PROCESSING MACHINE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A PROCESSING MACHINE SYSTEM

Abstract

A processing machine system has at least one mobile control unit. At least one substance-related feature of the processing machine system can be detected by the mobile control unit. Upon detection of the substance-related feature by the mobile control unit, data which is associated with the feature can be made available to a user by the mobile control unit. A method is provided for operating such a processing machine system. The invention provides an alternative processing machine system or an alternative method for operating a processing machine system. The data associated with the feature contains data concerning at least one consumable of the processing machine system.

Claims

1-50. (canceled)

51. A processing machine system having at least one mobile control unit, wherein at least one material-specific feature of the processing machine system can be detected by the mobile control unit, wherein, upon detection of the material-specific feature by the mobile control unit, data associated with the feature can be and/or are supplied to an operator by the mobile control unit, and wherein the data associated with the feature contain data relating to at least one consumable material of the processing machine system, characterized in that the material-specific feature is a tag which can be detected by the mobile control unit in a contactless manner, without a control operation, solely as a result of proximity, at a distance of less than 4 cm between the mobile control unit and the tag.

52. The processing machine system according to claim 51, characterized in that multiple tags are provided in the processing machine system, on a processing machine, and/or on a post-press processing machine, wherein each tag has or contains in particular a unique identification code.

53. The processing machine system according to claim 51, characterized in that the tag includes or contains at least one link to an application of a data management system and/or a machine controller, which application is to be loaded specifically onto the mobile control unit.

54. The processing machine system according to claim 51, characterized in that the tag contains connection information for the mobile control unit, which links the mobile control unit to data or specific data of a data management system, a production control system, and/or a machine controller.

55. The processing machine system according to claim 51, characterized in that the consumable material is a printing substrate that is or will be imprinted, or the consumable material is selected from a group composed of printing plate, ink can, dampening medium additive, blanket, hot stamping foil, hand cleanser, IPA, cold foil, hotmelt adhesive, glue wheel adhesive, varnish, doctor blade lip, cleaning agent, process ink, underpacking foil, CU underpacking foil, roller, UV detergent and/or blanket cleaner.

56. The processing machine system according to claim 51, characterized in that the data of the consumable material include a job number, a job name, a quantity, customer data, and/or a delivery date, or the data of the consumable material comprise the designation, the quantity, the unit, the price, a partial removal option, information about data transfers, the scope of influence, and/or data entry or modification options.

57. The processing machine system according to claim 51, characterized in that the mobile control unit is linked to a data management system which is linked to a materials warehousing system, wherein the data management system contains data relating to the materials inventory of consumable materials.

58. A method for operating a processing machine system having at least one mobile control unit, wherein at least one material-specific feature of the processing machine system is detected by the mobile control unit, and wherein, upon detection of the material-specific feature by the mobile control unit, data associated with the feature are supplied to an operator by the mobile control unit, and wherein the data associated with the feature contain data relating to at least one consumable material of the processing machine system, characterized in that the material-specific feature is a tag which is recognized with the aid of the mobile control unit, and in that a sensor system of the mobile control unit is activated automatically upon or as a result of detection of the tag by the mobile control unit.

59. The method according to claim 58, characterized in that with the aid of the mobile control unit, the tag is recognized without any control operation, simply by the mobile control unit moving closer to the specific tag, and/or in that upon recognition of a detected tag, the mobile control unit is provided with and/or receives the feature-dependent data from a data management system without additional control operation.

60. The method according to claim 58, characterized in that data relating to consumable materials are received and/or are transmitted to a data management system by means of a sensor system of the mobile control unit, and/or in that the data relating to the consumable material are supplied dependent upon the particular recognized tag.

61. The method according to claim 58, characterized in that data relating to control operations to be carried out on a processing machine and/or a post-press processing machine in the processing machine system are supplied to the operator by the mobile control unit, and/or in that the operator is guided and/or directed through individual steps of control operations by the mobile control unit.

62. The method according to claim 58, characterized in that after a particular tag embodied as an NFC tag is addressed electromagnetically via an NFC interface of the mobile control unit, data relating to consumable material, which are assigned via the particular NFC tag or are stored on the NFC tag, can be supplied to the mobile control unit via the particular NFC tag.

63. The method according to claim 58, characterized in that the mobile control unit communicates wirelessly and/or via a web server, and/or in that a plurality of mobile control units are linked to a data management system, in particular a production control system, of the processing machine system.

64. The method according to claim 58, characterized in that information regarding quantities of consumable materials that are in stock for a current print job on a printing press is supplied via the mobile control unit, and/or in that information regarding job-specific quantities of required consumable materials is supplied via the mobile control unit.

65. A use of a mobile control unit of a processing machine and/or a post-press processing machine of a processing machine system for the purpose of supplying data relating to at least one consumable material of the processing machine system following a specific recognition of a detected tag or NFC tag.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0069] In the following, the invention will be explained in detail by way of example. The accompanying drawing depicts schematically:

[0070] FIG. 1: a database table for a data management system of a processing machine system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0071] The sole FIG. 1 shows, for example, data for a data management system of a processing machine system in tabular form. The data of the data management system may include, in a first column, the product ID's not recorded here, which are stored, for example, in a material-specific feature of the processing machine system. The respective associated consumable materials or the product ID's thereof can be stored in particular in the location-specific features, in particular in tags or NFC tags. In a second column of the data management system data, the associated articles/products can be uniquely assigned to the product ID's. Here, the consumable material may involve substances to be replenished, such as cleaners or other liquids, or even materials to be replaced, such as doctor blade lips or rollers, in particular anilox rollers. The articles/products are, in particular, consumable materials for the processing machine system, in this case, in particular, consumable materials from the group composed of printing plates for one or more optionally different printing presses, in particular sheet-fed printing presses, of the processing machine system, ink can or ink cans, localized dampening medium additives, centralized dampening medium additives, blankets for the machine or for the various machines, hot stamping foil, IPA (isopropyl alcohol), cold foil, hot melt adhesive, glue wheel adhesive, varnish, varnish supply, doctor blade lips, cleaning agents, black, cyan, magenta and yellow process inks, special inks, underpacking foil, CU (coating unit) underpacking foil, roller changes, detergent, hand cleansers, conventional detergent, UV (ultraviolet) detergent, central detergent, blanket cleaners and anilox rollers for one or more machines. The data relating to the consumable material stored in the database may be stored on the basis of the machine, for example. Here, the consumable material may be stored in files specifically for different printing presses or groups of printing presses. For example, data for printing plates and blankets for a Rapida 106 and for a Rapida 145 may be stored in the database.

[0072] For each article/product, a unit can be stored in a third column and the quantity (container size) can be stored in a fourth column. The specified quantities may also be indicated or preselectable in defined sub-quantities. Whether or not a partial removal of the corresponding article/product is possible is stored in a fifth column. The associated control system to which the data or the modified data of the data management system are supplied or transmitted is stored in a sixth column. In this case, the additional systems are machine control systems or quality control systems, for example. In a seventh column, the impact of each article/product is stored. For example, an article/product may have an impact on an assembly or on one or more machines. In an eighth column, the way in which data can be captured for the respective article/product is recorded. Data may be captured, for example, by means of a data matrix code, barcodes (Universal Product Code UPC or European Article Number EAN), or manual input, in particular via the mobile control unit. Additional consumable materials may also be included and/or additional data relating to consumable materials may be recorded. The data recorded in the data management system can be transmitted to the mobile control unit as needed or upon request by the mobile control unit, so that the mobile control unit can make these data partially or fully available to the operator. Preferably, only those relevant data that are required at the location of the control unit or additional information linked to said data are transmitted.

[0073] For example, on a processing machine in the processing machine system, in particular a sheet processing machine, for example a sheet-fed printing press, specifically a sheet-fed offset rotary printing press in a unit and inline configuration, an order may be processed in which ink that can be replenished from an ink can is used as the consumable material. The ink is replenished by an operator at regular intervals or as needed. To replenish the ink, the operator proceeds with the mobile control unit to the specific location where the ink needs to be replenished. At said location, the operator can cause his mobile control unit to interact with the material-specific feature attached at that location, in particular with a tag or NFC tag. Via a specific NFC tag, for example, a unique identification code is recognized by the mobile control unit by means of NFC technology or data transmission, and the associated information is thereby made available, for example in conjunction with the data management system, on the mobile control unit. For example, if the ink will be replenished, additional information about that ink may be displayed to the operator, such as how many more kg will be needed for the current job and/or how many kg of that ink are still in stock and/or how much the ink supplied for the job costs and/or when the ink will next need to be replenished or reordered.

[0074] Information for a material change, for example a change of an anilox roller, can be supplied to the operator practically and easily, in a similar manner. For example, following the recognition of a suitably placed material-specific feature, such as a tag or NFC tag, by the mobile control unit, information such as the number of sheets that have been produced with the anilox roller and/or the theoretical lifespan of the anilox roller or how much longer the anilox roller can continue to be used can be displayed on the mobile control unit by way of the link to the data management system. A material-specific feature, in particular a tag or NFC tag, can be placed on the surface of the machine, for example, or on the inner side of a foldable protective cover, for example, in which case the protective cover must first be opened before the mobile control unit can be made to interact with the material-specific feature, in particular the tag or NFC tag. A preferred tag or NFC tag is preferably an object or element on the surface, which transmits information to the mobile control unit by electromagnetic means, in particular after being addressed electromagnetically by the mobile control unit.

[0075] It can further be provided to attach material-specific features, in particular tags or NFC tags, for additional products to a machine, a post-press processing machine, and/or consumable materials themselves. This is intended to enable one or more or all of the products from the group of consumable materials to be detected, in particular: printing plates, ink cans, dampening medium additives, blankets, hot stamping foil, hand cleansers, IPA, cold foil, hotmelt adhesive, glue wheel adhesive, varnish, doctor blade lips, cleaning agents, process inks, underpacking foil, CU underpacking foil, roller changes, UV detergent and/or blanket cleaners. For each material-specific feature provided, in particular each tag or NFC tag, which is recorded in the data management system, the link to the corresponding product can be established, wherein the data management system is preferably aware of the location of the relevant material-specific feature. It is also possible for multiple material-specific features, in particular tags or NFC tags, to be provided for one product. The data associated with the respective product are recorded by means of databases or by means of data management of the data management system. Upon transmission of an identification code or upon transmission of a code that is recognized by the mobile control unit, the data management system supplies the data to the mobile control unit for retrieval or for display. Via the mobile control unit, the relevant data are then made available to the operator by the mobile control unit. Changes to the data by means of the mobile control unit are also foreseen, if applicable according to release criteria and updates in the data management system.

[0076] It can further be provided for data relating to a control operation, for example an intended sheet removal in a delivery of a sheet processing machine, in particular a sheet-fed printing press, specifically a sheet-fed offset rotary printing press in a unit and inline configuration, as described above, to be supplied to the operator via the mobile control unit, in particular via a smartphone. In that case, an imminent, in particular automatically triggered test sheet removal and/or a request for the removal of waste paper sheets or defective sheets can be communicated to the operator. In particular, automatically generated test sheets or defective sheets that are detected by a quality control device, such as an inline inspection system, are provided for unanticipated sheet removal. The control operation, in particular the sheet removal, can be communicated in a timely manner, enabling the operator to move to the location of the control operation, in particular the sheet removal. The control operation can be communicated via the mobile control unit, in particular the smartphone, optically, acoustically, and/or mechanically, for example via a vibration alarm, if necessary along with additional information.

[0077] A warehouse management workflow and/or batch tracking workflow, for example, can also be implemented by means of an app installed on the mobile control unit, as described in the following by way of example in reference to the printing substrate. First, for example, the piles of printing substrate are received in particular at the warehouse entrance, for example, of the print shop. At the appropriate storage space provided for this purpose, or on a pallet, a tag or NFC tag assigned specifically to this printing substrate is attached. This NFC tag is scanned in, in particular by means of the NFC interface of the mobile control unit, in particular the smartphone, and by means of the app installed on said mobile control unit, and the quantity of printing substrate stored in the storage space marked by the NFC tag is entered into the warehouse management system of the data management system, in particular into the data of the materials inventory. In addition, a batch code indicating the quantity in stock is preferably already scanned in or recorded here.

[0078] A spectrometer coupled to the mobile control unit, for example, or a sensor or spectrometer for implementing a spectrophotometric measurement, integrated into the mobile control unit, enables the paper white of the printing substrate, for example the front and back sides thereof, to be recorded and assigned to the corresponding batch code at the time the goods are received or during the storage process, even before the printing substrate is placed in the materials warehouse. The paper white is measured by the sensor, for example, and is assigned to the batch within the data management system, in particular in the data of the materials inventory. A suitable near-infrared spectroscopic sensor SciO which can be coupled via Bluetooth 4.0 LE is available from Consumer Physics, for example. Also known, for example, is an app developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for spectrometric analysis, for which no additional hardware is required (HawkSpex mobile), and which can be used in conjunction with sensors already integrated into mobile control units for the spectrophotometric measurement of inks.

[0079] Further preferably, a tag or NFC tag for consumable substances or materials, in particular the printing substrate, is attached to the machine, for example the sheet-fed printing press, as the consumption point. When a pile of printing substrate will be moved from the stock stored in this manner in the materials warehouse, for example, into a feeder of the sheet-fed printing press, the tag or NFC tag is scanned in by the mobile control unit, and thus the app installed on the mobile control unit logs the quantity to be consumed out of the inventory of the data management system, in particular the data of the materials inventory, for example, of the Logotronic. For the purpose of batch tracking, the operator or user is preferably requested by the app installed on the mobile control unit to record a batch code by means of the barcode/data matrix scanning module or camera or by manual input. This batch identifier is assigned in the data management system to the job located, for example, in the machine, in particular the sheet-fed printing press.

[0080] When, during a pile change, the batch code is then scanned in via the mobile control unit in conjunction with the installed app, the data management system, with the help of the mobile control unit, in particular using the data of the materials inventory, for example the Logotronic, can assign the paper white of the front and/or back sides to the job to be loaded or already located in the machines, and can thus make the paper white available to the measuring equipment. In particular, an inline measuring system, for example a quality control camera or an inspection system of the machine, can be calibrated in advance, for example, with the available data or values of the paper white measurement. With this step, during a job change, for example, a manual paper white measuring procedure is therefore no longer necessary, and a fully automatic job change can be carried out without interruption, i.e. without a manual measuring procedure, for example on the measuring table.

[0081] Furthermore, the mobile control unit can be expanded to include additional sensors and/or interfaces, so that additional parameters relevant to printing technology that can be used for automatic machine presetting, for example, can be detected already at a warehouse entrance. The mobile control unit thus enables the general detection of printing-relevant parameters of printing input materials, such as inks and printing substrates, or paper moisture measurements, for example in the pile, etc. and the automatic assignment of these parameters to a job to be loaded in a processing machine, in particular a printing press or sheet-fed printing press and/or a post-press processing machine, in particular for a preferably fully automatic machine presetting.

[0082] In a further preferred embodiment, the processes for producing a product, in particular in an operation involving multiple machines, are optimized. The processing machine system may include at least two production machines, e.g. a printing press and a punch, for example. For producing the product, a production control system PCS is included, in particular, which contains the job data (e.g. job number, job name, quantities, customer, delivery dates . . . ). The data link to the machine, for example the printing press and/or the punch, is produced with the aid of the at least one mobile control unit, with applications or programs being controlled on the mobile control unit in conjunction with support provided by tags or NFC tags.

[0083] Processing papers (e.g. labels, pile dockets) for each production lot are generated, for example, when a pile of printed sheets is removed from a sheet delivery of a sheet-fed printing press. The printing of a processing paper, for example the printing of a pile docket, is requested via the mobile control unit. With a tag or NFC tag, for example, which is preferably attached at a point on the machine for printing substrate removal, e.g. at the sheet delivery, a program is launched in the mobile control unit, in particular the smartphone, which establishes the link to the control system, in particular the PCS, MIS or data management system, and triggers the printing of a processing paper, e.g. the pile docket.

[0084] All relevant data that identify the lot or the pile, preferably along with a machine-readable code with which the lot or the pile can be clearly identified, are then printed on the processing paper (e.g. the pile docket). As an alternative to the code, the lot or the pile could also be assigned an additional tag or NFC tag with which an identification can be made. In that case, the physical printing of the processing papers (e.g. the pile dockets) could be dispensed with.

[0085] When the production lot or the pile arrives at the next machine, for example, likewise a printing press or a post-press processing machine, such as the punch, then a location-specific or machine-specific tag or NFC tag attached to the machine, in particular at a location for the infeed of a printing substrate, e.g. at the feed unit for the punch, launches at least one application (program) on the mobile control unit in particular fully automatically, for example solely as a result of proximity. The location, e.g. the location of the feed unit of the punch, is optionally automatically known to the application (app) or the program, so that said location can be connected, i.e. linked, to the data of the production lot or the pile. The production lot or the pile can be determined, for example, by scanning the code or identifying the tag or NFC tag. This leads, in particular, to the position of the production lot or the pile (optionally with the location or the time) being known or updated in the PCS or the MIS or the data management system. This information therefore enables the progress of the production run to be detected. For example, a job change may be displayed on the production machine, because the lot or the pile belongs to a new job, and so on.

[0086] An NFC tag can be detected particularly easily, without any further control operations, simply by the mobile control unit moving closer to the specific NFC tag, with the NFC tag being detected by the mobile control unit, in particular, at a distance between the NFC tag and the mobile control unit of less than 4 cm. Contact between the mobile control unit and the NFC tag is not required.

[0087] While a preferred embodiment of a processing machine system and a method for operating a processing machine system, in accordance with the present invention, has been set forth fully and completely hereinabove, it will be apparent to one of skill in the art that various changes could be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the subject invention, which is accordingly to be limited only by the appended claims.