EP1466734B1 - Control device for a printing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The control for an offset printing press has a memory in the signal circuit to retain data on adjustments and printing information. The memory (2) can receive set up data for the printer and has a compensator (4) to compare the printer data with the stored data to allow modification of the operating data to preset criteria i.e. operating thresholds.

Description

The invention relates to a controller for a printing press according to the preamble of claim 1.

[State of the art]

To execute a print job, a large number of settings have to be made on a printing press. In the case of multiple sheetfed offset printing, these are, for example, the ink dosing elements in the individual printing units. These are to be adjusted according to the zonal color requirement, which is predetermined by the subject. Furthermore, the moisture must be adjusted accordingly. Both in the feeder and in the jib appropriate facilities to the longitudinal and horizontal format of the bow to adjust. The corresponding devices are, for example, blowing devices, sheet separation devices, Geradstoßer, sheet brakes. Ultimately, the printing cylinder to the printing material and the strength of the suction or Blasluftbeaufschlagung be set by sheet guiding devices.

In order to achieve the required print quality as quickly as possible and also with only a few waste paper, pre-settings are made, ie the devices mentioned are remotely adjustable to the intended values via the controller. The values for the ink presetting on the dosing elements are taken from the pre-press or by scanning the pressure plates clamped in the individual printing units. The format-dependent settings are made manually via input devices on the control console of the machine, the printing material-dependent settings of blowing and suction devices (feeder, boom, sheet guide) are made by the printer based on experience or come in a repeat job stored values for adjustment. The more accurate the preset, the fewer corrections must be made in print accordingly, little waste will be incurred.

For repeat jobs - the same print job will be redone at a later time - the settings once used and the required print quality can be reused. For this purpose, the control of the printing press on a memory in which the corresponding settings of the print jobs and thus the print jobs in conjunction with other values (run length, type of printing material, evidence of pressure problems, etc.) are stored. These can then be selected at a later date and brought to a standstill.

Examples of such preselected machine controls are shown in FIG DE 34 10 683 A1 as well as the DE 40 03 834 C2 ,
The EP 0 401 241 B1 describes a Farbbesteinstellsystem for a printing press, in which the default data are taken from the data of the prepress. Another example of a controller according to the preamble of claim 1 is disclosed EP-A1 226 942 ,
Meanwhile, standards have been developed as to how the data representing a print job, and in particular the data coming from prepress, must be designed, which format they should have. The definition of these so-called job formats includes the presetting for color and moisture, format information, job height, type of substrate, etc.

If, when creating a print job, the values resulting from a data record do not exist in the entire scope, then corresponding presettings can not be made on certain components of the printing press. If, for example, there is a requirement with regard to dampening in the case of a print job, then after starting the printing press the printer will do the moisturizing according to his experience and after the first sample sheet has been evaluated. This increases the number of spoof sheets until the required print quality is achieved. The same applies if, for example, only the printing substrate thickness but not the paper quality is specified. As you know, the paper quality or paper type also influences the setting of the humidity and other settings. Analogously, this applies to the other presets.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is therefore to expand a controller according to the preamble of claim 1 such that a noticeable improvement in the presetting of a printing press can be achieved.

This object is achieved by the characterizing features of claim 1. Further developments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims.

[Examples]

According to the invention, it is provided that the controller comprises a comparator, by which the values of a presetting record entered via the input device are comparable to print jobs already executed in the data contained in the memory, and the values of the input and presetting Serving record according to the result of this comparison are modifiable. The default values that were determined before the new print job to be executed can be either manually removed and entered via the control station of the printing press, via a reading device or directly via a network from the prepress department.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it may be provided that preset values which are not present or have not been entered are supplemented from the data record which has the greatest possible similarity according to a predefinable criterion. If, for example, there is no presetting via the setting of the dampening units of the offset printing press, it can be provided that the comparator determines the data record from the previously executed data records of previous print jobs, in which a similar setting or the same setting is made the Farbdosierelemente has been present.

The comparator according to the invention achieves a clear improvement in the presetting, which results in less premixing until reaching the required print quality and thus also a shortening of the time. It should be considered a particular advantage that the often very large time span between order entry and order processing and the changing conditions in the pressroom can also be taken into account. By comparing between the stored set values of an executed print job and the current state of the machine in the pressroom (current preset values), the stored values of an older predecessor job can be adapted to the current machine condition before the press is prepared.

The comparison criterion is carried out in the comparator in the form of filters implemented as software. These filters are can be parameterized, ie the comparison criteria for determining the largest possible print job or its data set can be changed. It is provided in particular that also the degree of agreement can be specified, which then serves to correct the modifying values of the newly executed print job.

Furthermore, the explanation of an embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawing. This shows a printing press with associated control and a machine control station.

A printing machine 1 is in communication with a controller 2. By the controller 2 in particular the metering devices in the inking units of the printing units, the humidity devices in the printing units, the device for sheet guiding in and between the printing units and the corresponding means for separating the sheet in the feeder and dropping in the boom can be controlled. The corresponding devices in said components of the sheet-fed offset printing press are not shown and known per se.

The controller 2 is connected to a memory 3 in signal connection, in which the settings of already executed print jobs are stored in the form of data records. The stored in the memory 3 records include all settings that were present in a running print job and additional information, in particular on the printed in the individual printing units color, dampening additives, grammage of the substrate and its quality or variety.

The controller 2 is still in signal communication with the control station 5 of the printing machine 1. About the control station 5 Preset values can be entered in the form of a data record. This input can either be done manually via a keyboard, via a data medium (for example a floppy disk or magnetic card) or - which is not shown - via a network directly from the prepress.

The controller 2 has a comparator 4, by means of which the values of the data record of a new print job to be newly executed via the control station 5 are compared with the values of the data records stored in the memory 3. Thus, according to a predeterminable matching criterion, the print job that has the greatest possible similarity to the new print job can be determined. If, for example, the record of the newly executed print job has gaps at certain preset values, ie there are no values, these values can be taken from a similar and already executed print job.

[REFERENCE LIST]

1

Sheetfed Offset Press

2

control

3

Storage

4

comparator

5

Control room (printing press 1)

Claims (1)

1. Control (2) for a printing press (1), particularly an offset sheet printing press, wherein the control (2) is in signal connection with a memory (3) in which are stored adjustment values for already carried out print orders in the form of data sets, and via an input device connected with the control (2) values in the form of a data set for the pre-adjustment of the printing press (1) for a print order to be carried out can be inputted, which are then used for adjustment by means of the control (2), and that the control (2) has a comparator (4) by which the values for the print order input and to be carried out can be compared with the values of the data set of already carried out print orders, characterised in that values of the input data set can be modified in accordance with preset criteria in that comparison criteria for determining the greatest possible similar print order can be input into the comparator (4) in variable fashion and a degree of agreement can be input, wherein the comparator (4) is constructed as a computer and has programmable filters and that the filters can be parametrised.

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