtymä Oy, Tuusula, Finland, for the renewal of the electronic systems of their existing WIFAG OF 370 press, comprising one printing tower with 8 printing couples, one FA70 jaw folder, and one PR2/P reelstand.
Within the scope of the retrofit project, the press controls and electrical drive systems of the OF 370 press will be comprehensively renewed and brought up to state-of-the-art. The renewal of the OF 370 in Tuusula is scheduled for September 2009.
Suomen Lehtiyhtymä Oy has also ordered an extension of the existing press from WIFAG. The existing OF 370 press will be extended by one new OF 370 S printing tower with 8 printing couples and one new WIFAG autopaster M50. The existing turner-bar module will be replaced by a new WIFAG autoturn. After the retrofit, the electronics and software of the existing press will largely correspond to the technical standards of the new additional press modules. The result will be an extended press with largely uniform electronic equipment and automation software. The production start-up of the press extension in Tuusula will be in December 2009.
Since the beginning of 2009, WIFAG has extended its product range with retrofit solutions for existing OF 370 and OF 470 presses. For WIFAG, the Tuusula project is the first order for a comprehensive retrofit of an OF 370 press.
WIFAG offers its customers retrofit solutions for existing presses of the OF 370 and OF 470 series in order to replace obsolete electronics and software in the presses. This enables further reliable and efficient operation and maintenance of the presses for another 10 to 15 years. The first shaftless printing presses of the WIFAG OF 370 series went into production in 1996. For electronics and software of an age of more than 10 years, it is becoming increasingly difficult to provide spare parts and maintenance.
With this new retrofit approach WIFAG brings the electronics, software and functionality of the existing press up to date. The retrofit solution takes advantage of the current WIFAG Platform Plus, comprising press controls, electrical drives, software functions, control cubicles, cabling, press safety, and documentation. The modernized press can be optionally equipped with the latest generation of WIFAG color register controls and cut-off register controls.
Through a systematically planned, multi-phase project execution – preparation phase, conversion phase (shut-down of the press), and clean-up phase – the production down time for the renewal of the existing press can be kept to a minimum.
The retrofit of a printing press can also be performed stepwise, distributed over several years. The minimum size of an individual step is the conversion of a single printing tower, reelstand, or folder. Through the conversion of individual press modules, the available stock of spare parts for the rest of the press that has not yet been converted is extended.
After the retrofit, the renewed existing press, such as an OF 370, has electronic equipment and software functions that largely correspond to a new WIFAG press, such as an OF 370 S. This allows a uniform extension of existing presses with new additional printing towers, reelstands, and folders.