Release Date: December, 2010

Version numbers and availability for operating systems

New features in simulator

The FEG Partner Group : Their contributions nourished the simulator

FEG stands for “Focus Expert Group”, a group of prominent suppliers to the print industry to contributed expertise to make the simulator even more “real”. You will find the page below in the ‘About” section of the simulator screen, and can click on their logo to go to their home pages.

Goss M600 press & Omnicon interface

The Omnicon interface has a full set of screens for all press controls. When the mouse is placed over any control a “tool tip” appears giving the name of the control.

MANROLAND PECOM-type interface with MEGTEC Dryer

Simulator still coming with MAN PECOM interface, including a full Meg Tec Dryer.

More examples of the MegTec controls are shown below.

Full MegTec dryer interface and integration with operator actions

The relations between dryer and press are now modelled in more depth. For example : open the door, the press stops; stop the press, the dryer goes into standby and lowers the temperature, but doesn’t extinguish the flame.

Improved resolution for Magnifier

Examples of magnifier on LWC (150 line), SC (120 line) and prior simulator (undefined)

Integrated Blanket Washer

The simulator now incorporates blanket washers. On the left is the Omnicon control screen, on the right is the Pecom-Type screen. In both cases the blankets cannot be washed unless the press is running at an appropriate speed.

The GOSS version automatically brings the speed down and initiates the blanket wash. The other version requires manually bringing the speed down (the Press Speed light turns green at the correct speed). The user then presses the “blanket wash” button to initiate the wash cycle.

The simulator behaviour will now automatically generate dirty blankets after a certain number of impressions, or if other contributing causes are present.

Augmented possibilities for checks and actions.

As the simulator model becomes more complete – with aspects like temperature and lubrification, the menus of Checks and Actions have been modified to show these.

Toolbox to be used for specific press actions (eg measuring temperature)

To carry out certain Checks or Actions, You must have the proper tool in hand.

Variable Depth Help system to pinpoint what’s wrong and how to fix it

In the example below, there is ink in the non-print zone on the copy (dry-scumming). The dampening is not good because the roller temperature is too high.However, this is not the cause, but the effect of the bad lubrification. This “causal chain” is now shown in the “variable depth” diagnostic help system.

New Papers, Inks, Screening, Dryer Profiles for LWC/SC

We can check the screen. Here we see is a 60cm/ 150 line screen for LWC. This shows the ink tanks from the GOSS simulator version – with the SC and LWC ink sets.

The operator is responsible for making sure the ink is right for the paper. A mismatch = dryer problems, tone value trouble..

New sets of Process Variables, ex.: roller temperatures

Temperature can vary because the ink storage is too cold/hot, because lubrication is bad (heats up the rollers) or for many other reasons.

The simulator will show both recommended temperatures and “actual” temperature – and will note at how many impressions the measurement was done.

Technical Audit approach : reference settings vs . real

The temperature measures above are one example of this.

When building the new generation simulators the contributing partners such as SUN Chemical or UPM brought in the aspects of their “Technical Audit” approach to measuring and maintaining quality.

Ability to set Ink Keys-> 0 and view plate (set ink levels by hand and eye)

On each inking interface, there is a control which sets all ink keys to 0 (no ink).

A standard training exercise is to do this, then ask the trainee to set ink levels by hand while looking at the plate, which can now be displayed (see below).

Ability to reload preset

In both interface, user has the possibility to reload preset if needed.

Dynamically switch between all available languages. “Read out loud”

Current languages include: Chinese, English (metric or US), French, Flemish, Dutch, German, Italian, Portuguese/Brazilian, Russian, Spanish.

Dynamic Press faults - not just in predefined scenarios

It is now possible to have an extended « what if » function during the simulation session.

This is for things operators could not normally do : For example: what if things went wrong with the blanket ? .

Now you can Change (as above) these aspects during the press run to see what happens.

If you are solving a predefined exercise, you must have fixed all the problems before you are allowed to “break” something else. If you are in “perfect” mode, you can do what you like – and take the consequences.

New information on Job Setup console

The instructor can now see (while the exercise is running) the name of the session and the exercise. This can help when counselling the student.

Job setup panel shows permanentely info about the current exercice

Some limitation can be defined in an exercise on global cost, duration or number of copies.

New icons: ready for Windows 7

A set of new icons has been designed to integrate WebSim News more fully with the Windows7 environment, the latest operating system from Microsoft.

	New WebSim-Heatset: to start an exercise or run simulator in “no print fault” mode (can be accessed from the new module “Educational Server”
	New Trainer Icon: design or modify a scenario, give access to cost editor, reference value editor and multimedia link editor
	New Websim-Heatset traces editor icon : gives you access to user report saved locally in txt format
	ASA module (Automated Session Analyser) module can be directly accessed from the new module “Educational server”
	User reports can be directly accessed from the new module “Educational server”

New tools for instructor

This decentralized learning management system (LMS) makes it possible to give each trainee a unique user-name and password, and to then trace their progress and problems as they solve simulator scenarios.

The reports produced by the ES make it possible to compare all trainees who have done the same sessions. In the example above, different trainees did the same exercise - with varying results.

We can see how they did overall in terms of time, waste copies, and production cost. We also see how each trainee compares to the group average.

A “standard solution” can also be input, and the trainee scores will be compared to this as well.

The trainees can be on different sites and their results will all be centralized in the ES.

Languages The trainer can choose the interface language for the ES; the trainees can work in English, German or Chinese, the trainer can choose to see the reports in French.

ES can be installed on a workstation. All computers using ES facilities have to be connected to the network.

ASA: Automated session analysis

The ASA makes it possible to compare two simulation sessions in detail.

This comparison can be of one trainee with a “reference” solution, two trainees, etc. It is possible to take the best trainee solution and make it the “reference”

In the example above, we see that there are problems with color (inking) folds and paper surface (dog ears).

o The reference session starts by fixing the problems with the paper o to avoid any folder jams that could shut the press down. o The trainee starts by adjusting color – o it would be better if they stabilized the process (fixed the problems) first.

This sort of analysis helps show trainees how to “set priorities” and help the trainer see exactly where the trainee may need help.

As the ES is a new function in the Sinapse simulators, there is a separate manual for it, and it is covered in depth in the training sessions.

New Trainer module for scenario design, variable intensity for faults

The trainer module is used to generate problem scenarios called ‘exercises’.

One such problem could be Dog Ear (as above)

In this example, we see that the selected fault Dog Ear, is really being caused by insufficient (low) Silicon, which in turn brings on Static Electricity in the Folder.

• This “indirect” cause, is the reason of the //-> symbol in the list of effects for this cause.

We also see a new feature Fault Intensity influences “how bad” the fault will look. • For beginners, it may be necessary to make it very obvious. • Experienced personnel should be able to recognize less obvious problems.

New (18) Paper-related faults and causes

18 print faults are new to the simulator (ex. Scuffing and Fluting). All have been remodelled to take into account paper parameters, press speed, dryer condition, ink/water balance, etc.

If these are too complex for beginners, the instructor can “uncheck” the fault and it will not be triggered during the simulation.

What you don’t see here !

The new generation is a major change to the heatset simulator. It has taken years of work with the FEG partners for the process models; we thank them for their patience.

Two supplementary years were spent modelling paper problems with UPM and VTT. We have now modelled 9 different papers and their reactions to ink/water, speed, heat, etc.

The current Heatset version 5.0 already includes 2 of these papers, a generic LWC and SC. The other papers will be included in the simulator in coming years.