Automation – From Pallet to Press Newspaper and Commercial

Conveyor Systems

Whether for transporting flat printing plates from the CTP-line to register punching and bending system, or for transport punched and bent plates to a plate sorter in adjacent pressroom: NELA Conveyor Systems are tailored made to suit your prepress! The plates are gently and efficiently transported exactly where they are needed next, even over long distances and through fire barriers. A transport over several floors or up to your rotation is also possible.

Register Punching and Bending Systems

In the view of increased editorial hours, increasing regionalization and increasing cost pressure, most printers now face the challenge of automating their production in order to achieve higher capacity as well as to decrease costs. As well-known specialist for high-precision register punches and bending systems and automation solutions for prepress, NELA offer customized systems for plate transport and sorting all the way through to production plan-driven delivery of the printing plates to the printing press. Get acquainted with the Just-In-Time concept and know that no matter how big your operation, we always have a suitable solution fitting your needs.

High throughput rates, high precision and a range of automation options. We have the right register punching and bending system for you, guaranteed!

Plate Sorting

Newspaper and Commercial printers sorting stackers in various levels of integration. From simple stacking tray to fully automatic sorting station for organization of plates for several print jobs – Sorting stackers are always adapted to your individual plate volumes and size of your print site.

Various stacker variants are available, from the classic 1-tray stack over right/left stacker up to the double-tray stacker. We always recommend the variant that best suits your needs, and our project team will find the best way to integrate the NELA-installation with the rest of your machine park. Based on a capacity test, which we like to perform based on your production plans, we can determine the scope of the plate sorters exactly.

A full range of D-T-P Servicing options for all conveyor and punch bender systems available

VCP Evolution HS

PUNCHING : BENDING : SHEARING

The high-speed variant of the reliable NELA VCPevolution is the ideal solution for all Newspaper printing, where maximum plate throughput is required. The high speeds are achieved by separate punching and bending in 2 steps. The VCPevolution HS can be combined with all the modern high-speed platesetters for an efficient and economical printing plate processing line.

VCPevolution HS/ T:

Integrated plate shearing for different applications

VCPevolution HS/ M:

The ideal solution when several plate formats with different bend lengths and angles shall be processed Driven by servo motors Bend lengths and angles can be adjusted, even via remote

VCPevolution HS/ flexx:

Different bending radii possible
With fully automatic dual-radius changer, depending on the configuration on one or two plate edges

Combination of these technologies is offered to provide a solution that is perfect for you

• For Single and Double wide Offset Printing Plates
• Register punching and bending in two steps
• Shearing function optional if required by press manufacturer
• Optical Alignment with NELA Video Control Positioning
• Bending configuration according to customer´s specification
• Speed: up to 400 plate per hour
• Expandable design with many optional features

VCP

Web Commercial Printers who produce high-quality products on different press types

The ideal solution for each web commercial printer who produces high-quality products on different press types. The VCP is our proven, high-precision register punching and bending system with optical plate alignment. Featuring two hightech cameras and a 3-axis rotation table, the VCP uses the image as a reference for the alignment of the plates prior to punching and bending, not the edge of the plate. This means that all plates are punched and bent relative to the image, which results in perfect print quality!

VCP is available for each plate size – also for very large formats – and can also process several formats with no difficulty. A highly felxible solution for many print applications, for example in packaging printing or continuous form printing, and also when you run a mixture of sheet-fed and web offset presses.

Optically controlled register punching and bending process in one cycle
Register-true positioning of offset plates through high-resolution digital cameras and imaged registration marks
The three-point system allows pre-positioning of the printing plates and serves as a backup for the optical alignment
Cleaning and oiling of the punching tools before each punching process ensures the long lifetime of the equipment as well as a continued burr-free and accurate register punching
Stepper motor-controlled 3-axis positioning
NELA VCPnet – intuitive user interface
Siemens S7 compatible
Pneumatic components from FESTO
Network capability via event channels
PC-based sequence control
Open integration-platform for easy integration of new applications
Priority-controlled alarm system: error, warning, information

RAO / AOF

Fully automatic register punching and bending system for web commercial printing, that can also be delivered for bending only (AOF). The ideal solution for processing of several web plate formats in one single system that is also suited for very large plate formats up to 96 pages.

RAO and AOF respectively provide the proven NELA register punching and bending technology and accuracy with a controlled 3-point alignment. Both are extremely flexible and are suited for usage in package printing or continuous forms printing. In combination with NELA conveyor systems and plate sorters, RAO and AOF can be integrated into a fully automated plate processing line.

RAO: register punching and bending process in one work step
Cleaning and oiling of the punching tools before each punching process ensures the long lifetime of the equipment as well as a continued burr-free and accurate register punching
AOF: bending only
Controlled 3-point system for plate alignment
Siemens S7 compatible
Pneumatic components from FESTO
Network capability via event channels
PC-based sequence control
Open integration-platform for easy integration of new applications
Priority-controlled alarm system: error, warning, information

Variants

RAO/AOF M:

Definition of several bending angles on leading and/or trailing edge

RAO/AOF flexx:

For processing of different plate sizes with varying punching and folding configurations
Different bending radius possible
With fully automatic dual-radius changer, depending on the configuration on one or two plate edges

Fully customisable to YOUR Specifications, Needs and Press Requirements

Conveyor Systems

Scratch free, Fast and Safe

For the scratch-free, fast and safe transport of your bent offset plates to the plate sorter, a range of NELA modular conveyor systems are available. These conveyors are also suited for the transport of unbent plates, perfect for the connection of several CtP lines to your bending system. The width of the conveyors can be adapted to your plate sizes. With Nela conveyors, offset plates are transported carefully and efficiently – also over large distances or through fire walls.

Take advantage of our know-how and our long-term experience! We will be happy to recommend the right configuration that will fit your requirement and your room layout, of course considering back up solutions, as well!

For large conveyor installations in combination with register punching and bending systems, NELA offers additional tools to assure process safety such as, for example, NELA StatusCenter or NELA PageTracking. These tools are browser based and provide access from basically anywhere.

Features

Efficient and careful transport of flat or bent offset plates
Size of conveyor components based on plate format(s)
Time savings through elimination of manual handling
No mor scratching or other plate damage caused by manual handling
Configuration of conveyor system according to your needs
Connection of one or more Ctp-lines to the register punching and bending system is possible
Turnstation for change of direction on the conveyor
Hinged conveyors for walkways
Large conveyor system equipped with an own PLC

Plate Sortation

Fully Automatic

Fully automatic pre-sorting of plates is a decisive factor when set-up times for sheet-fed presses are constantly reduced. Faster printing presses, shorter print runs, or a combination of presses with different plate formats – given these challenges it is essential for an efficient production process that the printing plates required for the next job are provided as efficiently and as carefully as possible.

Mistakes that occur during the (manual) handling and sorting of plates for the next print jobs are avoided, operators are left with more time for other tasks. Another advantage is the careful and scratch-free handling of the plates, especially for large plate formats. From imaging to transporting complete plate sets to the press – manual handling through operators is eliminated and scratches and other damages beocme a thing of the past.

Function

All printing plates are identified by their barcode prior to the plate sorter and are then stacked into the bins according to the pre-set criteria. The parameters for stacking can be defined customer-specifically and can be re-configured at any time. Sorting parameters that are repeated in regular intervals can be stored as sorting profiles by the operator.

Plate format may also be used as a sorting parameters in situations where more than one format is used.

Depending on a customer’s requirements, plate sorting can be realized in a static or in a dynamic mode. With static plate sorting, certain bins are always used for the same production whereas with dynamic plate sorting, free bins are automatically allocated to the next job by the software. Plates that belong together are placed in neighboring stacker bins.

The status of plate sorting is shown on a large monitor above the sorter.