Tests on a Wifag newspaper press in St Gallen, Switzerland have confirmed staff, paper and ink savings following the installation of an automatic colour density system.

CH Media Print installed QI Press Controls’ IDS-3D colour and damp control systems last year, and six months of operation have now confirmed operational targets have been achieved.

After installing the solution at another CH site in Aarau, the company moved to equip the six-tower Wifag OF47GTD in St. Gallen, a double-width press with two folders. The QIPC installation went ahead after discussions with area agent Koenig & Bauer.

IDS-3D is combined with additional functionalities for damp and inkductor control which include a smart presetting system which includes ‘self-learning’ algorithms, This is said to further improve start-up sequences, to “significantly decrease” the number of copies needed to reach a sellable product.

Production manager Daniel Küng says the investment resulted in clear quality improvements: “At the same time, colour management across all layers has been standardised so that our newspapers comply with both standardised and customer-specific specifications at all times.”

He said the installation has also enabled CH to make shift schedules more efficient, thus reducing manpower.

Küng said after a “slightly extended” commissioning phase, he was very satisfied with the control system, with QIPC optimally adapting the software to the press.

Pictured (top) CH Media Print Aarau; (above, from left): Heinz Meyer (managing director of CH Media Print), Reto Burlet (deputy head of purchasing and services at NZZ Mediengruppe and CH Media), QIPC area sales manager Harold Drinhuyzen, Daniel Küng, and Peter Rickenmann (managing director of Koenig & Bauer Switzerland).