ABB is working with manroland to replace obsolete controls on three Colorman presses in Bordeaux, France.

The retrofit at Société Anonyme de Presse et d'Editions Sud-Ouest (SAPESO) sees systems based on ABB's Advant controller AC500. In three phases, unit controls on six towers will be replaced, then controls on the three folders, and finally controls on six reelstands will be replaced.

The obsolete Interbus Loop devices will be replaced with standard components. Replacement of the Antek infeeds is an additional part of the reelstand retrofit, with existing drives replaced by ABB's ACSM1. Existing motors and encoders will be retained.

The new ABB controls will communicate with remaining PECOM units and also with the manroland control consoles.

Commissioning of the first phase begins in November with the other phases following in 2016 and 2017.