In preparation for the recent WorldSkills 2011 competition in London, the Sinapse SHOTS Sheetfed simulator was given a full Heidelberg-type interface. Contestants thus had the same controls screens on the two presses and five simulators used in London.

Heidelberg has also introduced the Sinapse simulator as part of its internal apprentice training in Germany.  Bernard Nahm, Senior Manager at Heidelberg and German Expert for the WorldSkills Offset group says : "The apprentices, who go through a 3-year program, have started by using the simulator as a supplement to on-press training.  Simulation-based training lets them explore the press, and the process without wasting paper or using real press time; it thus complements their experience on the real presses."  

The simulator is currently used by apprentices in the first two years of their training.

Mr. Nahm goes on to say "The apprentices adapt to the simulator very quickly and find it helpful and stimulating.  It makes them think about the various aspects of printing.  They have even written their own 'apprentice's manual' to help simulator use within the context of their overall training."

Peter Herman of Sinapse mentioned that "working with Heidelberg has been very positive; they are constructive in their comments, they have a very good understanding of the uses of simulation-based training, and they help us to make the simulators even better".

Heidelberg and Sinapse are continuing to cooperate to make a simulator version even closer to the actual press settings and functions.