Plate production is done in the control room, located beside the press. The photo shows one of two CTP lines: the imager Agfa Polaris XTV-S (in the background) with VXCF 85 washing-out station (in the foreground) processes 220 "chemistry-free" CTP plates per hour.

Agfa-Belichter

Positioned downstream from the imager and washing-out station is a video punching and edge-bending unit (VCPevolution) with dual-level sorter-stacker (all from NELA).

Nela

Plate output is controlled via the Agfa Arkitex software that receives the production data from the Pecom production control system (manroland). The Arkitex status display informs the operators of the imaging status of all pages belonging to a production run.

Arkitex-Statusanzeige

The Arkitex softproof display has practically eliminated all hardproofs from everyday production.

Arkitex

An operator removes a set of plates from a storage tray of the sorter-stacker.

Sortierstapler

The plates are entered manually into the transport cassettes in the loading station of APL logistics, duly sorted in a fixed order. Each cassette is directed to a specific position in the press. Marks indicate to the operator at the loading station how the plates should be positioned, depending on whether they are destined for the lower or upper plate cylinder.

APL logistics Beladestation

The loaded cassettes leave the control room at the command of the operator. Each rail is assigned to a specific printing unit.

Plattenkassette auf dem Weg

The loading and forwarding station is controlled via a side panel.

Bedienpanel

Loaded cassettes entering the press.

Kassetten vor Druckmaschine

The APL robotic arm uses suction cups to remove four plates at a time from the cassettes positioned at the printing unit  …

Plattenentnahme durch APL-Roboter
 
… and mounts them on the plate cylinder. Clamping is done first the lower plate cyclinder, then the upper plate cylinder.
Plattenauflage
   
After all plates have been mounted, the cassettes return to the control room.

leere Kassetten kehen zurück

Shared experiences during the visit in Mannheim (right to left): Harald Blendowski, Technical Manager, Mannheimer Morgen Großdruckerei und Verlag GmbH, his deputy Guido Moch and Manfred Werfel, Deputy CEO, WAN-IFRA.

Manfred Werfel. Guido Moch, Harald Blendowski