Printing press and method of operating a printing press, and printing press system and method of operating the printing press system

• US 20090223393A1
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koenig & Bauer AG
• Original Assignee: Koenig & Bauer AG
• Inventors: Benz, Peter Anastasius, Masuch, Bernd Kurt, Eckert, Gunther Oskar
• Granted Patent: US 8,205,553 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 101/217
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 23/0406 by radiation B41F23/0436 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 7/12 using two cylinders one of which serves two functions, e.g. as a transfer and impression cylinder in perfecting machines

Abstract

A printing press is comprised of at least one dry offset printing unit. At least two different webs can be fed through the dry offset printing unit. In a first production mode “C” of the printing press, a first web is fed through the dry offset printing unit without a subsequent drying process. In a second production mode “H” of the printing press, a second web is fed through the dry offset printing unit and through an active dryer. In both the first and second production modes “C”, “H”, an inking unit of the printing unit is filled with the same ink.

Claims

1. ) a printing press comprising:

at least one dry offset printing unit;

an active dryer associated with said at least one dry offset printing unit;

means for feeding a first web of a print material through said at least one dry offset printing unit and not through said active dryer in a first production mode of said printing press;

means for feeding a second web of a second material, different from said first material through said at least one dry offset printing unit and through said active dryer in a second production mode of said printing press; and

an inking unit of said at least one dry offset printing unit and containing ink, said ink being usable in both of said first and second production modes of said printing press.

3. ) The printing press of claim 1 further including means for deactivating said active dryer and wherein in said first production mode, said first web is selectively one of fed around said active dryer and is fed through said deactivated dryer.

4. ) The printing press of claim 1 wherein said first web has at least one of a maximum coating weight of 20 g/m² and a roughness PPS of more than 3.50 μ

m.

5. ) The printing unit of claim 1 wherein said second web has at least one of a coating weight of more than 10 g/m² and a maximum roughness PPS of 3.50 μ

m.

6. ) The printing press of claim 1 wherein said ink has at least one of a maximum tack of 130, as determined using a Tack-o-Scope at 25°

C. and at a web speed of 350 m/min, and a viscosity of at least 120 Pas using a Physica measuring device at 25°

C. and a shear rate of 10 s<sup>−

1</sup>.

7. ) The printing press of claim 1 wherein said inking unit is a short inking unit.

8. ) The printing unit of claim 7 wherein said short inking unit includes a temperature controlled anilox roller.

9. ) The printing press of claim 1 further including first and second printing couple cylinders in said dry offset printing unit and further including means for mounting said printing couple cylinders for adjustment in relation to each other and further including power-controlled actuators usable to adjust said printing couple cylinders in relation to each other.

10. ) The printing press of claim 9 wherein in said first production mode and in said second production mode different pressure levels are supplied to said power-controlled actuators for adjustment of print-on settings of said printing couple cylinders.

11. ) The printing unit of claim 1 wherein said at least one dry offset printing unit is embodied as a printing tower and including a plurality of blanket-to-blanket printing units arranged above each other.

2. ) The printing press of claim 2 wherein said ink has substantially the same composition in said first and second production modes of said printing press.

12. ) A printing press comprising:

a first printing unit embodied as a dry offset printing unit operating without a dampening agent;

a dryer;

a second printing unit;

a first former assembly;

means feeding a first web through said first printing unit and through said dryer; and

means feeding a second web through said second printing unit, said first web and said second web being fed together to said former assembly.

13. ) The printing press of claim 12 wherein said first printing unit and said second printing unit are both part of a single printing press line.

14. ) The printing press of claim 12 further including a second former assembly, said first former assembly being associated with said first printing unit, said second former being associated with said second printing unit.

15. ) A printing press system comprising:

a first printing press including at least one first printing unit and a dryer, said at least one first printing unit being a dry offset printing unit operable without dampening agent;

a second printing press including at least one second printing unit and a former assembly; and

means for feeding a first web, in a first, mixed production mode, to said first printing press and through said dryer, said first web being transferred from said first printing press to said former assembly of said second printing press.

16. ) The printing press system of claim 15 wherein said first web has at least one of a coating weight of more than 10 g/m² and a maximum roughness PPS of 3.50 μ

m.

17. ) The printing press system of claim 15 wherein said second printing unit is a web offset printing unit.

18. ) The printing press system of claim 15 wherein said first printing press is selectively operable in one of a heatset production mode and a coldset production mode.

19. ) The printing press system of claim 15 further including a first roll changer for said first printing press and which is located in line with said at least one first printing unit and said dryer, and further wherein said second printing press is in one of a platform and a floor assembly structure.

20. ) A method of operating a printing press including:

providing a dry offset printing unit including an ink supply;

providing a web dryer;

locating said web dryer downstream, in a direction of web travel, of said dry offset printing unit;

operating said dry offset printing unit a first production mode;

supplying a first web to said dry offset printing unit in said first production mode;

operating said dry offset printing unit in a second production mode;

supplying a second web, different from said first web, to said dry offset printing unit in said second production mode;

directing said second web through said dryer; and

maintaining said ink supply to said dry offset printing unit the same in both of said first production mode and said second production mode.

21. ) The method of claim 20 further including providing said second web having one of a higher coating weight and a lower roughness than said first web.

22. ) A method of operating a printing press including;

providing a first printing unit embodied as a dry offset printing unit operable without a dampening agent

providing a dryer associated with said first only unit;

providing at least one second printing unit;

providing a former associated with said second printing unit;

printing a first web in said first printing unit and drying said first printed web in said dryer;

printing a second web in said at least one second printing unit; and

feeding said first web and said second web together to said former assembly.

23. ) The method of claim 22 further including using printing inks having substantially the same composition in said first printing unit and said at least one second printing unit.

24. ) A method of operating a printing press system including:

providing a first printing press including at least one first printing unit and a web dryer;

providing a second printing press including at least one second printing unit and a former assembly;

providing a first web having at least one of a coating weight of more than 20 g/m² and a maximum roughness PPS of 3.50 μ

m;

feeding said first web through said at least one first printing unit and said dryer without an application of dampening agent; and

transferring said first web to said former assembly.

25. ) The method of claim 24 further including operating said second printing press in a coldset production mode.