EP0979738A1 - Appareil et procédé de traitement d'un support en aluminium pour plaques lithographiques - Google Patents

Appareil et procédé de traitement d'un support en aluminium pour plaques lithographiques Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0979738A1
EP0979738A1 EP99306265A EP99306265A EP0979738A1 EP 0979738 A1 EP0979738 A1 EP 0979738A1 EP 99306265 A EP99306265 A EP 99306265A EP 99306265 A EP99306265 A EP 99306265A EP 0979738 A1 EP0979738 A1 EP 0979738A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
graining
abrasive
aluminum plate
slurry
brush
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP99306265A
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German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0979738B1 (fr
Inventor
Hiroshi c/o Fuji Photo Film Co. Ltd. Fukuta
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Fujifilm Holdings Corp
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Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd filed Critical Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd
Publication of EP0979738A1 publication Critical patent/EP0979738A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0979738B1 publication Critical patent/EP0979738B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41N—PRINTING PLATES OR FOILS; MATERIALS FOR SURFACES USED IN PRINTING MACHINES FOR PRINTING, INKING, DAMPING, OR THE LIKE; PREPARING SUCH SURFACES FOR USE AND CONSERVING THEM
    • B41N3/00—Preparing for use and conserving printing surfaces
    • B41N3/04—Graining or abrasion by mechanical means

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a surface treatment method and a surface treatment apparatus of graining an aluminum plate as a base of a lithographic printing plate.
  • PS plate pre-sensitized (PS) plate
  • the PS plate mostly uses an aluminum plate as the base.
  • surface treatments including graining, anodizing and/or chemical treatments, and then the treated surface is coated with a sensitizing solution. After the sensitizing solution is dried up, the aluminum plate is cut into appropriate lengths.
  • Graining is for providing fine grains of uniform roughness on the surface of the plate material. Since the superficial area of the plate material increased by graining, the adhesive power of the sensitizing solution or lacquer is reinforced. Also, water retention in the non-image area is improved. Since the quality of grains has large influence on the printing effect and the plate wear, graining process needs strict control.
  • brush-graining is adopted as a graining method on the aluminum plate.
  • abrasive slurry is sprayed over one surface of the aluminum plate while being conveyed continuously at a constant speed, and then rubbed on the plate surface by graining brushes.
  • the graining brush are pressed onto the aluminum plate with its rotary axis oriented in a crosswise direction of the aluminum plate, and rotated while the aluminum plate is conveyed. In this way, grains are formed on the surface.
  • the abrasive slurry is made by suspending abrasive particles in a solution so that the abrasive particles have fluidity.
  • a solution for example, a mixture of pumice or crystalline aluminum hydroxide and water is used as the abrasive slurry, as disclosed in JPA 8-324143.
  • the abrasive slurry after used for graining is fed back to a slurry supply tank through a circulation system, and is reused for graining.
  • a prime object of the present invention is to provide a surface treatment method by which grains of uniform roughness are economically and efficiently formed on an aluminum plate to make a printing plate, and an apparatus for executing the surface treatment method of the invention.
  • a surface treatment method for forming grains on a surface of an aluminum plate as a base of a printing plate wherein abrasive slurry composed of abrasive materials mixed with water is rubbed on the aluminum plate surface with a graining brush that is pressed onto the aluminum plate and is turned to brush the aluminum plate
  • the amount of electric power required for driving the graining brush to turn at a constant speed to brush the aluminum plate is monitored and maintained constant by changing pressing amount of the graining brush onto the aluminum plate.
  • the abrasive particles contained in the abrasive slurry are classified according to their diameters before the abrasive slurry is reused for graining, such that those abrasive particles with smaller diameters than a predetermined value are excluded from the abrasive slurry, and only those abrasive particles with larger diameters than the predetermined value are included in the abrasive slurry.
  • the abrasive materials silica sand or silica abrasives are preferable.
  • a surface treatment apparatus for graining a surface of an aluminum plate as a base of a printing plate is provided with a graining brush mounted movable in a vertical direction to the surface of the aluminum plate; an electric power monitoring device for outputting a signal whose level corresponds to the amount of electric power required for driving the graining brush to turn at a constant speed while brushing the aluminum plate; a brush shifting device for shifting the graining brush in the vertical direction to change the pressing amount of the graining brush onto the aluminum plate; and a control device for controlling the amount of electric driving power to be maintained constant by decreasing the pressing amount of the graining brush onto the aluminum plate through the brush shifting device when the output signal from the electric power monitoring device is above a predetermined level, or increasing the pressing amount of the graining brush onto the aluminum plate through the brush shifting device when the output signal from the electric power monitoring device is below the predetermined level.
  • a classification device that takes in a part of the abrasive slurry from the slurry supply tank, classifies the abrasive materials in the abrasive slurry according to their particle diameters, feeds back those abrasive particles with larger diameters than a predetermined particle diameter to the slurry supply tank, and excludes those abrasive particles with smaller diameters than the predetermined particle diameter from the abrasive slurry.
  • the abrasive slurry is continuously circulated between the slurry supply tank and the classification device, such that the particle diameters of the abrasive materials contained in the abrasive slurry are maintained in a predetermined range, preferably in a range from 5 ⁇ m to 60 ⁇ m.
  • Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a surface treatment apparatus for an aluminum printing plate according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
  • Fig. 1 shows a surface treatment apparatus for a graining process for graining an aluminum plate to make a printing plate.
  • the surface treatment apparatus is constituted of a graining bath 11, a slurry supply tank 12, a particle diameter control section 13, and a pressure control section 14.
  • a web of aluminum plate 15 is conveyed on pass rollers 16 continuously at a constant speed through the graining bath 11 to the right in the drawing.
  • Three rotary graining brushes 17 are placed in the graining bath 11.
  • the graining brushes 17 have their rotary axis 17a oriented in a crosswise direction of the aluminum plate 15.
  • the graining brushes 17 are turned in a counterclockwise direction in the drawing at a constant speed by individual motors 34 that are driven through a driver 35.
  • the three graining brushes 17 are also movable in a vertical direction to a surface of the aluminum plate 15, and are positioned to be pressed onto the aluminum plate 15.
  • the slurry supply tank 12 contains abrasive slurry 20, a mixture of abrasive particles and water, and is supplied with the abrasive particles and water respectively from an abrasive material supplement section 18 and a water supplement section 19.
  • a stirring mill 12a is provided in the slurry supply tank 12, for stirring the abrasive slurry 20 to equalize specific gravity of the slurry 20 in the tank 12.
  • the abrasive slurry 20 is fed out by a supply pump 21 into a spray tube 22, and sprayed over the aluminum plate 15 in the graining bath 11, and then rubbed on the aluminum plate 15 by the graining brushes 17. Thereby, grains of predetermined roughness are formed on the surface of the aluminum plate 15.
  • the abrasive slurry 20 after being used in the graining bath 11 is fed back to the slurry supply tank 12 through a feed back tube 23, so as to reuse for graining.
  • the particle diameter control section 13, consisting of a classifier 24 and a supplemental amount regulator 25, controls the diameters of the abrasive particles contained in the abrasive slurry 20 to be maintained in a predetermined range.
  • the abrasive slurry 20 is fed out from the slurry supply tank 12 into the classifier 24 by driving a circulating pump 26.
  • the classifier 24 classifies the abrasive particles in the abrasive slurry 20 according to the particle diameter, and feeds back those abrasive particles with larger diameters than a predetermined classification point to the slurry supply tank 12 through a feed back tube 27.
  • Those abrasive particles with smaller diameters than the classification point are ejected through an ejection tube 28 out of the circulation system.
  • the ejected abrasive particles with smaller diameters are separated from the water through a centrifugal separator 29, and then reused as a by-product.
  • the supplemental amount regulator 25 is provided with a hydrometer 30 that measures specific gravity of the abrasive slurry 20 in the slurry supply tank 12.
  • the supplemental amount regulator 25 regulates the amount of abrasive particles supplied from the abrasive material supplement section 18 and the amount of water supplied from the water supply section 19 so as to maintain specific gravity of the abrasive slurry 20 at a set value.
  • the particle diameters of the abrasive particles in the abrasive slurry 20 are maintained within the predetermined range. It is preferable to control the diameters of the abrasive particles to be included in a range from 5 ⁇ m to 60 ⁇ m, and defines the lower limit, i.e. 5 ⁇ m in this instance, as the classification point of the classifier 24.
  • the pressure control section 14 consists of a brush shifting mechanism 31, an electric power monitor 32, and a controller 33, and controls the pressure of the graining brush 17 onto the aluminum plate 15 to be maintained constant.
  • the brush shifting mechanism 31 is for example a cylinder mechanism, shifts the graining brushes 17 in the vertical direction.
  • the electric power monitor 32 monitors the amount of electric power required for driving the graining brushes 17 while the graining brushes 17 are brushing the aluminum plate 15, and outputs a signal to the controller 33. The level of the output signal of the electric power monitor 32 corresponds to the amount of electric driving power.
  • the electric power for driving the graining brush 17 as being in contact with the aluminum plate 15 varies depending upon the conveying speed of the aluminum plate 15, the turning speed of the graining brushes 17, and the pressure of the graining brushes 17 onto the aluminum plate 15. Since the conveying speed of the aluminum plate 15 and the turning speed of the graining brushes 17 are constant, if the electric power for driving the graining brushes 17 is constant, it means that the pressure of the graining brushes 17 onto the aluminum plate 15 is constant.
  • the pressure of the graining brushes 17 onto the aluminum plate 15 rises, and the amount of electric driving power increases.
  • the pressure of the graining brushes 17 onto the aluminum plate 15 lessens, and the amount of electric driving power decreases.
  • the controller 33 drives the brush shifting mechanism 31 to move the graining brushes 17 up and down so as to change the pressing amount X thereof onto the aluminum plate 15, so as to maintain the pressure of the graining brushes 17 onto the aluminum plate 15 constant. If the output signal from the electric power monitor 32 goes above a predetermined level, it means that the electric power for driving the graining brushes 17 goes above a predetermined normal amount. Then, the controller 33 lifts the graining brushes 17 through the brush shifting mechanism 31 to reduce the pressing amount X onto the aluminum plate 15. If the output signal from the electric power monitor 32 goes below the predetermined level and thus the electric driving power goes below the normal amount, the controller 33 lowers the graining brushes 17 to increase the pressuring amount X onto the aluminum plate 15.
  • the electric power for driving the graining brushes 17 is controlled to be the normal amount at appropriate timings, so the pressure of the graining brushes 17 onto the aluminum plate 15 is maintained constant.
  • the normal amount of electric power is an amount necessary for driving the graining brushes 17 to rotate at the constant speed while pressing the graining brushes 17 onto the aluminum plate 15 with a desirable pressure.
  • Roughness of grains formed on the aluminum plate 15 is dependent on the particle diameters of the used abrasive particles, the turning speed of the graining brushes 17, and the pressure of the graining brushes 17 onto the aluminum plate 15.
  • the graining brushes 17 are rotated at the constant speed, and the pressure onto the aluminum plate 15 is controlled to be constant, and also the diameters of the abrasive particles in the abrasive slurry 20 are controlled to be maintained within the predetermined diameter range.
  • roughness of grains formed on the aluminum plate 15 is maintained constant and uniform.
  • the first example experiment was carried out using the above described apparatus.
  • the aluminum plate 15 was 1000 mm wide, and conveyed continuously at a speed of 50 m/minute.
  • the three graining brushes 17 had bristles of 0.48 mm in diameter, and were turned at a speed of 250 rpm.
  • the abrasive slurry 20 was produced by mixing pumice having an average diameter of 30 ⁇ m with water at a density of 200 g/ l .
  • the classification point of the classifier 24 was set at 15 ⁇ m, so as to control the diameters of the abrasive particles in the abrasive slurry 20 to be not less than 15 ⁇ m.
  • the pressing amount X of the graining brushes 17 onto the aluminum plate 15 was controlled at appropriate timings such that electric power required for driving the graining brushes 17 to brush the aluminum plate 15 was maintained at 9 kW per one brush.
  • the first comparative experiment was carried out using the same construction under the same conditions as the first example except that the pressing amount X of the graining brushes 17 were not controlled but fixed.
  • the pressing amount X was fixed at 25 mm, so the electric power required for driving the graining brushes 17 was 9 kW per one brush at the start of graining operation.
  • the second comparative experiment was carried out using the same apparatus under the same conditions as the first example except but the classifier 24 was deactivated. Change in average diameter of the abrasive particles contained in the abrasive slurry 20 and the change in surface roughness of the grained aluminum plate 15 were observed.
  • average diameter per unit weight of the abrasive particles was 30 ⁇ m, and surface roughness of the aluminum plate was 0.56 ⁇ m.
  • the diameters of the abrasive particles in the abrasive slurry 20 decreased with time during the operation, and the average particle diameter came down to 20 ⁇ m after an elapse of approximately three hours.
  • the surface roughness of the aluminum plate 15 was lowered. After an elapse of approximately three hours, the surface roughness came down to 0.48 ⁇ m that is largely out of the tolerable range.
  • the whole abrasive slurry 20 in the slurry supply tank 12 was changed, even those abrasive particles having sufficient large diameters for graining went to waste, so a large amount of abrasive materials were consumed in the second comparative experiment.
  • the consumption of the abrasive materials per unit area of the aluminum plate in the first example was reduced 33% to 50% in comparison with the second comparison where the classifier was deactivated.
  • the method of continually classifying the abrasive particles in the abrasive slurry to exclude those abrasive particles having smaller diameters than a predetermined value is not only time-saving but also effective for reducing consumption of the abrasive material. Because the waste of abrasive particles is greatly reduced, the method of the present invention cuts the cost of waste disposal.
  • the second example experiment was carried out using the above described apparatus under the following conditions.
  • the aluminum plate 15 was 1000 mm wide, and conveyed continuously at a speed of 50 m/minute.
  • the three graining brushes 17 had bristles of 0.48 mm in diameter, and were turned at a speed of 200 rpm.
  • the classification point of the classifier 24 was set at 8 ⁇ m.
  • the pressing amount X of the graining brushes 17 onto the aluminum plate 15 was controlled at appropriate timings such that electric power required for driving the graining brushes 17 to brush the aluminum plate 15 was maintained at 7 kW per one brush.
  • the pressure of the graining brushes 17 onto the aluminum plate 15 may be a smaller value as compared to the first example, so the electric power for driving the graining brush 17 was controlled to be the smaller value.
  • the same grain roughness as obtained in the first example was obtained by using silica sand or silica abrasives with smaller diameters than the pumice used in the first example.
  • the graining process according to the second example cuts the purchasing cost of abrasive materials as compared to the first example.
  • the silica sand or silica abrasives are mixed with the used silica sand or silica abrasives, and the mixture of aluminum powders and silica sand or silica abrasives is suitable for use as a material of light-weight cellular concrete, heat insulating medium or cement, it is possible to reuse the silica sand or silica abrasives for these products after the particle diameters decrease so much that they do not have sufficient abrasive power. Thereby, the amount of industrial waste and thus the cost of waste disposal are still more reduced.
  • the electric power for driving the graining brushes as being in contact with the aluminum plate is monitored and maintained constant by controlling the pressing amount of the graining brushes onto the aluminum plate, so that the pressure of the graining brushes onto the aluminum plate is maintained constant even if the graining brushes are worn off or deformed.
  • the abrasive particles contained in the abrasive slurry are classified according to the particle diameter, so that only those abrasive particles with diameters of a predetermined range are fed back to the abrasive slurry. Thereby, grains of uniform roughness are constantly formed on the aluminum plate. Because the pressure of the graining brushes and the particle diameters of the abrasive particles are controlled without interrupting the graining process, the time efficiency is improved.
  • silica sand or silica abrasives as the abrasive materials, it is possible to reuse silica sand or silica abrasives as a material of light-weight cellular concrete, heat insulating medium or cement, after the particle diameters of the silica sand or silica abrasives decrease so much that they do not have sufficient abrasive power. Thereby, the waste abrasive materials and thus the cost of waste disposal are still more reduced.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Printing Plates And Materials Therefor (AREA)
  • Finish Polishing, Edge Sharpening, And Grinding By Specific Grinding Devices (AREA)
EP19990306265 1998-08-13 1999-08-06 Appareil et procédé de traitement d'un support en aluminium pour plaques lithographiques Expired - Lifetime EP0979738B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP22902598A JP2000062341A (ja) 1998-08-13 1998-08-13 印刷版用アルミニウム板の表面処理方法および装置
JP22902598 1998-08-13

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0979738A1 true EP0979738A1 (fr) 2000-02-16
EP0979738B1 EP0979738B1 (fr) 2002-11-13

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EP19990306265 Expired - Lifetime EP0979738B1 (fr) 1998-08-13 1999-08-06 Appareil et procédé de traitement d'un support en aluminium pour plaques lithographiques

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EP (1) EP0979738B1 (fr)
JP (1) JP2000062341A (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1162081A2 (fr) * 2000-06-09 2001-12-12 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Support pour plaque lithographique et procédé pour sa fabrication

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4714528A (en) * 1985-07-26 1987-12-22 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Process for producing aluminum support for lithographic printing plate
US4909894A (en) * 1986-02-24 1990-03-20 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Process for producing support for lithographic printing plate
EP0730979A2 (fr) * 1995-03-06 1996-09-11 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Support pour plaques lithographiques, procédé de fabrication de ces plaques et appareil pour le grainage électrochimique
EP0734883A1 (fr) * 1995-03-30 1996-10-02 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Procédé pour le traitement de surfaces en aluminium pour plaques d'impression
EP0816118A1 (fr) * 1996-07-05 1998-01-07 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Support en aluminium pour plaques d'impression lithographique

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4714528A (en) * 1985-07-26 1987-12-22 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Process for producing aluminum support for lithographic printing plate
US4909894A (en) * 1986-02-24 1990-03-20 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Process for producing support for lithographic printing plate
EP0730979A2 (fr) * 1995-03-06 1996-09-11 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Support pour plaques lithographiques, procédé de fabrication de ces plaques et appareil pour le grainage électrochimique
EP0734883A1 (fr) * 1995-03-30 1996-10-02 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Procédé pour le traitement de surfaces en aluminium pour plaques d'impression
EP0816118A1 (fr) * 1996-07-05 1998-01-07 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Support en aluminium pour plaques d'impression lithographique

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1162081A2 (fr) * 2000-06-09 2001-12-12 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Support pour plaque lithographique et procédé pour sa fabrication
EP1162081A3 (fr) * 2000-06-09 2003-10-29 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Support pour plaque lithographique et procédé pour sa fabrication
US6805051B2 (en) 2000-06-09 2004-10-19 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Lithographic printing plate support and method of manufacturing the same

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0979738B1 (fr) 2002-11-13
JP2000062341A (ja) 2000-02-29

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