| Howard
Publications selects Harland Simon for their multi-site, multi-press
upgrade project
Howard Publications,
the technologically innovative group based at Longview WA,
have selected Harland Simon for a major upgrade of the printing
facilities at their flagship sites at Oceanside CA, Escondido
CA and Munster IN. The project involves the upgrade of existing
and installation of new press drive control and management
systems incorporating some of the latest developments in the
field. All sites are due to be completed by spring 2002.
Each of the sites
currently runs a Goss Headliner® press which will be
equipped with a new control and management system to eliminate
obsolete DEC based systems and provide improved facilities.
The systems will include Harland Simons PRIMA
5000 press control consoles and full PRIMA management
systems including RIPSet
direct digital presetting interfaces. In addition to the controls
upgrade the existing DC lineshaft drives on each press will
be replaced with AC units.
The Munster site
is also being equipped with an additional two folder pressline
utilising a combination of US and European designed Goss units.
Whilst the machine parts are remanufactured the drive and
control system will be completely new, effectively identical
to that which would be provided on a new press. Once again
the system will incorporate new PRIMA
consoles, management and presetting systems. Of particular
interest on this press will be the combination of new AC drives
in both conventional lineshaft configuration and shaftless
configurations. The ability to provide this solution has greatly
simplified the combination of units of differing design, further
shaftless drives are also being provided for the compensator
stacks allowing flexibility in their location on the press.
All drive and
PLC equipment will be absolutely industry standard equipment
from the Siemens range providing a local source at all sites
for parts and service support from the extensive network of
Siemens distributors and service centres.
One feature of
particular interest is the inclusion of Harland Simons Esprit
auto-impositioning and ColorWare
pagebooking systems for each site. In stand alone mode these
unique systems offer significant benefits in the product and
production planning phase but Howard Publications, once again
leading the industry, have opted to install them in a fully
integrated configuration with their advertising layout systems
at each site. At Munster this is MEIs ALS system whilst the
Californian sites operate the SCS Layout 8000 system. The
adoption of a fully integrated system breaks down some of
the traditional barriers seen with the Newspaper industry
and will be a great step forward in operating efficiency and
maximization of capacity.
The project marks
another significant step in the growth of Harland Simon in
the North American market consolidating business with a number
of the market leaders over the past year. The combination
of innovative products with a solid base in industry standard
hardware and software systems provides an attractive package
to the progressive users in the industry.
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For more information, please
contact sales@harlandsimon.com
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