DOWDING & MILLS FITS THE BILL FOR SHIREMOOR

15 August, 2002

Dowding & Mills fitted the bill perfectly when ShireMoor International, specialists in the repair, refurbishment and maintenance of KBA-Giori bank note printing presses, needed the main drive and PLC based control system of a press replaced.

The job included the design, manufacture, installation and commissioning of the replacement control and drive systems on a Super Intaglio bank note printing press.

The original drive was replaced with an Eurotherm 591C unit. In place of the computer control system, associated electronic relay rack and cam controller a Siemens S7-300 PLC was fitted, using a high-speed processor. A new high-speed counter module and digital shaft encoder were also provided.

Before the new system could be operated the software had to be translated from Boolean and re-written in Ladder logic. The upgrade allowed ShireMoor to provide its customer with a printing press capable of running at speeds of up to 8,000 sheets per hour and greatly improved reliability.

The entire project took two engineers, a designer and software expert, two and a half months to complete. It is believed that this is the first time that this repair has been carried out successfully on this type of machine.

Had Dowding & Mills not been able to install new software to the printing press, the system’s old parts would have had to be replaced with very expensive and increasingly hard to find components.

Olly Gray, technical director at ShireMoor International, said, “We awarded Dowding & Mills the contract following a competitive bid situation - they came in with the best price, times scale and project plan. We were also really impressed that we could use a single point of contact throughout the project.

DOWDING & MILLS FITS THE BILL FOR SHIREMOOR/2

“Initially there were a few teething problems, but then this is not unusual in an industry where every solution is unique. Overall, the project has been highly successful and we expect to undertake many similar projects in partnership with Dowding & Mills over the coming months.”

Ends

Note to editor:
Dowding & Mills PLC is a leading independent supplier of electrical, mechanical and electronic engineering services to industry worldwide. The Group has branches located throughout the UK with subsidiary companies in mainland Europe, Australia and America.

For further information please contact: David Gower at Dowding & Mills on 0121 766 6161 or email david.gower@dowdingandmills.com

For press information please contact: Matt Grayson/Claire Mantle at McCann-Erickson PR on 0121 713 3500 or email claire_mantle@europe.mccann.com