JP2000305244A - Multi-plane layout plate data making device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To unnecessitate skill required for mechanical operation and to accurately process a printing plate by digitally processing all the multi-plane layout processing for making single plane original plates to a plate having a size suitable for a printing machine. SOLUTION: A shape data generating means 13 extracts the external shape of a printing object from shape design data on a single plane generated by a graphic processing device 20. A pattern arranging means 14 generates plate making image data where planes are multiply laid out by arranging plate making image data on the single planes constituted on the basis of the external shape data obtained by the means 13 and the shape design data on the single plane according to arrangement data for multiply arranging the single plane shapes. When the generated multi-plane layout data which is processed to be output image information in a raster image processor is transmitted to an image setter, it is outputted as film, which is printed on a PS plate so as to obtain a required printing plate. By transmitting the output image information to a direct printing device, the printing plate can be directly obtained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-imposition plate data generating apparatus required in a printing plate step of preparing a printing plate in a step of preparing a printed matter for packaging.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the process of producing printed matter for packaging,
In the printing plate process to create the final printing plate, a box or a single-side (single-sided) film master is
Create a plate that is sized for printing on multiple presses. At this time, create a mask that distinguishes the area to be exposed and the area to be shielded from one side of the master, install it on the plate, read the horizontal and vertical feed pitch and rotation angle from the layout instruction drawing , The work of setting the plate accurately, etc. are required, and all of these are laborious work requiring skill and accuracy. In addition, when the single-sided original film is set in the printing machine, the position and the angle may be shifted. Further, the production of a printing plate by the printing plate machine is a time-consuming process since optical exposure is repeatedly performed.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been devised in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and all multi-imposition processing for converting a single-sided original plate into a plate size to be applied to a printing press is performed by digital processing. Performed by processing. This solves the problems of accuracy, time, and labor required for the above-mentioned operations.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a shape data creating means for extracting an outer shape of a printing object from single-sided shape design data created by a graphic processing apparatus. The obtained outer shape data and the single-sided plate making image data configured based on the single-sided shape design data are arranged according to the arrangement data for arranging a plurality of the single-sided shapes. And a picture arranging means for creating data to create multiple imposition data. The data is output to a raster image processor (RIP) to be output as image information and then sent to an image setter (film recorder) to be output as a film, which is printed on a PS plate to obtain a desired printing plate. Alternatively, the output image information can be sent to a direct printing plate device to directly obtain a printing plate.

[0005]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the present invention.
1 is an overall block diagram of a printing plate multi-imposition plate data generating apparatus according to one embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 20 denotes a graphic processing device (such as CAD); 30, a print image design / edit device (for example, a printing plate making / editing device or a desktop computer equipped with DTP software); and 40, a plate output device. is there. Reference numeral 10 denotes a printing plate multi-imposition plate data generating device according to the present invention, which is another device (20, 30, or 40).
An input / output unit 11 for exchanging data with the control unit, a shape data creating unit 13, a picture arranging unit 14, and a control unit 12 for integrally controlling these units. The control unit 12 includes a central processing unit and a storage device.
A program for correctly operating 1, 13, 14 and other 10 functional elements in the processing procedure disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention is stored.

As is well known, the graphic processing device 20 is a device that performs graphic creation and editing processing such as drawing a line, drawing a dimension, and writing a character string. In this embodiment, the drawing data (single-sided drawing data) of each original to be printed on the plate and the data (arrangement data) in which a plurality of these are arranged on a predetermined plate size are designed in advance by the graphic processing apparatus. I have. FIG. 2 shows an example of the single-sided drawing data, and FIG. 3 shows an example of the single-sided drawing data in which the single-sided drawing data is multi-viewed and arranged according to the arrangement data. The arrangement data includes information for arranging single-plane data at predetermined positions (positions of single-plane reference points) in a predetermined manner (rotation, inversion, and the like).

The printing plate output device 40 includes a RIP for converting plate making image data into bitmap format data that can be applied to an output device such as a film recorder and transferring the data to the output device.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the processing flow of the printing plate multi-imposition plate data generating apparatus of the embodiment. Hereinafter, the operation of the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, in step S1, an operator designs a drawing of a printing object (such as a box for packaging) on the graphic processing device 20. As a result, single-plane drawing data as shown in FIG. 2 is created.

Note that, in the drawing data, there are actually drawing elements (graphic data) for determining the shape and function of the print object,
Although omitted from FIG. 2, there are two types of drawing elements (line segments, arrows, etc.) added for attaching dimensions and annotations. Further, the graphic data can be distinguished into graphic elements (shape data or external data) forming the outermost peripheral graphic (outer shape) when two-dimensionally expanded, and other graphic elements. The shape data is obtained by the operation of the shape data creating means 13 as described later.

In step S2, the single-sided drawing data obtained in step S1 is read by the print image design / editing apparatus 30, and based on the single-sided drawing data, a copy of the print object is created (characters). Input) and design design (images of product logos, copies, product photos, etc., POS bars, composition tables, etc., color schemes), and color separation into ink colors used for printing for later processes. And data to which necessary information is added. In this way, single-sided plate making image data as illustrated in FIG. 4 is obtained.

The single-sided drawing data obtained in step S1 is simultaneously output to the multi-plate imprinting plate data generating apparatus 1 according to the present invention.
Read to zero. And by the shape data creation means,
First, in step S4, a single-sided figure shape to be output at the time of printing is obtained. Next, in step S5, single-plane image mask data is created from the output target graphic shape and information such as the origin coordinates and resolution obtained from the single-plane plate making image data. This single-sided image mask data is referred to in the picture arrangement processing to be described later. Details of the procedure of step S4 and step S5 will be described later.

In the graphic processing device 20, a plurality of single-sided figures are arranged in step S3 based on the single-sided drawing data obtained in step S1 in order to prepare a plate having a size actually used for printing. Create layout data to create a multi-imposition version.

In the pattern arrangement processing of step S6, the multi-plated platemaking image data is obtained from the single-side plate making image data created in S2, the single-side image mask data obtained in S5, and the arrangement data created in S3. This is a generation process, which will be described later in detail. In this way, multi-imposition plate data as an object of the apparatus of the present invention as illustrated in FIG. 11 is obtained.

Thereafter, in the printing plate output process in step S6, the obtained multi-faced plate making image data is RIP-processed.
Output to a film recorder or direct printing plate device through the device. The above is the flow of the entire processing by the device of the present invention.

Next, the flowchart of FIG. 6 and FIGS.
The details of step S4 single-plane shape extraction processing will be specifically described with reference to FIG. 9 and FIG. This processing is described in JP-A-6-23.
0553, it will be described only in what order and what is performed, and detailed description of how to realize each procedure will be omitted.

First, in step S11, single-plane graphic data necessary for extracting a single-plane output area is extracted from single-plane drawing data and stored in a storage area (not shown) in the control unit 12.

Next, in order to simplify the subsequent processing, the graphic data is corrected (step S12). This performs the following four types of judgments and corrections (a) to (d).
(A) Judgment of minute broken line and connection processing: end point of figure,
Judge the distance, judge that it is connected within the set distance, and connect the figures. For example, a figure as shown in FIG. 7 (a1) is arranged in the form shown in FIG. 7 (a2). (B) determining the intersection of the figures,
Figure division at intersection: When there is an intersection between figures such as sides, the original figure is divided at the intersection. For example, FIG.
A figure such as (b1) is arranged in the form of FIG. 7 (b2). In this example, one side is divided into two by the intersection.
(C) Judgment of duplicate data and deletion of duplicate data: A duplicate portion of a figure is judged and deleted. For example, a figure as shown in FIG. 7 (c1) is arranged in a form as shown in FIG. 7 (c2). (D) Judgment and identification of an isolated figure: Judgment and deletion of a line segment irrespective of the outer shape of the figure: For example, a figure like FIG.
(D2). If the graphic corrections (a) to (c) have been completed, the graphic database (for each existing graphic element, the identification number of the element, the attribute value, the identification number of another connected graphic element, and the like are tabulated. ) Can be regarded as an isolated figure element that corresponds to an identification number that appears only once in the above-mentioned arrangement. With the graphic corrections (a) to (c) above, the preparation for performing the contour search in the next step without error is completed.

Next, in step S13, an outer shape search is performed to determine the outer shape of the target graphic. First, a reference point for contour search is set. The point having the minimum Y coordinate among the points having the minimum X coordinate is set as the search start point. For example, FIG.
The white point in FIG. 8 (e2) is selected for (e1). Next, as shown in FIGS. 8 (f1) and 8 (f2), a circumferential direction is determined from the start point to search for an outer shape. After that, FIG.
As shown in (1) and (g2), graphic elements that are not related to the outline loop (the column of graphic elements obtained by the outline search) are deleted. The remaining graphic elements are stored in the storage area of the control unit 12 as symmetrical graphic data.

Next, in step S14, a graphic element is generated by adding a correction width to each graphic element determined as the shape data. As shown in FIGS. 9 (h1) and 9 (h2), this generates a graphic element that has been corrected to the outside with respect to the external loop in accordance with the circulation rule. Next, the intersection of each figure element corrected to the outside is obtained, and the figure is divided by the intersection as shown in FIGS. 9 (j1) and 9 (j2).

Next, in step S15, an outer shape is searched for a set of graphic elements connected by the outwardly corrected graphic elements in order to determine an outer shape. This process is the same as step S13. Finally, step S
In step 16, from the set of graphic elements linked by the outwardly corrected graphic elements, graphic elements that are not involved in the outer shape loop of the set are deleted. Finally,
The single-sided shape data indicating the output shape of the single-sided print target is shown in FIG.
0 (a). FIG. 10A shows a shape when the correction width is zero.

Next, a description will be given of the alignment processing between the single-plane shape data and the plate making image data in step 5. In order to correctly create image information of only the portion included in the single-plane shape generated in step 4 from the plate making image information created in step 2, the alignment of both data must be correctly performed.

This is performed as follows. First, when designing a single-plane shape in step S1, a reference coordinate system serving as a reference for all operations is determined. In this coordinate system, the center of the drawing is the origin (0, 0). Since the design and editing work of the plate making image in step S2 is also processed using this coordinate system as a starting point, it is known exactly which position of the single-side plate making image falls on the origin of the reference coordinate system. (In what coordinate system the design editing work as a plate making image is processed depends on the device / system used. Even if a coordinate system different from the reference coordinate system is used, the reference coordinate system may be used. Is recorded as header information in the single-sided plate making image information). Therefore, the position on the single-sided plate making image corresponding to the origin of the reference coordinate system is determined by the single-sided shape data (of course, the coordinate system of this information). The reference coordinate system (which is the reference coordinate system) may be coincident with the origin. In this way, the binary image data having the same size and the same resolution as the single-side plate-making image is set to 1 if the pixel is inside the single-sided shape, and set to 0 otherwise if the pixel is inside the single-sided plate shape. Image mask data) is obtained.

Next, the pattern arrangement processing in step S6 will be described. The picture arrangement means arranges a predetermined number of single-side plate making image data on a predetermined arrangement plane in accordance with the arrangement data generated in step S2. In the placement data, the reference point of the single-sided figure data (the coordinate origin of the single-sided figure data, unless otherwise specified) is placed anywhere on the coordinate system of the placement plane, rotated many times, and / or further inverted. Information is described. According to this description, the pattern arrangement means arranges the single-sided plate making image data on the arrangement plane. At this time, the single-sided image mask data obtained in the previous step S5 is also translated, rotated, and inverted simultaneously according to the arrangement data. In advance, only the pixels of the single-plane plate making image data corresponding to the pixels whose single-plane image mask data is 1 are arranged on the arrangement plane. (It goes without saying that the single-sided image mask data and the single-sided prepress image data have a one-to-one correspondence at the pixel level.)

In the above procedure, what is obtained as a result of step S6 is plate making image data developed as bitmap data on an arrangement plane. In this manner, instead of creating single-sided image mask data from single-sided shape data and arranging pixel data while referring to the single-sided shape mask data, the single-sided shape data in the vector format is kept in the vector format, and the cutout mask information of the single-plate image You may use as. That is,
In this case, the multi-plated plate making image obtained by arrangement is obtained as information on how the single-side plate making image and its cutout mask information are arranged on the arrangement plane.

In any case, before final application to an output device such as a film recorder or a direct printing device,
The IP device converts the multi-faced plate making image data into a data format that can be output by an output device, that is, data in a bitmap format.

[0026]

As described above, according to the data creating apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to create a printing plate of a paper container up to creating data to be output by an output device.
It can be performed entirely by digital processing, does not require the skill required for machine operation, and can perform plate processing with high accuracy, as compared with the case of using a plate printing machine. Moreover, the apparatus according to the present invention is linked with the drawing process of the paper container on the graphic processing apparatus in terms of data, and can make a printing plate rationally in a shorter time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a data creation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an example of single-plane drawing data;

FIG. 3 is an example of a multi-imposition arrangement drawing.

FIG. 4 is an example of single-side plate making image data.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an overall operation of the data creation device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation flow of single-plane shape extraction processing.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a correction process of a figure;

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a figure outline search process;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an outline search process of a figure with an offset;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an obtained outer shape.

FIG. 11 is a view showing multi-plate image making image data;

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 printing plate multi-imposition plate data creation device 11 input / output unit 12 control unit 13 shape data creation means 14 picture layout means 20 graphic processing device 30 print image design editing device 40 printing plate output device

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Yoshiaki Miyamoto 1-1-1 Kagacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Dainichi Printing Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 2H084 DD30 2H095 AA10 AC07 5B046 AA09 BA05 DA02 FA02 FA03 FA10

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A shape data creating means for extracting an outer shape of a printing object from a single-sided shape design data created by a graphic processing apparatus, and a picture arranging means for creating multi-faced plate making image data. A multi-surface imprinting plate data creating device, wherein the picture arranging means is a single-sided plate making image formed based on the outer shape data obtained by the shape data creating means and the single-sided shape design data. Data, and arrangement data for arranging a plurality of the single-sided shapes,
A multi-imposition plate data creating apparatus characterized in that a multi-imposition plate making image is obtained from the same.