EP2199083B1 - Control for a printing machine and method for controlling a printing machine. - Google Patents

Abstract

The control has a machine control (2) providing a target value signal. A section control (4) is controlled by the value signal and controls a printing machine component (6) e.g. printing drum. Another section control (8) is controlled by the former section control and controls another printing machine component (10). A sensor (12) for detecting a vertical shaft signal is coupled with the machine control or the latter section control. The section controls produces a virtual vertical shaft signal. The section controls are connected with the respective components directly or via data buses. An independent claim is also included for a method for controlling a printing machine.

Description

The invention relates to a controller for a printing press and a method for controlling a printing press.

Modern printing machines are complex systems consisting of a large number of components and subsystems. With increasing age, the failure frequency of individual components increases. The failed components must be repaired or replaced, and for reasons of cost-effectiveness, the interruption of service of the entire system, which is connected with the repair, must be kept as short as possible. The efficiency of retrofit or replacement depends heavily on the design of the controls for the components and subsystems. The networking of current controls is designed so that maintenance work is often associated with long, costly disruption of the overall system.

From the EP 0 567 741 A1 a rotary printing machine is known, which comprises a number of individually driven cylinder and at least one separately driven folder, wherein the drives are made with electric motors. The individual drives of the cylinders and their drive controllers are combined in groups of pressure groups as required. The print groups are assigned to a folder and take their position reference from this folder. The management of the print groups is carried out by a higher-level control system.

From the EP 0 692 377 A2 For example, a method for synchronously driving printing press components is known in which a drive motor of a first printing machine component and a drive motor of a second printing press component are coupled together by a set point control signal. The coupled drive motors are controlled in response to a deviation between the set point control signal and a suitable feedback signal. To form the setpoint control signal, a setpoint specification signal and an actual value signal of a printing machine component or a drive motor are used.

From the DE 103 17 570 B3 a drive device of a printing machine is known with a virtual leading axis for specifying a desired angular position of a drive of at least one driven by its own drive motor unit. At least one circuit is connected to the master axis, by means of which the time-varying date for the angular position of a Leitachsposition can be converted into a pulse train as output signals.

From the EP 0 768 173 A1 is a speed control for a multi-motor drive of aggregates of a printing press known. This drive motors are to be controlled by aggregates with different torque curve. This is achieved by assigning a master drive to the unit with the largest fluctuating torque requirement and inserting a smoothing agent in a controlled system of slave drives.

The object of the invention is to provide a controller for a printing press, which allows easy retrofitting of a printing press.

The above object is solved by the subject matters of the independent claims. The dependent claims are directed to advantageous developments.

One aspect of the invention relates to a controller for a printing machine with a plurality of printing machine components, which can each be controlled individually. Due to the separate controllability, each press engine component can receive and process an associated or specific control signal.

The printing press may include a machine control or add-on master as well as a first section control. The machine control can specify a control or setpoint signal, wherein the section control coupled to the machine control can be controlled by the setpoint signal.

The first section controller is configured to control one or more first press components. The setpoint signal received by the first section control, which may include information about a position, in particular a register position or rotational position of the respective printing press component, constitutes a reference which is the regulation or control of the relevant printing machine component. Advantageously, this control architecture allows, if necessary, a smooth replacement of an outdated or maintenance-requiring printing machine component without affecting the flow of the entire system. The control architecture allows extensions of the control structure and thus implements the principles of the retrofit principle, which has become very important in modern printing press management.

Retrofit is the modernization or expansion of existing printing presses with the aim of increasing the print volume, the print quality or the efficiency of the system. The replacement of obsolete components and the addition of new, state-of-the-art technological developments will bring existing systems up to date. The advantage for the plant operator lies in the modernization of the plant and the related increase in productivity at significantly lower costs in relation to the purchase of a new plant.

In accordance with the invention, the controller comprises a second section controller driven by the first section controller, the second section controller controlling at least one second printer machine component. The control structure extended in this way has the advantage that the second section control can be tailored to the characteristics of a second group of printing press components, which are combined into a second section. Printing machine components of this section can be inserted or replaced without hindering the operation of the components of other sections. Particularly advantageous is the ability to attach new press components that do not fit into the existing composite to the composite by developing appropriate first or second section control without having to make changes to the existing structure. For example, a new section control can be inserted as a so-called add-on control between the machine control and an older section control, which the older section control the previously received from her control signals, such as a now from the new (first) section control artificially generated royal wave signal, as can transmit, for example, virtually generated actual value encoder signal.

The new, first, section control is the master of the existing, second, section control. The master generates a signal which is adapted to the existing section control. In this way, it is easy to add new machines without hindering the operation of existing, "old" machines because the existing second section control can continue operating unchanged. So it is possible to add new, modern machines without having to replace the existing one. There just needs to be a signal tailored to the new machines. This signal is provided by the new, first, section control.

In accordance with the control architecture according to the invention, a third and further sections, as well as associated section controls and associated printing press components, can be added as needed.

According to a further embodiment, a sensor for detecting a king wave signal may be coupled to the machine control. As a result, the king wave signal is included in the setpoint signal.

According to one embodiment, an e.g. older section control be adapted to receive a real or virtual king wave signal. This can be derived from the king wave signal. Thereby, a synchronization of the registers or rotational or phase positions of all printing press components with a default signal, e.g. the king wave signal, possible.

According to one embodiment, the first section control may be connected to the first printing machine components directly or via a first data bus and the second section control to the second printing machine components directly or via a second data bus. The combined into a section Printing machine components are thus associated with the associated section control and, for example, also with each other. A smooth connection and disconnection of components is thereby possible, whereby any associated with a maintenance of the components operating interruptions of the entire system can be reduced to a minimum.

According to another embodiment, the printing engine component may include a controller coupled to the first and / or the second section controller. The controller is configured to perform the data communication with the associated section control, obtain the setpoint signal, and perform an adjustment of the phasing or register that may correspond to a real rotational position of the respective press engine component to the setpoint signal. This regulation serves to keep the register accuracy of the respective printing machine component as accurate as possible.

According to one embodiment, the press engine components may comprise at least one printing unit and / or at least one printing tower and / or at least one folder and / or at least one turning bar and / or at least one reel splicer and / or at least one currently commercially available or previously traded press machine component.

According to a further embodiment, the first and / or second section control or e.g. the first data bus may be coupled to a network, preferably to a LAN and / or to a WAN. Through the connection to a LAN (Local Area Network) and / or WAN (Wide Area Network) are operation, administration and / or maintenance of machine control, section control and press components from close proximity or within the same operation or remote locations, such as via Internet, possible.

According to one embodiment, one or more individual regulators of the printing press components may be combined into sections. A section control coupled to the controllers is designed to control the controllers and to specify, for example, conductance values. A control based on specific press components is tailored within a section of these components, depending on needs and technical compatibility with the components, as a section control. The upper limits for the number and scope of the sections are based solely on the technical and economic constraints of the press. A new section control tailored for one or more novel printing engine components may be connected at will to one or more existing section controls and preferably preceded by one or more section controls or all section controls. Only the new section control has to be adapted to the existing system by having a suitable interface for the section control, to which it is assigned or assigned hierarchically and functionally. Thus, the control architecture is in line with the retrofit principle, whereby new devices based on new technologies can be integrated into an existing system with minimal effort.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a method of controlling a printing press having a plurality of printing press components. A machine controller may provide a set point signal for driving a first section control. The first section control, which is driven by the setpoint signal, can control at least one first printing press component.

Fig. 1

Ein Blockdiagramm einer nicht beanspruchten Steuerung

Fig. 2

ein Blockdiagramm eines zweiten Ausführungsbeispiels.

The present invention will be explained in more detail by means of exemplary embodiments. Showing:

Fig. 1

A block diagram of an unclaimed controller

Fig. 2

a block diagram of a second embodiment.

The Fig. 1 shows an unclaimed control for a printing machine 1 with several printing machine components 6, which are each controlled individually. The machine controller 2 provides a setpoint signal, wherein the section control 4 coupled to the machine control 2 is controlled by the setpoint signal. The first section controller 4 is designed to control one or more first press components 6 or their controllers.

Fig. 2 shows a control for a printing machine with a machine control 2 and with two sections. The first section comprises a first section control 4 and a plurality of first printing machine components 6, which are designated K11, K12, K13. The second section comprises a second section control 8 and a plurality of second printing machine components 10, which are designated K21, K22, K23. Furthermore, the controller comprises a sensor 12 coupled to the machine controller 2 for detecting a king wave signal tapped by a king shaft 14. Thus, the king wave signal is received in the output from the machine controller 2 and the first section control 4 setpoint signal.

The machine controller 2 coupled to the first section controller 4 forwards the king wave signal to the first section controller 4, for example in the form of a virtual king wave signal. The first section controller 4 may use the royal-wave virtual signal, for example, to drive the printing machine components K11, K12, K13, and forward the royal-wave virtual signal to the second section controller 8. The second section controller 8 controls the components K21, K22, K23 10. The control of the components takes place, for example, by means of the controller integrated in the components.

It is noted that the invention also relates to printing machines without a vertical shaft.

For example, a LAN 20 or WAN 20 may be connected to the first section controller 4 and / or to the machine controller 2. Via this network and via the control computer 22 connected to it, operators can operate and / or administer the machine control 2 or the section controls 4 and 8.

In the Fig. 2 shown hierarchical architecture is advantageously very flexible in terms of extensions. Any number of further sections or section controls 4, 8 can be connected. The number and scope of the sections are based solely on the technical and economic conditions of the sector Press. A new section control, which is tailored for novel printing machine components, can be connected to an existing section control or this can be connected upstream. If a new machine component is not controllable by an existing section controller, a suitable section control can be inserted in the form of a new development, which forms the basis for a new section. In this way, the invention allows a consistent implementation of the retrofit principle with all its advantages.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

press

2

machine control

4

first section control

6

first printing machine components

8th

second section control

10

second printing machine components

12

sensor

14

Bevel

20

LAN or WAN

22

operating computer

Claims (10)

1. A controller for a printing machine (1) comprising a number of printing machine components (6, 10) which can be respectively actuated individually, said controller comprising:

   - a machine controller (2) which predetermines a nominal value signal; and

   - a first section controller (4) which is actuated by the nominal value signal and controls at least one first printing machine component (6), characterised by

   - a second section controller (8) which is actuated by the first section controller (4), wherein the second section controller (8) controls at least one second printing machine component (10), and in that

   - the nominal value signal comprises a main shaft signal.
2. The controller according to claim 1, wherein a sensor (12) for detecting a main shaft signal is coupled to the machine controller (2).
3. The controller according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one section controller (4; 8) is designed to receive and/or generate a virtual main shaft signal.
4. The controller according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first section controller (4) is connected directly or via a first data bus (16) to the first printing machine components (6), and the second section controller (8) is connected directly or via a second data bus (18) to the second printing machine components (10).
5. The controller according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each printing machine component (6, 10) comprises a regulator which is coupled to the first and/or second section controller (4, 8).
6. The controller according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the printing machine components (6, 10) comprise at least one printing unit and/or at least one printing tower and/or at least one folding apparatus and/or at least one turning bar and/or at least one reel changer.
7. The controller according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the first data bus (16) is coupled to a network (20), preferably to a LAN and/or to a WAN.
8. The controller according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least two individual regulators of the printing machine components (6, 10) are combined into sections, and wherein a section controller (4, 8) which is coupled to the regulators is designed to manage the regulators.
9. A method for controlling a printing machine (1) comprising a number of printing machine components (6, 10), wherein:

   - a machine controller (2) predetermines a nominal value signal for actuating a first section controller (4); and

   - the first section controller (4) which is actuated by the nominal value signal actuates at least one first printing machine component (6), characterised in that

   - a second section controller (8) which is actuated by the first section controller (4), which is configured as a master for the second section controller (8), by means of a signal generated by the first section controller (4), wherein the second section controller (8) is configured to control at least one second printing machine component (10), and in that

   - the nominal value signal comprises a main shaft signal.
10. A method for modernising a printing machine, wherein a first section controller (4) is introduced between a machine controller (2) and a second section controller (8), wherein the first section controller (4) can generate a signal which can be used to actuate the second section controller (8).

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