We were engaged to re-commission a Cerutti rotogravure press at a client label manufacturing facility in Southeast Asia. the Cerutti press had been decommissioned from a facility in Melbourne, uninstalled then re-installed and re-purposed for the clients production, so there was a requirement to re-commission the press with the new configuration for the new production facility. Siemens S7-400 PLC modification, FM-458 motion controller modifications and Wonderware In Touch SCADA changes were all required for the new printing press configuration. The recommissioning and FAT testing was completed earlier than project time and under budget.
The new requirement for the machine had a more stringent registration requirement requiring the motion control system and responses to be finely tuned. The FAT testing was completed with a bespoke fingerprint design that was devised to verify that speed, colour and registration requirements had all been achieved after the machine modifications and recommission.
The Cerutti press was re-configured to allow the machine to run the clients process, the major differences are:
- Thinner substrate
- Narrower substrate
- Additional gravure units
- Addition of embossing and die cutting units
The re-installation required certain functional units to be removed, and the control system reconfigured. This required modifications to the four Siemens PLC’s, Siemens FM458 motion controller, Siemens Masterdrive Servo controllers and the Wonderware Intouch V9.5 HMI screens.
Budget restrictions did not allow a control systems upgrade, so the existing control system was modified which involved modification of Siemens Step 7, Siemens D7-SYS, Siemens Drives ES and Wonderware Windowmaker software packages, leveraging our expertise in control and automation systems design Control System Engineering
We also supplied an on-board control system monitoring and programming PC (CMS system) with full online access to all of the PLC’s, HMIs, Motion Controllers and Wonderware SCADA so that the system can be monitored and modified both locally and remotely. The principal challenge with this was the legacy nature of the control system major components presenting major challenges with current Windows compatibility. The CMS system is a key component in Cerutti press service tasks.
The Cerutti printing press also had numerous supporting units that required re-commissioning and / or reconfiguring:
- Vigitek print inspection system. Now serviced by Baldwin Baldwin Inspection
- Eltromat registration and viewing system BST-Eltomat
- NIRA LEL monitoring system Solutions – NIRA
- E&L web guide systems Web guiding systems
We created a comprehensive re-commissioning and FAT schedule which included rewind / unwind calibration, load cells calibration, safety device check, temperature sensor calibration, hazardous area design review, compliance checklist and dry / wet performance check.
The FAT testing and fingerprint test was completed within two weeks of powering the system up, and we are providing on-going site based and remote support to the client.
We are now working with the client in providing consultancy and support for the addition of several gravure units to the printing press, as well as some other specialist functional units. These all have self-contained orphan control systems that must synchronize to the main Electronic Line Shaft and communicate with the main control system for safety, control, indication and fault reporting purposes. We have decades of experience in complex motion control solutions and so this aspect will be seamless.
For any Cerutti press service or Cerutti support applications, or gravure printing re-configuration projects please do not hesitate to contact us. We can make improvements to your press to reduce make ready times, reduce downtime and provide integration for reporting and IoT strategies to support plant wise initiatives.
