Oosterhout – Security and continuity for many years to come, that is what Q.I. Press Controls (QIPC), supplies to Druckerei Konstanz GmbH, a company based in a town by the same name in the south-western state of Baden-Württemberg in Germany. On one hand the company had to consider the advanced age of the electronics, the accumulating malfunctions and the outdated parts, that have become obsolete. On the other hand, they wanted their press to last for years to come. In short; now was the right time to bring the current QIPC solutions up to date.

Druckerei Konstanz has a KBA Cortina triple width newspaper press in operation that consists of 4 printing units and 2 folders. Right from the start the press was equipped with press control automation of QIPC. Michael Schäfer, Managing Director of Druckerei Konstanz: “Our KBA Cortina has been equipped with QIPC’s mRC+ cut-off and color register controls since it went into production in 2009. The QIPC systems were and still are a central component of the automation concept that enables us to keep staffing levels lean and thus operate our printing plant economically.”

“For us, the QIPC solution is now a self-evident proven standard that nobody questions. The indispensable contribution it makes to the efficiency and profitability of our production processes is always apparent when, for some reason, it is not available at a certain time.” Michael Schäfer continues: “Our many years of experience in working with QIPC and using its system have been positive. For this alone, there was no reason to question the long-term our relationship with QIPC. Moreover, when replacing the QIPC system, we can continue to use some of the components i.e. the cabling in the press and the existing interfaces from the previous installation. This is not only economically attractive for us, but it is also sustainable, and it simplifies the renewal during the ongoing operation considerably.”

The mRC+ camera’s that currently control the color register will be replaced by 8 new IDS-3D cameras. Also, the old computer platform and screens will be replaced with new hardware. The removed cameras will serve as spare parts for the mRC+ cut-off cameras that will remain on the press. "The new cameras for the color register will detect the register marks at lower densities. Thus, the checking process will start earlier and with greater reliability. This will allow us once again to save a little more time and waste. But it is also very important for us to have a very high system availability with as few failures as possible.”

“It was a real pleasure to guide a very experienced QIPC customer through this renewal process and to ensure their production efficiency and profitability for many years to come,” says Harold Drinhuyzen, Area Sales Manager QIPC. “We had many pleasant and constructive meetings where we could explain our upgrade concepts and the changes and improvements made when we compare the old mRC+ to our current version of mRC-3D. In order to meet the specific needs of the customer, we are going to deliver our new IDS-3D scanners. They will provide the flexibility to upgrade too, for instance, the closed loop colour functionally, if needed in the future.”

“As a coldset printer, we are in a challenging market, which is also clearly noticeable in the supply industry. But even in a tougher market, we still see considerable opportunities for us in this market for many years to come. This makes it all the more important for us to have system partners we can count on,” Michael Schäfer concludes.

Druckerei Konstanz GmbH is one of the largest printing plants in Baden-Württemberg, Germany and has a rich history. The company logo still portrays two interlocking fish, dating back to 1927 when the company was called Druckerei am Fischmarkt and was then located at the fish market in the centre of Konstanz. Druckerei Konstanz prints around 120 million copies per year. It produces a wide range of newspapers, promotional inserts, high-quality magazines and brochures for its own publishing house and numerous customers.

For more information: www.qipc.com