JP2002214798A - Exposure system, press plate control system and plate - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To exclude an excessive operational process and material, to remove a failure on the printing and to perform efficient quality management of a plate by preparing the plate and, at the same time, plotting a bar code for management. SOLUTION: In this press plate control system 1, the bar code 35 including proper ID information is plotted on the plate 15 concurrently with main data when the plate 15 is prepared. On the developing process of the plate 15, processing date and developing conditions, etc., are allowed to correspond with the bar code 35 which is read out and are stored on a data base 5.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention belongs to the field of printing technology, in particular, direct printing plate technology, and relates to a system for managing printing plates using a barcode arranged on the printing plate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in the offset printing industry, a direct printing plate (hereinafter, referred to as a CTP computer) that directly exposes digital data from a computer to a printing plate.
The technology is remarkably popularized. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a printing plate process for creating a printing plate via a film, a progress mark of a plate is managed by adding a sticker on which a barcode is printed to a plate on a printing plate processing line and reading the sticker.

[0003]

However, a separate operation for preparing a material called a bar code seal has been required. In addition, since a barcode seal is directly added to the plate, the seal exists as a protrusion on the plate, and if the sticker is directly attached to the printing press, it causes various troubles such as breakage of parts of the printing press.

Further, the read barcode is not linked to the processing conditions of the plate, and it is difficult to manage the processing conditions under which the plate was created. As a result, if a poor quality plate is found by visual inspection, it is difficult to predict the poor quality of other plates,
Quality control could not be performed efficiently.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to draw a management barcode at the same time that a plate is created, thereby eliminating extra work steps and materials. The purpose is to eliminate defects during printing and perform efficient plate quality control.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an exposure system for exposing image data including plate-specific identification information to a plate.

An exposure system according to a first aspect of the present invention exposes image data output from an automatic imposition apparatus onto a plate. The image data contains version-specific identification information,
At the same time, the plate is exposed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing plate management system having a developing system for developing a plate on which image data including plate-specific identification information has been exposed, wherein the sensor detects a processing condition during a developing process; A printing plate management system comprising: a reading unit that reads the identification information of the plate; and a holding unit that holds the processing conditions and the identification information.

A plate management system according to a second aspect of the present invention has a development system for developing a plate, detects processing conditions during development, reads plate identification information, and manages the progress of plate development. . Also, development processing conditions and development processing progress are held.

A third invention is a version characterized in that ID information is drawn as a bar code.

[0011] In the plate of the third invention, image data output from the automatic imposition device is exposed by an exposure system. The image data includes ID information, and the plate is exposed at the same time as the main data as a bar code.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a plate management system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The plate management system 1 includes a host computer 3, a database 5, an automatic imposition device 7, a CTP exposure system 9, a CTP plate development system 17, and the like, and a network 45 such as a LAN (Local Area Network). Connected by

The automatic imposition device 7 extracts and processes data from the database 5 and outputs plate image data 43 (details will be described later). The image data 43 is
The data is sent to the CTP exposure system 9 via the network 45. The CTP exposure system 9 includes a CTP computer 11 and a CTP exposure machine 13. The CTP computer 11 converts the image data 43 into a format for the CTP exposure device 13, and the CTP exposure device 13 exposes the converted image data 43 to the plate 15.

The CTP plate developing system 17 includes a first conveyor 27, an automatic developing machine 29, a second conveyor 31,
3 and a computer 19, etc., and a CTP exposure machine 13
This is a device for developing the plate 15 exposed by the above. The computer 19 includes a plate detection sensor 21 and a processing condition monitoring sensor 2
3. Connected to barcode reader 25. The computer 19 is connected to the host computer 3 via the network 45.

The plate detection sensor 21 detects that the plate 15 has passed from the first conveyor 27 to the automatic developing machine 29. The processing condition monitoring sensor 23 detects processing conditions such as the temperature and conductivity of the automatic developing machine 29 and sends them to the computer 19. The barcode reader 25 reads the barcode 35 drawn on the plate 16 when the developed plate 16 passes through the second conveyor 31. The bar code 35
Is unique ID information of the version 16. The plate 16 after the development processing is stored in the plate 33, and waits for a visual inspection.
The computer 19 monitors the processing of the detection data from the processing condition monitoring sensor 23 and the processing of the plate.

The plate (original plate) before being sent to the CTP exposure device 13 has a resin provided on aluminum,
Exposure is performed by the exposure device 13 via the image data 43, and the portion of the resin that is irradiated with light is altered to form the printing plate 15. In other words, the resin portion changes in quality according to the shape of the image data 43.

Then, the portion of the resin that has not been exposed by the automatic developing machine 29 is removed to form the plate 16 (printing plate).

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the steps up to the creation of the plate 15. The database 5 includes work schedule data 51, quality management data 53, page data 55, and the like. The work schedule data 51 is, for example, as shown in FIG.
D number, contents of CTP work, start / completion time management table, and the like. The quality control data 53 is the work schedule data 5
1 and the plate 15 in the automatic imposition device 7, the CTP exposure system 9, and the CTP plate developing system 17.
, Development processing conditions, development processing device names, and the like. The page data 55 is data of each page to be imposed, and is data obtained by combining data having different generation processes such as characters, figures, and photographs. The page data 55 is
For example, it is data described in a page description language such as postscript.

The automatic imposition device 7 includes an input / output unit 71, a calculation unit 73, a storage unit 75, and the like. The storage unit 75 also includes accessory data 77 and the like. The input / output unit 71 receives data from the database 5. The calculation unit 73
The image data 43 is created from the data taken into the input / output unit 71 and the data in the storage unit 75. The accessory data 77 is required in a printing process, a plate making process, and the like.
This is additional information such as a print register mark, a folding register mark, a gradation scale, and barcode information.

The automatic imposition device 7 outputs image data 43 as digital data and sends it to the CTP exposure system 9 via the network 45. The CTP exposure system 9 exposes the plate 15 with the image data 43.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the procedure of the operation of the automatic imposition device 7 and the CTP exposure system 9. With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, a procedure for preparing the plate 15 in a stage before development will be described.

The automatic imposition apparatus 7 reads work schedule data 51 from the database 5 via the host computer 3.
And the page data 55 are input to the input / output unit 71 (step 301). The work schedule data 51 is the work schedule contents shown in FIG. 5, and includes a product name 81 and an ID corresponding to the product name.
Each 83 has a work start / completion time table, work contents, and the like. For example, the product name ID of "monthly xxxxxx" is
"345678912", "CTP work has not been started", and the contents of the version are "surface is C (Cyan),
M (Magenta), Y (Yellow), BK (B
lac) version. The same applies to the back surface. " In other words, eight editions of the monthly xxxx plates are created for the front and back surfaces. Each of these eight plates has a version ID of 8
7 (see FIG. 6) is used for future process management. As described above, the page data 55 is data of each page to be imposed, and is data obtained by combining data having different generation processes such as characters, figures, and photographs.

Next, the operation unit 73 extracts various data (accessory data 77 and the like) from the storage unit 75, combines the data with the work schedule data 51 and the page data 55, and performs automatic calculation to create the image data 43 (step). 30
2). At this time, the calculation unit 73 converts the version ID 87 information included in the work schedule data 51 into barcode data using the barcode information in the accessory data 77. That is, the image data 43 includes bar code data having version ID 87 information. The image data 43 is digital data for creating a printing plate, and the printing plate (plate 15) is created by the CTP exposure system 9.

The created image data 43 is stored in the storage unit 75. Also, the creation of the image data 43 is completed,
Work progress such as the quality control data 53 of the database 5
(Step 303).

Next, the image data 43 is sent to the CTP computer 11 of the CTP exposure system 9 via the network 45 (step 304). The CTP computer 11 converts the image data 43 into a file format for an exposure machine, for example, raster image data (R
master Image Data), PostScript (PostScript), or TIFF (Tag)
The image data is converted into a C.I.Image Image File Format or the like and sent to the CTP exposure device 13 (step 305).

The CTP exposure unit 13 exposes the plate 15 with image data 43. It should be noted that a bar code 35 having version ID 87 information is also created for the version 15. Further, the progress of the operation in the CTP exposure machine 13 is stored in the quality management data 53 of the database 5 (Step 306).

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a processing procedure of the CTP plate developing system 17. Using FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, CT
The procedure in which the plate 15 output from the P exposure system 9 is processed in the CTP plate developing system 17 will be described.

The computer 19 of the CTP development system 17 extracts work schedule data 51 (for example, shown in FIG. 5) and quality control data 53 from the database 5 via the network 45 and the host computer 3 (step 401). Using these data, a progress management screen of the computer 19 is, for example, as shown in FIG. That is, the progress of plate manufacturing of the product is displayed.

Next, the operator sets the conditions of the automatic developing machine 29 for developing the plate 15, for example, the temperature, the conductivity, etc.
The plate 15 exposed by the TP exposure system 9 is input from the first conveyor 27 (step 402).

The plate 15 moves on the first conveyor 27,
When detected by the plate detection sensor 21, information such as the detection date and time is sent to the computer 19 and stored (step 4).
03).

Further, data such as the temperature and conductivity of the automatic developing machine 29 are detected by the processing condition monitoring sensor 23 and stored in the computer 19 (step 404).

The plate 15 passes through the automatic developing machine 29, becomes the developed plate 16, and moves on the second conveyor 31. The barcode reader 25 detects the barcode 35 of the plate 16 and sends it to the computer 19 (Step 405).

The computer 19 includes a bar code 35,
The processing date and time and the processing conditions are stored in association with each other, and these data are sent to and stored in the quality control data 53 of the database 5 (step 406).

The developed plate 16 is stored in the plate 33 and waits for visual inspection (step 407). Edition 16
Is transferred to the next step (printing step) after the visual inspection is completed.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the barcode 35 required for progress management is exposed on the plate 15 before development, a step of separately attaching a barcode seal and a material are not required. In addition, it is possible to avoid trouble during printing, which is caused by the addition of the seal.

Further, since the barcode 35 of the plate 15 and the processing conditions of the automatic processor 29 are managed in correspondence with the quality control data 53, it is possible to efficiently cope with the occurrence of a defective plate. it can.

[0037]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, unnecessary work steps and materials are eliminated by drawing a management bar code at the same time as plate creation, thereby eliminating problems during printing. , Can perform efficient plate quality control.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plate management system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Diagram showing the configuration of

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing steps up to the creation of a plate 15;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an operation procedure of the automatic imposition device 7 and the CTP exposure system 9.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a processing procedure of a CTP plate developing system 17;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing CTP work schedule data 51;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a progress management screen of the computer 19;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Plate management system 3 ... Host computer 5 ... Database 7 ... Automatic imposition device 9 ... CTP exposure system 11 ... CTP computer 13 ... CTP exposure machine 15. Plate 16 Plate after development 17 CTP plate development system 19 Computer 21 Plate detection sensor 23 Processing condition monitoring sensor 25 Barcode reader 27・ 1st conveyor 29 ・ ・ ・ Automatic developing machine 31 ・ ・ ・ 2nd conveyor 33 ・ ・ ・ Plate 35 ・ ・ ・ Barcode 43 ・ ・ ・ Image data 45 ・ ・ ・ Network 51 ・ ・ ・ Work schedule data 53 ... Quality control data 55 ... Page data 71 ... Input / output unit 73 ... Operation unit 75 ... Storage unit 77 ... Accessory data

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Shuhei Hosomi 1-1-1 Ichigaya-Kaga-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo F-term in Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (reference) 2H096 AA06 GA21 2H097 JA03 LA01

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An exposure system, wherein image data including identification information unique to a plate is exposed on the plate. 2. The exposure system according to claim 1, wherein the identification information is a bar code including plate ID information. 3. A plate management system having a development system for developing a plate on which image data including plate-specific identification information has been exposed, comprising: a sensor for detecting a processing condition during a development process; and identification of the plate. A printing plate management system comprising: a reading unit that reads information; and a holding unit that holds the processing conditions and the identification information. 4. The printing plate management system according to claim 3, wherein the identification information is a bar code including plate ID information. 5. A version wherein the ID information is drawn as a bar code.