01/2007
Athena: a flexo revolution

This completely new approach is the result of a Finite Elements computer simulation, which has proven to be very successful. The dot gains value measured on the printing unit are the best measured in the mid and wide web market and are identical to those of narrow web presses, even with double width and with double printing speeds. The further advantage of this configuration is the stability at high speeds, as all the possible resonance frequencies are well above the mechanical limit of the print unit.


The Athena™ is the first mid web in line press in the market which performs the total Servo solution. Other press manufacturers have preferred intermediate solutions with mixed servo and gear driven mechanisms. The print unit is completely servo controlled in the pressure adjustments and it is gearless. Each movement (rotary or positioning) is servo controlled. The press is PC-controlled and is able to be Internet-connected for remote service. This configuration is common to Central Impression presses of wider range, and of the highest quality range.


The completely "digital" control on the machine supports the operator with fully automatic adjustments (pre-register, automatic register, automatic pressure adjustment, automatic substrate calliper control, automatic tension control and others) and avoids unnecessary repeated operations. The operator can concentrate on productivity as quality and set up are taken care by the Athena™ "Intelligence" (Servo Driven PC Integrated Control). The GIDUE package takes care of most of the variables with a higher intensity of servo assistance than any other mid-web press in the market as if the press were fully integrated in the digital workflow of the company. The use of an open software architecture entirely developed by GIDUE makes the press able to communicate with any existing software. Integration is left to the customer responsibility in order to protect sensible information


A new term should be used for Athena™: digital ergonomics. All the parameters are stored and repeatable in case of repeated jobs (as an average, they are about 70% of the normal production). The operator is not anymore involved in any pressure or register adjustment, which are entirely taken care by the press ‘Intelligence’. This means greatly reduced waste, as all the parameters of the optimal adjustments are digitally reproduced and only limited setup time is needed. Furthermore on new jobs, the possibility of errors, damaged plates or substrates is greatly reduced, if not eliminated, by the Intelligent Calliper feature. This automatically positions the plate cylinder and the anilox roller to achieve the correct pressure adjustment, relative to the plate thickness and to the substrate calliper, within a tolerance of less than 5 thousands of a mm! This specific feature is unique to the Athena™.


A special care has been given to the development of the ‘Intelligent’ register control. It has been entirely developed by GIDUE and it is the only register control in the market which incorporates the unique self-learning feature. The operator is no longer required to set the register control parameters based on the substrate instability to tension and temperature variables. A specially developed algorithm allows the Intelligent Register Control to "sense" the different characteristics of the substrate, based on the different operating conditions (ramp up, ramp down, steady state, etc.). The Intelligent Register Control "learns" the need of the substrate and becomes more or less responsive based on the different correction requirements. The accuracy of the control over the different operating conditions, and the limited waste is unprecedented in any in-line press currently available.


The principles of the Flower™ concept, GIDUE well-known patented inking station system, have been entirely transferred to the Athena™ press. The operator is not obliged to make the doctor blade and the rubber roller adjustments, eliminating the risks of difference in performance between the operators, misuse of the print unit and damaged anilox roller. The print unit opens up like a ‘flower’, and each element is immediately available for extraction, with the possibility of independent operations on each element. The Flower™ prevents unnecessary waste during setup and promotes ease of daily operations, comfort with limited physical efforts, and a "Lean" approach to press operations.


Athena™ has just started to write its story, a best-seller in the mid-web printing and converting industries.

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