EP1500499B2 - Method and means for measuring and controlling the concentration of chemical substances in process liquids for offset printing - Google Patents

Method and means for measuring and controlling the concentration of chemical substances in process liquids for offset printing Download PDF

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EP1500499B2
EP1500499B2 EP04017479.9A EP04017479A EP1500499B2 EP 1500499 B2 EP1500499 B2 EP 1500499B2 EP 04017479 A EP04017479 A EP 04017479A EP 1500499 B2 EP1500499 B2 EP 1500499B2
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individual
accordance
fountain solution
components
chemical components
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French (fr)
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EP1500499B1 (en
EP1500499A1 (en
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Gunther Prof. Dr. Ing. Krieg
Joop Dr. Van Hesteren
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Fuji Hunt Photographic Chemicals NV
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Fuji Hunt Photographic Chemicals NV
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41F—PRINTING MACHINES OR PRESSES
    • B41F7/00—Rotary lithographic machines
    • B41F7/20—Details
    • B41F7/24—Damping devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41F—PRINTING MACHINES OR PRESSES
    • B41F33/00—Indicating, counting, warning, control or safety devices
    • B41F33/0054—Devices for controlling dampening

Definitions

  • the respective printing plate is wetted with an aqueous liquid by a so-called dampening system in order to ensure that in a subsequent process step the image areas take on the color, while the image-free areas behave ink-repellently.
  • the aqueous liquid often consists of a mixture with alcohol, usually isopropanol, and a chemical mixture of up to around twenty substances, which is referred to below as an additive.
  • the additive is available in concentrations of 1 to 8% vol., the alcohol from 0.5 to 20% vol. added.
  • the concentration of the water is between 72% and 98.5% - vol.
  • alcohol is sometimes completely avoided. In this case, the additive is also called an alcohol substitute.
  • the optimized additive then fully or at least partially takes over the function of isopropanol.
  • a major problem with offset printing is the insufficient availability of the process, which is typically only around 80% and is therefore characterized by long downtimes of very investment-intensive printing machines. For example, with a so-called 64-page offset rotary printing line, you would save around EUR 35,000 per year if the actual production time per day could be extended by an average of just two minutes. New, intensive practical studies have clearly shown that the low availability of offset printing machines is largely due to an undefined, unknown physical and chemical composition of the process fluid that has not yet been measurable in the process and therefore, in particular, cannot be controlled.
  • the concentrations of alcohol in the dampening solution are currently between 6% and 20% and make it easier to use so-called film dampening systems in the case of web and sheetfed offset.
  • the latter consist of several rollers coated with rubber mixtures and/or metals, which rotate in contact with one another with a certain contact pressure and transport the dampening solution to the printing plate in the form of a film of adjustable layer thickness. This transport process is promoted by the addition of isopropanol as a result of the resulting reduction in the surface tension of the liquid film.
  • contactless systems in particular spray dampening systems operated with nozzles or dampening systems which have rollers with plush covers, are also used.
  • the new method according to the invention is also in accordance with the prior art in these versions of utmost importance as it enables an optimal composition of the chemicals in the fountain solution.
  • a real alternative to alcohol are the so-called surfactants, which have comparable advantages in terms of the wetting properties of the dampening solution on the rollers of the dampening unit.
  • surfactants are not VOC's.
  • surfactants lead to undesirable foaming and to quality-reducing emulsification of ink and fountain solution, so that in many practical cases alcohol-free printing fails and has to be replaced by printing with alcohol.
  • the aim of the present invention is therefore to readjust the composition of the dampening solution to the respective target values by continuously measuring and regulating the composition of the dampening solution, ie by continuously re-dosing the individual differently impoverishing chemical components or selected groups of components, in order to ensure the availability of the offset printing process to the values of the competing Gravure pressure, ie to around 90 to 95%.
  • JP-A-4327940 It is intended to control the concentrations of individual components in the fountain solution of offset printing machines by measuring the pH value, the conductivity, the refractive index, the specific gravity and the gas concentration and to replenish the respective component via pumps over a specific period of time if the concentration value is high is not within a range between an upper and a lower limit.
  • a method and a device are used for the first time in printing technology, which continuously measure the concentrations of the individual components of the additive and regulate them to predetermined optimal values due to selective weakening of electromagnetic radiation. This prevents the process liquid from suffering a depletion or an overdose of individual components of the additive, so that the printing process can be continued continuously at the optimal operating point with high stability and availability.
  • the process not only works with alcohol-free printing, ie for substitute materials, but that the selectivity of the measurement and control of the additive can also be maintained when printing with additional admixture of alcohol, ie that the alcohol does not cause any distortion of the measurement of the concentrations of the individual components of the additive.
  • the selective measurement of the concentrations of the individual components or groups of different chemical compounds is coupled with a dosing system that removes the various components from different containers via a system consisting of clocked valves and pumps and supplies them to the dampening solution in a controlled manner.
  • This new process significantly optimizes offset printing with alcohol. For the first time, printing without alcohol is put on a basis that enables a long-term process while meeting the economic constraints.
  • the too narrow window of variation in the concentrations of the individual chemical components of ready-to-use additives is expanded as desired by the new process, so that constant changes of the dampening solution, in particular Due to the already mentioned search for better dampening solution additives when the printing process is shut down for several hours and the corresponding negative consequences for the disposal of the previously used dampening solution and thus also for the economic efficiency of the printing process, the new process no longer applies.
  • dosing devices are used to produce the process liquid, which volumetrically mix the two or three components under fixed conditions within the framework of a control and into the liquid circuit of the printing press according to the respective consumption, ie according to the removal of the liquid through the paper to be printed.
  • systems with conventional dosing pumps are currently in use.
  • a major disadvantage of these systems is that neither the mixing devices malfunction nor changes in the physical and/or chemical composition, e.g. as a result of chemical reactions or absorption or desorption processes through the printing ink, the paper, through the pipeline or the machine modules, can be detected.
  • evaporation processes in these classic dosing methods lead to significant concentration errors.
  • the sensors currently in use as the only control instruments for detecting electrical conductivity are not suitable for quantitative measurement of the concentration of the respective additive or substitute because of the heavy and fluctuating contamination of the process liquid.
  • the important chemical key components of the additives, which enable the printing process cannot be detected by a conductivity measurement because these substances cannot be dissociated in water.
  • the pH probe which has already been introduced more or less as a standard in offset printing, can only be used as an indicator shortly before the functioning of the printing process collapses, since the required strong chemical buffering of the process liquid, for example by citric acid, also causes a change in the pH value major changes in the chemical composition are prevented.
  • the aims of the present invention are therefore a method and a device for implementing the method, which enables quantitative, continuous measurement and control of the concentrations of the individual components of the respective additive or substitute in a matrix of up to 20 chemical components without incorrect influence from other substances , such as alcohol, dirt, paint and paper particles, gas bubbles, salts from the paper coating and other contaminants typical of offset printing.
  • the individual components must be measured and controlled with a material-dependent accuracy of between 10 ppm and 3.0%. This problem has not yet been solved in any practical case.
  • the present invention solves the tasks set, among other things, in that the individual chemical components are continuously measured and regulated to the dampening solution circuit as pure raw materials and / or as partial mixtures of several components, usually in mixtures with water, so that they are simply in the dampening solution solve and in particular do not form separate phases. In this way, chemical formulations in particular can be realized that separate in a prefabricated additive concentrate and would therefore not lead to a homogeneous solution.
  • the weakening of electromagnetic radiation as it passes through the dampening solution is used to determine the concentration.
  • Process liquid (2) located in a tank (1) is circulated by circulation pumps (3) to the printing press (4) and back to the tank (1) via pipes (5).
  • the respective concentrations of the individual chemical components of the additive are continuously measured by a measuring system (6).
  • the specified chemical components K1, K2, K3,... to Kn are fed into the process liquid (2) via pumps (7) and valves (8).
  • the different required target concentrations of the chemical components K1 to Kn are guaranteed by the fact that the measuring system (6) continuously measures the actual concentrations and, as part of a control system, replenishes the amount of the respective component so that the actual value is equal to the specified one Target value is.
  • the concentration of alcohol, unless alcohol-free printing is used is continuously measured in the process liquid (2) and the Alcohol lost essentially through evaporation is fed in from a storage container (13) via a unit consisting of a valve and metering pump (14), so that even when printing with alcohol, the target and actual values constantly match and the availability and quality of the printing process is guaranteed are.
  • An agitator (15) is used to homogenize the process liquid.
  • Fig 2 outlines an arrangement consisting of a printing press (16), a dampening solution tank (17), a dampening solution (18) with circulation (19) and the chemical components K1 to Kn (20), which have a Venturi nozzle (21) and a pump ( 22) is operated, the chemical components K1 to Kn are sucked in via valves (23) and fed into the dampening solution (18), the concentrations of the chemical components being measured via the measuring and control system (24) takes place.
  • the make-up (25) of water with automatic level control and the agitator (26) correspond to the arrangements of Fig. 1 .
  • Fig. 3 is in the overall arrangement consisting of printing press (27), dampening solution tank (28), dampening solution (29), measuring and control system (30), agitator (31), water feed (32) with fill level control (33) and dampening solution circulation (34), as Additional component a static mixer (35) is realized.
  • the dampening water (29) circulated via the pump (36) is mixed with the chemical components K1 to Kn (37), which are fed into the circuit (39) via the valves (38), in the static mixer (35), as follows that both the measuring system (30) and the circuit (34) have homogeneous liquid mixtures with the aim that the entire system in Fig. 3 works optimally.
  • Fig. 4 represents a version of the invention, which is characterized by a premixing of the chemical components K1 to Kn (42) via pumps (50a) with a water supply (41) in a mixing container (40).
  • This arrangement ensures that the control process of the measuring system (43) for achieving the target concentrations of the chemical components K1 to Kn (42) is significantly shortened, so that the composition of the dampening solution (44) in the dampening solution tank (45) also over shorter time intervals always has the specified target values.
  • a homogenization device (39) is also used in the premixing container (40).
  • the latter can also be according to Fig. 3 be a static mixer.
  • Fig. 5 shows a simple variant according to the invention, in which the chemical components K1 to Kn (51) are metered in via a valve (54) via calibrated metering pumps (53) controlled by the measuring system (52) in accordance with the respective target value of the individual component.
  • the level measurement (55) and the agitator (56), in combination with the water supply (57), enable a homogeneous mixture of the dampening water (58), which circulates via the circulation pump (59) in the circuit (60) between the printing press (61) and the dampening water cooling device (62).

Description

Bei Offset-Druckmaschinen wird die jeweilige Druckplatte durch ein sogenanntes Feuchtwerk mit einer wässrigen Flüssigkeit benetzt, um zu erreichen, dass in einem nachfolgenden Prozeßschritt die Bildbereiche die Farbe annehmen, während sich die bildfreien Bereiche farbabweisend verhalten. Die wässrige Flüssigkeit besteht neben Wasser häufig aus einem Gemisch mit Alkohol, meist wird Isopropanol verwendet, sowie einem chemischen Gemisch aus bis zu ca. zwanzig Substanzen, das im folgenden als Additiv bezeichnet wird. Das Additiv wird in Konzentrationen von 1 bis 8 %-Vol., der Alkohol von 0,5 bis 20 %-Vol. zugesetzt. Die Konzentration des Wassers liegt demnach zwischen 72% und 98,5 % - Vol. Unter Verwendung von optimierten Additiven wird zum Teil gänzlich auf den Alkohol verzichtet. In diesem Fall wird das Additiv auch als Alkohol-Ersatzstoff bezeichnet. Das optimierte Additiv übernimmt dann voll oder zumindest teilweise die Funktion von Isopropanol.In offset printing machines, the respective printing plate is wetted with an aqueous liquid by a so-called dampening system in order to ensure that in a subsequent process step the image areas take on the color, while the image-free areas behave ink-repellently. In addition to water, the aqueous liquid often consists of a mixture with alcohol, usually isopropanol, and a chemical mixture of up to around twenty substances, which is referred to below as an additive. The additive is available in concentrations of 1 to 8% vol., the alcohol from 0.5 to 20% vol. added. The concentration of the water is between 72% and 98.5% - vol. Using optimized additives, alcohol is sometimes completely avoided. In this case, the additive is also called an alcohol substitute. The optimized additive then fully or at least partially takes over the function of isopropanol.

Ein großes Problem des Offsetdrucks liegt in der unzureichenden Verfügbarkeit des Prozesses, die typisch bei ca. nur 80 % liegt und daher durch hohe Stillstandszeiten sehr investitionsintensiver Druckmaschinen gekennzeichnet ist. Beispielsweise würde man bei einer sog. 64-Seiten Offset-Rotationsdrucklinie pro Jahr ca. 35.000,-- EUR einsparen, wenn die reine Produktionszeit pro Tag durchschnittlich um nur zwei Minuten verlängert werden könnte. Neue, intensive praktische Untersuchungen haben klar gezeigt, dass die zu niedrige Verfügbarkeit von Offset-Druckmaschinen zu einem wesentlichen Teil auf eine undefinierte, unbekannte und bisher nicht im Prozeß meßbare und daher insbesondere nicht regelbare physikalische und chemische Zusammensetzung der Prozeßflüssigkeit zurückzuführen ist. Im Rahmen dieser Untersuchungen wurde insbesondere und paradoxerweise festgestellt, dass selbst bei exakter Realisierung einer vorgegebenen volumetrischen Mischung der Komponenten Wasser und Additiv, z.B. durch eine exakte Steuerung von zwei Dosierpumpen, welche z.B. die Volumina 97 % - Vol. Wasser und 3 % - Vol. Additiv in die Prozeßflüssigkeit injizieren, im Kreislauf der Prozeßflüssigkeit ein viel niedrigerer Wert, z. B. 0,8 % - Vol. an Additiv, vorhanden ist. Noch viel erstaunlicher ist die Tatsache, dass Analysen ergaben, dass die ursprüngliche prozentuale Zusammensetzung der Einzelkomponenten des Additives im Feuchtwasserkreislauf nicht mit der ursprünglich beabsichtigten und von den Dosierpumpen durch eine Steuerung bei der Einspeisung realisierten Zusammensetzung übereinstimmen. Vielmehr treten von uns als "kannibalistische Effekte" bezeichnete Vorgänge auf, die darin bestehen, dass im Druckprozess die Bestandteile des Additivs mehr oder weniger stark verschwinden, obwohl in den beabsichtigten Konzentrationsverhältnissen periodisch zudosiert wird. Die derzeit standardmäßig im Offsetdruck eingeführte Technik, das Additiv-Konzentrat als eine einzige chemische Formulation, die aus allen notwendigen chemischen Bestandteilen mit definiert vorgegebenen Konzentrationen besteht und deren Zusammensetzung von der Druckapplikation, d.h. Rollenoffset, Bogenoffset oder Zeitungsdruck sowie vom Maschinentyp, Papiertyp, Farbtyp, abhängt, in den Feuchtwasserkreislauf einer Druckmaschine einzuspeisen, ist eine Notlösung, die den modernen Anforderungen an eine hohe Verfügbarkeit des Offsetproesses nicht gerecht wird. Auch wenn diese Nachteile beim Drucken mit Alkohol durch Zudosierung erhöhter Konzentrationen von Isopropanol zu einem gewissen Teil ausgeglichen werden können, was in der Praxis derzeit so gehandhabt wird, ist diese Vorgehensweise nicht als eine zukünftige technische Lösung zu betrachten, da Isopropanol als Lösemittel und leicht flüchtiger Stoff (VOC = Volatile Organic Compound) im Offsetdruck in vielen Staaten der USA verboten, in Europa mit strengen Gesetzen zur Emissionbegrenzung und in der Schweiz sogar mit einer für die Wirtschaftlichkeit des Druckprozesses schädlichen Strafsteuer, der sog. "Lenkungsabgabe", belegt ist. Aus umweltpolitischen Gesichtspunkten und insbesondere auch zum Schutze der Gesundheit der Drucker am Arbeitsplatz, müssen daher Isopropanol oder andere Lösemittel in der Zukunft massiv reduziert bzw. letztendlich vollständig aus dem Druckprozess verschwinden. Die Konzentrationen von Alkohol im Feuchtwasser liegen in der Regel derzeit zwischen 6 % und 20 % und erleichtern im Falle des Rollen- und des Bogen-Offset den Einsatz von sogenannten Filmfeuchtwerken. Gemäß dem Stand der Technik bestehen letztere aus mehreren mit Gummimischungen und/oder Metallen beschichteten Walzen, die mit einem gewissen Anpressdruck in Kontakt miteinander rotieren und das Feuchtwasser in Form eines Filmes einstellbarer Schichtdicke zur Druckplatte transportieren. Dieser Transportvorgang wird durch die Zugabe von Isopropanol infolge der dadurch bewirkten Reduktion der Oberflächenspannung des Flüssigkeitsfilmes begünstigt. Neben Filmfeuchtwerken gemäß dem Stand der Technik werden auch kontaktlos arbeitende Systeme, insbesondere mit Düsen betriebene Sprühfeuchtwerke oder Feuchtwerke, die Walzen mit Bezügen aus Plüsch aufweisen, eingesetzt. Da in diesen Fällen das Feuchtmittel ohne kontinuierlichen Flüssigkeitsfilm transportiert wird, kann der Einsatz von Alkohol entfallen. Auch bei diesen Ausführungen gemäß dem Stand der Technik ist das erfindungsgemäße neue Verfahren von größter Wichtigkeit, da es eine optimale Zusammensetzung der Chemikalien des Feuchtwassers ermöglicht.A major problem with offset printing is the insufficient availability of the process, which is typically only around 80% and is therefore characterized by long downtimes of very investment-intensive printing machines. For example, with a so-called 64-page offset rotary printing line, you would save around EUR 35,000 per year if the actual production time per day could be extended by an average of just two minutes. New, intensive practical studies have clearly shown that the low availability of offset printing machines is largely due to an undefined, unknown physical and chemical composition of the process fluid that has not yet been measurable in the process and therefore, in particular, cannot be controlled. In the course of these investigations, it was particularly and paradoxically found that even with exact realization of a given volumetric mixture of the components water and additive, for example by precise control of two metering pumps, which, for example, have the volumes 97% - vol. water and 3% - vol. Inject additive into the process liquid, in the process liquid circuit a much lower value, e.g. B. 0.8% volume of additive is present. What is even more astonishing is the fact that analyzes showed that the original percentage composition of the individual components of the additive in the dampening solution circuit does not correspond to the composition originally intended and realized by the dosing pumps through a control during feeding. Rather, what we call “cannibalistic effects” occur, which consist of: During the printing process, the components of the additive disappear to a greater or lesser extent, even though the intended concentration ratios are added periodically. The technology currently introduced as standard in offset printing, the additive concentrate as a single chemical formulation, which consists of all the necessary chemical components with defined concentrations and whose composition depends on the printing application, ie web offset, sheetfed offset or newspaper printing as well as on the machine type, paper type, ink type, into the dampening water circuit of a printing press is an emergency solution that does not meet the modern requirements for high availability of the offset process. Even if these disadvantages when printing with alcohol can be compensated to a certain extent by adding increased concentrations of isopropanol, which is currently done in practice, this procedure should not be viewed as a future technical solution, since isopropanol is a solvent and is more volatile Substance (VOC = Volatile Organic Compound) is banned in offset printing in many states in the USA, in Europe it is subject to strict laws to limit emissions and in Switzerland it is even subject to a punitive tax, the so-called "incentive tax", which is detrimental to the economic efficiency of the printing process. From an environmental point of view and in particular to protect the health of printers at work, isopropanol or other solvents must be massively reduced in the future or ultimately completely eliminated from the printing process. The concentrations of alcohol in the dampening solution are currently between 6% and 20% and make it easier to use so-called film dampening systems in the case of web and sheetfed offset. According to the prior art, the latter consist of several rollers coated with rubber mixtures and/or metals, which rotate in contact with one another with a certain contact pressure and transport the dampening solution to the printing plate in the form of a film of adjustable layer thickness. This transport process is promoted by the addition of isopropanol as a result of the resulting reduction in the surface tension of the liquid film. In addition to film dampening systems according to the state of the art, contactless systems, in particular spray dampening systems operated with nozzles or dampening systems which have rollers with plush covers, are also used. Since in these cases the dampening solution is transported without a continuous film of liquid, the use of alcohol can be omitted. The new method according to the invention is also in accordance with the prior art in these versions of utmost importance as it enables an optimal composition of the chemicals in the fountain solution.

Um den gesetzlichen Zwängen bezüglich der Vermeidung von Isopropanol nachzukommen, wurden insbesondere in den USA andere Lösemittel auf den Markt gebracht. Dieser Weg wurde jedoch in Europa nicht nachvollzogen, da dadurch keine Eliminierung von Lösemitteln erzielt wurde. Ferner gelten die anderen Lösemittel zum Teil als krebserregend bzw. als gesundheitsschädlich und stellen daher keine Alternative zum Alkohol dar.In order to comply with legal requirements regarding the avoidance of isopropanol, other solvents were brought onto the market, particularly in the USA. However, this approach was not followed in Europe because it did not result in the elimination of solvents. Furthermore, some of the other solvents are considered carcinogenic or harmful to health and are therefore not an alternative to alcohol.

Eine echte Alternative zum Alkohol sind die sog. Tenside, welche vergleichbare Vorteile bezüglich den Benetzungseigenschaften des Feuchtwassers an den Walzen des Feuchtwerkes bewirken. Insbesondere ist festzustellen. dass Tenside keine VOC' s sind. Diese positiven Eigenschaften der Tenside können jedoch erfahrungsgemäß nur dann zum Tragen kommen, wenn die erforderlichen Soll Konzentrationen exakt eingehalten werden können. Bei den derzeit eingesetzten alkoholfreien Verfahren gemäß dem Stand der Technik, führen daher Tenside zu unerwünschtem Schäumen sowie zu qualitätsminderndem Emulgieren von Farbe und Feuchtwasser, so dass in vielen praktischen Fällen der alkoholfreie Druck versagt und wieder durch das Drucken mit Alkohol abgelöst werden muss. Hinzu kommt die Schwierigkeit, dass Tenside in einem chemischen Multikomponentengemisch sehr oft schwierig zu lösen sind, so dass zusätzlich Stoffe als Lösemittelvermittler in das Additiv - Konzentrat eingebracht werden müssen, um eine Entmischung, d.h. ein Absetzen auf dem Boden des Additiv - Fasses des Lieferanten zu verhindern. Auch diese Schwierigkeit wird durch das erfindungsgemäße Verfahren leicht gelöst. Es bietet nämlich die Möglichkeit, nur diejenigen chemischen Stoffkomponenten anzuwenden, die für den Druckprozess absolut notwendig sind. Da die Bahngeschwindigkeiten moderner Druckmaschinen laufend gesteigert werden und letzteres eine zunehmend präzisere Messung und Dosierung der chemischen Einzelkomponenten erfordert, ist das neue Verfahren für den Druck ohne Alkohol unverzichtbar. Unterstützend hinzu kommt, dass bei ein und derselben Druckmaschine, abhängig vom Druckauftrag, d.h. von dem aktuell verwendeten Papier, von den vom spezifischen Kunden verlangten Sonderfarben, von dem speziell verwendeten Gummituch, der Walzenbeschichtung, etc., die Zusammensetzung der Einzelkomponenten des Additivs veränderbar sein muss. Auch letzteres ist nur mit dem hier beschriebenen neuen Verfahren möglich. Dies wird insbesondere auch dadurch bewiesen, dass es bis heute kein einziges Additiv auf der Welt gibt, welches Drucken ohne Alkohol unter allen in einer Druckmaschine auftretenden Bedingungen ermöglicht. Letzteres erklärt, weshalb Druckereileiter immer wieder andere Additivformulationen testen wollen, um ihre Druckaufträge durchzuführen. Trotzdem muss festgestellt werden, dass jede chemische Formulierung einen Kompromiss darstellt und daher nur für eine beschränkte Skala von Druckaufträgen optimal ist. Insgesamt ist die derzeitige Vorgehensweise notgedrungen mit einem hohen finanziellen Aufwand verbunden, der trotz der oben genannten gesetzlichen Vorschriften in Europa, den Druck ohne Alkohol de facto unmöglich macht.A real alternative to alcohol are the so-called surfactants, which have comparable advantages in terms of the wetting properties of the dampening solution on the rollers of the dampening unit. In particular it should be noted. that surfactants are not VOC's. However, experience has shown that these positive properties of surfactants can only come into play if the required target concentrations can be maintained exactly. In the alcohol-free processes currently used according to the state of the art, surfactants lead to undesirable foaming and to quality-reducing emulsification of ink and fountain solution, so that in many practical cases alcohol-free printing fails and has to be replaced by printing with alcohol. Added to this is the difficulty that surfactants are often difficult to dissolve in a chemical multi-component mixture, so that additional substances have to be introduced into the additive concentrate as solvent mediators in order to prevent segregation, ie settling at the bottom of the supplier's additive barrel impede. This difficulty is also easily solved by the method according to the invention. It offers the possibility of only using those chemical components that are absolutely necessary for the printing process. Since the web speeds of modern printing machines are constantly increasing and the latter requires increasingly precise measurement and dosage of the individual chemical components, the new process is indispensable for printing without alcohol. In addition, the composition of the individual components of the additive can be changed on one and the same printing machine, depending on the print job, i.e. the paper currently used, the special colors requested by the specific customer, the specific rubber blanket used, the roller coating, etc must. The latter is also only possible with the new process described here possible. This is particularly proven by the fact that to date there is not a single additive in the world that enables printing without alcohol under all conditions that occur in a printing press. The latter explains why print shop managers always want to test different additive formulations to complete their print jobs. Nevertheless, it must be noted that any chemical formulation represents a compromise and is therefore only optimal for a limited range of print jobs. Overall, the current approach is inevitably associated with a high financial outlay, which, despite the above-mentioned legal regulations in Europe, makes printing without alcohol de facto impossible.

Ziel der vorliegenden Erfindung ist daher, durch kontinuierliche Messung und Regelung der Zusammensetzung des Feuchtwassers, d.h. durch kontinuierliche Nachdosierung der einzelnen unterschiedlich verarmenden chemischen Komponenten bzw. ausgewählter Gruppen von Komponenten auf die jeweiligen Sollwerte nachzuregeln, um die Verfügbarkeit des Offset-Druckprozesses auf Werte des konkurrierenden Tiefdrucks, d.h. auf etwa 90 bis 95 %, zu erhöhen. Gemäß dem Stand der Technik aus JP-A-4327940 ist vorgesehen, die Kontrolle der Konzentrationen einzelner Komponenten im Feuchtwasser von Offsetdruckmaschinen durch Messung des pH-Wertes, des Leitwertes, des Brechungsindex, des spezifischen Gewichts und der Gaskonzentration vorzunehmen und eine Nachdosierung der jeweiligen Komponente über Pumpen über einen spezifischen Zeitraum vorzunehmen, falls der Konzentrationswert nicht innerhalb eines Bereichs zwischen einem oberen und einem unteren Grenzwert liegt. Die angegebenen Messprinzipien sind nicht selektiv bzw. schließen eine bedeutende Zahl von Stoffen nicht aus. Erfindungsgemäß werden dazu ein Verfahren sowie eine Vorrichtung erstmals in der Drucktechnik verwendet, die aufgrund von selektiver Schwächung elektromagnetischer Strahlung die Konzentrationen der Einzelkomponenten des Additivs kontinuierlich messen und auf vorgegebene optimale Werte regeln. Dabei wird verhindert, dass die Prozeßflüssigkeit insbesondere eine Verarmung aber auch eine Überdosierung von Einzelkomponenten des Additivs erleidet, so dass der Druckprozeß bei hoher Stabilität und Verfügbarkeit im optimalen Arbeitspunkt kontinuierlich fortgesetzt werden kann. Von allergrößter erfinderischer Wichtigkeit ist dabei die Tatsache, dass das Verfahren nicht nur beim alkoholfreien Druck, d.h. für Ersatzstoffe, funktioniert, sondern dass die Selektivität der Messung und Regelung des Additivs auch beim Drucken mit zusätzlicher Beimischung von Alkohol aufrechterhalten werden kann, d.h. dass der Alkohol keine Verfälschung der Messung der Konzentrationen der Einzelkomponenten des Additivs verursacht. Erfindungsgemäß wird die selektive Messung der Konzentrationen der Einzelkomponenten bzw. von Gruppen verschiedener chemischer Verbindungen gekoppelt mit einem Dosiersystem, das die verschiedenen Komponenten aus verschiedenen Behältern über ein aus getakteten Ventilen und Pumpen bestehendes System entnimmt und dem Feuchtwasser geregelt zuführt. Mit diesem neuen Verfahren wird der Offsetdruck mit Alkohol entscheidend optimiert. Der Druck ohne Alkohol wird dadurch erstmals auf eine Basis gestellt, die einen Langzeitprozess unter Erfüllung der Randbedingungen der Wirtschaftlichkeit ermöglicht. Die Tatsache, dass das neue Verfahren eine individuelle on-line Anpassung des Feuchtwassers an den jeweiligen Druckauftrag, d.h. Papiertyp, Farbtyp, Bahngeschwindigkeit, prinzipbedingte Wechselwirkung zwischen Farbe und Feuchtwasser als Haupteigenschaft des Offsetprozesses, ermöglicht, vermeidet das Entstehen von allgemein bekannten Problemen, wie z.B. unerlaubte Ablagerungen auf dem Gummituch, unerwünschte Farbrückspaltungen in das Feuchtwasser, schädliche chemische Angriffe der Druckplatten, etc. Insbesondere wird das zu schmale Fenster der Variationsmöglichkeiten der Konzentrationen der chemischen Einzelkomponenten von gebrauchsfertig gelieferten Additiven durch das neue Verfahren beliebig erweitert, so dass ständige Feuchtwasserwechsel, insbesondere durch das schon genannte Suchen nach besseren Feuchtwasser - Additiven bei mehrstündigen Stilllegungen des Druckprozesses und entsprechend negativen Folgen für die Entsorgung des zuvor betriebenen Feuchtwassers und damit auch für die Wirtschaftlichkeit des Druckprozesses, durch das neue Verfahren entfallen.The aim of the present invention is therefore to readjust the composition of the dampening solution to the respective target values by continuously measuring and regulating the composition of the dampening solution, ie by continuously re-dosing the individual differently impoverishing chemical components or selected groups of components, in order to ensure the availability of the offset printing process to the values of the competing Gravure pressure, ie to around 90 to 95%. According to the state of the art JP-A-4327940 It is intended to control the concentrations of individual components in the fountain solution of offset printing machines by measuring the pH value, the conductivity, the refractive index, the specific gravity and the gas concentration and to replenish the respective component via pumps over a specific period of time if the concentration value is high is not within a range between an upper and a lower limit. The measurement principles stated are not selective and do not exclude a significant number of substances. According to the invention, a method and a device are used for the first time in printing technology, which continuously measure the concentrations of the individual components of the additive and regulate them to predetermined optimal values due to selective weakening of electromagnetic radiation. This prevents the process liquid from suffering a depletion or an overdose of individual components of the additive, so that the printing process can be continued continuously at the optimal operating point with high stability and availability. Of utmost inventive importance is the fact that the process not only works with alcohol-free printing, ie for substitute materials, but that the selectivity of the measurement and control of the additive can also be maintained when printing with additional admixture of alcohol, ie that the alcohol does not cause any distortion of the measurement of the concentrations of the individual components of the additive. According to the invention, the selective measurement of the concentrations of the individual components or groups of different chemical compounds is coupled with a dosing system that removes the various components from different containers via a system consisting of clocked valves and pumps and supplies them to the dampening solution in a controlled manner. This new process significantly optimizes offset printing with alcohol. For the first time, printing without alcohol is put on a basis that enables a long-term process while meeting the economic constraints. The fact that the new process enables individual on-line adjustment of the dampening solution to the respective print job, ie paper type, ink type, web speed, principle-related interaction between ink and dampening solution as the main property of the offset process, avoids the emergence of well-known problems such as: unauthorized deposits on the rubber blanket, undesirable ink splitting back into the dampening solution, harmful chemical attacks on the printing plates, etc. In particular, the too narrow window of variation in the concentrations of the individual chemical components of ready-to-use additives is expanded as desired by the new process, so that constant changes of the dampening solution, in particular Due to the already mentioned search for better dampening solution additives when the printing process is shut down for several hours and the corresponding negative consequences for the disposal of the previously used dampening solution and thus also for the economic efficiency of the printing process, the new process no longer applies.

Gemäß dem derzeitigen Stand der Technik werden zur Herstellung der Prozeßflüssigkeit Dosiereinrichtungen verwendet, die volumetrisch im Rahmen einer Steuerung die zwei bzw. drei Komponenten unter fest vorgegebenen Verhältnissen mischen und in den Flüssigkeitskreislauf der Druckmaschine entsprechend dem jeweiligen Verbrauch, d.h. gemäß dem Abtransport der Flüssigkeit durch das zu bedruckende Papier, einspeisen. Neben Mischstationen, die von Hand bedient werden, sind derzeit insbesondere Systeme mit herkömmlichen Dosierpumpen im Einsatz. Ein großer Nachteil dieser Systeme besteht darin, dass weder Fehlfunktionen der Mischeinrichtungen noch Änderungen der physikalischen und / oder der chemischen Zusammensetzung , z.B. infolge von chemischen Reaktionen oder von Absorptions- oder Desorptionsprozessen durch die Druckfarbe, das Papier, durch die Rohrleitung oder die Maschinenmodule, festgestellt werden können. Insbesondere führen Verdunstungsprozesse bei diesen klassischen Dosierungsverfahren zu erheblichen Konzentrationsfehlern. Die im Moment als einzige Kontrollinstrumente bereits im Einsatz befindlichen Sensoren zur Erfassung der elektrischen Leitfähigkeit sind wegen der starken und schwankenden Verschmutzung der Prozeßflüssigkeit für eine quantitative Messung der Konzentration des jeweiligen Additivs bzw. des Ersatzstoffes nicht geeignet. Ferner sind die wichtigen chemischen Leitkomponenten der Additive, welche den Druckprozeß ermöglichen, durch eine Leitfähigkeitsmessung nicht erfassbar, da diese Substanzen im Wasser nicht dissoziierbar sind. Auch die mehr oder weniger als Standard im Offsetdruck bereits eingeführte pH - Sonde kann allenfalls als Indikator kurz vor dem Zusammenbruch der Funktion des Druckprozesses herangezogen werden, da die erforderliche starke chemische Pufferung der Prozeßflüssigkeit, z.B. durch Zitronensäure, eine Veränderung des pH-Wertes auch bei starker Veränderung der chemischen Zusammensetzung verhindert.According to the current state of the art, dosing devices are used to produce the process liquid, which volumetrically mix the two or three components under fixed conditions within the framework of a control and into the liquid circuit of the printing press according to the respective consumption, ie according to the removal of the liquid through the paper to be printed. In addition to mixing stations that are operated by hand, systems with conventional dosing pumps are currently in use. A major disadvantage of these systems is that neither the mixing devices malfunction nor changes in the physical and/or chemical composition, e.g. as a result of chemical reactions or absorption or desorption processes through the printing ink, the paper, through the pipeline or the machine modules, can be detected. In particular, evaporation processes in these classic dosing methods lead to significant concentration errors. The sensors currently in use as the only control instruments for detecting electrical conductivity are not suitable for quantitative measurement of the concentration of the respective additive or substitute because of the heavy and fluctuating contamination of the process liquid. Furthermore, the important chemical key components of the additives, which enable the printing process, cannot be detected by a conductivity measurement because these substances cannot be dissociated in water. The pH probe, which has already been introduced more or less as a standard in offset printing, can only be used as an indicator shortly before the functioning of the printing process collapses, since the required strong chemical buffering of the process liquid, for example by citric acid, also causes a change in the pH value major changes in the chemical composition are prevented.

Ziele der vorliegenden Erfindung sind daher ein Verfahren sowie eine Vorrichtung zur Realisierung des Verfahrens, welche eine quantitative, kontinuierliche Messung und Regelung der Konzentrationen der Einzelkomponenten des jeweiligen Additivs bzw. des Ersatzstoffes in einer Matrix von bis zu 20 chemischen Komponenten ohne fehlerhafte Beeinflussung durch andere Stoffe, wie z.B. insbesondere durch Alkohole, Schmutz-, Farb- und Papier- Partikel, Gasblasen, Salze aus dem Papierstrich und andere für den Offsetdruck typische Verunreinigungen, ermöglichen. Darüber hinaus müssen die Einzelkomponenten mit einer stoffabhängigen Genauigkeit zwischen 10 ppm und 3.0 % gemessen und geregelt werden. Dieses Problem wurde bisher in keinem aller praktischen Fälle gelöst. Da unsere wissenschaftlichen Untersuchungen vor allem gezeigt haben, dass die verschiedenen chemischen Inhaltsstoffe einer statisch vorgegebenen Additiv-Mischung nicht konzentrationsproportional verbraucht werden, sich die Mischung im Laufe des Druckprozesses also verändert, da sowohl die Farben, als auch das Papier, als auch andere Effekte eine mehr oder weniger selektive Abreicherung der Einzelkomponenten hervorrufen. Diese besondere Situation im Offsetdruck macht die vorliegende Erfindung in höchstem Maße wertvoll, da Abreicherungseffekte vollständig ausgeglichen werden, unabhängig von dem jeweils in der Druckmaschine befindlichen Kundenauftrag. Die vorliegende Erfindung löst die gestellten Aufgaben unter anderem dadurch, dass die chemischen Einzelkomponenten kontinuierlich gemessen und dem Feuchtmittelkreislauf geregelt als reine Rohstoffe oder / und als Teilmischungen aus mehreren Komponenten in der Regel in Mischungen mit Wasser, so zugeführt werden, dass sie sich einfach im Feuchtwasser lösen und insbesondere keine getrennten Phasen bilden. Auf diese Weise können insbesondere auch chemische Formulierungen realisiert werden, die sich in einem vorgefertigten Additiv - Konzentrat abtrennen und daher nicht zu einer homogenen Lösung führen würden. Für die Konzentrationsbestimmungen wird erfindungsgemäß die Schwächung elektromagnetischer Strahlung beim Durchgang durch das Feuchtwasser ausgenutzt.The aims of the present invention are therefore a method and a device for implementing the method, which enables quantitative, continuous measurement and control of the concentrations of the individual components of the respective additive or substitute in a matrix of up to 20 chemical components without incorrect influence from other substances , such as alcohol, dirt, paint and paper particles, gas bubbles, salts from the paper coating and other contaminants typical of offset printing. In addition, the individual components must be measured and controlled with a material-dependent accuracy of between 10 ppm and 3.0%. This problem has not yet been solved in any practical case. Since our scientific studies have shown above all that the various chemical ingredients of a statically specified additive mixture are not consumed in proportion to the concentration, and that the mixture changes over the course of the printing process, as both the colors and the paper as well as other effects cause more or less selective depletion of the individual components. This special situation in offset printing makes the present invention extremely valuable, since depletion effects are completely compensated for, regardless of the customer order currently in the printing press. The present invention solves the tasks set, among other things, in that the individual chemical components are continuously measured and regulated to the dampening solution circuit as pure raw materials and / or as partial mixtures of several components, usually in mixtures with water, so that they are simply in the dampening solution solve and in particular do not form separate phases. In this way, chemical formulations in particular can be realized that separate in a prefabricated additive concentrate and would therefore not lead to a homogeneous solution. According to the invention, the weakening of electromagnetic radiation as it passes through the dampening solution is used to determine the concentration.

Ausführungsbeispiele werden im folgenden detailliert mittels Figuren beschrieben. Dabei zeigen im einzelnen:

Fig. 1:
Das Gesamtsystem bestehend aus Meß- und Regelsystemen, Druckmaschine und Prozeßflüssigkeitskreislauf, wobei die Dosierung der verschiedenen chemischen Komponenten / Komponentengruppen direkt durch das Mess- und Regelgerät erfolgt.
Fig. 2:
Eine alternative Ausbildung der Erfindung, wobei die Dosierung über eine Venturi - Düse stattfindet.
Fig. 3:
Eine alternative Ausbildung der Erfindung, die dadurch gekennzeichnet ist, dass die chemischen Einzelkomponenten über einen statischen Mischer geführt werden.
Fig. 4:
Eine weitere Systemvariante, bei welcher eine Voranmischung in einem separaten Behälter stattfindet, welcher mit dem Gesamtsystem verbunden ist, wobei die Zusammensetzung dem optimalen Mischungsverhältnis entspricht.
Fig. 5:
System, bei welchem die optimale Zusammensetzung über kalibrierte Dosierpumpen erfolgt.
Exemplary embodiments are described in detail below using figures. Show in detail:
Fig. 1:
The overall system consisting of measuring and control systems, printing machine and process fluid circuit, with the various chemical components/component groups being dosed directly by the measuring and control device.
Fig. 2:
An alternative embodiment of the invention, whereby the dosing takes place via a Venturi nozzle.
Fig. 3:
An alternative embodiment of the invention, which is characterized in that the individual chemical components are passed through a static mixer.
Fig. 4:
Another system variant in which pre-mixing takes place in a separate container which is connected to the overall system, with the composition corresponding to the optimal mixing ratio.
Fig. 5:
System in which the optimal composition is achieved via calibrated dosing pumps.

Die gemäß Fig. 1 in einem Tank (1) befindliche Prozeßflüssigkeit (2) wird durch Umwälzpumpen (3) zur Druckmaschine (4) und zurück zum Tank (1) über Rohrleitungen (5) im Kreislauf geführt. Die jeweiligen Konzentrationen der chemischen Einzelkomponenten des Additivs werden von einem Messsystem (6) kontinuierlich gemessen. Die vorgegebenen chemischen Komponenten K1, K2, K3,.... bis Kn werden über Pumpen (7) sowie über Ventile (8) in die Prozessflüssigkeit (2) eingespeist. Die jeweils erforderlichen verschiedenen Soll - Konzentrationen der chemischen Komponenten K1 bis Kn werden dadurch garantiert, dass das Messsystem (6) die Ist - Konzentrationen kontinuierlich mißt und im Rahmen einer Regelung von der jeweiligen Komponente so viel nachdosiert, dass der Ist-Wert gleich dem vorgegebenen Soll-Wert ist. Dadurch ist gewährleistet, dass die durch den Druckprozeß ständig verbrauchten oder durch chemische Reaktionen oder physikalische Absorptionsprozesse an den Wänden der Drucklinie entzogenen Additiv-Komponenten in die Prozeßflüssigkeit (2) nachgespeist werden, so dass unabhängig von der Stärke der jeweiligen Verlustprozesse die Ist-Werte der Konzentration des Additivs gleich den vom Drucker vorgegebenen Soll-Werten sind. Der Wasserverlust in der Prozeßflüssigkeit (2) wird über eine Rohrleitung (9) ausgeglichen, wobei die Füllhöhe (10) über ein Niveau - Mess- und Regel - System (11) nach dem Ultraschall - Echolot - Prinzip oder einem Verfahren gemäß dem Stand der Technik konstant gehalten wird. Mit einer weiteren Meß- und Regeleinrichtung (12), die in einer anderen Ausbildung der Erfindung auch im Meßsystem (6) integriert sein kann, wird kontinuierlich die Konzentration des Alkohols, sofern nicht alkoholfrei gedruckt wird, in der Prozeßflüssigkeit (2) gemessen und der im wesentlichen durch Verdunstung verlorene Alkohol aus einem Vorratsbehälter (13) über eine Einheit bestehend aus Ventil und Dosierpumpe (14) eingespeist, so dass auch im Falle des Druckens mit Alkohol Soll- und Ist-Wert ständig übereinstimmen und die Verfügbarkeit und Qualität des Druckprozesses gewährleistet sind. Zur Homogenisierung der Prozessflüssigkeit wird ein Rührwerk (15) eingesetzt.The according to Fig. 1 Process liquid (2) located in a tank (1) is circulated by circulation pumps (3) to the printing press (4) and back to the tank (1) via pipes (5). The respective concentrations of the individual chemical components of the additive are continuously measured by a measuring system (6). The specified chemical components K1, K2, K3,... to Kn are fed into the process liquid (2) via pumps (7) and valves (8). The different required target concentrations of the chemical components K1 to Kn are guaranteed by the fact that the measuring system (6) continuously measures the actual concentrations and, as part of a control system, replenishes the amount of the respective component so that the actual value is equal to the specified one Target value is. This ensures that the additive components that are constantly consumed by the printing process or removed by chemical reactions or physical absorption processes on the walls of the printing line are replenished into the process liquid (2), so that the actual values are independent of the strength of the respective loss processes Concentration of the additive is equal to the target values specified by the printer. The water loss in the process liquid (2) is compensated for via a pipeline (9), with the filling level (10) being determined via a level measuring and control system (11) based on the ultrasonic echo sounder principle or a method according to the current state of the art Technology is kept constant. With a further measuring and control device (12), which in another embodiment of the invention can also be integrated in the measuring system (6), the concentration of alcohol, unless alcohol-free printing is used, is continuously measured in the process liquid (2) and the Alcohol lost essentially through evaporation is fed in from a storage container (13) via a unit consisting of a valve and metering pump (14), so that even when printing with alcohol, the target and actual values constantly match and the availability and quality of the printing process is guaranteed are. An agitator (15) is used to homogenize the process liquid.

Fig 2 skizziert eine Anordnung bestehend aus Druckmaschine (16), Feuchtwassertank (17), Feuchtwasser (18) mit Zirkulation (19) sowie den chemischen Komponenten K1 bis Kn (20), welche über eine Venturi - Düse (21), und über eine Pumpe (22) betrieben wird, die chemischen Komponenten K1 bis Kn über Ventile (23) ansaugt und in das Feuchtwasser (18) einspeist, wobei die Messung der Konzentrationen der chemischen Komponenten über das Mess- und Regelsystem (24) erfolgt. Die Nachspeisung (25) von Wasser mit automatischer Niveauregulierung sowie das Rührwerk (26) entsprechen den Anordnungen von Fig. 1. Fig 2 outlines an arrangement consisting of a printing press (16), a dampening solution tank (17), a dampening solution (18) with circulation (19) and the chemical components K1 to Kn (20), which have a Venturi nozzle (21) and a pump ( 22) is operated, the chemical components K1 to Kn are sucked in via valves (23) and fed into the dampening solution (18), the concentrations of the chemical components being measured via the measuring and control system (24) takes place. The make-up (25) of water with automatic level control and the agitator (26) correspond to the arrangements of Fig. 1 .

In Fig. 3 ist in der Gesamtanordnung bestehend aus Druckmaschine (27), Feuchtwassertank (28), Feuchtwasser (29), Mess- und Regelsystem (30), Rührwerk (31), Wassereinspeisung (32) mit Füllhöhenkontrolle (33) und Feuchtwasserzirkulation (34), als zusätzliche Komponente ein statischer Mischer (35) realisiert. Das über die Pumpe (36) im Kreislauf geführte Feuchtwasser (29) wird mit den chemischen Komponenten K1 bis Kn (37), die über die Ventile (38) in den Kreislauf (39) eingespeist werden im statischen Mischer (35) durchmischt, so dass sowohl das Messsystem (30) als auch der Kreislauf (34) homogene Flüssigkeitsgemische aufweisen mit dem Ziel, dass das Gesamtsystem in Fig. 3 optimal funktioniert.In Fig. 3 is in the overall arrangement consisting of printing press (27), dampening solution tank (28), dampening solution (29), measuring and control system (30), agitator (31), water feed (32) with fill level control (33) and dampening solution circulation (34), as Additional component a static mixer (35) is realized. The dampening water (29) circulated via the pump (36) is mixed with the chemical components K1 to Kn (37), which are fed into the circuit (39) via the valves (38), in the static mixer (35), as follows that both the measuring system (30) and the circuit (34) have homogeneous liquid mixtures with the aim that the entire system in Fig. 3 works optimally.

Fig. 4 stellt eine Version der Erfindung dar, die durch eine Voranmischung der chemischen Komponenten K1 bis Kn (42) über Pumpen (50a) mit einer Wasserzufuhr (41) in einem Mischbehälter (40) gekennzeichnet ist. Durch diese Anordnung wird erreicht, dass der Regelprozeß des Messsystems (43) zur jeweiligen Erreichung der Sollkonzentrationen der chemischen Komponenten K1 bis Kn (42) entscheidend verkürzt wird, so dass die Zusammensetzung des Feuchtwassers (44) im Feuchtwassertank (45) auch über kürzere Zeitintervalle immer die vorgegebenen Sollwerte aufweist. Ferner wird analog zu dem Rührwerk (46) im Feuchtwassertank auch im Vormischbehälter (40) eine Homogenisierungseinrichtung (39) verwendet. Letztere kann auch gemäß Fig. 3 ein statischer Mischer sein. Um bei der Einspeisung der vorgemischten Flüssigkeit (47) in den Feuchtwassertank (45) eventuelle Füllstandsprobleme zu vermeiden, ist der Einsatz eines Sensors (48), vorzugsweise nach dem Ultraschall - Echolot - Prinzip, von großer Bedeutung. Die Umwälzung (49) des Feuchtwassers (44) über die Pumpe (49) zur Druckmaschine (50) erfolgt analog zu der in den Figuren 1 bis 3. Fig. 4 represents a version of the invention, which is characterized by a premixing of the chemical components K1 to Kn (42) via pumps (50a) with a water supply (41) in a mixing container (40). This arrangement ensures that the control process of the measuring system (43) for achieving the target concentrations of the chemical components K1 to Kn (42) is significantly shortened, so that the composition of the dampening solution (44) in the dampening solution tank (45) also over shorter time intervals always has the specified target values. Furthermore, analogous to the agitator (46) in the dampening solution tank, a homogenization device (39) is also used in the premixing container (40). The latter can also be according to Fig. 3 be a static mixer. In order to avoid possible filling level problems when feeding the premixed liquid (47) into the dampening solution tank (45), the use of a sensor (48), preferably based on the ultrasonic echo sounder principle, is of great importance. The circulation (49) of the dampening solution (44) via the pump (49) to the printing press (50) takes place analogously to that in the Figures 1 to 3 .

Fig. 5 zeigt eine einfache Variante gemäß der Erfindung, in welcher die chemischen Komponenten K1 bis Kn (51) über vom Messsystem (52) geregelte, kalibrierte Dosierpumpen (53) gemäß dem jeweiligen Soll-Wert der Einzelkomponente über ein Ventil (54) zudosiert werden. Die Füllstandsmessung (55) und das Rührwerk (56) ermöglichen in Kombination mit der Wasserzufuhr (57) eine homogene Mischung des Feuchtwassers (58), welches über die Umwälzpumpe (59) im Kreislauf (60) zwischen Druckmaschine (61) und Feuchtwasserkühlgerät (62) zirkuliert. Fig. 5 shows a simple variant according to the invention, in which the chemical components K1 to Kn (51) are metered in via a valve (54) via calibrated metering pumps (53) controlled by the measuring system (52) in accordance with the respective target value of the individual component. The level measurement (55) and the agitator (56), in combination with the water supply (57), enable a homogeneous mixture of the dampening water (58), which circulates via the circulation pump (59) in the circuit (60) between the printing press (61) and the dampening water cooling device (62).

Claims (14)

  1. Method for direct, selective measurement and control of the concentrations of individual chemical components of chemical additives or of chemical alcohol substitutes in fountain solution for offset printing, characterised in that the concentrations of the individual chemical components or groups thereof are continuously determined by detecting the attenuation of electromagnetic radiation as it passes through the fountain solution and that the individual components or groups of individual components are topped up to their respective reference values, wherein the individual chemical components/groups are premixed with water in a premixing tank and the liquid content of the premixing tanks is transferred to the fountain solution tank.
  2. Method in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the various chemical components are located in individual tanks and topping up is carried out by means of a measuring system that continuously measures the concentrations of the individual components or groups thereof and tops up the individual components via a control loop.
  3. Method in accordance with claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the individual chemical components/groups are topped up from the individual tanks via pumps that are each fitted with a valve and are connected in series.
  4. Method in accordance with claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the individual components/groups are drawn into the fountain solution circuit by a Bernoulli nozzle.
  5. Method in accordance with claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the mixing of fountain solution and individual components/groups is optimised by means of a static mixer.
  6. Method in accordance with claims 1 and 2, characterised in that in each case the individual chemical components/groups are metered out of each tank via a separate pump for each tank, upstream of which a common valve is connected.
  7. Apparatus for measuring and controlling the concentrations of individual chemical components or groups thereof in the fountain solution during offset printing, wherein the apparatus comprises both pumps and a measuring system for continuously monitoring the concentrations of the individual components in the fountain solution, characterised in that the apparatus is equipped with a measuring and control system (6, 24, 30, 43, 52) that measures the concentrations of the individual components based on selective attenuation of electromagnetic radiation through said fountain solution in the operating state and tops up the individual chemical components K1 to Kn via pumps (7, 21, 36, 50, 55) so as to ensure that the concentrations of the individual chemical components are identical to the reference concentrations at all times, wherein the individual chemical components K1 to Kn are prepared in a premixing tank (40) with water from a water pipe (41) via pumps (50a) and the mixture (47) is subsequently routed to the main tank (44).
  8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 7, characterised in that a Bernoulli nozzle (21) that is operated by a partial flow of the fountain solution (18) which is circulated by a pump (22) is used as the pump.
  9. Apparatus in accordance with claims 7 and 8, characterised in that the chemical components K1 to Kn are homogeneously mixed together with the fountain solution (29) by a static mixer (35) in a circuit (39) that is driven by a pump (38).
  10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 7, characterised in that the individual chemical components K1 to Kn are metered into the fountain solution (58) in each case via a pump (53), upstream of which a valve (54) is connected.
  11. Apparatus in accordance with claims 7 to 10, characterised in that a second measuring and control unit (12) is provided that continuously measures the concentration of alcohol in the fountain solution (2, 18, 29, 44, 58) and tops up the depleted alcohol from an alcohol reservoir (13) via a pump (14) with an upstream valve.
  12. Apparatus in accordance with claims 7 to 11, characterised in that the level (10, 27) is detected by a sensor (11, 28, 33, 48, 55) and that the fill level is kept constant by means of a control loop.
  13. Apparatus in accordance with claim 12, characterised in that an ultrasound unit that works according to the depth sounding principle is used as the level sensor (11, 28, 33, 48, 55).
  14. Apparatus in accordance with claims 7 to 13, characterised in that the fountain solution (2, 18, 29, 44, 58) is homogenised by means of stirrers (15, 26, 31, 39, 46, 58).
EP04017479.9A 2003-07-24 2004-07-23 Method and means for measuring and controlling the concentration of chemical substances in process liquids for offset printing Active EP1500499B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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DE10333625 2003-07-24
DE10333625A DE10333625B4 (en) 2003-07-24 2003-07-24 Method and device for measuring and controlling the concentration of chemical compounds in fountain solution during offset printing

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EP1500499A1 EP1500499A1 (en) 2005-01-26
EP1500499B1 EP1500499B1 (en) 2016-01-20
EP1500499B2 true EP1500499B2 (en) 2023-11-22

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DE102005003372B4 (en) 2005-01-24 2024-04-18 Gunther Krieg Method and device for controlling the concentration of components of additives in a pressure process fluid
DE102005042299A1 (en) * 2005-09-06 2007-03-08 Baldwin Germany Gmbh Printing machine`s e.g. offset printing machine, cylinders and rollers cleaning device, has chambers connected/combinable by fluid communication flow path for receiving fluid in chambers, so that equal fluid levels are produced in chambers
DE102005042298A1 (en) * 2005-09-06 2007-03-08 Baldwin Germany Gmbh Cleaning liquid e.g. fresh water, supplying device for cleaning device of offset-printing machine, has measuring and control devices that are provided for detecting measuring value depending on viscosity of liquid
DE102006024789A1 (en) * 2006-05-27 2007-11-29 Man Roland Druckmaschinen Ag Printing machine, especially roller rotary printing press, includes cavitation mixer for pressurizing and/or heating circulating wetting agent to counteract germ growth and/or eliminate germs
DE102006042091B4 (en) * 2006-09-07 2008-04-30 Technotrans Ag System for dampening solution preparation for offset printing
DE102007034973A1 (en) * 2007-07-26 2009-01-29 Technotrans Ag Fluid supply for e.g. offset printing machine, has fluid tank with level sensor supplying output signals continuously changed with levels such that associated levels are clearly determined based on respective signals
CN105690978A (en) * 2016-01-24 2016-06-22 东莞华南印刷有限公司 Full-automatic eco-friendly fountain solution batching system

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE10333625B4 (en) 2009-04-02
DE10333625A1 (en) 2005-02-24
EP1500499B1 (en) 2016-01-20
US20050061188A1 (en) 2005-03-24
EP1500499A1 (en) 2005-01-26

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