Application device with application unit

Abstract

The invention relates to an application device for applying a layer of primer to a workpiece, wherein the application device has a first application unit, characterized in that a first application unit and a second application unit are arranged in the first application unit, each of which can be moved into an application position in which the application units can apply primer to the workpiece and into a rest position in which the application units cannot apply primer to the workpiece, wherein the first application unit is designed such that at most one application unit of the first application unit can be in the respective application position at the same time.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an application device for applying a layer of primer to a workpiece, wherein the application device comprises a first application unit and a method for digital printing on a workpiece. Such application devices for applying a layer of primer to a workpiece are known, for example, from the production of decorative papers using a digital printing system.

[0002] EP 2 158 358 B1 discloses, for example, applying an ink-receptive layer, i.e., a primer, to the surface to be printed before the printing ink and the actual decoration are applied. The primer, which is applied to the paper before the printing ink, seals the paper from one side, for example, in the case of a passive primer, also called a normal primer, so that the absorption and penetration of the printing ink into the paper is at least partially, but preferably completely, prevented. The ink-receptive layer is disclosed with a coating weight of 2-25 g / m², which is applied using conventional coating methods such as roller coating, slot die coating, engraving or nib coating, curtain coating, air brushing, or roller doctor blade metering.

[0003] The less ink the design to be printed requires after the primer has been applied to the workpiece, the more primer must be applied to compensate for any unevenness and color variations on the substrate, i.e., the surface to be printed. To save on material costs and thus production costs, it is advisable to apply only as much primer to the workpiece as is necessary to reproduce the design in the desired color.

[0004] For this reason, it is necessary to be able to change the amount of primer applied to the workpiece by the application device.

[0005] For this, a different application unit must be used to apply the primer. In the prior art, the application unit is removed from the application device and replaced with a different application unit capable of applying a different quantity of primer to the workpiece. The disadvantage of this is that it results in several hours of downtime for the application device, during which no primer can be applied to the workpiece.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to reduce the changeover time required between the application of primer by a first application device and the application of primer by a second application device, and thus the downtime of the application device.

[0007] This problem is solved by an application device according to the preamble of claim 1, characterized in that a first application unit and a second application unit are arranged in the first application unit, each of which can be moved into an application position in which the application units can apply primers to the workpiece and into a rest position in which the application units cannot apply primers to the workpiece, wherein the first application unit is configured such that at most one application unit of the first application unit can be in the respective application position at any one time. Advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

[0008] According to claim 1, the application device thus comprises a first application unit in which a first application device and a second application device are arranged, wherein the first application device and the second application device can each be moved into an application position and a rest position. If an application device is in an application position, primer can be applied to the workpiece by this application device. If an application device is in a rest position, no primer can be applied to the workpiece by this application device. The first application unit is designed such that at most one application device, for example, the first application device or the second application device, can be in an application position at any one time. This means that either no application device or one application device is in an application position.No more than one order setup from the first order plant can be present in the order item at any one time. This also applies if the order items of the order setups are not identical. The order plant that is present in the order item is also called the active order plant.

[0009] In other words, the first application unit applies primer to the workpiece by at most one application unit at a time. If the first application unit of the first application unit is in an application position and primer is to be applied to the workpiece by the second application unit, the first application unit must be moved from its application position to its rest position, and the second application unit must be moved to its application position. In some embodiments of the present invention, the application position of the first application unit is identical to the application position of the second application unit. In other embodiments, the two application units have different application positions.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, the rest position of the first application unit is identical to the rest position of the second application unit. In other embodiments, the two application units have different rest positions.

[0011] Preferably, to change the active order processing unit, the previously active unit is first moved from its order position to its rest position before another unit is moved from its rest position to its order position, thus becoming the new active unit. For this to work, the rest positions of the two units must be different. In other embodiments of the present invention, the two units involved are moved simultaneously. The active unit preferably leaves its order position at the same time as the other unit leaves its rest position. Particularly preferably, the previously active unit reaches its rest position at the same time as the other unit reaches its order position and thus becomes the new active unit.

[0012] Preferably, the first and second order units have a constant relative position and orientation to each other, such that, for example, the first order unit moves simultaneously from the order position to a rest position, and the second order unit moves simultaneously from a rest position to the order position. In this case, the order position of the first order unit is preferably identical to the order position of the second order unit. Such a configuration exists, for example, when both order units are arranged on the same holding device. In order to change the active order unit in this case, the entire holding device is preferably moved, so that all order units arranged in this holding device move. The holding device is part of the first order unit.

[0013] In a specific example, during the application of primer to the workpiece by the first application unit, the first application unit is in the application position and the second application unit is in the rest position. The first application unit comprises the first and second application units and positions them so that they can be moved from an application position to a rest position and vice versa. The application unit according to the invention allows the amount of primer applied to the workpiece to be changed without having to remove one application unit from the application unit and install another. This reduces the changeover time and thus the downtime of the application unit. Furthermore, it eliminates error-prone and costly manual work steps.

[0014] An application unit is part of an application device according to the invention, wherein an application unit comprises at least one application device. According to the invention, the first application unit comprises at least a first application device and a second application device. In addition to the application devices, the first application unit comprises holding devices for the application devices and is configured to move the application devices of the application unit from the application position to a rest position and vice versa. For this purpose, the first application unit comprises, for example, a motor. The first application unit preferably comprises a single holding device to which all application devices of the application unit are attached. This achieves, in a particularly simple manner, that the application devices can be moved together.In other configurations, the first processing unit has several holding devices, each with individual processing units attached. This makes it possible to move a single processing unit by moving its respective holding device, without moving the other processing units.

[0015] An application unit is a component in an application system designed to apply primer to a workpiece in the application position. For this purpose, the application unit is held in position by a holding device so that it can apply primer to the workpiece in the application position. Examples of application units include an application roller or a doctor blade, in particular an anilox roller or a rolling doctor blade.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the first and second application devices are at most 20 m apart in each direction of extension, preferably at most 10 m, more preferably at most 7 m apart.

[0017] A workpiece is, for example, made of metal and / or wood. In a preferred embodiment, the workpiece is a wood-based material, in particular a printing base paper. In a preferred embodiment, the workpiece is constructed from a wood-based material, in particular a printing base paper. Softwood pulp, hardwood pulp, or mixtures of both pulp types can be used to produce the printing base papers.

[0018] The printing process following the coating with primer is in particular a digital print, which is carried out by a digital printing device.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the first printing unit has at least one further printing unit, i.e., a total of at least three printing units, preferably at least two, more preferably at least three, such as at least four, for example at least five, even more preferably at least six, and / or at most eight, more preferably at most seven, and more preferably at most six further printing units. For example, the first printing unit has four, five, or six printing units. Preferably, each of these printing units can be moved into a printing position and into a rest position. Several printing units can have an identical printing position and / or an identical rest position.

[0020] Preferably, all order processing units of the first order processing unit are arranged on the same holding device so that they are moved simultaneously. The movements that the order processing units can perform by moving the holding device are preferably circular. The required order processing unit is moved into its order position, which, by definition, places all other order processing units in their rest positions. If the active order processing unit is then changed, the holding device is rotated until the order processing unit that is to become the new active order processing unit is in its order position. Again, all other order processing units are then in a rest position. Preferably, each order processing unit has a single order position but several rest positions.Preferably, the order position and / or the rest positions are identical for all order facilities of the order plant.

[0021] The more application devices the first application unit has, the more different application quantities of primer can be applied to the workpiece by the application device without having to remove one application device from the application unit and install another application device in the application unit.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment, the dispensing units of the first dispensing unit can only be moved together. For example, the first and second dispensing units have a constant relative position and orientation to each other. The advantage of this is that the dispensing units can be moved into and out of the dispensing position with less effort by moving several dispensing units together. For example, a single motor or other drive mechanism is required to achieve this movement. The joint movement of the dispensing units also ensures that only one dispensing unit is in the dispensing position at any given time, provided that the dispensing position of all dispensing units in the dispensing unit is identical.

[0023] For example, the first application unit is designed as an application turret. The application unit is rotated about an axis of rotation, thereby simultaneously changing the position of all application units. The axis of rotation preferably runs perpendicular to the feed movement of the workpiece onto which the primer is to be applied. If at least one of the application units is designed as an application roller, the axis of rotation preferably runs parallel to the longitudinal direction, and more preferably to the axis of symmetry of the application roller. In a preferred embodiment, all application units are designed as application rollers, which particularly preferably have parallel longitudinal directions and axes of symmetry. Advantageously, all these axes of symmetry run parallel to the axis of rotation of the application turret.

[0024] In another advantageous embodiment, the application units of the first application unit are only movable together, as the first and second application units are pivotably arranged about a common axis within the first application unit. The advantage of this is that the first application unit is less prone to defects due to its material-saving and compact design. Furthermore, the compact design of the first application unit allows for a compact design of the application device.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the application device has at least one locking device configured to hold an application device in its respective set position. Advantageously, the locking device is configured to hold all application devices in their respective set positions. If the active application device is to be changed and / or another application device is to be moved, the locking device must first be released so that the application device can be moved.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the application device has a second application unit in which at least one third application unit is arranged.

[0027] For application devices with more than one application unit, various configurations are possible. In one configuration, only one application unit of the application device is located within the device, while the second application unit is not. To position the second application unit so that an application unit of the second application unit can be moved into an application position, the second application unit must be installed in the application device, and the first application unit must first be removed. Alternatively, both application units are contained within the application device, so that an application unit of the first application unit and an application unit of the second application unit can each apply a layer of primer to the workpiece.Such a configuration with two coating units used in combination allows for higher primer application rates than would be possible with only one coating unit. For example, the application rate with anilox rollers is limited to a primer application of 6 g / m². In an embodiment with coating units, by combining one anilox roller with a primer application rate of 6 g / m² in each of the two coating units, a primer application rate of 12 g / m² can be achieved.

[0028] Preferably, both application units each have several application devices, which can all preferably be positioned in an application position and a rest position. The amount of primer that can be applied by an application device is predetermined by the type of application device. A further advantage of two application units operated in combination, in which the two application units are arranged such that one application device is located in each application position, is that the total amount of primer that can be applied by the application device increases, and a greater number of different total quantities can also be applied. Here, too, it is advantageous that the changeover time between different primer application quantities is reduced by having multiple application devices.

[0029] By integrating two independent or combined application units, a high and at the same time variable primer application is made possible, which can optimally cover all decor groups and is at the same time cost-effective, low-maintenance and reliable.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment, a fourth application unit is also arranged in the second application unit, wherein the third application unit and the fourth application unit can each be moved into an application position in which the application units can apply the primer to the workpiece, and into a rest position in which the application units cannot apply a primer to the workpiece, wherein the second application unit is designed such that at most one application unit of the second application unit can be in the respective application position at any one time.

[0031] The fourth order setup increases the number of possible primer order quantities, provided that the fourth order setup has a different primer order quantity than the other order setups. If the third and fourth order setups have identical primer order quantities, a quick swap between the order setups and the other order role is enabled instead.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, at least one application unit of the first and / or second application unit, preferably each application unit of the first and / or second application unit, is an application roller, in particular an anilox roller.

[0033] The maximum primer application rate for anilox rollers is limited to approximately 6 g / m². However, for print designs with low ink application rates, layer thicknesses exceeding 6 g / m², such as 9 g / m² or 10 g / m², are regularly required. In this case, it is advantageous to use two coating units. Alternatively, a pre-treated workpiece with a primer layer of, for example, 2 g / m² can be used, and the coating unit can apply the difference to the required primer layer, depending on the print design.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment, the application units of the first and / or second application unit are configured to apply different quantities of primer to the workpiece. The advantage of this is that a larger number of different primer quantities can be applied.

[0035] In a preferred embodiment, at least one rest position, and preferably every rest position, is also a maintenance position. A maintenance position is a position of an application unit in which it is possible to inspect, remove, install, and / or service it. In particular, an application unit in a maintenance position is accessible from the outside. Preferably, the application unit does not need to be removed from or moved out of the application unit. The advantage is that an application unit in a maintenance position can be replaced or serviced while another application unit is applying primer to the workpiece. If a different primer quantity is required for a subsequent primer application than that provided by the currently used application units, the required primer quantity can thus be supplied during operation.

[0036] Alternatively, the function of one order setup can be taken over by another. For example, an old order setup, soon to be replaced, is located in the order position and is applying primer to a workpiece. Meanwhile, a new order setup with the same primer order quantity is installed in the maintenance position within the order setup. Subsequently, the old order setup is moved from the order position to a maintenance position, and the new order setup is moved from the maintenance position to the order position. While production restarts with the new order setup, the old order setup is removed from the order setup.

[0037] In prior art designs, a defective application unit or an application unit scheduled for maintenance must be removed from the application device. This often results in downtime of several hours for the application device, which is avoided with the proposed device according to the embodiments of the present invention.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment, the application device has an electronic control system configured to move at least one application unit of the first and / or second application unit, preferably all application units of the first and / or second application unit, from the application position to the rest position and / or vice versa.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment, the application device includes a control unit configured to change the position of the application units.

[0040] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the application device has a control unit which is configured to change the position of the application units and to change the positions of the application units in one, preferably in all, application units.

[0041] The control system is configured to adjust the amount of primer applied by the application unit and adapt it to the design being printed. This process is preferably automated. For example, if the first and second application units are arranged sequentially in the direction of travel, the first and third application units can be moved simultaneously from a rest position to an application position.

[0042] In a preferred embodiment, the electronic control system is configured to move the application units of the first application unit and / or the second application unit into the application positions and rest positions, depending on the desired quantity of primer to be applied. For this purpose, the control system is configured to move the required application units from the rest position to an application position based on the available application units and their individual primer application quantities, provided that the application unit is not already in the application position.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment, the electronic control is additionally configured to determine the desired quantity of primer from parameters of the workpiece and / or a printing layer to be applied to the primer layer. The advantage of this is that, for a print job, the required primer quantity does not first need to be specified in order to select the application device(s). The parameters can be passed to the electronic control, for example, by a user of the application device. Alternatively or additionally, the electronic control is configured to access an electronic data storage device in which the parameters are stored in machine-readable form.

[0044] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the workpiece parameters include the workpiece material and / or the color, temperature, humidity, roughness and / or absorbency of the workpiece surface.

[0045] For example, less primer needs to be applied if the surface has lower absorbency. Because the system detects this, primer can be saved. Furthermore, the optimal amount of primer for the material and the print design directly influences the quality of the print result.

[0046] In a preferred embodiment, the parameters of the printing layer to be applied to the primer layer include the separation printing data and / or the ink application quantities.

[0047] In a preferred embodiment, the application device additionally includes a drying unit arranged downstream of the first and / or second application unit in the process direction. In particular, the drying unit is arranged downstream of the last application unit of the application device in the process direction. The drying unit is preferably an infrared radiation source or a convective drying unit, for example, a continuous airflow drying unit. In many cases, it is detrimental to the quality of the printed design applied to the primer if the printing is done on a damp primer. The drying unit reduces the time required for the primer to dry, at least partially. Therefore, the advantage of the drying unit is that it reduces the time until the primer dries and thus also the time until the printed design can be applied.

[0048] The invention further relates to a method for digital printing on a workpiece comprising the steps a) Applying a primer by means of an application device as described herein; and b) Applying digital printing ink to the applied primer.

[0049] Preferably, information about the amount of primer to be applied is provided to an electrical control unit of the application device. Based on this information, the electrical control unit determines which application units should be used to apply the desired amount of primer to the workpiece surface and then sends control signals to the application units and / or the application devices of the application system to move the application units to the corresponding rest and application positions. This ensures that the required amount of primer is applied.

[0050] In a preferred embodiment, at least one feature of the workpiece is provided to the electrical control system, and the electrical control system determines the required amount of primer based on this feature. This feature may include, for example, the workpiece material, color, temperature, humidity, surface roughness, and / or absorbency. The electrical control system is configured to determine the required amount of primer from this feature alone or in combination with other data. This can be achieved through stored functional relationships between the values ​​of the respective feature and the amount of primer, or through stored tables. Alternatively, computer-aided learning (artificial intelligence, neural network) can be used.

[0051] Preferably, the electrical control system determines which application units should be used. This takes into account, firstly, the quantity of primer to be applied. Preferably, however, it also considers whether different primers are filled into different application units or different application devices and applied accordingly to the workpiece surface. This data is also provided to the preferred electrical control system, enabling it to determine, based on this data, which application units should be used and positioned accordingly.

[0052] The electrical control is preferably configured to sort different print jobs and to control the job device in such a way that job devices are moved from their rest position to the job position or vice versa as infrequently as possible.

[0053] In particular, the method is carried out with an application device for applying a layer of primer to a workpiece, wherein the application device has a first application unit, wherein a first application unit and a second application unit are arranged in the first application unit, each of which can be moved into an application position in which the application units can apply primer to the workpiece and into a rest position in which the application units cannot apply primer to the workpiece, wherein the first application unit is designed such that at most one application unit of the first application unit can be in the respective application position at the same time.

[0054] For example, a decorative paper with a very light or white decor is produced using a digital printing method according to the invention by first applying a primer layer of 1.5 to 2.5 g / m², preferably 1.8 to 2.2 g / m², more preferably 1.9 to 2.1 g / m², and even more preferably 2.0 g / m² to the workpiece, and in a second step applying 0.01 to 1 g / m², preferably 0.3 to 0.7 g / m², more preferably 0.4 to 0.6 g / m², and even more preferably 0.5 g / m² digital printing ink to the primer layer.

[0055] In another example, a decorative paper with a light decor is produced using a digital printing method according to the invention, in a first step a primer layer of 2.5 to 3.5 g / m², preferably 2.8 to 3.2 g / m², more preferably 2.9 to 3.1 g / m², and even more preferably 3.0 g / m² is applied to the workpiece, and in a second step 1 to 2 g / m², preferably 1.3 to 1.7 g / m², more preferably 1.4 to 1.6 g / m², and even more preferably 1.5 g / m² is applied to the primer layer.

[0056] In another example, a decorative paper with a medium-dark decor is produced using a digital printing method according to the invention, in a first step a primer layer of 3.5 to 4.5 g / m², preferably 3.8 to 4.2 g / m², more preferably 3.9 to 4.1 g / m², and even more preferably 4.0 g / m² is applied to the workpiece, and in a second step 2.5 to 3.5 g / m², preferably 2.7 to 3.3 g / m², more preferably 2.9 to 3.1 g / m², and even more preferably 3 g / m² digital printing ink is applied to the primer layer.

[0057] In another example, a decorative paper with a dark decor is produced using a digital printing method according to the invention, in a first step a primer layer of 5 to 7 g / m², preferably 5.5 to 6.5 g / m², more preferably 5.8 to 6.2 g / m², and even more preferably 6.0 g / m² is applied to the workpiece, and in a second step 4 to 6 g / m², preferably 4.5 to 5.5 g / m², more preferably 4.8 to 5.2 g / m², and even more preferably 5 g / m² digital printing ink is applied to the primer layer.

[0058] In another example, a decorative paper with a very dark decor is produced using a digital printing method according to the invention. This is achieved by first applying a primer layer of 7 to 13 g / m², preferably 8 to 12 g / m², more preferably 9 to 11 g / m², and even more preferably 10.0 g / m² to the workpiece, and then, in a second step, applying digital printing ink of 6 to 12 g / m², preferably 7 to 11 g / m², more preferably 8 to 10 g / m², and even more preferably 9 g / m² to the primer layer. In this example, an application unit with two application units is used in combination, such that primer is applied to the workpiece by two application units.For example, the first order unit has an order unit in the order position with a primer order quantity of 6 g / m²< and the second order unit has an order unit in the order position with a primer order quantity of 4 g / m²<, so that 10 g / m²< of primer is applied to the workpiece by the order unit.

[0059] Optionally, the primer is dried after the primer layer has been applied and before the digital printing ink has been applied, in particular by a drying device.

[0060] In a first concrete embodiment, wood, stone, and fantasy decors are printed on a digital paper printing press at a wood-based materials manufacturer. The printing press is equipped with two primer application units within the production line. The first application unit has a primer application capacity of 4 g / m², and the second has a primer application capacity of 6 g / m². A primer application rate of 10 g / m² is required for the production of a dark decor. Both primer application units are operated in combination for the production of the decor, allowing the dark decor to be processed into flooring with full color intensity.

[0061] In a second specific embodiment, the application system is equipped with two application units. The first application unit has application devices with a feed volume of 4 g / m², and the second application unit has application devices with a feed volume of 6 g / m². For the production of a white decor, only a primer application quantity of 2 g / m² is required. The production of the decor is planned so that the preceding print job only requires the second application unit with a feed volume of 6 g / m². During this time, an application device with a feed volume of 2 g / m² is installed in the first application unit. The white decor can then be produced with the optimal application quantity without any downtime.

[0062] In a third specific embodiment, the discharge device includes an order processing unit. During production, it is discovered that the order processing unit located in the order position can no longer be operated. An order processing unit with the same primer order quantity is then moved into the order position, and production restarts. While production is running again, the defective order processing unit is moved to a maintenance position and replaced.

[0063] With the aid of the accompanying figures, some exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described in more detail below. They show: Figure 1 - the schematic representation of an application device with one application unit and Figure 2 - the schematic representation of an application device with two application units.

[0064] Figure 1Figure 1 shows an application device 2 with a first application unit 4. The first application unit 4 has a first application device 6 and a second application device 8. The first application device 6 and the second application device 8 can be moved from an application position to a maintenance position. In the present embodiment, the first application device 6 and the second application device 8 are each an application roller. The first application device 6 is in the application position. The second application device 8 is in a rest position, which is simultaneously a maintenance position. In this position, the second application device can be serviced, inspected, and / or replaced.

[0065] The first application unit 6 and the second application unit 8 are configured to apply primer to the workpiece 6 in the application position. In the present embodiment, the first application unit 6 is configured to apply 2 g / m² of primer to the workpiece 10, and the second application unit 8 is configured to apply 6 g / m² of primer to the workpiece 10.

[0066] In this example, workpiece 10 is a printing base paper.

[0067] Figure 2Figure 1 shows a further embodiment of an application device 2 with a first application unit 4 and a second application unit 44. The first application unit 4 and the second application unit 44 are each designed as application turrets with three application units 6, 8, 8', 66, 88, 88' in the form of application rollers. The application rollers 6 and 66 are in the application position and apply primer to the workpiece 10, wherein the first application roller 6 applies a volume of 4 g / m² and the third application unit 44 applies a volume of 6 g / m².

[0068] In this embodiment, the workpiece is 10 paper.

[0069] The workpiece 10 is conveyed in a conveying direction F. In this embodiment, the conveying direction F is arranged such that the application units 6 and 66 simultaneously apply primer to different locations on the workpiece 10. In the process direction, primer is first applied to a specific location on the workpiece 10 by the application unit 6 and then by the application unit 66, resulting in a total of 10 g / m² of primer being applied to the workpiece 10.

[0070] The order devices 8, 8`, 88 and 8` are in a rest position.

[0071] The first order processing unit 4 and the second order processing unit 44 are each controlled by the control unit 12. The control unit 12 specifically controls the position of the order devices 6, 8, 8', 66, 88, 88' in order processing units 4 and 44. In this example, order processing units 4 and 44 are stationary. This means they can be rotated about an axis, but cannot exchange their positions with each other, for example, to replace the first order processing unit 4 with the second order processing unit 44.

[0072] In other words, the control unit 12 controls which of the order units 6, 8, 8`, 66, 88, 88` of the two order plants 4, 44 are in the order position and the maintenance position, respectively. Reference symbol list

[0073] 2 Application device 4 First application unit 6 First application device 8 Second application device 8`, 88` Further application device 10 Workpiece 12 Control 44 Second application unit 66 Third application device 88 Fourth application device 88` First application device turret F Conveyor direction

Claims

1. Application device (2) for applying a layer of a primer to a workpiece, wherein the application device (2) comprises a first application unit (4), characterized by the fact that In the first order processing unit (4) a first order processing unit (6) and a second order processing unit (8) are arranged, each of which can be moved into an order position in which the order processing units (6, 8) can apply primers to the workpiece and into a rest position in which the order processing units cannot apply a primer to the workpiece, wherein the first order processing unit (4) is designed such that at most one order processing unit (6) of the first order processing unit (4) can be in the respective order position at the same time.

2. Ordering device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact thatthe first order processing unit (4) has at least one further order processing unit (8`, 88`), preferably at least two, more preferably at least four and / or at most eight, preferably at most six, more preferably at most four further order processing units.

3. Ordering device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the commissioning facilities of the first commissioning work (4) can only be moved together.

4. Ordering device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the order processing device (2) has a second order processing unit (44) in which at least one third order processing unit (66) is arranged.

5. Ordering device according to claim 4, characterized by the fact thatIn the second order unit (44) a fourth order unit (88) is also arranged, wherein the third order unit (66) and the fourth order unit (88) can each be moved into an order position in which the order units (6, 8, 8', 88') can apply primers to the workpiece and into a rest position in which the order units (6, 8, 8', 88') cannot apply a primer to the workpiece, wherein the second order unit (44) is designed such that at most one order unit of the second order unit (44) can be in the respective order position at the same time.

6. Ordering device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that(a) at least one application unit of the first and / or second application unit (4, 44), preferably each application unit of the first and / or second application unit (44), is an application roller, in particular an anilox roller, and / or (b) the application units of the first and / or second application unit (4, 44) are configured to apply different quantities of the primer to the workpiece.

7. Ordering device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that at least one rest position, preferably every rest position is also a maintenance position.

8. Ordering device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact thatthe ordering device has an electronic control which is configured to move at least one ordering unit of the first and / or second ordering unit (4, 44), preferably all ordering units of the first and / or second ordering unit (4, 44) from the ordering position to the rest position and / or vice versa.

9. Application device according to claim 8, characterized by the fact that the electronic control is set up to move the order devices of the first order unit (4) and / or the second order unit (44) into the order positions and the rest positions, depending on a desired quantity of primer to be applied.

10. Ordering device according to claim 9, characterized by the fact that The electronic control system is set up to determine the desired amount of primer from parameters of the workpiece and / or a pressure layer to be applied to the primer layer.

11. Ordering device according to claim 10, characterized by the fact that (a) the workpiece parameters include the workpiece material and / or the color, temperature, humidity, roughness and / or absorbency of the workpiece surface and / or (b) the parameters of the printing layer to be applied to the primer layer include the separation printing data and / or the ink application quantities.

12. Ordering device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the application device (2) additionally includes a drying device which is arranged in the process direction behind the first and / or second application unit (4, 44).

13. Method for digital printing on a workpiece comprising the steps (a) applying a primer by an application device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 12; (b) applying digital printing ink to the applied primer.

14. Method according to claim 13, characterized by the fact thatInformation about the quantity of primer to be applied is provided to an electrical control (12) of the application device (2) and the control (12) sends control signals to bring the application devices into the appropriate rest positions and application positions so that the quantity to be applied is applied.

15. Method according to claim 14, characterized by the fact that The electrical control (12) is provided with at least one characteristic of the workpiece, for example the material of the workpiece, the color, the temperature, the humidity, the roughness and / or the absorbency of the surface of the workpiece, and the electrical control (12) determines the information about the amount of primer to be applied depending on the at least one characteristic.

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