New Straits Times Press is upgrading reelstand control systems at its Shah Alam, Kuala Lumpur print site.

ABB will install new systems on 12 MEG reelstands at the Shah Alam site. Based on ABB's AC500 PLC, the new systems will feature local operation using ABB's CP635 touchscreen. Controls will be integrated with the original ABB DP800-based press control system on the KBA Commander presses.

The order is one of two announced by ABB this week. At Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung a retrofit programme of control systems continues on their Wifag OF790 press.

Original DP800-based printing tower controls are being transferred new AC500 systems with new touchscreens for local operation and existing inker drives replaced by ABB ACSM1 drives. In a second phase the decentral I/O modules are to be replaced with new I/Os from the AC500 series, a solution which allows existing field wiring to be retained. New ABB DCS800 drives are to replace obsolete PAD drives, with commissioning of both phases planned for the second half of this year.

• ABB will present its modular press control retrofit solutions, production management systems and support services at DRUPA which opens on May 31.