EP4321347A1 - Device for producing printed products in low supports - Google Patents

Abstract

A device (1) is provided for producing printed products, with at least one first digital printing machine (4) for producing book blocks (8), at least one second digital printing machine (4) for printing envelopes (13), at least two as adhesive binders (19 ) designed further processing devices, in each of which a book block (8) is provided with an associated cover (13). The device (1) further has at least one first transport device (9) for transporting the book blocks (8) from the digital printing machine (4) to one of the perfect binders (19) and at least one second transport device (14) for transporting the envelopes (13). the digital printing machine (4) to one of the perfect binders (19). A control device (15) controls the function of the digital printing machines (4), the perfect binders (19) and the transport devices (9, 14). The first and second transport devices (9, 14) each have a switch (30) via which the product being transported can be fed to a specific adhesive binder (19) depending on the switch position. At least one product storage (16, 34, 35, 37) is integrated into the transport routes of the first and second transport devices (9, 14) for buffering products transported by the respective transport device (9, 14). The control of the switches (30) and the product storage (16, 34, 35, 37) are integrated into the control device (15).

Description

The present invention relates to a device for producing printed products according to the preamble of claim 1 and a method for producing printed products according to the features of claim.

From Scripture EP 1 816 007 A1 It is known to produce different printed products one after the other in small runs using a digital printing machine. All pages of a book block are printed in a digital printing machine, the printed pages are then stacked to form a loose book block and then bound with a binding device connected downstream. Individual sheets can be printed that have previously been pulled off a roll and already cut to size, or the printed paper is cut into individual pages after printing, or the pages are printed in printed sheets and the folded printed sheets are stacked to form loose book blocks, depending on how folded or cut is done. The loose book blocks are further processed in a further processing device in the form of a binding device. For this purpose, two or more envelopes are provided so that production can be carried out without interruption. The printed products and the envelopes are each brought together in separate ways to connect them in the back area in the further processing device.

From Scripture EP 2 179 859 A1 a method for producing printed products by means of a system is known which has a control device, at least one printing machine for producing book blocks, at least one transport device for transporting the book blocks and at least one further processing device, in which each book block is provided with a cover. A digital printing machine is used as the printing machine, as this technology can be used to print a single printed product completely in one sequence. The individual production steps of book production are carried out immediately one after the other in an inline process in which the individual machines the control device are networked with each other. It is assumed that, in particular, softcover covers or hardcovers for the printed products generally have to be pre-produced and stored in a storage facility. The order to a printing press to produce a book block is only triggered by the control device when an envelope is fed into the memory.

In the known devices for producing printed products, the individual machines for printing and further processing are networked via the control device in order to be able to produce, if possible, quickly and efficiently at high cycle rates in an edition size of 1, without having to accept inferior quality . This requires a consistent production workflow with coordinated interfaces through real-time status information. When producing books as printed products, it is particularly important to bring together book blocks of different sizes and thicknesses with the associated book covers, which are produced in different qualities, in the further processing device and to process them into a finished product. The books to be produced can vary from book to book in terms of their content, cover, format and thickness. The output of book blocks depends on the format and thickness. The larger the format and/or the thickness of a book, the lower the output. The book covers are usually printed as sheets. They can then be laminated or painted in different qualities. Despite these many variable parameters, the respective book blocks and the corresponding covers should meet in the further processing device as precisely as possible without losing a production cycle. If quality defects occur during the production of the book block and/or the associated cover, manual intervention is now necessary.

The invention is based on the object of creating a device and a method of the types mentioned, which make it possible to produce printed products in very small runs down to a single printed product more economically. It should be possible to produce the covers efficiently, if possible automatically and without manual intervention, and to connect them to a book block.

The task is solved for a generic device with the characterizing features of claim 1. The task is solved for a method with the features of the claim.

By providing special digital printing machines for the production of book blocks and covers, they can be optimized for the respective application. While a high throughput is particularly important when printing book blocks, because many pages have to be printed in a short time for each book block, when printing covers it is only necessary to print only one sheet for the cover for each printed product. which can then optionally be laminated and/or painted. By dividing the individual print jobs onto separate digital printing machines for the book blocks and the covers, the respective process sequences in the digital printing machines as well as in the processing processes upstream and downstream of the digital printing machines can be designed to be more process-optimal. It is thus possible to equip the digital printing machine with its associated peripherals for printing a book block with throughput-optimized printing technology and throughput-optimized technology for paper handling, such as an inline printing line with a throughput-optimized roll and/or sheet feed of the paper, cutting devices, folding devices and collecting devices for collecting the printed paper into the respective book blocks. It is possible to glue the loose stack of printed sheets forming the book block in the collecting device during or after stacking. The individual pages of a book block are connected to one another either by applying a trace of glue to one of the four end faces of the stack or by applying glue between the individual printed sheets. This temporary connection of the printed sheets ensures that the book blocks can be transported safely and without great effort from the collecting device to the subsequent processing machines. Without the temporary connection using adhesive, there is a risk that the stacked printed sheets of a book block will move during transport, for example by accelerating, decelerating, changing direction or shaking move against each other, slide onto another stack or the stack falls apart completely. The temporary connection is usually removed again in one of the subsequent processing machines as soon as the book blocks have been held by a clamping or gripping device or have been permanently connected to one another. The digital printing machine with its associated peripherals for printing on an envelope can be provided with appropriate feeding and connecting technology for the laminate material and/or a powerful varnishing technology for applying a layer of varnish to the respective envelopes.

In principle, it is possible with this configuration of the device to process orders in the order in which the order is received without sorting and without batching. The specialization of digital printing machines in the production of book blocks on the one hand and covers on the other hand not only enables higher throughput but also high product flexibility. With a high level of process reliability, very different formats, thicknesses, papers, shapes and qualities of book blocks can be processed in individual sequence. The softcover envelopes can be designed and manufactured in very different ways. The envelopes can be provided with any laminates and/or varnishes. The control device triggers the print jobs to the digital printing machines in such a way that the order and timing of the book blocks and the associated covers match each other so that both components are fed to the perfect binder selected for further processing at the same time without manual intervention. If hardcover books are to be produced, the book blocks in an adhesive binder are not provided with a cover, but with a folding strip that covers the spine glue. The book blocks for hardcover books can be fed automatically or manually to a hanging machine after a cutting machine in which the book blocks are cut to the desired format on up to three edges. In the inserting machine, the corresponding book blocks are provided with a preferably digitally printed hardcover cover. Both the hanging machine and a machine for producing hardcover envelopes can be part of the generic device or connected to it.

The book blocks can be transported in a suitable manner in a first transport device. In particular, they can be transported lying down, for example on conveyor belts or tables, on trays - a shell-shaped transport element for one book block each - or in a conveyor channel, or hanging, for example in a gripper or in a bag. Cutting devices, folding devices or collecting devices can be integrated into the first transport device and form part of the first transport device. Using a second transport device, the digitally printed and optionally laminated and/or varnished envelopes are transported further to the digital printing machine and fed to an adhesive binder.

If the first and second transport devices each have a switch via which the product transported in each case can be fed to a specific perfect binder depending on the switch position, the book blocks and envelopes produced by the digital printing machines can each be fed to a specific perfect binder. The two material streams with the book blocks and the covers can therefore be directed via the switches to one of several perfect binders. This can be the perfect binder that appears to be most suitable for connecting these components into a book at the time of production. The switches make it possible to control the flow of the book blocks and envelopes through the device in such a way that each book block and each envelope is fed exactly to the perfect binder in which these components are to be assembled. The switches make it possible to implement optimization criteria according to which the allocation of the perfect binders with further processing jobs is planned, through an appropriate material flow. By combining the special digital printing machines with their associated process-optimized machine peripherals for the production of book blocks and covers with the optimized feed of these components via the switches to the perfect binder, which is rated as particularly suitable for the production of the respective printed product, it is possible to exploit the optimization potential from both to combine specialized printing as well as the allocation of the perfect binders with further processing jobs according to optimization criteria.

By integrating at least one product storage device into the transport routes of the first and second transport devices for buffering products transported by the respective transport device, the feed times of book blocks and envelopes to the perfect binders can be varied to a greater extent than by simply changing the conveying speeds of the conveyor systems used on the conveyor routes. In particular, it is possible to remove individual or multiple book blocks and/or envelopes from the material flow via the respective transport route and to continue to operate the conveyor systems at a high conveying speed for the products remaining in the conveyor systems. Since the book blocks and the covers always have to be fed to the perfect binders to match each other in order to be connected to one another in the perfect binder to form a book, the product storage in the transport routes for both the book blocks and the covers creates the possibility of selecting the right book block from the book to eject the corresponding transport route if the production of the associated cover is delayed due to a malfunction or error, or to eject the appropriate envelope from the corresponding transport route if an error occurs in the production of the associated book block. It is also possible to set the clock rate of the digital printing machine used to produce the book blocks higher than the processing capacity of the adhesive binder used in order to build up a material buffer that can be processed again later in the event of malfunctions or maintenance work on the digital printing machine. The book blocks and envelopes introduced into the respective product storage can be reintroduced from the product storage into the material flow of the transport device as soon as the pairing of a book block with the associated cover is available and a free work cycle is available in the perfect binder in which the corresponding book block with the corresponding envelope should be further processed. A storage wheel, for example, can be used to store the envelopes. The storage capacity of the product storage should be sensibly chosen so that: Storage volume covers the usual operating requirements. The product stores can be designed in such a way that they make it possible to eject stored products only in the order in which they are ejected, in the opposite order in which they are ejected, or in an individual order determined by the control device.

The combination of the specialized printing of book blocks and covers in specially designed digital printing machines with associated peripherals and the allocation of the perfect binders with further processing jobs according to optimization criteria and the additional product storage in the respective transport routes results in a further increased efficiency of the device. Particularly when producing printed products that are no longer produced in a large number of copies, but only in a small number of copies up to an edition of just one printed product, orders can also be processed without sorting and without batching in the order in which the order is received acceptable unit costs and high productivity and flexibility. There should not be a significant reduction in the throughput speed of the device or a drop in product quality; manual interventions by the operating personnel should be avoided.

By integrating the control of the function of the switches and the product storage into a control device, it is possible to include the operation of these components in the control of the digital printing machines, the transport devices and the perfect binders. The function of the individual machines is networked with one another via the control device and corresponding interfaces in the control device and the machines controlled with it, which allows optimized operation of the entire system. The control device can be used to plan and dynamically execute the workflow for each individual print product. By controlling the switches and the product memories via the control device, the production workflow for the book blocks and covers can be controlled so that it can be dynamically adjusted and changed during production, eliminating manual Interventions are minimized and there is an improved utilization of the adhesive binders with a high product quality of all printed products produced with the device.

In order to be able to control the device with the control device, it is necessary that the control device continuously receives status information about the status of the individual machines and the products passing through the device. The control device therefore knows at all times where every book block, every cover, every glued or cut book is located. The status information about the machines controlled by the control device can be exchanged via the interfaces in the control device and the machines. The machines are equipped with sensors that collect and provide the data required for status information. The status information required by the control device for planning and production control of the book blocks and covers can be provided via additional sensors such as barcode or QR code readers, cameras, light barriers and the like, which transmit their sensor data directly or indirectly to the control device. The respective status information can be transmitted to the control device in real time.

In the device and method described above, the covers can be used to produce a softcover book. The device and the method can also be used to provide book blocks for hardcover books in an adhesive binder with a fold instead of with an envelope. It is then not necessary to print a separate cover for further processing of book blocks for hardcover books. The machines of the device can then be controlled accordingly by the control device.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the control device has a computer program which, for each order for the production of a printed product, creates an evaluation in a program routine as to which of the adhesive binders present in the device is most suitable for the book block to be produced for this printed product and for this printed product Envelope to be made together connect. The control device is connected to the first and second transport devices, the switches present in the transport devices and the product stores via interfaces via which their operation can be controlled. The computer program has a program routine in which control signals are generated based on the determined evaluation result. The control signals are transmitted to the first and second transport devices, to the switches present in the transport devices and to the product stores. The first and second transport devices, the switches present in the transport devices and the product storage are controlled in such a way that the book block and cover to be created by the digital printing machines for the evaluated order are simultaneously fed to the perfect binder that has been evaluated as the most suitable. The computer program transmits the control signals it generates via the interfaces to the first and second transport devices as well as to the switches and the product memories present in the transport devices.

• ein bestimmtes Format oder eine bestimmte Buchblockdicke, die nur in diesem Klebebinder verarbeitbar sind, und/oder
• ein ohne einen Werkzeugwechsel nur in diesem Klebebinder aktuell verfügbares bestimmtes Bearbeitungswerkzeug, wie beispielsweise eine bestimmte Rückenfräse, die für die Bearbeitung des Buchrückens dieses Druckprodukts aus qualitativen Gründen vorteilhaft ist, und/oder
• die Verarbeitbarkeit von Softcover- oder Hardcover-Buchblöcken, wobei bei Hardcover Buchblöcken in einem Klebebinder anstelle eines Umschlags ein Fälzelstreifen auf den Buchblockrücken aufgebracht wird und der Hardcover-Buchblock zur späteren Verbindung mit einem Hardcover-Umschlag einer nachgeschalteten Einhängemaschine zugeführt wird,

in Betracht. Auch rein qualitative Gründe können für die Auswahl eines bestimmten Klebebinders für die Weiterverarbeitung eines bestimmten Buchblocks ausschlaggebend sein, wie beispielweise

• die bessere Verarbeitbarkeit bestimmter Materialien des Papiers der Buchblöcke und/oder des Materials der Umschläge oder des dafür verwendeten Lacks oder Laminats in einem Klebebinder, und/oder
• in einem Klebebinder für bestimmte Druckprodukte besser geeignete und nur dort vorgehaltene Klebstoffe.

Various criteria can be important for assessing the question of which of the adhesive binders available in the device appears to be the most suitable for processing precisely this printed product at the time of production of the respective printed product. For example, an adhesive binder may be more suitable for the further processing of a specific printed product for technically compelling reasons than another adhesive binder available in the device. For example, there are technically compelling reasons

• a specific format or a specific book block thickness that can only be processed in this perfect binder, and/or
• a specific processing tool that is currently only available in this perfect binder without a tool change, such as a specific spine milling machine, which is advantageous for processing the spine of this printed product for quality reasons, and/or
• the processability of softcover or hardcover book blocks, whereby in the case of hardcover book blocks in an adhesive binder a folding strip is applied to the spine of the book block instead of an envelope and the hardcover book block is fed to a downstream inserting machine for later connection with a hardcover cover,

into consideration. Purely qualitative reasons can also be decisive for the selection of a specific perfect binder for the further processing of a specific book block, for example

• the better processability of certain materials of the paper of the book blocks and/or the material of the covers or the varnish or laminate used for them in an adhesive binder, and/or
• Adhesives that are more suitable for certain printed products in an adhesive binder and are only available there.

• die Verarbeitung von Buchblocks mit gleichem oder ähnlichem Format hintereinander, um Verstellwege von Bauteilen des Klebebinders, welche auf ein jeweiliges Buchblockformat einzustellen sind, zu minimieren damit einen leeren Arbeitstakt im Klebebinder zu vermeiden, der aufgrund der benötigten Umstellzeit bei grossen Formatumstellungen notwendig ist und/oder
• ein möglichst hoher Durchsatz von Druckprodukten durch die Vorrichtung in einem gegebenen Zeitintervall, und/oder
• eine Störung, eine Wartung oder eine Umrüstung an einem Klebebinder, der dadurch für die aktuelle Produktion ausfällt, und/oder
• ein Lastausgleich zwischen den in der Vorrichtung vorhandenen Klebebindern, um eine zumindest annähernd gleich hohe Maschinenauslastung der Klebebinder zu erreichen.

Finally, purely practical or economic aspects can also be taken into account when deciding which printed product is produced on which perfect binder, such as:

• the processing of book blocks with the same or similar format one after the other in order to minimize adjustment paths of components of the perfect binder, which are to be adjusted to a respective book block format, thus avoiding an empty work cycle in the perfect binder, which is necessary due to the changeover time required for large format changes and/or
• the highest possible throughput of printed products through the device in a given time interval, and/or
• a malfunction, maintenance or conversion of a perfect binder, which means that it is no longer available for current production, and/or
• a load balance between the adhesive binders present in the device in order to achieve at least approximately the same level of machine utilization of the adhesive binders.

All or at least some of the above aspects can be taken into account in the computer program by appropriate programming when deciding which printed product is further processed on which adhesive binder. The computer program in the control device can therefore be used to determine which of the adhesive binders present in the device appears most suitable for joining the book block and the cover of a printed product. After the program-supported evaluation, the computer program also generates the control signals with which the first and second transport devices, the switches present in the transport devices and the product storage are controlled so that the corresponding book blocks and envelopes are also fed to the selected perfect binder at the same time.

According to one embodiment of the invention, book blocks and covers are buffered according to defined group criteria. With such buffering, the removal of book blocks and envelopes is not limited to a single printed product; it is also possible to form groups of products in the product memory. The products removed in groups can later be further processed individually or as a group of products. For example, it is possible to remove printed products from the group of book blocks from the continuous flow of components based on product-specific properties. For example, thinner book blocks can be temporarily stored in the product storage in order to then feed them to the respective perfect binders when the digital printing machine for printing the book blocks is busy printing one or more thicker book blocks, the production of which naturally takes a little longer than an average thick book block. An empty work cycle in the perfect binder, which is caused by the printing of a thicker book block and the resulting longer conveying interval until the thicker book block is fed into the perfect binder, can then occur with the feeding and adhesive binding of a thinner book block from the product storage. The group formation in the product stores can also be logistically driven, in that the components for those printed products that are to be sent later or in a different shipping package are first introduced into the product store in order to process them later.

According to one embodiment of the invention, at least one cutting machine is arranged downstream of the perfect binders in the material flow, with the device for transporting the book blocks further processed in the perfect binders or the printed products to the at least one cutting machine being designed as a third transport device serving as a cooling section. The cutting machine can be used to cut the book blocks or printed products that are perfect bound in the perfect binders and have covers or folds to the desired size. The third transport route is used to allow the glue applied to a book block in the perfect binder to cool and dry. The perfect binders can also be followed by several cutting machines on which the glued book blocks or printed products are trimmed. The throughput of the cutting machines should match the throughput of the existing perfect binders.

• Papierart des Buchblocks
• Umschlagart "matt" oder "glossy" bzw. "glänzend",
• Buchblockart Softcover oder Buchblocks für die Weiterverarbeitung zu Hardcoverbüchern,
• Empfänger, Versandregion oder Logistikpartner,
• Format oder Dicke, oder
• Verpackungsart, beispielsweise in Kartons, auf Palette gestapelt oder mittels einer nachgeschalteten Foliermaschine.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a fourth transport device for distributing and/or sorting the printed products is arranged downstream of the cutting machine in the material flow. The printed products can be distributed and/or sorted according to various criteria, for example

• Paper type of the book block
• Cover type “matt” or “glossy” or “shiny”,
• Book block type softcover or book blocks for further processing into hardcover books,
• Recipient, shipping region or logistics partner,
• Format or thickness, or
• Type of packaging, for example in boxes, stacked on a pallet or using a downstream foiling machine.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the first transport device between the digital printing machine and the perfect binders has a first ejection switch for ejecting faulty book blocks. Book blocks identified as faulty can be removed from the material flow in the first transport device via the reject switch before they reach one of the perfect binders. The book block to be ejected can itself be faulty, or the book block is ejected because the associated cover has been recognized as faulty. For error detection, corresponding sensors for error detection can be present in the first transport device, such as devices for measuring the thickness of book blocks, barcode or QR code scanners, digital cameras, scales and the like, which continuously transmit their sensor data to the control device.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the second transport device between the digital printing machine and the perfect binders has a second rejection switch for rejecting defective envelopes. Envelopes that are identified as defective can be removed from the material flow in the second transport device via the rejection switch before they reach one of the perfect binders. The envelope to be ejected can itself be faulty, or the envelope is ejected because the associated book block has been recognized as faulty. For error detection, corresponding sensors for error detection can be present in the second transport device, such as devices for measuring the thickness of envelopes, barcode or QR code scanners, digital cameras, scales and the like, which continuously transmit their sensor data to the control device.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the at least one cutting machine, the fourth transport device, the first discharge switch and/or the second discharge switch are controlled by the control device. By controlling these components of the device through the control device, the material flow in the device can be further optimized beyond controlling the material flow for merging the book blocks with the covers. In an automated operation, the control device can feed the at least one cutting machine, control the sorting and distribution of the glued book blocks and/or remove faulty components. The functions of these machines can be integrated into the overall optimization of the operation of the device.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the control device uses the programming of the computer software to assign print jobs to the digital printing machine for printing the book blocks as a master production line, and the assignment of print jobs to the digital printing machine for printing the envelopes is subordinate to the print jobs for the master production line. By prioritizing the print jobs for the digital printing machine for printing the book blocks, this printing machine can run continuously and produce one book block after the other when a corresponding order is received. In terms of printing performance, this digital printing machine is superior to the digital printing machine for printing envelopes. It therefore determines the performance limit of the device as a whole. By prioritizing this digital printing machine when assigning print jobs to the control device, the theoretically installed throughput of the device is better utilized overall. The digital printing machines for envelopes are often sheet-fed printing machines, which are often only operated in stop-and-go mode due to the lower resource requirements for envelope printing. The prioritized assignment of the digital printing machine for printing the book blocks enables the operation of this printing machine to be optimized and thus an increase in the performance of the device as a whole, in that the sequence of these print jobs can be sorted taking into account optimization criteria without taking the print jobs for the digital printing machine for the envelopes into account .

These first follow the optimized sequence of print jobs for the digital printing machine to print the book blocks.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the computer software of the control device is designed to control the sequence of print jobs for the digital printing machines, the supply of book blocks and envelopes to perfect binders, the insertion and removal of book blocks and envelopes into and out of the product stores, the supply of perfect-bound or with a book block provided with a fold to a cutting machine, to change the material flow in the fourth transport device and / or the discharge of products in the discharge switches, taking into account current operating parameters of the device. With the ability to dynamically change planned control processes during production, the operation of the device can be adapted to changing operating conditions. For example, if a perfect binder fails due to a malfunction or change in equipment, the transport of the book blocks and covers planned for further processing on this perfect binder can be redirected to another perfect binder that is still producing or to the product storage.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the computer software of the control device is designed to move book blocks and envelopes in the associated pair of a printed product into or out of the product memory present in the first and second transport devices and/or into those present in the first and second transport devices to control exit routes. The advantage of the paired control of the material flow of the book block belonging to a printed product and the cover is that it prevents a perfect binder from being fed only a book block without the associated cover or an envelope without the associated book block. If a paired set of a book block with the associated cover of a printed product has been ejected and one of the two products is defective, it is possible to temporarily store the defect-free product and reintroduce it into the material flow at exactly the right time when the control device prints an error-free replacement for the defective one product and send it to an adhesive binder for further processing is funded. This prevents even an error-free product from being reprinted, even though this is not necessary. A product storage in the second transport device, such as a storage wheel, can also be used to adapt the order in which already printed envelopes are transported in the second transport device to the order of book blocks that are transported in the first transport device.

• ein oder mehrere Buchblocks zeitweise parkiert werden können, und/oder
• die Reihenfolge der Buchblocks geändert werden kann, und/oder
• ein Buchblock einen oder mehrere vor ihm transportierte Buchblocks überholen kann. Das zeitweise Parkieren kann in einem Loop erfolgen, für die Überholfunktion kann eine Überholstrecke, auch Fast Track genannt, vorgesehen sein. Ein entsprechend ausgestalteter Abschnitt in der ersten Transporteinrichtung flexibilisiert den Materialfluss für bereits gedruckte und zusammengetragene Buchblocks. Die Steuervorrichtung kann durch die Aktivierung der Park- oder Überholfunktion oder das zeitweise Parkieren von Buchblocks den Materialfluss in einer grösseren Bandbreite steuern. Durch die Möglichkeit, die Reihenfolge der einem Klebebinder zugeführten Bücher zu ändern, sinkt das Risiko von Zuordnungsfehlern von Buchblocks und Umschlägen, die gemeinsam zu einem Druckprodukt gehören. Werden Umschläge in einer Reihenfolge einem Klebebinder zugefördert, die nicht zur Reihenfolge der zugeförderten Bücher passt, kann die Steuervorrichtung die Reihenfolge der Buchblocks an die Reihenfolge der Umschläge anpassen.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the first transport device has at least one section in which

• one or more book blocks can be temporarily parked, and/or
• the order of the book blocks can be changed, and/or
• a book block can overtake one or more book blocks transported in front of it. Temporary parking can take place in a loop; an overtaking route, also known as a fast track, can be provided for the overtaking function. A correspondingly designed section in the first transport device makes the material flow more flexible for book blocks that have already been printed and compiled. The control device can control the material flow over a wider range by activating the parking or overtaking function or temporarily parking book blocks. The ability to change the order of books fed to a perfect binder reduces the risk of mismatching book blocks and covers that are part of a printed product. If envelopes are fed to a perfect binder in an order that does not match the order of the books being fed, the control device can adapt the order of the book blocks to the order of the envelopes.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the first transport device is set up to transport at least two book blocks in a stack, at least in sections. By transporting book blocks in stacks, the conveying capacity of the first transport device is increased or the speed at which the book blocks are transported is reduced. The book blocks contained in a stack can be separated again for further processing in front of a perfect binder or a switch.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the print job for printing an envelope is triggered programmatically by the computer software of the control device and/or as a function of a sensor signal from a sensor unit. The computer software of the control device can be designed so that it triggers the print job for printing an envelope in its program flow without waiting for a separate sensor signal. The pressure can then be triggered by the software program, for example in a purely time-controlled manner. However, it is also possible to only trigger the print job when, for example, the book block has been printed or the pages forming a book block have been compiled and/or possibly assessed as error-free by a sensor unit. A barcode or a QR code can be printed on one side of the book block, which is read by a corresponding scanner as a sensor unit. The signal read by the scanner can be transmitted as a sensor signal to the control device and/or the digital printing machine for printing the envelope, thereby triggering the printing of the envelope.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the device has at least two digital printing machines for printing envelopes. The multiple digital printing machines for printing envelopes make it possible to specialize the digital printing machines and their associated peripherals. For example, a first digital printing machine can only be intended to print envelopes that are then matt laminated or matt varnished and conveyed away by the second transport device, while a second digital printing machine is intended to only print envelopes that are then glossy laminated or glossy varnished and then transported away using the second transport device. The plurality of digital printing machines for printing envelopes may be connected to and controlled by the control device.

According to one embodiment of the invention, at least one digital printing machine for printing an envelope has a sensor unit connected to the control device for checking at least one quality feature of a printed envelope downstream in the conveying direction of the envelopes. The control device generates at least one control signal to a transport device, at least one switch, a product storage or a rejection switch when an error in an envelope is detected by the sensor unit. Errors that can be detected by a sensor unit include, for example, skewed printing, faulty lamination or uneven painting. In response to a detected error, the faulty envelope can be removed from the second transport device by the control device using appropriate control commands via an ejection switch. In addition, the printing of a new envelope can be triggered. At the same time, the control device can use appropriate control commands to remove the book block belonging to the envelope recognized as defective from the first transport device, transfer it to a product storage or park the book block in front of the perfect binder or lead it into a loop until a new and error-free envelope is available. In the same way, a sensor unit can be arranged downstream of the digital printing machine for printing a book block, which checks the quality characteristics of the compiled book block and transmits errors to the control device. The control device then generates corresponding control commands and transmits them to a transport device, at least one switch, a product storage or a discharge switch. The control commands do not have to be limited to machines that are on the planned conveying path of the defective product, but can in particular also be transmitted to machines that are on the conveying path of the associated book block or envelope in order to avoid that a perfect binder only has one Book block or just an envelope is conveyed and the complementary product for binding the printed product is missing.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the device has at least three adhesive binders to which the book blocks are distributed via the first transport device. For the distribution of the book blocks printed by the digital printing machine and created by the downstream processing machines mentioned, a single first transport device can be sufficient to distribute them to at least three perfect binders to distribute. The first transport device can then have the components described above in order to optimize the material flow over it and the control device.

According to one embodiment of the invention, one or more perfect binders are assigned a digital printing machine for printing envelopes, which are only fed to this perfect binder via a second transport device. With this configuration of a device, a first perfect binder can, for example, only assemble printed products in which an envelope printed by the assigned digital printing machine has a matt lamination or matt varnish, because the digital printing machine assigned to this perfect binder with its associated peripherals is specialized in the production of matt envelopes, while a second perfect binder only produces printed products with a glossy cover. The higher-level control device distributes the print jobs to the corresponding perfect binding line depending on the type of envelope.

Further refinements and modifications of the invention result from the following description, the drawings and the claims.

Fig. 1:

eine aus dem Stand der Technik vorbekannte Vorrichtung zur Herstellung von Druckerzeugnissen,

Fig. 2:

eine abgewandelte Ausführung einer Vorrichtung,

Fig. 3:

eine weiter abgewandelte Ausführung einer Vorrichtung,

Fig. 4 a:

eine Ansicht auf einen Klebebinder mit einem Speicherrad für Umschläge,

Fig. 4b:

eine Ansicht auf einen Klebebinder mit einem vorgeordneten Überholabschnitt für Buchblocks, und

Fig. 5:

eine nochmals geänderte Konfiguration der Vorrichtung.

The invention will be explained in more detail using the following description. Show it:

Fig. 1:

a device known from the prior art for producing printed products,

Fig. 2:

a modified version of a device,

Fig. 3:

a further modified version of a device,

Fig. 4 a:

a view of a perfect binder with a storage wheel for envelopes,

Fig. 4b:

a view of a perfect binder with an upstream overhaul section for book blocks, and

Fig. 5:

a further changed configuration of the device.

According to the Fig. 1 , which shows a device 1 known from the prior art for producing printed products, the device 1 has three digital printing machines 4. The paper to be printed is fed to the digital printing machines 4 via an unwinding device 3, by means of which a paper roll 2 is unwound. However, a digital printing machine 4 (not shown) that uses pre-cut individual sheets can also be connected. The printed paper webs are fed to a folding machine 5 and a cutting and folding device 6 in a known manner. The printed sheets created in this way are collected in a collecting device 7, so that a book block 8 is ultimately present. If printing is done with a single-sheet machine, it can have a stacking device, so that no collecting device 7 is required. The devices mentioned and also the digital printing machine 4 are known to those skilled in the art therefore do not need to be explained in more detail. The number of digital printing machines 4 is arbitrary.

The device 1 also has three envelope production devices 12, each of which has a digital printing machine 4 for printing the envelopes 13 as a component. In the envelope production devices 12, envelopes 13 are produced in a manner known per se. The envelopes 13 can, for example, be digitally printed sheets and designed as so-called “softcover” or “hardcover”. The envelope production devices 12 may further comprise a laminating device. A hard ceiling also consists of various components known to those skilled in the art. A corresponding hard cover process can also be part of such an envelope production device 12, but does not have to be directly connected to it.

The device 1 also has three perfect binders 19 as further processing devices, each of which has at least one memory 16 for storing envelopes 13. The memories 16 are, for example, drum memories with a storage wheel 17 which has several compartments 18. The envelopes 13 produced in the envelope production devices 12 are fed to these stores 16. This can be done via an investor 27. The envelopes 13 are transported from the envelope production devices 12 to the feeders 27 by hand or by means of a second transport device 14, indicated here by dashed lines. The memories 16 and the feeders 27 preferably each form a module and are arranged on or immediately in front of the respective further processing device 19. In addition, the feeders 27 have sensor units 28 for identifying the envelopes 13, which are assigned to the respective memory 16. These sensor units 28 can, for example, include a reading device with which a barcode or QR code printed on the corresponding envelope 13 is read. Of course, instead of barcodes or QR codes, other identification elements are also conceivable, such as transponders, magnetic strips or other elements that can store information. Plain text with characters or numbers can also be recognized. If instead of feeders 27 there are other means of feeding the envelopes 13 If used, the sensor units 28 for identifying the envelopes 13 are arranged on these other feed means.

The perfect binders 19 each have a binding device 20, a cooling section 21 designed, for example, as a cooling tower, a cutting machine 22 such as a three-knife cutter and a delivery 23 from which the finished printed product can be removed. The respective book blocks 8 are bound in the binding devices 20 and provided with an envelope 13. Book blocks 8, which are intended for the production of a hardcover book, are provided in the adhesive binder 19 with a folding strip (not shown) instead of an envelope 13 on the spine of the book. The binding process can be arbitrary. The book blocks 8 are fed to the binding device 20 via a first transport device 9. The feed can take place in the direction of arrows 11, ie via a side arm of the transport device 9 or in the direction of arrows 10, ie in the main conveying flow. The transport device 9 has several acceptance points 25, at each of which a book block 8 is taken over by the collecting device 7 and transported in the direction of the arrows 10, 11. It also has several delivery points 26, at each of which a book block 8 is fed to an adhesive binder 19. The transport device 9 can be implemented, for example, as a belt conveyor. In principle, transport would also be possible using gripping and the like. The ones in the Fig. 1 The controlled transport device 9 shown in a horizontal plane can also be designed in all other dimensions and can convey the book blocks 8, for example, up or down. For example, it can use a sensor unit 28 to identify a book block 8 and feed it to a predetermined adhesive binder 19. The information regarding the destination can be given to the book block 8, for example in a barcode or a data matrix code, or transmitted by a control device 15. An adhesive binder 19 differs from the other adhesive binders 19 in that it has a downstream hanging device 24, which is intended for printed products with a hard cover. The adhesive binders 19 can therefore be designed the same or different.

The device 1 also has a control device 15 designed as a control center in the exemplary embodiment. Such a control device 15 can also contain a workflow system and thus receive the book data, production information or process information from a higher-level system. Such a higher-level system is also known to those skilled in the art as a management information system, or MIS for short. Of course, the data for an order can also be entered by an operator at the control center.

When a customer or publisher orders a printed product, an order is created. This can, for example, contain 1000 printed products with 975 different titles. This order is assigned to a production unit or a new production unit is created. A production unit can be, for example, an order, a collection of orders or a work shift and is planned with the management information system or entered accordingly on the workflow system or on the control device 15. The production unit is preferably pre-sorted by the MIS according to certain criteria or sorted by the workflow system or another suitable system. In the exemplary embodiment, a workflow system located on the control center is responsible for sorting. Such sorting is useful in order to be able to group the printed products to be produced according to certain criteria, such as the type of paper, the folding scheme, etc. With the sorting, the production unit is defined and is saved in this form for later processing of the order.

In a next step, the workflow system triggers the production of the corresponding book blocks 8 and the covers 13, with the production sequence being fixed in the production unit. The envelopes 13 can be fed to the perfect binders 19 manually or automatically via a transport device 14 arranged between the envelope production device 12 and the storage 16. To accommodate the envelopes 13, the feeder 27 is provided with a magazine, not shown. In the feeder 27, the envelopes 13 are separated, identified with the reading device and fed to the compartments 18 of the storage wheel 17.

Each envelope 13 is thus identified and assigned to a storage location. The envelopes 13 are managed by a control (not shown) of the memory 16 or the binding device 20, which are each connected to the control device 15. The workflow system is continually informed as to which compartment 18 of the memory 16 which envelopes 13 are being fed to.

The book block 8 is produced in the corresponding digital printing machine 4 and handed over to the transport device 9 at a receiving point 25. The transport device 9 feeds the book block 8 to the corresponding perfect binder 19. As soon as the book block 8 is fed to the perfect binder 19, the associated envelope 13 can also be removed from the memory 16. The envelopes 13 stored in the stores 16 are available for retrieval at any time, so that an envelope 13 from the corresponding store 16 can be fed to the perfect binder 19 in each processing cycle, regardless of where the respective compartment 18 is currently located. Accordingly, the capacity of the memory 16 is designed to be comparatively high. Because the storage 16 is arranged on or immediately in front of the respective perfect binder 19, there is a relatively short conveying path for the envelopes 13 from the storage 16 to the binding device 20. This eliminates the risk of a malfunction occurring on the conveying path of the envelopes 13, i.e. after Triggering the print job for the associated book block 8 is significantly reduced.

After the intended envelope 13 has been connected to the book block 8 provided, the control device 15 or the workflow system is informed that the printed product has been successfully produced. Subsequent processes, such as transporting the printed product to a logistics system and shipping, can also be controlled by the workflow system.

In Fig. 2 an embodiment of a device 1 according to the invention for producing printed products is shown. The paper web held in the digital printing machine 4 for printing the book blocks 8 to produce a book block 8 is printed and fed to the cutting and folding device 6. In this, the printed sheets are separated from the end of the paper web transversely to the direction of travel. Before the During the cutting process, the paper web can be cut lengthwise and/or folded lengthwise. After the cutting process, the sheets are folded one or more times transversely to the direction of travel and then brought into the collecting device 7. There the printed sheets are assembled into book blocks 8. In the collecting device 7, the loose stack of printed sheets forming the book block 8 can be glued during or after stacking. The individual pages of a book block are connected to one another either by applying a trace of glue to one of the four end faces of the finished stack or by applying glue between the individual printed sheets when stacking. This temporary connection of the printed sheets ensures that the book blocks 8 can be transported safely and without great effort from the collecting device 7 to the subsequent processing machines. Without the temporary connection using adhesive, there is a risk that the stacked printed sheets of a book block 8 will shift against each other during transport, for example by accelerating, decelerating, changing direction or shaking, slipping onto another stack or the stack falling apart completely. The temporary connection with adhesive is usually removed again in one of the subsequent processing machines as soon as the book blocks are held by a clamping or gripping device or are permanently connected to one another. After the collecting device 7, the book blocks 8 are picked up by the first transport device 9, which is in Fig. 2 is only indicated by a schematic line, conveyed in the direction of the two adhesive binders 19 shown in the exemplary embodiment. The book blocks 8 pass through a discharge switch 29, at which a respective book block can be discharged from the conveying path of the first transport device 9. A book block 8 transported with the first transport device 9 then reaches a switch 30, at which it is decided to which perfect binder 19 the respective book block 8 is transported. Depending on the position of the switch 30, the book block 8 is transported into the right or left perfect binder 19.

In Fig. 2 a second digital printing machine 4 for printing the envelopes 13 is shown. The envelopes 13 printed by the second digital printing machine 4 are transported by the second transport device 14, which is in Fig. 2 is also only indicated by a schematic line, conveyed to the adhesive binders 19. Also in the second Transport device 14 has a switch 30, on which, depending on the switch position, it is decided to which adhesive binder 19 the respective envelope 13 is transported. There is also a discharge switch 29 in the transport device 14, at which a respective envelope 13 can be removed from the conveyor path of the second transport device 14.

In the Fig. 2 The transport devices 9, 14 shown are designed so that they not only transport book blocks or envelopes to the desired location, but can also buffer the intermediate products as a product storage 16. A product storage 16 for buffering products transported by the respective transport device 9, 14 can also be connected to a respective discharge switch 29. Products can be temporarily parked there and/or the order of the book blocks 8 can be changed and/or a book block 8 can overtake one or more book blocks 8 transported in front of it. Each of these options can be realized by a corresponding machine connected there. The discharge switches 29 can of course also be arranged at another location on the transport devices 9, 14. Or several discharge switches 29 can be provided on one or both transport devices 29 with additional machines attached to them.

In the adhesive binders 19, the book blocks 8 with the associated envelopes 13 are connected to one another to form a printed product. Book blocks 8, which are intended for the production of a hardcover book, are provided with a folding strip (not shown) in the adhesive binder 19 instead of an envelope 13. The printed products produced or the book blocks for hardcover books are transported by the third transport device 31 from the perfect binders 19 via a cooling section 21 as part of the third transport device 31 to the cutting machine 22. Downstream of the cutting machine 22 is the fourth transport device 32, with which the trimmed printed products can be distributed and/or sorted.

In the Fig. 2 The arrangement of the machines of the device 1 shown differs from that in Fig. 1 Arrangement shown by the discharge switches 29, the switches 30 and the property of the first and second transport devices 9, 31 to buffer book blocks or envelopes before handing them over to a perfect binder 19. This means that the transport on the first and second transport devices does not necessarily take place in a time-dependent manner. Thus, for example, the distance from book block to book block on the first transport route 9 can vary by reducing the distance for buffering purposes. The discharge switches 29 and the switches 30, which are present in both transport devices 9, 14, make it possible to coordinate the material flow of the two products, book blocks 8 and envelopes 13, better and with greater flexibility. In particular, the control device 15 can use the switches 30 to direct the book blocks 8 and the envelopes 13 specifically to an adhesive binder 19 in which these components are to be assembled into a printed product. In order to be able to control and regulate the operation of the device 1, the control device 15 with the digital printing machines 4, the adhesive binders 19, the transport devices 9, 14, 31, 32, the discharge switches 29, the switches 30 and the cutting machine 22 are shown in dashed lines Lines shown in lines are networked. In particular, sensor signals from sensor units 28, which are arranged at suitable locations in the device 1, can be transmitted to the control device 15 via the lines and control commands can be sent to the machines controlled by the control device 15. Via the switches 30 it is possible in particular to direct book blocks 8 and envelopes 13 to the perfect binder 19, which has been selected by the control device 15 as the most suitable perfect binder 19 in order to assemble a specific set of a book block 8 with an envelope 13.

Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of the in Fig. 2 shown device 1 according to the invention. Instead of just one digital printing machine 4 for printing the envelopes, two digital printing machines 4 are now shown, with which envelopes 13 can be printed. The first of the two digital printing machines 4 can be used to print matt envelopes 13, while the second of the two digital printing machines 4 can be used to produce glossy envelopes 13. In Fig. 3 are seven sensor units 28a are shown, which are used for quality control or for detecting the position of the printed book blocks 8 or the printed envelopes 13. In Fig. 3 An overtaking route 33 and loops 34 are also shown as part of the transport device 9. If a book block 8 is guided onto the overtaking route 33, it can overtake the book blocks 8 transported in front of it and be inserted into the product flow at the desired location. In the same way, individual or several book blocks 8 can be diverted into a loop 34, parked there, stored and reinserted into the product flow at the right time and in the right place. Via the sensor devices 28b, which are designed as barcode or QR code readers, the respective book blocks 8, which are transported by the first transport device 9, can be recognized by the control device 15 in order to trigger the correct control pulses for the movement of these book blocks 8 can. The lines for connecting the machines and sensor units to the control device 15 are shown in order to simplify the drawing Fig. 3 omitted.

The Fig. 4a shows a view of an adhesive binder 19 with a storage wheel 35 for envelopes 13. With a continuous flow of the book blocks 8 to the adhesive binder 19, the feed of the envelopes 13 via the storage wheel 35 can be varied as an example of a product storage 16. If, for example, a book block 8 is discharged via the switch 29 to the collecting device 7 because it is incomplete, the associated cover remains in the storage wheel 35 until a new book block 8 has been produced that meets the quality requirements. For this purpose, the control device 15 triggers another order, the sheets are dynamically printed onto the paper web between two already planned orders and the missing book block 8 is collected via the cutting and folding device 6 and the collecting device 7 and handed over to the first conveyor device 9. The feeding of the envelopes 13 from the storage wheel 35 can be appropriately controlled by the control device 15. The perfect-bound printed products 36 are transported away from the perfect binder 19 by the third transport device 31.

The Fig. 4b shows a view of an adhesive binder 19 with an upstream overhaul section for book blocks 8. Deviating from that in Fig. 4a In the exemplary embodiment shown, the order of the book blocks 8 conveyed can be changed via the overtaking route 33 shown there.

In Fig. 5 a configuration of the device 1 according to the invention with four digital printing machines 4 for printing book blocks 8 is shown. The digital printing machines 4 can be equipped with different paper, such as “creamy paper” and “white paper”. Since the digital printing machines 4 are each equipped with the paper required to complete the order, the corresponding print jobs can be placed immediately by the control device 15 on the appropriately equipped digital printing machines 4 without the need for a complex paper change on a digital printing machine 4.

The completed book blocks 8 are stored in the in Fig. 5 shown configuration of the device 1 according to the invention is conveyed into a product memory 16 designed as a book block memory 37 of the first transport route 9, which serves as a buffer memory for book blocks 8. In the exemplary embodiment, the buffer works according to the "first in - first out"principle; other forms of organization of the buffer memory are of course possible. It is also conceivable that 37 book blocks 8 are collected in the book block storage 37, for example according to their type of paper, their thickness, their format, their cover, their destination, etc. and then fed to the perfect binder one after the other. Operational interruptions of one or more digital printing machines 4 can be bridged via the book block memory 37 or another product memory 16. From the book block storage 37, the book blocks 8 can be conveyed to the perfect binders 19 with the first transport device 9 via switches 30.

In the in Fig. 5 In the exemplary embodiment shown, four digital printing machines 4 are also available for printing the envelopes 13. The finished printed envelopes 13 can be on the second transport device 14 along the conveying direction shown in solid lines from each digital printing machine 4 to each of the three in the Perfect binder 19 shown in the configuration can be conveyed. In one embodiment, it can also be provided that the finished printed envelopes 13 are only fed with matt envelopes 13 by one of the digital printing machines 4 and only with glossy envelopes 13 by another digital printing machine 4.

In the Fig. 2 , 3 and 5 All components of the device 1 according to the invention are shown in one plane. It is conceivable that the book block storage 37 of the product storage 16 is arranged on an elevated level. The digital printing machines 4 for the covers and other components could be arranged under the book block storage 37 in order to save valuable space in a production hall. The components for the production of book blocks - the digital printing machines 4 for the book blocks, the cutting and folding device 6 and the collecting device 7 - could be set up on one floor and the digital printing machines 4 for the covers as well as the perfect binders 19 and all components downstream of the perfect binders 19 follow on other floors. The first, second and third transport devices 9, 14, 31 can be designed as ascending conveyors, which convey the book blocks 8, the envelopes 13 or the printed products 36 to higher or lower levels.

The performance of digital printing machines 4 and further processing machines such as perfect binders 19 for the production of books in very short runs is constantly increasing. It is conceivable that a generic device 1 in the future will only have one powerful adhesive binder 19 instead of 2 or more adhesive binders 19. This can be connected to one or more digital printing machines for the production of covers in order to produce books with matte, glossy or other features. In this case, fewer switches 30 are arranged in the first transport route 9, since there is no need to distribute the loose book blocks 8 or those that are held together with an auxiliary glue but are still unbound between several perfect binders 9. If a fault occurs in the perfect binder 9, the book blocks further produced by the digital printing machine 4 can be buffered on the transport route 9 or in a product storage 16. Will the production of Book blocks 8 in the digital printing machine 4 are interrupted by a paper change or a fault, book blocks 8 from one of the product stores 16 are fed to the perfect binder 19 for a certain time and the digital printing machines 4 for envelopes produce the corresponding envelopes in a timely manner. In all of the exemplary embodiments described, book blocks 8 or envelopes that have already been produced and which meet the quality requirements are not destroyed after a malfunction or after defective intermediate products have been removed, but rather are temporarily stored on one of the transport routes 9, 14, in a loop 34 or in the storage wheel 35 for envelopes.

The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described above. It is not difficult for a person skilled in the art to modify the exemplary embodiments explained above in order to adapt the device to specific operating requirements.

Claims (22)

Device (1) for producing printed products with at least one first digital printing machine (4) for producing book blocks (8), at least one second digital printing machine (4) for printing envelopes (13), at least two further processing devices designed as adhesive binders (19), in which each book block (8) is provided with an associated cover (13), at least one first transport device (9) for transporting the book blocks (8) from the digital printing machine (4) to one of the perfect binders (19), at least one second transport device (14) for transporting the envelopes (13) from the digital printing machine (4) to one of the perfect binders (19), and a control device (15) which controls the digital printing machines (4), the perfect binders (19) and the transport devices (9, 14 ) controls its function, characterized in that the first and second transport devices (9, 14) each have a switch (30) via which the product being transported can optionally be fed to a specific adhesive binder (19) depending on the switch position, and at least one product storage (16, 34, 35, 37) for buffering products transported with the respective transport device (9, 14) is integrated into the transport routes of the first and second transport devices (9, 14) and the control of the switches (30) and the product memory (16, 34, 35, 37) are integrated into the control device (15). Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the control device (15) has a computer program which, for each order for the production of a printed product, creates an evaluation in a program routine as to which of the perfect binders (19) present in the device (1). is most suitable for connecting the book block (8) to be produced for this printed product and the cover (13) to be produced for this printed product, the control device (15) with the first and second transport devices (9 14), which in the transport devices (9, 14) existing switches (30) and the product memories (16, 34, 35, 37) are connected via interfaces via which their operation can be controlled, the computer program has a program routine in which control signals are sent to the first and second in accordance with the determined evaluation result Transport devices (9, 14), the switches (30) present in the transport devices (9, 14) and the product stores (16, 34, 35, 37) are generated, via which the first and second transport devices (9, 14), which switches (30) and the product stores (16, 34, 35, 37) present in the transport devices (9, 14) are controlled in such a way that the book block (8) and cover to be created by the digital printing machines (4) for the evaluated order (13) are simultaneously fed to the adhesive binder (19) rated as most suitable, and the computer program sends the control signals generated by it via the interfaces to the first and second transport devices (9 14), the switches (30) present in the transport devices (9 14). ) and the product memories (16, 34, 35, 37). Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one cutting machine is arranged downstream of the perfect binders (19) in the material flow, the device (1) for transporting the book blocks (8) further processed in the perfect binders (19) to the at least one cutting machine (22) is designed as a third transport device (31) serving as a cooling section (21). Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a fourth transport device (32) for distributing and/or sorting the printed products is arranged downstream of the cutting machine (22) in the material flow. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first transport device (9) between the digital printing machine (4) and the perfect binders (19) has a first ejection switch (29) for ejecting faulty book blocks (8). Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second transport device (14) between the digital printing machine (4) and the adhesive binders (19) has a second rejection switch (29) for rejecting defective envelopes (13). Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one cutting machine (22), the fourth transport device (32), the first discharge switch (29) and/or the second discharge switch (29) are controlled by the control device (15). are controlled. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first transport device (9) has at least one section in which - one or more book blocks (8) can be temporarily parked, and/or - the order of the book blocks (8) can be changed, and/or - A book block (8) can overtake one or more book blocks (8) transported in front of it. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first transport device (9) is set up to transport at least two book blocks (8) in a stack, at least in sections. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (1) has at least two digital printing machines (4) for printing envelopes (13). Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one digital printing machine (4) for printing a Envelope (13) is followed by a sensor unit (28) connected to the control device (15) for checking at least one quality feature of a printed envelope (13) in the conveying direction of the envelopes (13) and the control device (15) sends at least one control signal to a transport device ( 9, 14), at least one switch (30), a product storage (16, 35) or a rejection switch (29) is generated when an error in an envelope (13) is detected by the sensor unit (28). Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one digital printing machine (4) for printing a book block (8) has a sensor unit (28) connected to the control device (15) for checking at least one quality feature of a book block (8 ) is arranged downstream in the conveying direction of the book blocks (8) and the control device (15) sends at least one control signal to a transport device (9, 14), at least one switch (30), a product storage (16, 34, 37) or a discharge switch (29) generated when an error in a book block (8) is detected by the sensor unit (28). Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (1) has at least three adhesive binders (19) to which the book blocks (8) are distributed via the first transport device (9). Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one or more perfect binders (19) is assigned a digital printing machine (4) for printing envelopes (13), which is only assigned to this perfect binder (19) via a second transport device (1) 14) are funded. Method for producing printed products, in which the pages of a respective book block (8) are printed with at least a first digital printing machine (4) and the covers (13) of the covers (13) associated with the respective book blocks (8) are printed by at least a second digital printing machine (4). are printed, the book blocks (8) and the covers (13) are fed to one of several further processing devices in the form of adhesive binders (19) and connected to one another therein, the book blocks (8) being transported by at least one first transport device (9) for transporting the book blocks (8) from the digital printing machine (4) to the respective perfect binder (19) and the envelopes (13) from at least one second transport device (14) for transporting the envelopes (13) from the digital printing machine (4) to the respective perfect binder (19) are transported, the book blocks (8) and the envelopes (13) are transported via switches (30) present in the first and second transport devices (9, 14), via which the product being transported depends on the switch position depending on the switching position the switch (30) is fed to a specific adhesive binder (19), and at least one in each of the transport routes of the first and second transport devices (9, 14). Product storage (16, 34, 35, 37) is integrated for buffering products transported by the respective transport device (9, 14), the digital printing machines (4), the perfect binders (19), the transport devices (9, 14) the switches ( 30) and the product storage (16, 34, 35, 37) are controlled in their function by a control device (15). Method according to claim 15, characterized in that the computer software of the control device (15) creates an evaluation for each order for the production of a printed product in a program routine as to which of the perfect binders (19) present in the device (1) is most suitable for the to connect the book block (8) to be produced for this printed product and the cover (13) to be produced for this printed product, the control device (15) with the first and second transport devices (9, 14), the switches (9, 14) present in the transport devices (9, 14). 30) and the product memories (16, 34, 35, 37) are connected via interfaces via which their operation can be controlled, the computer program has a program routine in which control signals are sent to the first and second transport devices (14) in accordance with the determined evaluation result, the switches (30) present in the transport devices (9, 14) and the product stores (16, 34, 35, 37) are generated, via which the first and second transport devices (9, 14), which are in the transport devices (9, 14 ) existing switches (30) and the product memories (16, 34, 35, 37) are controlled in such a way that the book block (8) and cover (13) to be created by the digital printing machines (4) for the evaluated order are created at the same time as on most suitable rated adhesive binder (19) are supplied, and the computer program sends the control signals generated by it via the interfaces to the first and second transport devices (9, 14), the switches (30) present in the transport devices (9, 14) and the product memories (16, 34 , 35, 37). Method according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that the buffering of book blocks (8) and envelopes (13) takes place according to defined group criteria. Method according to one of the preceding claims 15 - 17, characterized in that the control device (15) uses the programming of the computer software to assign print jobs to the digital printing machine (4) for printing the book blocks (8) as a master production line, and the occupancy of the digital printing machine (4 ) for printing the envelopes (13) with print jobs is subordinate to the print jobs for the master production line. Method according to one of the preceding claims 15 - 18, characterized in that the computer software of the control device (15) is designed to control the sequence of print jobs for the digital printing machines (4), the supply of book blocks (8) and envelopes (13) to perfect binders (19), the inflow and outflow of book blocks (8) and envelopes (13) into and out of the product stores (16, 34, 35, 37), the feeding of adhesive-bound book blocks (8) to a cutting machine (22), the Material flow in the fourth transport device (32) and/or the discharge of products into the To change the discharge switches (29) taking into account the current operating parameters of the device (1). Method according to one of the preceding claims 15 - 19, characterized in that the computer software of the control device (15) is designed to transfer book blocks and covers (13) in the associated pair of a printed product into the first and second transport devices (9, 14 ) to control existing product storage (16, 34, 35, 37) into or out of it and / or into the discharge switches (29) present in the first and second transport devices (9, 14). Method according to one of the preceding claims 15 - 20, characterized in that the print job for printing an envelope (13) is triggered programmatically by the computer software of the control device (15) and/or as a function of a sensor signal from a sensor unit (28). Method according to one of the preceding claims 15 - 21, characterized in that the method is used in a device (1) according to claims 1 - 13.

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