Machine Design Service

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(No Transcript)
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Introduction
Machine Design Service
A Division of AHSI
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• Redefining Post Press
• Integration
• Who is Machine Design Service?

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Why Redefine Your Postpress Facility?
As postpress production becomes more critical
and more complex, newspapers continue to wrestle
with trying to corral the diverse systems that
drive their packaging and distribution. Chuck
Moozakis, Editor and Chief, Newspapers
Technology, October 2003
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Whats the Impact on Newspapers?

• Were changing everything, Everything from
  when the paper comes through the press clear to
  the loading dock.
• Alan Fergusen, The Californian, Newspapers
  Technology, October 2003

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Whats the Driving Force Behind this Redefinition?
Were trying to give advertisers what they want,
Bob McCarthy Lewiston, Maine Sun-Journal,
Newspapers Technology, October 2003
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What is it Advertisers Want?
Were looking at more microzoning, Phillips
said John Phillips, Peoria, Illinois, Journal
Star, Newspapers Technology, October 2003
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Microzoning Targets Specific Demographics!
The problem is yesterdays mailroom is not ready
and able to handle the volume and diversity of
inserts being generated by advertisers.
And, historically, newspapers have been reluctant
to spend the money required to upgrade their
facilities.
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So, technologically, whats being done about it?
Hardware
1. Inserter manufacturers are responding with
faster machines that handle everything from 3 x
5 cards to full broadsheet pages. Additionally
they can insert a wide range of material from
newsprint to glossy sheets. Some even offer the
ability to collate as well as insert. 2.
Stackers are being designed to consolidate
downstream functions into a single machine with
the added capability to offer unitized, weather
resistant bundles. 3. Strappers have been
upgraded to offer more flexibility. 4. Single
copy wrapping is available at the end of the
insertion process. 5. Tie lines are being
modified/designed to distribute bundles to
palletizers and cart loaders as well as the
traditional truckloader at the dock. 6.
Palletizers can handle strapped or loose bundles,
allowing shipment to distribution centers where
carriers insert and package papers.
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Software 1. Bundle Tracking - Keeping track of
every bundle in the system to accurately
control distribution throughout the system
maintaining flexibility while making sure each
bundle finds its way to its proper destination.
Allows the postpress area to be as efficient as
possible in the allocation of its
resources. Systems are available with
sophisticated bar code scanning that assign a
unique identity to each bundle and track it
through the bundle distribution system. Another
method is to record entry into the system via a
sensor and discharge the bundles at
predetermined points, again using a sensor to
locate the bundle. The heart of this method is a
series of algorithms that receive information
from the sensors along the distribution path and
calculate, based on the speed of the carrier (in
this case the conveyors that comprise the bundle
distribution system) when to discharge bundles to
truckloaders, palletizers, or cart loaders as
required. 2. Totalization - Not just a postpress
tool but one to track waste throughout the
process - incoming mill rolls, gripper conveyor
drops, press samples, stacker and bundle
distribution damage. The demand is for a system
capable of departmental additions as finances
allow.
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• Upper Level Controls The Straw that Stirs the
  Drink!
• This might be the most asked for retrofit of
  existing systems.
• Many older systems have no communications link
  between the papers main frame computer and the
  PC/PLCs in production areas, including post
  press.

BD System PC
Circulation
PLC
Daily circulation data needs to be transmitted
from the main frame to the System PC and then to
the PLC or controlling the individual system
components. The problem is communication between
the devices, especially converting the database
info from the main frame to the System PC without
having to enter it via the a keyboard from a
printed document generated by circulation.
Instead the information is directly downloaded
from the main frame to the postpress PC.
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Integration

• Integration is the most important piece that
  almost everyone overlooks.
• Fred Dal Broi, San Francisco Chronicle,
  Newspapers Technology, October 2003

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Integration How it all gets done! Integration
Websters uses the words to coordinate to
define integration. Given the potential for a
high number of equipment suppliers in a
postpress system, the integration of the
gripper conveyor with the stacker, the stacker
to the tie line, etc. is certainly critical to
the ultimate success or failure of the project.
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• What Does Integration Include?
• Equipment
• Manufactured by the Integrator
• Purchased Manufactured by another Supplier
• Existing Equipment Pieces of the old system
  that will be included in the new system
• Controls
• PLCs
• PCs
• Upper Level Software
• Services
• Engineering System Layout/Mechanical and
  Electrical Design/Controls/Software
• Systems Testing
• Installation
• After Sale Service

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Should an Equipment Manufacturer be an
Integrator? Machine Design Service believes the
answer is yes. Integration is a vital element in
any postpress project and should be driven by one
of the project vendors. Integration in todays
mailroom means putting the pieces together,
making sure they function as defined by the
scope of the project and taking responsibility
for making it work. Other industries like paper
mills and the converting industry insist on
turnkey contracts to include system integration
for their material handling projects with
companies like Machine Design Service. Some
equipment suppliers are reluctant to allow other
companies, often viewed as potential
competitors, to resell their equipment as part of
an integrated system. In most, if not all
cases, the issues can be resolved by the three
parties involved the client, the integrator,
and the reluctant supplier working together in
the best interest of the client.
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Ultimately, that is what should drive any
project the best interests of the client
YOU!
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Integration The Key to a Successful Mailroom A
successful project requires a close relationship
between the newspapers project staff and the
Integrator. The newspaper must be able to
effectively communicate their requirements and
expectations to the integrator, who in turn must
be able to listen and translate those
requirements and expectations into a functional
system.
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Communication The client newspaper, as well as
the integrator should employ project managers
with high levels of communication skills. Once a
project is started, communications between the
integrator and the client must be open and
honest.
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Integration can save you Integration is not
expensive and will save you money. Select
vendors based on your needs as opposed to someone
else making the choice based on profit
margins. This will save you money when compared
to using consultants and architects for services
normally provided by equipment suppliers.
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Summary Redefining your postpress facility does
not need to be a nightmare. Advertisers will
continue to demand more services from you in
return for their advertising dollars. If you are
not able to provide those services, someone else
will. Let us know what you need. We do listen
and will respond. If we dont, someone else
will. Look for integration capabilities from your
suppliers. A single supplier may not have every
piece that fits your puzzle but should be willing
to accept system responsibility. Form
partnerships with suppliers. Partnerships can be
long term or one project. Working with consulting
and architectural firms and allowing them to
source the project vendors is not always in
your best interest.
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Who is Machine Design Service?
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• Last year we changed our name to Machine Design
  Service,
• a division of AHSI and moved from the old
  location in Oshkosh to our new offices and RD
  facility near the Appleton, WI airport.
• Manufacturing is in White Lake, WI, in
  partnership with SMI in a 200,000 square foot
  facility.