River Falls, WI – NELA is proud to be a chosen supplier for the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star's press project. The Virginia based newspaper purchased a NELA Vision PunchBender with a NELA LogiStack and 16-position plate stacker.

This state-of-the-art system presents a new generation of just-in-time plate delivery to press. After the imaged plates have been punched and bent by the NELA VCP, the plates are then transported to either the plate stacker bins or the NELA LogiStack. The LogiStack is a fully-automated plate organizer and plate storage device. It serves as a temporary holding device for plates so they can be retrieved in sequence and placed in order for just-in-time press mounting. For make-ahead work, the LogiStack stores plates in its fully enclosed storage pantry where the plates are securely stocked until an operator requests a specific batch of plates with a touch of a button.

For just-in-time plate making the LogiStack organizes the plates in a manner of placing them in the correct storage bins in the required sequence and according to press specifications. The LogiStack Software communicates with the Goss Webcenter software which provides information about correct press mounting. The NELA Software then interprets this data into the right placement of plates in the 16-bin stacker for easy operator pick-up.

This system is custom-built based on required capacity and customer and press requirements.

Time and labor savings are the clear benefits of the NELA device as well as minimal handling of plates by operator to reduce rework due to plate damage.