Offset Printing
ABB controls and drives retrofit for Neckar-Alb print center in Germany
Tuesday 06. November 2018 - Druckzentrum Neckar-Alb has awarded ABB with an order for an extensive controls and drives retrofit for modernization of its Wifag OF470 newspaper presses.
Druckzentrum Neckar-Albs press line in Reutlingen, Germany comprises six printing towers, three folders and six reelstands. Divided into two main phases the modernization project carried out by ABB will see extensive work on the press.
The original Wifag positioning system on the printing towers, the folders and the turner bar decks will be replaced by ABBs APOS solution. It is based on ABBs AC500 system, a PLC that has been used in countless demanding industrial applications. The many advantages of this system include scalability, ease of handling in a service case and spare parts available from both ABB and third-party suppliers worldwide. While the original functionality of the positioning system will be retained on the new platform, the new system will provide a state-of-the-art visualization of diagnostics.
The printing tower and folder control systems will also be equipped with AC500 PLCs and the operator displays on the individual units will be replaced with new ABB CP635 touchscreen monitors.
The drives on the printing towers, folders and turner bar decks as well as for the ink ductor will be replaced with the new drives being mounted in the original drives cabinets. The communication protocol will be upgraded from SERCOS 2 to EtherCAT.
With the control systems for the six reelstands equally being replaced with ABBs AC500, the number of hardware components used in the overall control system of the press will be reduced.
The six existing ABB MPS Control Consoles on the press will be upgraded to the latest touchscreen version and the production management system MPS Production will be upgraded to release 6.0-1.
Ulrike Köhler, joint head of the print center, and publisher Valdo Lehari jr., also joint head of the print center, explain “This retrofit project replaces numerous components that are at the end of their lifecycle and gives us the production security that we need for the future. ABB has proven to be a very reliable partner over many years and ensures the long-term availability of our presses. We are delighted that the outstanding cooperation with ABB has led to this new project and we are convinced that this modernization will be another great success.”
The first phase of the project, commencing in January 2019, will cover the folders, turner bar decks, control consoles and the production management system MPS Production. In the second phase, scheduled for early 2020, the printing towers and reelstands will be upgraded.