There is a wide variety of autoprint configurations. They range from a new autoprint printing system including logistics right through to retrofitting an APL robot as the Times of India has done. After all, publishers have different and often multiple objectives: speeding up production, shortening makeready times, reducing personnel costs or increasing print quality.

Three becomes two: reduce investment costs with autoprint
The Osnabrück Printing Center has invested around Euro 20 million in its printing systems, its mailroom, and its environmental technology. By installing two COLORMAN autoprint presses including the high-speed Automatic Plate Loading (APL) system, the printing center was able to shut down one of the three presses earlier needed and still start print runs later and gain new contract printing jobs. The first 32-page, four-color section of the compact pressline with printing towers only 5.70 meters high was delivered in September 2008 and the second section has been printing since April 2009. These two printing systems handle the volume that previously needed three. Furthermore, APL is extremely reliable. In production with four 9-satellite towers, reliability is rated at almost 100 percent.

Faster through the night: speeding up production with autoprint
Since January 2010, the Mittelbayerische Druckzentrum (Printing Center) in Regensburg, Germany has been printing the editions of the Mittelbayerische Zeitung in a shorter period of time. The Mittelbayerische Zeitung appears in 13 regional editions ranging from 1200 to 20,000 copies each day (total circulation around 130,000 copies). With the COLORMAN, XXL autoprint, all changeover processes are extensively automated. With AutoJobChange, product changeovers including wash-ups, APL and Quickstart take place without any operator intervention. Pagination changes are carried out simultaneously and semi-automated. This enables the regional editions to be printed in less time. By investing in the COLORMAN, XXL, the company has reduced the number of presses used and also increased maximum pagination from 48 to 72 pages with far fewer operating staff. During the night production runs over only one folder which creates additional capacity for commercial jobs.

Besides the printing technology, time savings come from pressroom networking and modern reel handling logistics. printnet OM automates the worksteps RIP, plate exposure, production monitoring and proofing, and especially coordinates the APL requirements. The customized AUROSYS paper logistics system takes care of all reel handling functions from automated unloading of reels from trucks right through to completely automated preparation for printing.

3,500 plate changes each day: no problem with APL
At the present time, the Freie Presse Chemnitz has to change up to 3,500 plates each day in its modern printing center. 19 local editions of Saxony's largest daily newspaper are delivered punctually every day. Therefore, every minute saved is important. Here the APL robot is in its element. APL significantly reduces makeready time for all printing units of a production line. Three COLORMAN, XXL autoprint presslines produce the newspaper which has a paid circulation of 286,000 copies.

Reduce personnel costs: produce more efficiently by retrofitting APL robots
A total of 48 APL robots have been retrofitted to two COLORMAN printing systems at the Times of India. They change up to 2,300 plates every day. At the Mumbai/Thane facilities, the press operating crew has been reduced by 20 percent, makeready time reduced by one-third, and the number of possible editions increased by 75 percent. With 3.9 million newspaper copies daily, the Times of India is today not only India's leading daily newspaper but also the world's largest English-language newspaper in broadsheet format. The Times of India has 14 printing centers, among others in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad, and belongs to the renowned media group Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.

Brilliant colors for a more attractive newspaper: autoprint provides higher quality
The satellite-design COLORMAN prints the Mannheimer Morgen newspaper in considerably improved four-color quality, much to the delight of advertisers and readers. Besides that, short makeready times promise even greater topicality. This is due to Mannheim having the APL (Automatic Plate Loading) system, as well as APL logistics, one of the first printing plate logistics systems to be installed anywhere in the world. Further automation systems like InlineTension Control and InlineCutoff Control increase production security and minimize waste. Two new COLORMAN autoprint towers in 9-cylinder satellite design are already in production, and the two remaining towers of the predecessor COLORMAN will be replaced by two more autoprint towers in autumn 2010. With 16 Automatic Plate Loading robots, four reel splicers and two folders, the COLORMAN autoprint will be used to produce five daily newspapers with 21 local editions. Total circulation is around 185,000 copies.