One Touch: autoprint

Newspaper printers don't have to lift a finger any more. Except one.

Newspaper printers don't have to lift a finger any more. Except one.

Welcome along the way to fully-automated newspaper production with One Touch, the revolutionary concept from manroland. At the press of a button, tasks are performed that previously required countless separate actions: for makereadies, production changeover, printing and maintenance. Each day we are moving a little closer to this goal. With our autoprint newspaper presses, full automation is within your reach.

The Vision: Printing at the push of a button, with only one operator, at only one control console.

Modern operating concepts, substantially reduced makeready processes with APL and APL logistics, as well as the new autoprint functions in the ClosedLoop area, constitute manroland's One Touch vision. Or to put it in other words: the vision of automated printing is becoming a reality.

With the first installation of APL logistics, the integrated workflow for printing plate logistics, manroland has come another step closer to making this vision a reality.
Together with the practice-proven APL automatic plate changing system and inline control systems, APL logistics is a groundbreaking step towards full automation and thus the highest level of efficiency in newspaper production. The four APL logistics modules form the workflow from job planning right through to plate changing. APL transport uses a rail network to bring the plates to the printing unit where the APL robots mount the plates on the cylinder. Prior to this, APL supply transfers the exposed plates to the wagons on the rail network. APL sequence organizes plate exposure, and APL control is the central computer, which controls the workflow.

What makes APL logistics so unique?
manroland offers an unbeatable system due above all to the software solutions in the prepress area, integration of the logistics software in the manroland peripheral equipment, and the ergonomically sound design. APL logistics is unique in the following respects:

• Practice: manroland provides the only completely developed logistics system on the market that extends from prepress to the printing unit including hardware and software solutions. Practice-proven with customer installations.
• Design: since the rail network is installed on the pressroom ceiling, access to the system is flexible and the height of the printing units is not increased.
• Makeready time: with APL from manroland, plates are mounted and clamped in one step. This permits full utilization of the makeready time advantages of the APL plate changing system.
• Flexibility: in the event of a technical transport problem, manroland has a back-up solution. Boxes containing printing plates are supplied to the APL robot manually which then clamps the plates.

APL logistics is future-oriented
APL logistics stands for makeready time reduction and good ergonomics in equal measure. In other words, a less stressful, silent working environment. Integrated in the autoprint series with APL and numerous inline control systems that reduce makeready time and assure quality, manroland offers a press concept that meets the demands of the market for production efficiency and operating economy.