EP2956305B1 - Drying device, system comprising a drying device and method for operating a drying device for drying between inking units of a printing machine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a drying device for an intermediate inking unit drying a printing press and a system with said drying device. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for operating said drying device.

It is known from the prior art to provide drying devices between the inking units of a printing press in order to dry the colorant applied to the substrate. In addition, it is known that the drying performance of the drying device is adjusted by an operator of the printing press. The drying device may be equipped in a possible embodiment with a fan, the air in Direction substrate during drying feeds. It is known from the prior art that the operator can set the blown air speed and / or the blown air temperature individually. For solvent-based colorants, the air supply used for drying is also used to remove / dilute the solvent vapors. At the setting of differently constructed drying devices are in the printing process of the printing press high demands. Already when setting up the printing press, the operator has to make adjustments to the drying device in order to produce the required quality after the shortest possible time and number of waste runs. Too high a setting of the dryer performance requires not only a high energy consumption, but this can also adversely affect the printing process adversely. A too low selected setting of the dryer performance is also to be avoided, otherwise there is a risk of smearing of the freshly printed substrate during transport over the rotating cylinder.

The DE 10 2010 046 756 A1 discloses a drying apparatus of a printing press, wherein the substrate is transportable via a feeding device and printable with a colorant. An air supply unit serves to supply air in the direction of the substrate in order to effect a drying of the colorant. Furthermore, a suction unit for removing the air is provided. The drying device has two nozzle units for blowing heated blown air onto the surface of the material to be dried. The nozzle unit has a fan, which is connected via a control line to a central control unit. The fan is used to compress the blowing air, which emerges from the nozzle unit.

The object of the present invention is to avoid the abovementioned disadvantages, in particular to provide a drying device, a system with a drying device and a method for operating a drying device, so that significant energy savings in operating the drying process can be achieved while ensuring high print quality ,

The above object is achieved by a drying device with all the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are in the specified dependent claims. In addition, the invention is achieved by a system having all the features of claim 4. In the dependent claims 5 to 8 advantageous embodiments of the system according to the invention are proposed. Furthermore, the object is achieved by a method according to all the features of claim 9. In the dependent method claims possible embodiments are described.

According to the invention, a drying device for an intermediate inking unit drying of a printing press is provided, in which a substrate can be transported via rotating cylinders and can be printed with colorant, wherein the drying device is an air supply unit for supplying air toward the substrate to effect drying of the colorant. In addition, the drying device according to the invention has a suction unit for discharging the air, wherein according to the invention a control unit is provided which controls the air supply unit in such a manner depending on operating parameters and / or regulates that changing drying zones are adjustable on the substrate. It is particularly advantageous that the control unit can set and change the forming drying zones individually from the printed image on the substrate. Between each inking unit of the printing press, a drying device is advantageously provided. According to the invention, it is provided that different changing drying zones are established between the inking units, since each inking unit individually applies its own print images to the substrate, which differ from the printed images of the remaining inking units. The operating parameters can be variables that are already stored within the printing machine, in particular the drying device. The invention likewise includes operating parameters which are determined and / or measured and / or calculated during operation of the printing press, in particular the drying device. A combination of the just mentioned operating parameters is also conceivable. In the printing machine, it may be z. B. to act a flexographic printing machine, in the present invention, the energy consumption on the automatic adjustment of the drying zones can be significantly reduced, at the same time effectively contained in the colorant solvent such. As ethanol, etc. can be effectively removed from the substrate. The operator's manipulation is also greatly facilitated since the drying device automatically adjusts the drying performance in response to the print image defined by the colorant on the substrate. Thus, an intelligent drying control can be created, which automatically sets different drying zones between each inking unit of the printing press. About the operating parameters, the air supply unit and / or the suction unit is intelligently controlled and / or regulated so that too high a selected setting or too low selected setting the dryer performance is almost impossible, whereby the energy consumption of the drying device according to the invention during drying or during operation of the Printing machine is optimized.

According to the invention, the air supply unit has movable flaps, whereby a changing flow direction for the exit of the air from the air supply unit can be achieved is. For example, it is conceivable that the width of the air supply unit substantially corresponds to the width of the substrate. It can also be provided that the width of the air supply unit is individually adjustable according to the width of the substrate to be transported. This applies correspondingly to the suction unit, which can be arranged with the air supply unit in a common component. The flaps are controlled according to the invention via the control unit and / or controlled, wherein one or more flaps can also be completely closed, so that at these points no air can flow from the drying device in the direction of the substrate. Depending on the position of the flaps, the flow direction of the air can be adjusted individually, whereby different drying zones are established between the substrate and the drying device, in particular the air supply unit and / or the suction unit.

Advantageously, a plurality of modules can be provided, which individually have an air supply unit and a suction unit, wherein the modules can be controlled individually by the control unit, in particular that the volume flow and / or the temperature and / or the flow direction of the exiting air in the direction of the substrate of each module individually is adjustable. It is conceivable that an air supply unit is provided in the middle of the drying device, which ensures that a sufficiently large volume flow of air can flow in the direction of the substrate. The air supply unit may have a feed channel through which the air flows in the direction of the substrate. This feed channel can be opened, closed and / or partially opened by one or more flaps. The suction unit may comprise one or more suction channels, through which the air can be sucked with enriched solvent. For example, it is conceivable that a supply channel is provided in the center in the drying device, wherein two suction channels are provided in the drying device, between which the feed channel extends.

The invention also includes that the distance between the substrate and the drying device is adjustable, which can be determined via the said operating parameters.

The above object is further achieved by a system having all the features of independent claim 4. Possible embodiments are described in the dependent system claims.

According to the invention, a system is proposed with a drying device for intermediate inking unit drying of a printing press, in which a substrate can be transported via rotating cylinders and can be printed with colorant, wherein a printed image can be applied to the substrate via the colorant. The system includes an air supply unit for supplying air toward the substrate to effect drying of the colorant. In addition, the system comprises a suction unit for removing the air and a measuring unit, with which at least a part of operating parameters during operation of the printing press and / or the drying device can be determined. According to the invention, a control unit is provided which, depending on operating parameters, controls and / or controls the air supply unit and / or the suction unit in such a way that changing drying zones can be set on the substrate. It is particularly advantageous that an optimized drying of the colorant between the inking units can be achieved, at the same time the energy consumption of the system can be reduced, since the drying device can be controlled and / or regulated individually for each inking unit, the operating parameters with respect to. Each inking unit determine. The advantages of the aforementioned drying device are also applicable in the context of the system according to the invention at this point.

Advantageously, the measuring unit may have an optical sensor whose measuring range is directed to the substrate and / or at least one cylinder, wherein in particular the optical sensor is a camera unit and / or a sensor for detecting the gloss level of the applied colorant. One or more operating parameters can be measured or determined via the optical sensor, as a result of which the drying zone and / or drying zones can be set between the inking units. The optical sensor can, for. B. be a line camera. The optical sensor can determine information about the printed image on the substrate, the size of the printed area on the substrate. In addition, it is also conceivable that the degree of printing of the printed image can be determined via the optical sensor, wherein the degree of printing is determined by the density of the raster dots present on the printed image. It is conceivable that the Printed image has a coarse grid or a fine grid, whereby the color of the printed image is adjustable. The definition of the degree of printing is for example comparable to the pixel resolution in the monitor. The optical sensor can be aimed directly at the substrate in order to obtain direct information regarding the printed image, this information serving as operating parameters for setting the drying zones. It can likewise be provided that the optical sensor is directed onto one of the cylinders, for example onto a format cylinder and / or onto an anilox roller of the printing press, so that information can also be derived from the printed image on the substrate in this embodiment as well The control unit is used to individually set drying zones on the substrate.

Furthermore, it is conceivable that the printing machine is associated with at least one ink container, in which the colorant can be introduced, wherein the ink container has an identification unit from which a color recipe code is read out, which serves as operating parameters for the control unit, in particular that the identification unit an RFID Chip, in which the color recipe code is stored. Alternatively and / or additionally, an identification unit for the substrate may be provided, which is arranged in particular on a support of the substrate or which is arranged in or on the substrate, wherein a substrate code can be read out of the identification unit. In addition to the color formulation, the substrate as such can also be a major influencing factor for adjusting the drying performance. The color recipe code and the substrate code can be automatically read out during operation of the printing press and transmitted to the drying device according to the invention, which then performs an automatic adjustment of the drying performance.

Advantageously, the measuring unit can be arranged in the suction unit, whereby the air sucked from the substrate can be analyzed. The measuring unit can measure the air with respect to the solvent, which can then be closed to the color recipe, which is an operating parameter for the control unit. For example, it is conceivable that a gas chromatograph determines the solvent contained in the air.

According to the invention it is provided that the printing press has a plurality of inking units, wherein each inking unit is associated with a drying device. each Drying device can be made of different modules, each of which in turn can individually for itself have an air supply unit and a suction unit. Thus, the printing machine may be formed with a drying system having a plurality of drying devices, each of which performs the drying operation of the colorant applied to the substrate between two inking units.

It may also be expedient to integrate a heat exchanger within the system, the resulting waste heat of the printing press of the drying device provides. This waste heat can be made available to the air supply unit, from which a defined volume flow with a corresponding temperature is produced, which flows in the direction of the substrate for the drying process.

A further advantage of the invention results when a heat exchanger is provided, which provides waste heat of the printing machine of the drying device, in particular the air supply unit available. By a corresponding increase in the temperature, there is an increase in the supply of heat into the air, which is blown through the air supply unit in the direction of the substrate, whereby the drying can be accelerated. By using a heat exchanger, the energy consumption of the system according to the invention can be further optimized.

The above object is further achieved by a method of operating a drying apparatus according to all features of independent claim 9. In this case, a method for the intermediate inking unit drying of a printing machine is proposed in which a substrate is transported over rotating cylinders and printed with colorant. According to the invention, the drying device has an air supply unit for supplying air in the direction of the substrate in order to effect a drying of the colorant. In addition, the drying device comprises a suction unit for removing the air and a measuring unit, with which at least a part of operating parameters during operation of the printing press is determined. Furthermore, according to the invention a control unit is provided, which controls and / or regulates the air supply unit in dependence on operating parameters in such a way that changing drying zones are adjustable on the substrate. It is particularly advantageous that each drying device, which is arranged between each two inking units, individually a drying zone can be formed on the substrate in order to achieve targeted drying of the printed image or the colorant on the substrate, which evaporate solvent through the drying process and are removed by the suction unit. As a result, the energy expenditure for operating the drying device can be kept minimal in a targeted manner, since the control unit can control the drying capacity as a function of operating parameters. However, this also means that each drying device can be operated with different drying powers, since each inking unit uses different colorants and different print images, different sizes of the printed images, different layer thicknesses in the colorant application and / or different printing grades arise, which are taken into account via operating parameters To set optimal drying zones on the substrate between each inking unit. Again, the advantages that have already been described for the inventive system or for the drying device according to the invention.

Advantageously, depending on the colorant applied to the substrate, the drying device can be controlled, in particular the air supply unit and / or the suction unit can be controlled. Advantageously, the measuring unit can determine, for example, the layer thickness of the ink application of colorant and / or the printed surface of colorant and / or the degree of printing, which are used as operating parameters to adjust the drying zones on the substrate and ultimately to determine the drying performance of the drying device between each inking unit.

It is also conceivable that at least a part of the operating parameters is transmitted via an interface of the drying device and / or the printing press. For example, it is conceivable that the color recipe code and / or the substrate code or data on the print motif as operating parameters via the so-called interface of the drying device and / or the printing press are read. The print motif, which is arranged, for example, on the format cylinder, in particular on the plate of the format cylinder, can be evaluated in the form of an image file, which is included as an operating parameter in order to set individual drying zones on the substrate. The said image files can already be in digital form and transmitted via the interface of the drying device and / or the printing press.

Alternatively, it is conceivable that the measuring unit determines the print motif on the format cylinder and / or on the cliché of the format cylinder and uses this to create digital data which are used as operating parameters for controlling the drying device.

• Ort und Größe des Farbmittelauftrages am Substrat und/oder am Zylinder;
• Trocknungsgeschwindigkeit des Farbmittels;
• Schichtdicke des Farbauftrages am Substrat;
• Bedruckungsgrad;
• Glanzgrad des Farbmittelauftrages am Zylinder und/oder am Substrat;
• Lösemittelanteil der Luft in der Absaugeinheit;
• Transportgeschwindigkeit des Substrates;
• Temperatur der Luft in der Absaugeinheit.

According to the invention, the operating parameter is at least one of the following variables:

• Location and size of the colorant application on the substrate and / or on the cylinder;
• Drying rate of the colorant;
• Layer thickness of the ink application on the substrate;
• Print coverage;
• Gloss level of the colorant application on the cylinder and / or on the substrate;
• Solvent content of the air in the suction unit;
• Transport speed of the substrate;
• Temperature of the air in the suction unit.

• Farbrezeptur des Farbmittels und/oder Material des Substrates;
• Temperatur der Luft in der Luftzuführeinheit.

Advantageously, the operating parameter can be at least one of the following variables:

• Color formulation of the colorant and / or material of the substrate;
• Temperature of the air in the air supply unit.

The said operating parameters can be determined or measured, for example, directly via the measuring unit according to the invention during operation of the printing press. It is also possible that the measurement of defined variables with the aid of the measuring unit calculates a part of the operating parameters mentioned or is determined via databases stored in the system according to the invention. According to the invention, the control unit regulates the air supply unit and the suction unit via the operating parameters. This means that, inter alia, the volumetric flow of the air which is responsible for the drying process is adjusted accordingly, whereby an air temperature control can also be incorporated to achieve satisfactory drying of the colorant. However, if the drying performance should not be sufficient to dry a given print image at a set transport speed of the substrate, the control unit may be designed such that the transport speed is reduced to a defined speed at which the print image can still be dried just before it gets into the next particular inking unit.

Furthermore, the inventive method can be carried out such that the drying device is operated in a recirculation method or operated in a recirculation method with a switchable fresh air process.

Advantageously, it has been shown that satisfactory drying results can be achieved at air temperatures between 60 ° to 90 °, wherein it does not lead to damage to the substrate material. It should be noted that different substrate materials can be used, such as paper, plastic film, etc., depending on the substrate material, which is included as an operating parameter in the calculation of drying performance, in addition to the adjustment of the volume flow, a corresponding temperature control for the respective Drying zone.

Furthermore, it may be advantageous that the location and size of the colorant application and / or the degree of gloss and / or the drying speed are determined on the substrate and / or on a format cylinder and / or an anilox roller of the inking unit of the printing press, wherein in particular the location and the Size of the ink application and / or the drying rate on the reflection of light on the surface of the format cylinder and / or the anilox roller is determined. The gloss level can be measured for example via an optical sensor. For example, the optical sensor can determine the gloss level via the reflection of light on the colorant surface on the anilox roller and / or on the format cylinder. This means that the areas of the anilox roller in which no ink is transferred to the format cylinder have a different degree of gloss than the areas in which an ink transfer occurs on the format cylinder. Thus it can be concluded that the location and the size of the colorant application on the substrate or on the printed image. It is also conceivable that an estimate of the drying rate by measuring the reflection of light at the colorant surface on the anilox roller and / or on the format cylinder takes place, for example, codes or characteristics are already stored in a kind of database within the system according to the invention. By way of measuring points which are a function of the reflection of light at the colorant surface and the time, it is possible to deduce an associated drying rate. The drying speed in turn represents an operating parameter which determines the drying capacity of the drying device, which means that based on the drying speed, the drying device adjusts the volume flow, temperature of the air leaving the air supply unit in the direction of the substrate and discharged again by the suction unit.

According to the invention, the drying device can be operated in a pure recirculation method. It is also conceivable that the drying device is operated in a recirculation method with a switchable fresh air process. It should be noted that in the pure recirculation method, the air can accumulate steadily with the solvent during drying, with a higher proportion of solvent in the air, the removal of the solvent from the colorant is deteriorated, whereby the actual drying rate of the substrate is reduced. Thus, it may be useful to mix a defined proportion of fresh air to reduce the concentration of the solvent in the circulating air. The disadvantage may be that, depending on the temperature of the fresh air, the circulated air is in turn to be heated in order to achieve a desired drying performance on the substrate. Advantageously, the drying device has a temperature sensor and a measuring unit which can determine the proportions of solvent in the air.

It is also conceivable that different methods are used to calculate the required drying capacity of the individual drying devices, which can be combined with respect to the drying performance to be achieved from the different methods to a desired value. This can reduce measurement errors in the individual procedures. If, for example, the printed area and / or the degree of printing can be measured both with a sensor and determined from an image file, the method according to the invention, in particular the intelligent control unit for controlling and regulating the individual drying devices, can calculate the weighted average of the measured and the determined values of the printed area and / or the degree of printing. For example, the value of the printed area may be compressed to about 60% from the measured value and about 40% from the value determined for the image file to a value.

According to the invention, the area of the substrate which is dried by the drying apparatus can be limited to the area for drying which has been printed in the preceding inking unit or the preceding inking units. If, for example, only the right and the left edge of the substrate are printed in the preceding inking unit (s), the air supply unit of the subsequent drying apparatus can only be used on be active right and left edge. Depending on the complexity of the printed image, it may also be advantageous to open or close the nozzles or flaps during the passage of the printed image on the drying device in order to specifically direct an air flow onto the regions of the substrate which are provided with a printed image. A measuring unit can be provided for this purpose, which determines the size and location of the printed image on the substrate previously and tells the control unit.

According to the invention, image data of the cliché of the format cylinder can serve as operating parameters, in particular in order to determine the location and the size, in particular the printed image on the substrate, which is effected by a colorant application.

Fig. 1.1

eine schematische Darstellung des erfindungsgemäßen Systems mit einer Druckmaschine, die mit Trocknungsvorrichtungen zwischen den Farbwerken ausgeführt ist,

Fig. 1.2

eine weitere Alternative des in Figur 1.1 dargestellten Systems,

Fig. 1.3

eine weitere Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemäßen Systems gemäß Figur 1.1

Fig. 2

eine schematische Darstellung einer Trocknungsvorrichtung, die hinter einem Farbwerk einer Druckmaschine angeordnet ist,

Fig. 3

eine schematische Darstellung der Trocknungsvorrichtung, die mit einer Luftzuführeinheit und einer Absaugeinheit ausgebildet ist,

Fig. 4

eine weitere Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Trocknungsvorrichtung mit einer Luftzuführeinheit sowie einer Absaugeinheit,

Fig. 5

eine weitere Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Systems mit einer Trocknungsvorrichtung und einer Messeinheit, die einer Rasterwalze zugeordnet ist,

Fig. 6

ein Diagramm, aus dem eine Abschätzung der Trocknungsgeschwindigkeit ermittelbar ist,

Fig. 7

eine weitere schematische Darstellung des erfindungsgemäßen Systems mit einer Trocknungsvorrichtung, die in Datenkommunikation mit einer Kontrolleinheit und einer Messeinheit steht,

Fig. 8

eine weitere Ansicht auf die in Figur 7 gezeigte Trocknungsvorrichtung und

Fig. 9

eine schematische Darstellung des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens zur Bestimmung einer optimalen Trocknungsleistung, die jedem Farbwerk zugeordnet ist.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description in which, with reference to the drawings, possible embodiments of the invention are described in detail. The features mentioned in the claims and in the description may each be essential to the invention individually or in any desired combination. Show it:

Fig. 1.1

a schematic representation of the system according to the invention with a printing machine, which is carried out with drying devices between the inking units,

Fig. 1.2

another alternative of in Figure 1.1 represented system,

Fig. 1.3

a further embodiment of the system according to the invention according to Figure 1.1

Fig. 2

a schematic representation of a drying device, which is arranged behind an inking unit of a printing press,

Fig. 3

a schematic representation of the drying device, which is formed with an air supply unit and a suction unit,

Fig. 4

a further illustration of a drying device according to the invention with an air supply unit and a suction unit,

Fig. 5

a further embodiment of a system according to the invention with a drying device and a measuring unit which is associated with an anilox roller,

Fig. 6

a diagram from which an estimate of the drying rate can be determined,

Fig. 7

a further schematic representation of the system according to the invention with a drying device, which is in data communication with a control unit and a measuring unit,

Fig. 8

another view on the in FIG. 7 shown drying device and

Fig. 9

a schematic representation of the method according to the invention for determining an optimal drying performance, which is associated with each inking unit.

In FIGS. 1.1 to 1.3 in each case a printing press 1 according to the invention is shown, which is formed from a plurality of inking units 7. In the illustrated figures, five inking units 7.1 to 7.5 are shown by way of example, wherein the number of inking units 7 may vary without further ado, which does not concern the essence of the invention.

Between the inking units 7, a drying device 10 according to the invention is arranged in each case. The printing press 1 transports a substrate 2, which may be, for example, a paper material, paper sheet, plastic film, etc. over rotating cylinders 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, the inking units 7 applying a printed image to the surface of the substrate 2. In this case, a colorant 4 is applied to the surface of the substrate 2 via the rotating cylinders 3.1, 3.2, 3.3. In the exemplary embodiments shown, each inking unit 7 is composed of an anilox roller 3.1 and a format cylinder 3.2, wherein the anilox roller 3.1 receives the colorant 4 from a paint container 31. However, the printing machine 1 may have further structural configurations with regard to the type of rotating cylinder, the number of cylinders, etc. The essential core of all According to embodiments of the invention, however, a drying device 10 according to the invention is arranged between the inking units 7, which is controlled in dependence on operating parameters such that changing drying zones 13, as shown in FIG FIG. 8 are shown by way of example, set on the substrate 2, which will be discussed below.

As in FIG. 2 . FIG. 3 . FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 is particularly clear, the drying device 10, an air supply unit 11 and a suction unit 12, which are integrated in the present embodiment in an assembly. The air supply unit 11 causes a supply of air 5 in the direction of the substrate 2 in order to achieve a targeted drying of the colorant 4 on the substrate 2. The air supply unit 11 has a feed channel 15, which runs centrally to the suction unit 12, which is responsible for removing the air 5. The air supply unit 11 has a feed channel 15 and the suction unit 12, in contrast, is designed with two suction channels 16 spaced apart from one another, the feed channel 15 extending between the suction channels 16. During drying, evaporation of the solvent contained in the printed image occurs. The air 5 accumulates with the solvents, which are sucked off via the suction unit 12. One of the peculiarities of the invention is that the drying device 10 has a control unit 20 which, depending on operating parameters B, controls and / or regulates the air supply unit 11 and / or the suction unit 12 in such a way that corresponding drying zones are obtained with respect to the applied print image after each inking unit 7 13 are formed in order to achieve an optimized and selective drying on the substrate 2 between the respective inking units 7. As a result, the energy consumption during operation of the printing press 1 can be considerably reduced, in particular because unprinted areas on the substrate 2 experience no or little drying by the drying device 10.

However, in order to effect optimum drying between the inking units 7, a large number of operating parameters B are to be taken into account, which are necessary for determining the optimum drying capacity L, as will be discussed in the following.

According to FIG. 2 . FIG. 4 and FIG. 8 the air supply unit 11 and the suction unit 12 are aligned transversely to the transport direction of the substrate 2. In the present Embodiment, the drying device 10, which is composed of air supply unit 11 and suction unit 12, formed rod-like. The width of the transport device 10 may be greater than the width of the substrate 2, which in FIG. 2 is illustrated.

According to FIG. 4 It can be seen that the air supply unit 11 has movable flaps 14, whereby different drying zones 13 can be set via the respective position of the flaps 14. As in FIG. 4 shown schematically, the drying device 10 a plurality of modules 30.1, 30.2, 30.3, each having an air supply unit 11 and a suction unit 12 individually. The modules 30.1, 30.2, 30.3 can be controlled individually so that the volume flow and / or the temperature and / or the flow direction of the exiting air 5 in the direction of the substrate 2 of each module 30.1, 30.2, 30.3 is adjustable.

• Ort und Größe des Farbmittelauftrages am Substrat 2 und/oder am Zylinder;
• Trocknungsgeschwindigkeit des Farbmittels 4;
• Schichtdicke des Farbauftrages am Substrat 2;
• Bedruckungsgrad;
• Farbrezeptur des Farbmittels 4 und/oder Material des Substrates 2;
• Glanzgrad des Farbmittelauftrages am Zylinder 3.1 und/oder am Substrat 2;
• Lösemittelanteil der Luft 5 in der Absaugeinheit 12;
• Transportgeschwindigkeit des Substrates 2;
  • Temperatur der Luft 5 in der Absaugeinheit 12 und/oder in der Luftzuführeinheit 11.

The flaps 14 can be arranged on the side of the drying device 10 facing the substrate 2; alternatively and / or additionally, the flaps 14 can also be arranged on the side of the drying device 10 facing away from the substrate 2. If the flaps 14 of a module 30 are in their closed position, there is no escape of air from this module 30. By means of this flap control, efficient colorant drying can thus be carried out selectively across the width of the substrate 2 (see FIG FIG. 8 ). On the basis of operating parameters B, a control unit 20 of the drying device 10 determines the drying capacity L of the drying device 10, which is shown schematically in FIG FIG. 9 is shown. In order to perform efficient drying between the inking units 7, it is first necessary to obtain the necessary operating parameters B, which is visualized in reference numeral 60. The following operating parameters B influence the drying or the setting of the drying capacity of the drying device 10:

• Location and size of the colorant application on the substrate 2 and / or on the cylinder;
• Drying rate of the colorant 4;
• Layer thickness of the ink application on the substrate 2;
• Print coverage;
• Color formulation of the colorant 4 and / or material of the substrate 2;
• Gloss level of the colorant application on the cylinder 3.1 and / or on the substrate 2;
• Solvent content of the air 5 in the suction unit 12;
• Transport speed of the substrate 2;
  • Temperature of the air 5 in the suction unit 12 and / or in the air supply unit 11.

For example, it is conceivable that a part of said operating parameters B via a measurement according to reference numeral 50 (FIG. FIG. 9 ) be determined. For this purpose, a measuring unit 40 may be provided, which is designed, for example, with an optical sensor 41. The measuring unit 40 is according to Figure 1.1 directed to the substrate 2 between two inking units 7. This measuring unit 40 can determine the location and the size of the colorant application on the substrate 2, which also in FIG. 7 is shown schematically. Subsequently, this information is transmitted to the control unit 20, which then adjusts the drying apparatus 10 with respect to the drying capacity L. At the same time, it is conceivable that, depending on other parameters, the temperature of the air 5 flowing in the direction of the substrate 2 is set and / or regulated within the drying device 10. According to FIG. 8 schematically shows that the system according to the invention can be carried out with a heat exchanger 35, which provides the waste heat generated in the printing machine 1 of the drying device 10 and the air supply unit 11.

Alternatively, the measuring unit 40 can visually check the surface of the format cylinder 3.2 and / or the surface of the anilox roller 3.1, which in Figure 1.2 or. Figure 1.3 is shown. By means of the acquired image data, it is possible to draw conclusions about the location and the size of the printed image between the inking units 7, so that the control unit 20 undertakes a corresponding control and regulation of the drying apparatus 10.

In a further embodiment according to FIG. 6 It is conceivable on the basis of a measurement of the reflection of light on the color surface of the anilox roller 3.1 and / or the format cylinder 3.2 to determine the drying speed of the colorant 4. The measuring unit 40 according to Figure 1.2 or. Figure 1.3 determines the reflection of the light, wherein now different drying speeds can be estimated by the control unit 20 based on already existing measurement curves. In FIG. 6 By way of example, three measuring points lying substantially one above the other are shown. The upper measuring point is on a drying function, which is associated with a slow drying rate. The middle drying function provides one Normal drying rate. The lower drying function represents a high drying speed. Since the operating parameter of the drying rate is also a significant factor for influencing the drying performance to be set of the drying apparatus 10, it may be useful to include operating parameters according to the invention in the selective energy supply for the drying process.

Furthermore, the degree of printing, the degree of gloss and / or the layer thickness of the ink application of the colorant 4 on the substrate 2 can be determined via the measuring unit 40, which as described above can be essential operating parameters B for determining the drying capacity L. Also, a solvent content of the air 5 in the suction unit 12 can be determined via the measuring unit 40, whereby, for example, the drying rate and / or the required drying capacity L of the drying apparatus 10 can be determined.

With regard to the FIG. 9 it is also conceivable that the operating parameters B at least partially already present the system according to the invention (see reference numeral 51). For example, it is conceivable that each ink container 31 of each inking unit 7 has an identification unit 32, from which a color recipe code is read out, which serves as the operating parameter B for the control unit 20. Here, the identification unit 32 may include an RFID chip by storing the color recipe code. About the color recipe code, a corresponding consideration regarding the drying performance L can be done. An identification unit may also be provided for the substrate 2 in the system according to the invention, for example, as may be arranged on a support of the substrate 2, in particular on its winding. The identification unit can also be arranged directly in or on the substrate 2, wherein a substrate code can be read out of the identification unit, which the control unit 20 receives for taking into account the drying power L.

According to Figure 1.2 It is conceivable that the measuring unit 40, which is associated with the format cylinder 3.2, is movable and / or pivotable, so that in another position, the measuring unit 40 may also be directed to the substrate 2 and thus to the printed image or can also assume a position in which the anilox roller 3.1 can be optically analyzed and / or monitored.

The color recipe code can be read out via the identification unit 32 and transmitted to the control unit 20.

The procurement of the necessary operating parameters (reference numeral 60) can thus according to the described method 50, 51, 52 from FIG. 9 respectively. The input of operating parameters (reference numeral 52) may, for. B. via a not explicitly shown interface by the operator of the printing machine 1 done. Subsequently, the control unit 20 optimally adjusts the respective drying device 10 in order to selectively and energy-optimizedly dry the substrate 2 via the changing drying zones 13.

In FIG. 5 is essentially the embodiment according to Figure 1.3 in which the drying device 10 is directed onto the substrate 2 and at the same time the measuring unit 40 analyzes the surface of the anilox roller 3.1, as already described above. The optical inspection of the surface of the anilox roller 3.1 can take place via a reflection sensor, gloss sensor or via a camera unit, in particular a number camera.

As in FIG. 9 is shown schematically, for each drying device 10, an individual determination of the drying power L, so set 7 different drying zones 13 between the inking units. This means that even within a drying device 10 as a function of the moving substrate 2, the drying zones 13 according to FIG. 8 may vary, meaning that the number of drying zones may increase or decrease, or the size of the drying zones may also vary. This depends on the above-mentioned operating parameters, in particular the location and size of the colorant application, the layer thickness of the ink application, degree of printing, the color formulation of the colorant 4, the material of the substrate 2, the solvent content of the colorant 4, the transport speed of the substrate 2, etc.

Depending on the determined size of the drying capacity L, which is to be set for each drying device 10, it may be necessary additionally to set the temperature of the air 5 in the air supply unit 11 and / or to adjust the transport speed of the substrate 2 accordingly.

In an embodiment not explicitly shown, it may also be provided that the control unit 20 is arranged centrally in and / or on the printing press or in one of the drying devices 10, which determines the required drying power L for all drying devices 10. It is also conceivable that the measuring unit 40 and the drying device 10 are integrated in a common component.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

press

2

substratum

3.1

Cylinder, anilox roller

3.2

format cylinder

3.3

pressure cylinder

4

colorants

5

air

7

inking

7.1

inking

7.2

inking

7.3

inking

7.4

inking

7.5

inking

10

drying device

11

air supply

12

suction

13.1

drying zone

13.2

drying zone

13.3

drying zone

14

flap

15

feed

16

suction

20

control unit

30.1

module

30.2

module

30.3

module

31

paint container

32

identification unit

35

heat exchangers

40

measuring unit

41

optical sensor, camera

50

Measurement of operating parameters

51

Presence of operating parameters

52

Input of operating parameters

60

Procurement of operating parameters

70

Determination of the drying capacity L

B

operating parameters

L

drying capacity

Claims (14)

1. A drying device (10), for drying between inking units, which can be arranged between inking units of a printing machine (1), in which a substrate (2) can be transported via rotating cylinders (3.1, 3.2, 3.3) and can be printed with coloring agents (4), said drying device comprising an air supply unit (11) for supplying air (5) in the direction of the substrate (2), in order to dry the coloring agent (4),
   a suction unit (12) for evacuating the air (5),
   a control unit (20), which controls and/or regulates the air supply unit (11) depending on the operational parameters (B) in such a manner that drying zones (13. 1, 13.2, 13.3) on the substrate (2), which can change, can be adjusted, wherein the air supply unit (11) has movable flaps (14), whereby a changing flow direction for the exit of the air (5) from the air supply unit (11) can be achieved, wherein the operational parameter (B) is at least one of the following variables:

   - location and size of the coloring agent application on the substrate (2) and/or on the cylinder;

   - drying speed of the coloring agent (4);

   - layer thickness of the ink application on the substrate (2);

   - degree of printing;

   - degree of gloss of the coloring agent application on the cylinder (3.1) and/or on the substrate (2);

   - solvent content of the air (5) in the suction unit (12);

   - transport speed of the substrate (2);

   - temperature of the air (5) in the suction unit (12).
2. A drying device (10) according to Claim 1,
   characterized in,
   that the air supply unit (11) is aligned transversely to the transport direction of the substrate (2), wherein in particular the air supply unit (11) is designed to be rod-like.
3. A drying device (10) according to Claim 1 or 2,
   characterized in,
   that a plurality of modules (30.1, 30.2, 30.3) are provided, which in each case separately have an air supply unit (11) and a suction unit (12), wherein the modules (30.1, 30.2, 30.3) are individually controllable by means of the control unit (20), in particular, that the volume flow and/or the temperature and/or the flow direction of the exiting air (5) in the direction of the substrate (2) of each module (30.1, 30.2, 30.3) can be individually adjusted.
4. A system with a printing machine (1) and a drying device (10) for drying between inking units of the printing machine (1), in which a substrate (2) can be transported via rotating cylinders (3.1, 3.2, 3.3) and can be printed with coloring agents (4), comprising an air supply unit (11) for supplying air (5) in the direction of the substrate (2), in order to dry the coloring agent (4),
   a suction unit (12) for evacuating the air (5),
   a measuring unit 40), with which at least one part of the operational parameters (B) can be determined during the operation of the printing machine (1),
   a control unit (20), which controls and/or regulates the air supply unit (11) depending on the operational parameters (B) in such a manner that drying zones (13. 1, 13.2, 13.3) on the substrate (2), which can change, can be adjusted, wherein the air supply unit (11) has movable flaps (14), whereby a changing flow direction for the exit of the air (5) from the air supply unit (11) can be achieved, wherein the printing machine (1) has a plurality of inking units (7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5),
   wherein a drying device (10) is assigned to each ink unit (7),
   wherein the operational parameter (B) is at least one of the following variables:

   - location and size of the coloring agent application on the substrate (2) and/or on the cylinder;

   - drying speed of the coloring agent (4);

   - layer thickness of the ink application on the substrate (2);

   - degree of printing;

   - degree of gloss of the coloring agent application on the cylinder (3.1) and/or on the substrate (2);

   - solvent content of the air (5) in the suction unit (12);

   - transport speed of the substrate (2);

   - temperature of the air (5) in the suction unit (12).
5. A system according to Claim 4,
   characterized in
   that the measuring unit (40) has an optical sensor (41), the measuring range of which is directed to the substrate (2) and/or to at least one cylinder (3.1, 3.2, 3.3), wherein in particular the optical sensor (41) is a camera unit and/or a sensor for detecting the degree of gloss of the applied coloring agent (4).
6. A system according to Claim 4 or 5,
   characterized in,
   that at least one ink container (31) is assigned to the printing machine (1), into which the coloring agent (4) can be introduced, wherein the ink container (31) has an identification unit (32), from which a color formula code can be read out, which serves as operational parameter (B) for the control unit (20), in particular that the identification unit (32) has a RFID chip, in which the color formula code is stored.
7. A system according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in,
   that an identification unit is provided for the substrate (2), which in particular is arranged on a carrier of the substrate (2) or which is arranged in or on the substrate (2), wherein a substrate code can be read out from the identification unit.
8. A system according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in,
   that the measuring unit (40) is arranged in the suction unit (12), whereby the air (5) which can be extracted from the substrate (2) can be analyzed, and/or that a heat exchanger (35) is provided, which provides resulting waste heat of the printing machine (1) to the air supply unit (11).
9. A method for operating a drying device (10) for drying between inking units of a printing machine (1), in which a substrate (2) is transported via rotating cylinders (3.1, 3.2, 3.3), said drying device comprising
   an air supply unit (11) for supplying air (5) in the direction of the substrate (2), in order to dry the coloring agent (4),
   a suction unit (12) for evacuating the air (5),
   a measuring unit (40), with which at least one part of operational parameters (B) is determined during the operation of the printing machine (1), and
   a control unit (20), which controls and/or regulates the air supply unit (11) depending on the operational parameters (B) in such a manner that changing drying zones (13. 1, 13.2, 13.3) on the substrate (2) can be adjusted, wherein the drying device (10) is controlled depending on the coloring agent (4) applied to the substrate (2), in particular the air supply unit (11) has movable flaps (14), whereby a changing flow direction for the exit of the air (5) from the air supply unit (11) can be achieved,
   wherein the operational parameter (B) is one of the following variables:

   - location and size of the coloring agent application on the substrate (2) and/or on the cylinder;

   - drying speed of the coloring agent (4);

   - layer thickness of the ink application on the substrate (2);

   - degree of printing;

   - degree of gloss of the coloring agent application on the cylinder (3.1) and/or on the substrate (2);

   - solvent content of the air (5) in the suction unit (12);

   - transport speed of the substrate (2);

   - temperature of the air (5) in the suction unit (12).
10. A method according to Claim 9,
    characterized in,
    that at least one part of the operational parameter (B) is transmitted via an interface of the drying device (10) and/or the printing machine (1) and/or that the drying device (10) is operated in an air recirculation process or is operated in an air recirculation process with a switchable fresh air process.
11. A method according to Claim 9 or 10,
    characterized in,
    that the operating parameter (B) is at least one of the following variables:

    - Color formula of the coloring agent (4) and/or material of the substrate (2);

    - temperature of the air (5) in the air supply unit (11).
12. A method according to any one of the preceding claims,
    characterized in,
    that on the substrate (2) and/or on a format cylinder (3.2) and/or on a screen roller (3.1) of the inking units (7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5) of the printing machine (1) the location and size of the coloring agent application and/or of the degree of gloss and/or the drying speed is determined, wherein in particular, the location and the size of the ink application and/or the drying speed is determined via the reflection of light on the surface of the format cylinder (3.2) and/or the screen roller (3.1).
13. A method according to any one of the preceding claims,
    characterized in,
    that image data of the plate of the format cylinder (3.2) serves as operational parameter (B), in particular, in order to determine the location of the coloring agent application on the substrate (2).
14. A method according to any one of Claims 9 to 13 for operating a system according to any one of Claims 4 to 8 and/or for operating a drying device (10) according to any one Claims 1 to 3.

Images