DE102015213371A1 - Flexible timing in digital printing - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a device (1) for producing printed matter, comprising a unwinding unit (2) for providing paper to be printed, wherein the unwinding unit (2) is followed by a printing unit which prints the paper, wherein the printing unit Transverse cutter (4) is arranged, which cuts the printed paper fed endlessly transverse to the feed direction, so that individual printed sheets are provided, the cross cutter (4) is followed by a collecting unit (5) for collecting the sheets fed to it, wherein the Collecting unit (5) may be arranged downstream of a feeder unit (6), wherein the feeder unit (6) is arranged downstream of at least one further unit for finishing the printed matter to be produced, wherein the units before and / or behind the cross cutter (4) and / or the cross cutter ( 4) flexible depending on the processing speed at least one of the cross cutter (4) vora operated unit.

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating a device for producing printed matter, comprising a Abrolleinheit for providing paper to be printed, wherein the Abrolleinheit a printing unit is arranged downstream, which prints the paper, wherein the printing unit is arranged downstream of a cross cutter, which fed him endlessly printed paper transverse to the feed direction, so that individual printed sheets are provided, wherein the cross cutter is arranged downstream of a collecting unit for collecting the sheets fed thereto, wherein the collecting unit is arranged downstream of a feeder unit, wherein the feeder unit is arranged downstream of at least one further unit for finishing the printed matter to be produced , according to the features of the preamble of claim 1.

Generic method and corresponding means for producing printed matter with the features of the preamble of claim 1 are known. In these prior art devices, it is always required that the entire manufacturing process of unrolling the paper from the unwinding unit to the completion of the printed matter to be produced is continuous to be able to produce printed matter in large numbers. However, it can then lead to problems in the manufacturing process, if z. B. a paper jam occurs or printed and cut sheets are to be taken for quality control. In such cases, it is no longer possible to ensure that the units downstream of the cross cutter operate at the same processing speed or with the corresponding clock specified by the printing unit.

Another problem is that the processing speed set by the printing unit, for example, can not easily be changed at the downstream units because they are connected to each other via mechanical elements (such as gears or the like).

In addition, a major problem with known systems is that they are designed to produce very large quantities and, as a result, are not flexible with changes in format, type of printing, type of paper, and the like. In particular, it is not possible to flexibly produce smaller quantities with the known devices for producing printed matter.

The invention is therefore based on the object to provide a method for operating a device, in particular for digital printing, with a flexible operation of the device is given.

This object is inventively achieved in that the units behind the cross cutter and 1 or the cross cutter is operated flexibly in response to the processing speed of at least one of the cross cutter upstream unit. The units behind the cross cutter, such. As the collection unit, the feeder unit and the like, and / or the cross cutter itself, are operated by the processing speed or the timing of at least one of the cross cutter upstream unit. This means that the unit upstream of the cross cutter specifies the processing speed or the processing clock and the downstream units are suitable and designed to respond to this processing cycle or to the predetermined processing speed and to adapt their own processing speed accordingly.

In particular, it is advantageous if the processing speed of the units downstream of the printing unit is predetermined by the processing speed of the printing unit. About the printing unit, it is possible to print the endless paper supplied to them according to the printing specifications. In order to ensure the most flexible possible pressure at this point, especially with regard to small numbers, it is necessary that the downstream units on the processing speed, z. As the output of printed sheets, the printing unit can respond. Thus, for example, it is conceivable that first a smaller number of printed items in a specific format and in a certain number and page number is printed and fed to the downstream units. These subordinate units collect the cut and fed sheets in an appropriate number, align them and finish the printed matter. With the invention, it is possible in an advantageous manner that even during the completion of a printed matter in the printing unit already the continuous paper is printed with other motifs for the next series of printed matter to be produced. In order to be able to react to the changed styles, the formats themselves, the paper type, and the type of printing (eg single-sided or two-sided), it is necessary that the units downstream of the printing unit react to the parameters of the newly supplied printed matter to be able to. In particular, in the case of format changes (such as changes in the width and / or the length of the sheets), it is necessary to change the processing speed of the printing unit downstream units, thus desirably the printed and cut sheets can process further. In the event that a series of prints requires the same processing speed as a series of prints following it, it is not necessary to adjust the processing speed of the individual units. However, it is particularly advantageous in terms of flexibility that if the series of prints to be produced requires a different processing speed than the subsequent series of prints, the processing speed through the printing unit will dictate so that the processing speeds (continuous or clocked) of the downstream units will be the changed processing speed orient and adapt to it.

The term "format" is first understood the format of the sheet of paper to be printed, in particular so length and width and paper type and paper thickness. But it is also understood the format of the product to be manufactured or later finished product, d. H. Length, width, finished width per product, thickness of the paper, number of sheets to be collected (determines the page number), thicknesses of the supplied additional materials (such as cover thicknesses, where the necessary adjustments are to be performed sequentially at the right time), binding method, number of subsequent Processing steps (for example, with or without corner rounding, inserting reinforcing strips, etc.).

Depending on the printed matter to be produced, the respective processing speeds of the downstream units of the printing unit are the same or different from one another in a development of the invention. In any case, the individual processing speeds of the respective units are coordinated so that the respective unit can take over the corresponding number of sheets from the upstream unit and process itself before it is passed to the downstream unit. It is particularly advantageous if the processing speeds of the units arranged upstream of the cross cutter can be different with respect to the units arranged downstream of the cross cutter, in order to be able to react to format changes in the short term. In this context, for example, the working speed up to the cross cutter is defined in meters per minute [m / min], the speed of the cross cutter in revolutions per minute [rpm]. This results in the ratio m / min to 1 / min = cut length then the number of cuts of the cross cutter per time unit in [slice / min]. From the collection unit it continues in the cyclic operation [leaf / min]. After collecting, there is the position cycle [layers / min] and further after the benefit cutting follows the number of finished products per unit time [products / min].

In a particularly advantageous manner, a digital printing unit is used as the printing unit. Such a digital printing unit has the advantage that it not only very quickly small numbers of printed matter can be printed on continuous paper, but that they are particularly fast and flexible to adapt to changing predetermined subjects with regard to the subjects to be printed (text, images and the like) this can print.

The basis for the present invention is a device 1 especially for digital printing. However, other printing units than digital printing units can also be used.

With this device 1 For digital printing, black-and-white or colored printed matter should be produced individually in small quantities.

The starting point for this printing process is a unwinding unit 2 the device 1 in which a roll of paper is held in a manner known per se and unrolled in accordance with the subsequent printing process.

The subsequent printing is done by a digital printing unit 3 , the dereeler unit 2 is downstream and the paper rolled out there for printing is supplied.

That from the unwind unit 2 unrolled and the digital printing unit 3 fed paper is first printed and leaves the digital printing unit 3 in the form of a quasi-endless train. This quasi-endless track becomes a sheeter 4 fed, which according to the predetermined format of the printed matter, the quasi-endless web that is printed across cuts, which initially a format of the later printed matter (optionally with the addition of tolerances) is set.

After the cutting process of the cross cutter 4 joins this one collection unit 5 at. In this collection unit 5 Individual pages of the printed matter to be finished later can be collected and aligned as required (optional). The collection unit 5 in turn, a feeder unit closes 6 at. This investor unit 6 causes that when the collection unit 5 is present, stacked there provided individual sheets to a desired stack, that is collected and thereby created in a position in which further processing is to take place together. Should the collection unit 5 not exist, it is conceivable that the printed matter, the Sheeter 4 leave, directly the investor unit 6 be supplied.

The investor unit 6 can, but does not have to be, a switch 7 be downstream. With this switch, it is possible to eject test prints, for example, to check for quality of the printing process out.

The from the investor unit 6 delivered stack with the printed matter, which does not have the existing switch 7 be ejected become a stapling and folding unit 8th fed. With this unit 8th are the up to then in the pile printed matter stapled depending on the desired format of the finished printed matter and / or folded. Other forms of bringing together the individual sheets of the printed matter are of course also conceivable.

After the individual sheets of printed matter have been brought together permanently, they become a cutting unit 9 fed. By means of the cutting unit 9 The added tolerances of the individual merged sheets of printed matter can be removed to the finished format of the final printed matter. At the end of the cutting unit 9 follows an outlet unit 10 in which the finished printed matter for further use, for example, the packaging in desired thread supplied.

The units described so far are from a higher-level control unit 11 , which is shown schematically controlled.

In a known embodiment, the digital printing unit is 3 the master for the entire printing, cutting and filing process. Especially the digital printing unit 3 subsequent units are interconnected as a slave. This means that the digital printing unit 3 as master sets the clock for the subsequent processes and these must be based on the specified clock of the master.

This can cause problems when, for example, the digital printing unit 3 as master of the clock is given, but at the same time in one of the slave downstream units a problem occurs or, for example, on the switch 7 a proof should be taken. Such a sampled proof then stands that of the switch 7 Downstream units are no longer available, so that they come out of sync.

From the unwind unit 2 becomes a quasi-continuous paper sheet with a given width of the digital printing unit 3 fed. After printing the supplied paper web in the digital printing unit 3 is via a register mark, in addition to the actual printed matter on the paper by means of the digital printing unit 3 a register mark printed. The following cross cutter detects with this register mark 4 at which point the supplied quasi-endless web has to be cut transversely.

After the supplied printed quasi-endless paper web the digital printing unit 3 write and by the cross cutter 4 is cut transversely to the feed direction, then stands with a predetermined length (as viewed in the feed direction) and due to the width of the paper web in the unwinding unit 2 given width of a printed matter available.

This printed matter may be one, two or more than two. This means that on the sheet, which is the cross cutter 4 leaves a single page of a later finished printed matter of predetermined length and width is available. Often, however, a printed sheet will be available which includes two or more sheets of printed matter to be finished later.

In known devices for printing operations, the format of the printed matter behind the cross cutter is due to the mechanical conditions 4 fixed. For example, such machines can be converted from a two-in-one format to a three-user format by means of a complex conversion process. However, this requires a great deal of retrofitting, which significantly affects the performance of such machines.

According to the invention is due to a corresponding control of the control unit, a particularly flexible timing of the device in an advantageous manner 1 given for digital printing. This flexible timing allows the digital printing unit 3 provide the printed sheets, depending on the provided printed quasi-endless web, the digital printing unit 3 leaves the subsequent units of these printed sheets, depending on the clock with which this digital printing unit 3 leave, process.

The sheeter 4 and the following units up to the casserole unit 10 by means of actuators by the control unit 11 can be controlled individually with respect to the processing format of the supplied sheets. So it is possible, via a single command of the control unit 11 the units she controls, especially the sheeter 4 , the collection unit 5 , the investor unit 6 , the stapling and folding unit 8th and the cutting unit 9 to give the order to switch from a given, especially previously processed format to a different format. For example, it is possible for the digital printing unit 3 Sheets printed correspond to the other two-size format. These sheets are processed by appropriate format setting of the subsequent unit. Should now be a change from a two-size format, for example, to a dreinutziges format, this can be done centrally by the control unit 11 respectively. By a corresponding control command of the control unit 11 a corresponding changeover of the printing process takes place in the digital printing unit 3 , Now for the further three-minute processing the digital printing unit 3 also printed three corresponding sheets, the following units get the command to change from the previously used two-size format to the now desired three-size format.

This process can be controlled by a corresponding input in the control unit 11 arbitrarily control. Of particular advantage is the switching within the one-used, two-used and maximum three-purpose formats, as this the expense of actuators and the structural conditions in the respective units and optionally the associated sensors that detect the switchover from one to the other format, manageable remains.

With the appropriate control of the control unit 11 is also a particularly flexible timing of the device 1 given for digital printing. This flexible timing allows the digital printing unit 3 provide the printed sheets, depending on the provided printed quasi-endless web, the digital printing unit 3 leaves the subsequent units of these printed sheets, depending on the clock with which this digital printing unit 3 leave, process. The flexible timing of the subsequent process has the particular advantage that withdrawals of leaves on the switch 7 , but also other disturbances (for example, paper jam) in the process of the digital printing unit 3 is downstream, can be caught or balanced without the entire device 1 to have to stop.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Device for digital printing

2

unrolling

3

Digital printing unit

4

Sheeter

5

collection unit

6

investors unit

7

switch

8th

Stapling and folding unit

9

cutting unit

10

outlet unit

11

control unit

Claims (4)

Procedure for operating a facility ( 1 ) for producing printed matter, comprising a unwinding unit ( 2 ) for providing paper to be printed, wherein the unwinding unit ( 2 ) is arranged downstream of a printing unit which prints the paper, wherein the printing unit is a cross cutter ( 4 ), which cuts the endlessly supplied printed paper transversely to the feed direction, so that individual printed sheets are provided, wherein the cross cutter ( 4 ) a collection unit ( 5 ) is arranged downstream for collecting the sheets fed to it, wherein the collecting unit ( 5 ) an investor unit ( 6 ), the investor unit ( 6 ) is arranged downstream of at least one further unit for finishing the printed matter to be produced, characterized in that the units in front of and / or behind the cross cutter ( 4 ) and / or the cross cutter ( 4 ) flexible depending on the processing speed of at least one of the cross cutter ( 4 ) upstream unit is operated. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the processing speed of the printing unit downstream units is specified by the processing speed of the printing unit. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the respective processing speeds of the units downstream of the printing unit are the same or different from each other. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a digital printing unit ( 3 ) is used.

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