EP1088660A1

EP1088660A1 - Method for calculating amounts of ink to be used

Info

Publication number: EP1088660A1
Application number: EP99307773A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Tatsuo Shigeta
Original assignee: Think Laboratory Co Ltd
Current assignee: Think Laboratory Co Ltd
Priority date: 1998-04-02
Filing date: 1999-10-01
Publication date: 2001-04-04
Also published as: JPH11286099A

Abstract

On a graphic display (1): an image(s) (3) to be printed which is assigned to a printing plate is displayed (2); pixels of respective process colors making up the image(s) to be printed are integrated so that the total area for each color is displayed (4i); the thickness values of the ink layers of the respective colors prior to transfer are input as numerical values and displayed (4g); the coefficients which are determined by the number of screen lines and shape of the pixels, or image specifying symbols which indirectly specify such coefficients, are input and displayed (4e), ink transfer coefficients which are determined by the object to be printed, or printed-object specifying symbols which indirectly specify such ink transfer coefficients, are input and displayed (4e), ink specific gravity values corresponding to the types of ink used are input and displayed; and the number of sheets to be printed is input and displayed (4f); and then, when an execution command is given (4), the respective numerical values are multiplied for each process color, and the amounts of the inks of the respective colors that are to be used are displayed (4n) on the graphic display.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method for calculating amounts of ink to be used and more particularly to a method for calculating and displaying amounts of ink to be used for printing out an image(s).

2. Prior Art

The amounts of inks used for the respective process colors making up an image to be printed are regularly proportional to the number of sheets to be printed. However, these amounts differ according to the printing system used, e.g., offset printing. gravure printing, screen printing, etc. Furthermore, even in the case of the same printing system, these amounts vary according to the thickness of the ink that is to be transferred, the shape of the pixels and the type of object on which printing is to he performed.
Conventionally, therefore, it has been impossible to calculate the amounts of inks of the respective process colors that are to be used for a concrete number of sheets to be printed. In the past, the amounts of ink to be used for the respective process colors making up an image to be printed have been roughly estimated by visual inspection of the proportions of the respective colors on the basis of experience, and the respective inks have been prepared in amounts on the high side in accordance with the number of sheets to be printed. As a result, there are always large amounts of the respective inks left over, so that such a process is uneconomical.
Conversely, in cases whom the amounts of inks of the respective process colors that are to be used are calculated on the low side, so that the amounts are insufficient, newly prepared process colors differ slightly from the previous colors, thus differentiating the color feeling of the printed object.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a method for calculating amounts of ink to be used, wherein when an image(s) that is to be printed is displayed on a graphic display, and the printing system, type of output dots, type of object on which printing is to be performed, and types of inks to be used, etc., we designated, then the amount of inks that are to be used for the single or multiple process colors that represents and makes up the image(s) can be calculated and displayed on the graphic display.
The present invention provides a method for calculating amounts of ink to be used, which is characterized by the fact that the method is devised so that: images to be printed, which are assigned to printing plate surfaces, are displayed on a graphic display; pixels of respective colors constituting the process colors that make up the images to be printed are integrated so that the total surface areas of the respective colors are displayed; the thickness of the inks of the respective colors prior to transfer are input and displayed; coefficients which are determined by the number of screen lines and shape of the pixels, or pixel designating symbols which indirectly designate such coefficients, are input and displayed; ink transfer coefficients which are determined by the object on which printing is to be performed, or printed object designating symbols which indirectly designate such coefficients, are input and displayed; the specific gravity values of the inks corresponding to the types of inks are input and displayed; and the number of sheets to be printed is input and displayed, and when an execution command is given, respective numerical values are multiplied for each color of the process colors, and the amounts of the inks of the respective colors that are to be used arc displayed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a diagram of a graphic display which illustrates a method for calculating amounts of ink to be used constituting one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment showing the calculating amounts of ink to be used according to the present invention.
A predetermined application program is started, and a printed-image display window 2 is displayed on the graphic display 1. From the file menu of the application program, "Open" 'is clicked; and the desired image to be printed 3 that is to be formed on the surface of the printing plate is displayed from the dialog box file list that appears.
Next, the ink amount calculating window menu is clicked, and an ink amount calculating window 4 which is constantly superimposed on the first window 2 is displayed.
Next, the process color confirmation button 4m in the ink amount calculating window 4 is clicked, so that all of the process colors and color names making up the image to be printed 3 are displayed in a row in the respective display columns of the first display box 4a in the window 4. If necessary, the respective display columns of the first display box 4a can be increased or decreased. In cases where the display columns are insufficient and the total number of process colors making up the image to be printed 3 is greater than the number of display column the display insufficiency is indicated by a v marking in the second display box 4b.
Next, the third display box 4c in the window 4 is clicked, and gravure printing, offset printing or screen printing is selected (Figure 1 shows that gravure printing (G.P.) is selected) from the pop-up menu (not shown in Figure 1); and this selected printing type is displayed. Although not shown in Figure 1, if the third dialog box 4c is double-clicked, a dialog box which allows setting of the printing system and its coefficients appears, so that the characters for "flexo printing" for instance, can be input.
Next, the fourth box 4d in the window 4 is clicked, and the desired material is selected from objects to be printed, such as P.P., C.A., O.P., high-quality paper, paper board and cardboard, etc., that are displayed on the pop-up menu (not shown in Figure 1) that appears. Consequently, the box display shows the name of the material selected. Here, coefficients corresponding to the material name and printing system are set in the program used to calculate the amounts of ink of the respective process colors that are to be used. Furthermore, though this is not shown, if the fourth dialog box 4d is double-clicked, a dialog box which allows the setting of material names and their coefficients appears. The reason that coefficients corresponding to the types of objects to be printed are added as calculation elements in the program used to calculate the amounts of ink to be used is that the percentage of ink adhering to the surface of the printing plate that is transferred to the object to be printed varies according to the type of the object to be printed.
Next in the respective display columns of the fifth dialog box 4e in the same window 4, the desired dot shape names are selected from the dot shape names that are displayed in the pop-up menu (not shown in Figure 1) that appears when the fifth dialog box 4e is clicked. When this is done, the box display shows the selected dot shape names; and in this case, coefficients corresponding to the dot shape names are set in the program. used to calculate the amounts of ink of the respective process colors that are to be used.
The coefficients corresponding to the dot shape names are classified according to combinations of the number of screen lines per inch with round dots, diamond-shape dots, hexagonal dots and free-flow cell dots, etc., and are expressed as fractions indicating proportions relative to solid-color printing.
The reason that coefficients corresponding to the dot shape names are added as calculation elements in the program used to calculate the amounts of ink to be used is as follows: the area obtained by integrating the pixels of the process colors of the image to be printed 3 that is displayed in the printed-image display window 2 is the area for a case corresponding to solid-color printing in which 100% of the surface of the printing plate is wet with ink; and this area includes portions corresponding to the screen lines, i. e., an area corresponding to portions in which the surface of the printing plate is not wet with ink; accordingly, if the amounts of ink to be used are calculated including such an area corresponding to portions of the printing plate surface not wet with ink, the amounts of ink used will be excessive. For this reason, the area of the printing plate surface not wet with ink is excluded so that accurate calculations can be performed.
Furthermore, though not shown in Figure 1, if the fifth display box 4e is double-clicked, a dialog box which allows the setting of dot shape names and their coefficients appears. The content of the pop-up menu (not shown) that appears when the fifth display box 4e is clicked is associated with the gravure printing, offset printing or screen printing that is selected and displayed in the third display box 4c; and if the characters "gravure printing", for example, are selected and displayed in the third display box 4c, the dot shape names and corresponding coefficients used in gravure printing are displayed as a list, while the dot shape names and corresponding coefficients used 'm screen printing are not displayed as a list.
In other words, the coefficients corresponding to the printing system should be added in the program used to calculate the amounts of ink of the respective process colors that are to be used, in accordance with the printing system selected, i.e., gravure printing, offset printing or screen printing. The specification of these coefficients is achieved by adding the coefficients corresponding to the dot shapes and the respective thickness of ink accumulating on the surface of the printing plate, as calculation elements in the program used to calculate the amounts of ink of the respective process colors that are to be used.
Next, a desired ink name is selected from the names of ink types such as water-based ink, oil-based ink and UV ink, etc., that are displayed in the pop-up menu (not shown) that appears when the sixth box 4f of the window 4 is clicked. When this is done, the box display shows the selected ink name.. In this case, coefficients corresponding to the ink names are set m the program used to calculate the amounts of ink of the respective process colors that are to be used. The reasons that coefficients corresponding to the types of inks are added as calculation elements in the program used to calculate the amounts of ink used are as follows: the specific gravity values of the inks used must be multiplied, these specific gravity values are different for different ink types, and the viscosity and transfer characteristics differ according to the type of ink, so that the amount of ink transferred to the object to be printed from the surface of the printing plate differs.
Next, the thickness values of the ink layers prior to the transfer of the respective colors are input and displayed in the respective display columns of the seventh display box 4g in the same window 4. These numerical values refer to the thickness of the ink adhering to the surface of the printing plate and are not the thickness values of the ink layers following transfer of the ink to the object to be printed and evaporation of the solvent. In the case of gravure printing, an appropriate numerical value in the range of 10 to 30 ( m), generally 15 ( m), is input as the cell depth. In the case of screen printing, a numerical value obtained by measuring the thickness of the printing plate is input. Thus, in the case of screen printing, this numerical value is a large numerical value in the range of 100 to 200 ( m).
Next, the total number (for instance, 6) of images 3 to be printed (displayed in the printed-image display window 2) assigned in the longitudinal and lateral directions of the printing plate surface is input into the eighth display box 4h in the window 4.
When this is done, the pixels of the respective process colors making up the image to be printed 3 that is displayed in the printed-image display window 2 are integrated so that the area per image frame is calculated, and the total area for each process color obtained by multiplying this am per image frame by the number of images to be printed 3 assigned to the printing plate surface is displayed in the respective display columns of the ninth display box 4i in the window 4.
Then, the number of sheets to be printed (for instance, 1,000) is input into the tenth display box 4j in the window 4; and when the "execute" button 4k is clicked after all the inputting has been completed for the first through tenth display boxes 4a through 4i, the program used to calculate the amounts of ink to be used operates so that the coefficients input and set m the first through ninth display boxes 4a through 4i are all multiplied for the respective process colors. As a result the number values obtained by way of calculations performed for the respective process colors are displayed in the first through ninth display boxes 4a through 4i, and the amounts of ink to be used (kg) are displayed in the table 4n.
In the present invention described above, it is not an essential condition that the window 4 be displayed while superimposed on the window 2. Furthermore, in the invention of the present application, the order of arrangement of the first through tenth display boxes 4a through 4i and 4k in the window 4 may be any desired order.
As seen from the above, according to the method of the present invention for calculating amounts of ink to be used, when the image(s) to be printed is displayed on a graphic display, and the type of output dots, type of object to be printed and type of ink to be used, etc., are specified, then the amounts of ink to be used for the single or multiple process colors that represents and makes up the image(s) to be printed are calculated and displayed on the graphic display.

Claims

A method for calculating amounts of ink to be used, wherein on a graphic display.. an image to be printed, which is assigned to printing plate surfaces, is displayed; pixels of respective colors constituting the process colors that make up said images to he printed are integrated so that total surface areas of respective colors are displayed; a thickness of inks of respective colors prior to transfer are input and displayed; coefficients which are determined by the number of screen lines and shape of the pixels, or pixel designating symbols which indirectly designate such coefficients, are input and displayed: ink transfer coefficients which are determined by an object on which printing is to be performed, or printed object designating symbols which indirectly designate such coefficients, are input and displayed; specific gravity values of said inks corresponding to types of inks are input and displayed; the number of sheets to be printed is input and displayed, and wherein, when an execution command is given, respective numerical values are multiplied for each color of said process colors, and amounts of said inks of respective colors that are to be used are displayed.