Worldwide balance for the last 16 months shows a great start for the trend-setting new control concept

manroland web systems, the global leader in web offset technology, first introduced a radically new design for its ControlCenter system at drupa 2012. Since then, the company has successfully sold 24 of its new ControlCenter systems for newspaper and commercial printing in a wide variety of countries, including Germany, Finland, Italy, Brazil, Columbia, China, Nigeria, and Australia – an extremely successful start for this new product. 

The unique control concept features an innovative mobile operating system that permits the remote control of press operations. In the future, press operators in countries all over the world will be able to control their print runs with the state-of the-art control console. 

From press operator to supervisor
One of these new ControlCenter systems is running successfully at Athesia Druck in Bolzano, South Tyrol, alongside a brand new COLORMAN XXL. Press operators in Bolzano can monitor the entire production process with the new operating system. The command center for the COLORMAN, XXL autoprint is a comparatively small control console, which integrates the three well-matched hardware modules – ControlCenter, SlidePad, and MobilPad – as well as software customized to the process at hand.

The ControlCenter is like the home base for the press operator. All aggregates can be controlled intuitively from this location and functions can be selected and operated via an anti-glare touch screen. The SlidePad is no larger than a tablet PC and assumes the task of quality management. It slides along a rail at the bottom of the product tray and combines the navigation and controls for color, fountain roller, water, and the color register on a single screen. 

The MobilPad acts as a mobile ControlCenter. For adjustments on the press, operators can take it with them, allowing all types of modifications to be made on site. This saves time during production changeovers and reduces waste occurring when fine-tuning the folder quality at the delivery. When it comes to the advantages of mobility, the Mini-Plow in Bolzano, which Athesia installed to produce attractive folding variants, is just one good example. It is set up manually and allows the operator to make optimal adjustments for production directly from the MobilPad, situated next to the press. This means the user no longer needs to return to or call the control console. “The MobilPad quickly established itself with the press operators. While the new operating concept facilitates ergonomic operation, the resulting time savings are the most important issue for the printing house,” says Manuel Kosok, Head of Product Management Automation at manroland web systems. And what is the impression at Athesia? Sigmund Pernter, Technical Director Newspaper and Commercial Web Offset Printing at Athesia Druck, summarizes: “We invested in this new concept because we were certain that this was the only way for us to reduce our production, material, and personnel costs.