EP2886345A1 - Automatische Druckparametereinstellung und Steuerungsverfahren - Google Patents

Automatische Druckparametereinstellung und Steuerungsverfahren Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP2886345A1
EP2886345A1 EP13380059.9A EP13380059A EP2886345A1 EP 2886345 A1 EP2886345 A1 EP 2886345A1 EP 13380059 A EP13380059 A EP 13380059A EP 2886345 A1 EP2886345 A1 EP 2886345A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
print
settings
expert system
speed
initial
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP13380059.9A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Jordi PUIG VILÀ
Jordi Sahun
Miquel MARCÓ
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.)
Comexi Group Industries SA
Original Assignee
Comexi Group Industries SA
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Comexi Group Industries SA filed Critical Comexi Group Industries SA
Priority to EP13380059.9A priority Critical patent/EP2886345A1/de
Publication of EP2886345A1 publication Critical patent/EP2886345A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41F—PRINTING MACHINES OR PRESSES
    • B41F33/00—Indicating, counting, warning, control or safety devices
    • B41F33/0036—Devices for scanning or checking the printed matter for quality control
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41P—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO PRINTING, LINING MACHINES, TYPEWRITERS, AND TO STAMPS
    • B41P2233/00—Arrangements for the operation of printing presses
    • B41P2233/10—Starting-up the machine

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an automatic method of setting and controlling print parameters for printers that are provided with multiple printing groups, which allows carrying out a first printing with initial settings very close to the optimal settings, in addition to allowing constant supervision of the printing quality for a range of print speeds, and the determination of the maximum print speed, all this controlled by an expert system.
  • Document US7059245B2 also discloses a system capable of implementing initial inking settings close to the optimal settings based on analyzing the digital file and correcting said settings depending on an analysis of the actual results of print tests, and furthermore includes the possibility of storing the settings considered as optimal after this iterative job to be used as initial settings for future print jobs.
  • This document only contemplates the setting for inking and not other parameters, and it does not contemplate carrying out that analysis or setting for a range of print speeds.
  • Document JP2001328235 describes a method which is very similar to the preceding method, but without the initial digital file analysis and it has the same limitations.
  • Document JPH01306246 discloses said initial digital file analysis and the implementation of initial settings, without specifying them, in the printer.
  • the final settings obtained are stored for improving the initial settings of future jobs.
  • document US2011315036 describes a method for keeping the tension of a print substrate on which printing is carried out constant, which substrate in the case of this prior art document is a flexible web material.
  • the print speed is changed and the tension of the print substrate is analyzed in the first step of testing; based on the data obtained an optimal operating speed is calculated.
  • This case contemplates the possibility of carrying out a step of testing during which an optimal print speed for maintaining the tension of the print substrate is empirically determined, but it does not contemplate the possibility of carrying out settings in other print parameters, or of determining the optimal speed based on the print quality, or based on the corrections that can be obtained by setting those other print parameters.
  • This prior art document therefore determines an optimal print speed for maintaining the tension of the print substrate, but not an optimal speed that is related to or allows maintaining the print quality, such that it solves a different problem based on different data.
  • the present invention provides an automatic method of setting and controlling printers provided with multiple printing groups, such as flexographic, offset or rotogravure printers, for example.
  • Said method starts from at least one digital file which contains at least the information about the job to be printed and which can optionally further contain non-printable information, such as, for example, information about the colors to be used, to the mixtures of colors necessary for obtaining the colors to be used, or to the print substrate on which printing must be carried out.
  • Said print substrate will preferably, though in a non-excluding manner, be a flexible web material.
  • An expert system determines initial print settings that will be used for configuring some of the print parameters in an initial printing by means of operating setting actuators controlled by said expert system, said setting actuators being integrated in the printer and controlling some of its print parameters. Said initial settings are determined based on the information contained in said at least one digital file and/or on the information contained in a database. Said expert system could also be a fuzzy logic or heuristic system.
  • the expert system can analyze the digital file for extracting some of its characteristics which can influence the settings necessary for printing, such as, for example, the proportion of surface printed with each color, the percentage of coverage, the colors used as a base, the color hues required, the print substrate base required, the print sleeves required or the order thereof, the print motif or design, the print pressures required, the desired ink viscosity, the color density required, etc.
  • the expert system searches in the database for stored previous jobs which had similar or identical characteristics. Based on that search the expert system can use the final settings obtained in similar previous jobs as the initial settings of the present job after applying the present method of setting and controlling, thus achieving an initial printing that requires few additional settings or none at all.
  • the expert system finds an identical previous job or a job with differences that are below certain pre-established values, it can determine that a step of initial printing is unnecessary and can directly implement the settings of the previous job as the final settings of the current job to start production, otherwise, it will use said settings of the previous job as the initial settings of the current job and the initial printing will start after the implementation thereof.
  • Said settings determined by the expert system are dependent on the print speed, the setting values will vary depending on the print speed variable. Therefore, it may be, for example, a range of initial settings, or a formula having the print speed as a variable, a curve, or a table.
  • said settings can affect any one or several of the following parameters: the ink color, the pressure of the print rollers, the print sleeves used or the order thereof, the inking of each color, the drying of the ink or the tension of the print substrate on which printing is carried out, the print motif.
  • the initial settings are implemented for an initial print speed, and an initial printing of the content of the at least one digital file or of a part thereof on the print substrate is carried out.
  • the initial printing is carried out at different speeds with the initial settings adapted to the print speed used at all times as a result of the automatic operation of the setting actuators controlled by the expert system.
  • At least one sensor acquires relevant information about the print job carried out for each print speed and transmits said relevant information to the expert system which compares it with the at least one digital file, with parts thereof, and/or with the database. Based on this comparison, the expert system detects print deviations and/or errors, or the absence thereof, for example, those relating to the register, color, color saturation, size of print dots (a phenomenon known as dot gain), the lack or surplus of ink, the mixture of colors due to inadequate drying, print deformation due to an incorrect tension of the print substrate, excessive or inadequate pressure of the print rollers, erroneous ink viscosity, wrong color density, etc.
  • print deviations and/or errors or the absence thereof, for example, those relating to the register, color, color saturation, size of print dots (a phenomenon known as dot gain), the lack or surplus of ink, the mixture of colors due to inadequate drying, print deformation due to an incorrect tension of the print substrate, excessive or inadequate pressure of the print rollers, erroneous ink viscosity,
  • the expert system automatically calculates new print settings correcting said deviations or errors for those speeds at which said errors or deviations occurred.
  • these new settings relate to correcting the pressure of the print rollers, the inking of each color, the ink color, the color saturation in the ink, the drying of the ink, the tension of the print substrate, the dot gain correction, the ink viscosity, the color density and/or the register of one color with respect to others.
  • These new settings can be subjected to a new print test, restarting the method in an iterative manner until achieving optimal printing, or they can be used directly as the final settings for a job. If deviations or errors were not detected during the tests with the initial settings, said initial settings will be used as the final settings.
  • Both the relevant data gathered during the initial printing or printings and the new calculated settings are stored in the database, linking them with the initial settings used and with the characteristics of the digital file used, such that a previous job which had similar characteristics can be located in the database for subsequent jobs, and both the initial settings that did not result in errors and the settings that resulted in errors, as well as the final settings that correct said errors, can be allowed.
  • the expert system therefore gradually broadens its knowledge based on the experience stored in the database, and therefore it gradually improves the initial settings such that few or no initial printings are necessary if one and the same job already printed previously or a very similar job is repeated.
  • the data gathered by a specific printer can be stored locally or can be shared by a plurality of printers, and the database can be physically located in a printer or implemented in a remote server which can be centralized in a single physical server or be distributed and shared by means of a digital cloud.
  • the setting actuators carrying out the print settings are controlled by the expert system, and their range of action is limited by a maximum limit and a minimum limit established by a physical or mechanical limitation, and once one of these limits is reached further settings beyond such limit cannot be carried out.
  • the expert system uses the information extracted from the digital file, the database, and the information provided by the at least one sensor during the initial printing or printings for determining a maximum print speed at which the printer can print the actual digital file without there being print deviations or errors that cannot be corrected with the additional settings of one of the parameters that can be influenced by the expert system.
  • the print speed cannot be increased if said increase in speed leads to a print deviation or error that requires an additional setting of a setting actuator that has already reached its upper and lower limit.
  • the print speed cannot be increased any further.
  • one and the same error can sometimes be corrected by carrying out two different settings or with a joint setting of both.
  • the expert system can assess the different options and chose the most suitable option at all times, in this example, increasing inking will increase ink consumption and will require an increase in drying, whereas an increase in the pressure of the roller will not have these consequences, so this option will be chosen as it is more economical.
  • the expert system determines the final production settings for a range of speeds and a maximum speed that could be used as the production speed, and stores this information in the database.
  • said optimal production speed can be optimized, reaching greater speeds than with conventional setting systems and maintaining the quality, thus achieving better equipment use and subsequent cost reduction. Furthermore, it enables changing the production speed without having to carry out initial setting printings again since the setting values for different speeds are already available, and said settings can be automatically implemented in real time without stopping production.
  • the present method is preferably applied to a flexographic printer, an offset printer or a rotogravure printer, having a central drum with a number of printing groups that have said print rollers.
  • the proposed method has a first step in which a pre-printing digital file is supplied to the expert system which analyzes same to extract relevant information relating to the characteristics of said digital file; some of this information can be non-printable information stored together with the printing patterns within the digital file.
  • This analysis allows obtaining information about the proportion of surface printed with each color, the percentage of coverage of the support, the colors used as a base, the color hues required, the size of the print dot required, the print substrate base required, the print sleeves required, the print motifs or designs, the pressure of the print rollers required, the ink viscosity required, the desired color density, etc.
  • the expert system searches in a database for a previous job that had characteristics that are identical or similar to the characteristics extracted from the digital file of the current job.
  • said database is located in a remote server which is remotely accessed.
  • Said remote server is centralized in a single centralized physical server, but in another embodiment, it is a server distributed in the digital cloud keeping the data distributed among a plurality of non-centralized physical servers.
  • Said remote server contains data provided by a plurality of printers.
  • print settings stored together with said similar previous job which were accepted at that time as optimal settings are accessed.
  • Said settings relate to printer parameters that can be automatically controlled by the expert system by means of setting actuators, and they relate to the pressure of the print rollers, the inking of each color, the ink color, the color saturation in the ink, the drying of the ink, the tension of the print substrate and the register of one color with respect to others.
  • the expert system then implements the settings provided by the database in the printer by means of said setting actuators, using them as the initial print settings for the current print job.
  • a certain number of initial printings are carried out on a print substrate using a variable print speed, starting in this embodiment with a lower speed and gradually increasing it to a greater speed.
  • a first assembly of sensors monitors different relevant printer parameters and environmental parameters, and a second group of sensors monitors the print substrate once it has been printed, obtaining relevant information about the job carried out; said sensors of the second group of sensors are preferably optical sensors, and the relevant data obtained are images of the print substrate. All the relevant data obtained with these sensors are analyzed in real time by the expert system which compares such data with information from the digital file and with information from the database, for detecting possible print errors or chromatic deviations at all or at one of the print speeds.
  • the possible errors that are analyzed by the expert system are errors in register, color, saturation, the size of print dots (also called dot gain), the lack or surplus of ink, mixture of colors due to inadequate drying, print deformation due to an incorrect tension of the print substrate, incorrect pressure of the print rollers, incorrect ink viscosity, or erroneous color saturation.
  • the new corrective print settings which allow eliminating the detected deviations or errors and can be implemented by the setting actuators are then calculated by means of information contained in a database and/or by means of algorithms. These new settings relate to correcting the pressure of the print rollers, the inking of each color, the ink color, the color saturation in the ink, the drying of the ink, the tension of the print substrate, correcting the dot gain, the ink viscosity, the color density and/or the register of one color with respect to others.
  • a solvent can be added to the ink of that color; if the print dot is too small the pressure of the rollers can be increased; or if there is an error in register one print roller can be moved with respect to the others.
  • This printing operation monitoring with sensors relevant information about the printing for analyzing and calculating corrections, can be repeated in an iterative manner until achieving an error-free and flawless printing.
  • This method provides variable optimal settings that are dependent on the print speed, and also the typical errors detected at each speed, all related to the specific characteristics of a pre-printing digital file. All this generated information is stored in the database for optimizing subsequent printings, which provides training for the expert system that reduces the need for initial printings.
  • the setting actuators have an operating range comprised between a minimum setting and a maximum setting due to physical or mechanical limitations.
  • the expert system corrects the deviations or errors by carrying out the settings with said setting actuators within said operating range, but if a setting outside of this operating range of one of the setting actuators is required in order to make a correction for a certain speed, it would not be possible to carry out same. In such case the expert system would determine the speeds at which error-free printing could be not be carried out, and would therefore determine a maximum speed at which error-free printing can be carried out. That information is also stored in the database.
  • Some of the errors or deviations can be corrected by means of setting different setting actuators.
  • the expert system determines the possible or the most desirable settings.
  • the expert system generates specific final settings for each speed of the tested range of speeds. This allows changing the print speed once the production phase is started without changing the print quality as a result, since the settings necessary for keeping the quality constant with variable print speeds can be implemented.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Quality & Reliability (AREA)
  • Inking, Control Or Cleaning Of Printing Machines (AREA)
EP13380059.9A 2013-12-23 2013-12-23 Automatische Druckparametereinstellung und Steuerungsverfahren Withdrawn EP2886345A1 (de)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP13380059.9A EP2886345A1 (de) 2013-12-23 2013-12-23 Automatische Druckparametereinstellung und Steuerungsverfahren

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP13380059.9A EP2886345A1 (de) 2013-12-23 2013-12-23 Automatische Druckparametereinstellung und Steuerungsverfahren

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2886345A1 true EP2886345A1 (de) 2015-06-24

Family

ID=50000758

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP13380059.9A Withdrawn EP2886345A1 (de) 2013-12-23 2013-12-23 Automatische Druckparametereinstellung und Steuerungsverfahren

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2886345A1 (de)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2018051332A1 (en) 2016-09-13 2018-03-22 Advanced Vision Technology (A.V.T.) Ltd. System and method for controlling color characteristics of a printed image
IT201800021499A1 (it) * 2018-12-31 2020-07-01 Printered S R L Sistema ad alta innovazione per i processi di stampa tailor-made
EP3204826B1 (de) 2014-10-07 2020-11-25 Videojet Technologies Inc. System und verfahren zur fernwartung eines industriedruckers
WO2021074179A1 (de) * 2019-10-16 2021-04-22 Windmöller & Hölscher Kg Verfahren zum automatischen fehlermanagement an einer druckmaschine
WO2021074180A1 (de) * 2019-10-16 2021-04-22 Windmöller & Hölscher Kg Verfahren zum automatischen fehlermanagement an einer druckmaschine
DE102020111192A1 (de) 2020-04-24 2021-10-28 Koenig & Bauer Ag Verfahren zur automatischen Einstellung einer über ein Netzwerk mit einem Speicher verbundenen Druckmaschine und Druckmaschine insbesondere zur Durchführung eines Verfahrens
EP3984749A1 (de) * 2020-10-15 2022-04-20 Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG Verfahren zum herstellen von druckprodukten
US12122146B2 (en) 2019-10-16 2024-10-22 Windmöller & Hölscher Kg Method for automated error management in a printing machine

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19822662A1 (de) * 1998-05-20 1999-11-25 Roland Man Druckmasch Bilddatenorientierte Druckmaschine und Verfahren zum Betreiben der bilddatenorientierten Druckmaschine
JP2001328235A (ja) 2000-05-19 2001-11-27 Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd 印刷機の色調早期安定化方法及び装置
US7059245B2 (en) 2002-04-03 2006-06-13 Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag Method of controlling printing presses
EP1938987A2 (de) * 2006-12-22 2008-07-02 MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG Vorrichtung zur Steuerung des Farbtransportes in einem Farbwerk
US20110222123A1 (en) 2006-03-31 2011-09-15 Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag Automated production control method
US20110315036A1 (en) 2010-06-28 2011-12-29 Timothy Jay Bouma Controlling Drive Settings In A Press
ES2395182A1 (es) 2011-08-12 2013-02-08 Comexi Group Industries, Sau Método para controlar la operación de una máquina impresora y máquina impresora flexográfica para su implementación.

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19822662A1 (de) * 1998-05-20 1999-11-25 Roland Man Druckmasch Bilddatenorientierte Druckmaschine und Verfahren zum Betreiben der bilddatenorientierten Druckmaschine
JP2001328235A (ja) 2000-05-19 2001-11-27 Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd 印刷機の色調早期安定化方法及び装置
US7059245B2 (en) 2002-04-03 2006-06-13 Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag Method of controlling printing presses
US20110222123A1 (en) 2006-03-31 2011-09-15 Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag Automated production control method
EP1938987A2 (de) * 2006-12-22 2008-07-02 MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG Vorrichtung zur Steuerung des Farbtransportes in einem Farbwerk
US20110315036A1 (en) 2010-06-28 2011-12-29 Timothy Jay Bouma Controlling Drive Settings In A Press
ES2395182A1 (es) 2011-08-12 2013-02-08 Comexi Group Industries, Sau Método para controlar la operación de una máquina impresora y máquina impresora flexográfica para su implementación.

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3204826B1 (de) 2014-10-07 2020-11-25 Videojet Technologies Inc. System und verfahren zur fernwartung eines industriedruckers
WO2018051332A1 (en) 2016-09-13 2018-03-22 Advanced Vision Technology (A.V.T.) Ltd. System and method for controlling color characteristics of a printed image
EP3526046A4 (de) * 2016-09-13 2020-06-24 Advanced Vision Technology (AVT) Ltd. System und verfahren zur steuerung der farbeigenschaften eines druckbildes
US11458724B2 (en) 2016-09-13 2022-10-04 Advanced Vision Technology (A.V.T.) Ltd. System and method for controlling color characteristics of a printed image
IT201800021499A1 (it) * 2018-12-31 2020-07-01 Printered S R L Sistema ad alta innovazione per i processi di stampa tailor-made
WO2021074179A1 (de) * 2019-10-16 2021-04-22 Windmöller & Hölscher Kg Verfahren zum automatischen fehlermanagement an einer druckmaschine
WO2021074180A1 (de) * 2019-10-16 2021-04-22 Windmöller & Hölscher Kg Verfahren zum automatischen fehlermanagement an einer druckmaschine
US12122146B2 (en) 2019-10-16 2024-10-22 Windmöller & Hölscher Kg Method for automated error management in a printing machine
DE102020111192A1 (de) 2020-04-24 2021-10-28 Koenig & Bauer Ag Verfahren zur automatischen Einstellung einer über ein Netzwerk mit einem Speicher verbundenen Druckmaschine und Druckmaschine insbesondere zur Durchführung eines Verfahrens
EP3984749A1 (de) * 2020-10-15 2022-04-20 Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG Verfahren zum herstellen von druckprodukten

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
EP2886345A1 (de) Automatische Druckparametereinstellung und Steuerungsverfahren
US7040232B2 (en) Method and system for monitoring printed material produced by a printing press
EP2938497B1 (de) Verfahren zum drucken von kalibrierungsausdrucken, kalibrierungsverfahren und drucker
US7607752B2 (en) Misfiring print nozzle compensation
EP3228465A1 (de) Verfahren und vorrichtung zur erkennung von streifen und druckvorrichtung
US9889675B2 (en) Method for correction of color deviations in digital printing machines
US9855738B2 (en) Method for controlling the operation of a printing press and a flexographic printing press for implementing said method
US20160311218A1 (en) Method for detecting failed printing nozzles in inkjet printing systems and inkjet printing machine
CN104029511B (zh) 借助两个喷墨印刷头在承印物上产生由区段组成的印刷图像的方法
US8452195B2 (en) Diagnostic plot for adjusting printing characteristics
EA202092697A1 (ru) Способ контроля качества в реальном времени декоративных отпечатков на подложках
WO2018051332A1 (en) System and method for controlling color characteristics of a printed image
CN108773182A (zh) 一种电子轴凹印机稳速印刷过程中的套色控制方法及系统
US20110252989A1 (en) Automatic Axis Correction Method for Use in a Processing Machine for Processing a Product Web
EP2985150B1 (de) Verfahren und System zur Farbkorrektur in von einer Druckmaschine durchgeführten Druckaufträgen
DE102013202418A1 (de) System und Verfahren zum Erkennen und Ausgleichen funktionsunfähiger Tintenstrahlen in einem Tintenstrahl-Druckgerät
US9789680B2 (en) Method for adjusting the print repeat length of a print image in a multicolor rotary printing machine
JP2003300306A (ja) 学習型の色調節
CN102189758B (zh) 用于具有短输墨装置的胶印机的油墨控制
CN113320286A (zh) 优化废页的探测方式
JP7037173B2 (ja) 段ボールシートの品質検査装置
US20010043816A1 (en) Method and apparatus for setting register in a multicolor printing machine
US7450272B2 (en) Method and system for printing management
CN111421955B (zh) 胶版印刷中的着色补偿
US20120105876A1 (en) Color plane registration error correction

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 20131223

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR

AX Request for extension of the european patent

Extension state: BA ME

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN

18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 20160105