Hamelin/Dusseldorf, May 28, 2024. "we create the future" is the motto of this year's Drupa, the world's leading trade fair for printing technologies, which will take place in Düsseldorf from May 28 to June 7, 2024. It shows: The printing industry is changing. High demands on machine productivity, enormous cost pressure due to falling margins and the battle for talent pose major challenges for machine manufacturers and operators. Digitalization can help here. At Drupa, automation specialist Lenze will therefore be showcasing its digital services and platform offerings in addition to its scalable and open hardware and software portfolio. The range can be seen live in Hall 11 at the joint stand A30 with MENDEL RG-Systems.

"Digital solutions help our customers improve their total cost of ownership while implementing new business models. By combining operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) and using the digital twin across the entire machine lifecycle, they become more efficient, save engineering time, reduce energy consumption and conserve resources," explains Jörn Krimpenfort, Global Segment Manager Converting & Printing at Lenze. Lenze sees itself as a partner to its customers and supports them in their digital transformation. The open automation platform Nupano is just one example of this: it forms the bridge between the IT and OT worlds and enables customers to bring applications (apps) into their machines, even without their own IT expertise, and thus differentiate themselves in the market. Krimpenfort adds, "Digitalization is having a huge impact on the world of machine builders in the converting and printing industry. Nupano is a key technology for bringing innovation into the machine and leveraging the potential of digitalization at machine and plant level in a simple and value-adding way. Our customers can offer new digital products, increase the efficiency and sustainability of their converting and printing machines and generate more recurring revenue with their customers."

Competitive advantages through digital solutions

In addition to Nupano, Lenze can come up with many other concrete digital offerings. At Drupa, the automation specialist will be showing innovative solutions such as condition monitoring. No extra sensors are needed for this, because the data already comes from the drive. Lenze also uses AI for machine optimization and offers an Asset Performance Platform that creates transparency about the installed components and ensures improved machine availability. The portal is linked directly to the OEM's machines. If a fault occurs, the machine can automatically create a ticket so that service technicians are informed at an early stage. The ticket shows which component is affected, which model or variant is involved, what the serial number is, and how the component was installed in the machine's topology. Incorrect information due to outdated documentation is ruled out: The information comes directly from the PLC, which always reflects the consistent actual state. Since the platform is manufacturer-neutral and relies on open standards, not only Lenze products can be queried. "In this way, downtimes can be avoided, throughput times can be optimized, and the OEE (overall equipment efficiency) of the machines can be increased," says Krimpenfort, summing up the benefits.

Seamless transparency for more sustainability

The planning of a machine is complex and decisive for the subsequent efficiency and sustainability in production. That is why Lenze offers the right tools for the hardware, but also for the software in the machine. They enable fast and optimal drive design with the right dimensioning and the lowest possible energy consumption.

Picture Source: MENDEL RG-Systems GmbH