JP2014113768A - Printed matter inspection method and inspection device for sheet discharging printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printed matter inspection method and an inspection device capable of easily identifying the position of a defective article after end of printing of a sheet discharging printer so as to efficiently eliminate defective articles.SOLUTION: A printer 1 comprises a counting device 11 that includes a first count management machine 12 counting printed matters loaded on a loading pallet. The first count management machine 12 counts the printed matters imaged by an imaging device 23. A second count management machine 22 interlocking with the first count management machine 12 identifies image data of the printed matters counted by the first count management machine 12 among the printed matters imaged by the imaging device 23. An inspection device 24 determines whether defective articles for the image data are present, stores count data on the defective articles and the image data in a storage device 25 as defective article data, and outputs the defective article data as an inspection history after end of printing.

Description

  The present invention relates to an inspection method capable of efficiently extracting defective products from a large amount of printed matter after the end of printing in a sheet discharge type printing press, and an inspection apparatus for carrying out the method.

  In a sheet discharge type printer that discharges printed matter in sheet form, as a method of eliminating printed matter that has caused printing defects as defective products, the printed matter before being ejected from the printing machine is photographed with a camera and based on the image data Some printing machines have a mechanism that automatically excludes only the printed matter determined to be defective. However, if the printing paper is thin or the printing speed is high, the removal mechanism may not catch up. Therefore, in such a printing machine, it is general that only defective products are determined in parallel with printing, and defective products are manually removed after printing.

  In Patent Document 1, a management number is printed in the margin of a printed material, a defective product is determined in parallel with the printing, and an image and a management number of the printed material determined to be defective are stored. A method for identifying and eliminating defective products using the management number as a clue after printing is disclosed. However, in order to reduce the printing cost, it is desired to make the margin of the printed material as small as possible, and there may be a case where there is not enough margin for printing the management number.

  As a method that can cope with such a case where there is no margin, Patent Document 2 discloses a method of marking an end portion of a printed matter determined to be defective. However, since the printed matter once marked cannot be used as a product, even if a defective product is over-detected in the inspection apparatus, the printed matter over-detected as a defective product cannot be recovered as a non-defective product.

JP 2009-137166 A JP 2003-53938 A

  It is an object of the present invention to facilitate the position of a defective product without printing a management number or marking on a printed material in order to efficiently exclude only defective products after printing is completed in a sheet discharge type printing machine. It is an object of the present invention to provide an inspection method and an inspection apparatus that can be specified.

A first aspect of the present invention is a method for inspecting a printed matter in a sheet discharge type printing press,
A first counting step of counting a printed matter printed by the printing machine with a first number management machine;
An imaging step of imaging a printed matter printed by the printing machine;
A second counting step of counting image data obtained by imaging the printed matter with a second number management machine linked to the first number management machine;
Based on the image data, a detection step of detecting the presence or absence of a defective portion of the printed matter;
A storage step for storing both the image data and the count data counted in the second counting step for the printed matter of the defective product in which the defective portion is found in the inspection step,
And an output step of outputting the count data and image data of the defective products stored in the storage step after the printing is completed.

A second aspect of the present invention is an inspection apparatus for printed matter in a sheet discharge type printing press,
An imaging device for imaging a printed matter printed by the printing press;
The image data of the printed matter imaged by the imaging device is counted by a second number management device that operates in conjunction with a first number management device that counts the printed matter in the first counting device provided in the printing machine or the inspection device. A second counting device that
Based on the image data, a detection device for detecting the presence or absence of a defective portion of the printed matter;
A storage device that stores both the image data and the count data counted by the second count device for a defective printed matter in which a defective portion is found in the detection device;
It is characterized by having.

  In the present invention, the number management machine that counts the printed material printed by the printing press and the number management machine provided in the inspection device that performs the defective product determination based on the image data of the printed material are linked with the defective product. The count data indicating the number of the printed product in which the determined printed material is located is stored together with the image data of the defective product. Therefore, the position of the defective product can be easily specified after the printing is completed and efficiently eliminated.

  In addition, in the present invention, since marking of defective printed matter is not performed, if it is re-determined as non-defective product by the operator's visual inspection after the end of printing while determining as defective product, it can be recovered as non-defective product without exclusion. It is possible to eliminate waste due to excessive detection of defective products. In the present invention, since it is not necessary to print information such as a management number other than the information to be originally printed on the printed matter, the present invention can be applied to a printed matter having almost no blank space, and the printing cost can be reduced.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure of an example of the printing machine with which this invention is applied. It is a block diagram which shows typically the structure of one Embodiment of the inspection apparatus of this invention, and the relationship with a printing machine. It is a printing flowchart of a printing machine to which the present invention is applied. It is a schematic diagram which shows the example which printed the inspection log | history which concerns on this invention. It is a block diagram which shows typically the relationship of the structure of other embodiment of the test | inspection apparatus of this invention, and a printing machine.

  The inspection method of the present invention includes a first counting step for counting printed matter discharged from the printing press, an imaging step for picking up a printed matter printed by the printing press, and a second count for counting image data obtained by picking up the printed matter. A counting process, a detection process for determining defective products on the basis of the image data, a storage process for storing defective product count data and image data, and an output process for outputting the stored defective product data. Have. In the present invention, the first counting process and the second counting process are performed by a first number management machine and a second number management machine linked to each other. Therefore, the inspection apparatus of the present invention includes at least an imaging device that captures a printed material, a counting device that includes a second number management device that counts image data, a detection device that performs defective product determination, and a defective product. A storage device for storing the count data and the image data is provided. The first counting device provided with the first number management device for counting the printed matter discharged from the printing press may be attached to either the printing press or the inspection device of the present invention. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to embodiments.

  FIG. 1 schematically shows a configuration of an example of a printing machine to which the present invention is applied. The printing machine 1 in FIG. 1 is an offset printing machine, and supplies printing paper from the right side of the paper. The supplied printing paper undergoes a printing process sequentially while moving from right to left. Discharged. The quantity of printed matter 14 loaded on the loading pallet 13 is determined in advance, and the loading pallet 13 is replaced when a predetermined number of sheets such as 1000 sheets is loaded. Reference numeral 11 denotes a counting device provided with a first number management machine (not shown) for counting the number of printed materials 14 loaded on the loading pallet 13. Reference numeral 23 in FIG. 1 denotes an image pickup apparatus of the inspection apparatus according to the present invention, which is arranged at a position where printing by the printing machine 1 is completed.

  In the present invention, the printing method of the printing press is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately applied to general printing methods other than the offset method. In the present invention, the “sheet discharge type” is not particularly limited as long as the printed matter is a sheet at the time of discharge. Therefore, the present invention is preferable not only for sheet-fed printing machines in which the printing paper to be supplied is a sheet, but also for roll-type and rotary printing machines in which the printing paper to be supplied is a so-called roll-to-sheet type printing machine. Applied.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing the relationship between the configuration of the preferred embodiment of the inspection apparatus of the present invention and the printing press. As shown in FIG. 2, the printing machine 1 is provided with a first number management machine 12 for counting the number of printed materials 14 loaded on the loading pallet 13 in the counting device 11 shown in FIG. The inspection apparatus 20 basically includes a count device 21, an imaging device 23, a detection device 24, and a storage device 25, and the count device 21 includes a second number management machine 22. The present invention is characterized in that the first number management machine 12 and the second number management machine 22 are interlocked and synchronized.

  FIG. 3 is an example of a printing flow of the printing machine of FIG. The horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the rotation speed of the rollers of the printing press. Here, t1 to t2 are trial printing steps, t2 to t3 are register / color adjustment steps, t3 to t4 are confirmation steps, t5 to t7 are trial run steps for final printing, and t7 to t8 are final printing steps. In addition, the printing process of FIG. 3 is an example.

  First, the drive of the printing press is started from t1, and stopped at t2. The operator confirms the printed matter printed during the period from t1 to t2, determines the amount of misregistration and the color tone, and adjusts the plate cylinder and the color tone during the period from t2 to t3. Then, printing is performed under the adjusted setting conditions from t3, and trial printing is performed again until t4. The original printing process starts at t5. The printed materials from t1 to t7 are excluded and are not placed on the stacking pallet 13. The removal of the printed matter is usually performed manually, but is automatically discharged in a printing press equipped with an automatic discharger. After t7, printing is performed until t8 when a predetermined number of printed materials are printed, the printed material 14 is loaded on the stacked pallet 13, and the stacked pallet is replaced every predetermined number of sheets. Then, when printing the same pattern, the same printing process as the above t5 to t8 is performed again from t9. The printed matter 14 loaded on the loading pallet 13 is handled as a product.

  In the present invention, the imaging device 23 in FIG. 1 continuously captures the printed matter that has been printed, and transmits the image data to the detection device 24 via the second counting device 21 in FIG. In the detection device 24, the image data captured at t6 to t7 in FIG. 2 is used as non-defective reference image data at the time of defective product determination. In the determination process after t7, the reference image data and the t7 and subsequent times are used. The image data of the imaged printed matter is compared, and the presence / absence of a defective printing portion is inspected to determine whether it is a defective product. Specifically, for example, a density difference between an image of a printed material to be inspected and a reference image is obtained, and a pixel having such a density difference exceeding a preset threshold is regarded as a defect, and the printed material having the defect is determined as a defective product. To do. As a method for determining pass / fail by comparison with such reference image data, a method generally used in the field of printing can be used. In this example, if the image data of the printed material printed just before printing of the printed material 14 loaded on the stacking pallet 13 is set as the reference image data, the reference printed material and the printed material to be inspected are consecutive under the same conditions. However, it is preferable that defective products are not excessively detected. However, image data of a printed matter that has been printed in a separate process in advance may be used as the reference image data. Also, after t9 in FIG. 3, when the same printing as t5 to t8 is performed, the reference image data acquired at t6 to t7 may be used as it is.

  The first number management machine 12 according to the present invention counts the printed matter 14 loaded on the loading pallet 13 among the printed matters printed by the printing machine 1, and is eliminated without being loaded on the loading pallet 13 t7. The number of printed materials up to is not counted. That is, the first number management machine 12 is turned on at t7, the number of printed materials stacked on the stacking pallet 13 is counted, and the first number management machine 12 is turned off at t8 when printing is finished. Reset to. Thereafter, the first number management machine 12 is turned on again at t10 or t11 after printing is resumed, and counting is newly started from one sheet. Alternatively, the number counted by the first number management machine 12 may be reset to 0 each time the loading pallet 13 is replaced.

  In some cases, a sampling inspection may be performed between t7 and t8. In such a case, the subtraction button of the first number management machine 12 is pushed so as not to count the number of the printed materials that have been extracted, and loaded on the loading pallet. Only prints to be printed are counted.

  The image data sent from the imaging device 23 to the detection device 24 includes image data of a printed matter printed before the printed matter 14 discharged to the stacking pallet 13. The imaging start timing of the imaging device 23 is not particularly limited, but when the reference image data is acquired at t6 to t7, it starts between t6 and t7. Further, it may be started during the period of trial printing at t3 to t4.

  In the present invention, in order to specify the image data of the printed matter 14 to be inspected in the detection device 24, the first number management machine 12 and the second number management machine 22 are linked and synchronized. The printing machine 1 is provided with pulse generating means for generating a pulse corresponding to the imaged printed matter on a one-to-one basis simultaneously with the start of imaging of the printed matter by the imaging device 23, and the count generated from the pulse generating means simultaneously with the start of imaging. When the pulse is sent to the counting device 11 and the first number management machine 12 is turned on at the timing when the printed matter 14 is discharged, the first number management machine 12 counts the pulse of the count pulse, and thus the loading pallet 13 is loaded. The number of printed products 14 to be stacked is counted. On the other hand, the count pulse generated from the pulse generating means is also sent to the second counting device 21, where the second number management machine 22 linked with the first number management machine 12 is used as the first number management machine. At the timing when 12 is turned on, the count pulses sent from the printing press 1 are counted. Since the count pulse corresponds to the image data sent from the image pickup device 23, the second pulse number management device 22 counts the count pulse to identify the image data to be inspected. The image data counted by the second number management machine 22 is the image data of the printed matter 14 counted by the first number management machine 12. As described above, when the sampling inspection is performed in the middle of printing, since the printed matter extracted by pressing the subtraction button in the first number management machine 12 is not counted, the printed matter extracted also in the second number management machine 22. This image data is not counted and is not specified as image data to be inspected. Then, the specified image data is sent to the detection device 24 together with the count data, and the detection device 24 compares the counted image data with the reference image data to determine defective products.

  As the pulse generating means for generating the count pulse, a mechanical operation of a part of the printing press such as rotation of a roller can be used, and any means may be used as long as it generates one pulse per printed matter by such operation. . Further, the count pulse may be sent to the counting devices 11 and 21 at the same time when the imaging device 23 starts imaging the printed matter. Therefore, the pulse generating means outputs the count pulse simultaneously when the imaging device 23 starts imaging the printed matter. Even when configured to generate, the pulse generating means generates the count pulse simultaneously with the start of driving of the printing press 1, and at the same time the imaging device 23 starts imaging the printed matter, the count pulse of the pulse generating means is counted. 11 and 12 may be configured to transmit.

  In the above description, the count pulse generated from one means is shown to be sent to both the first counting device 11 and the second counting device 21, but the present invention is not limited to this. The count pulses generated from two different means may be sent to the first counting device 11 and the second counting device 21, respectively. If the generating means uses the mechanical operation of the printing press, the pulses of the count pulses generated from different means coincide with each other, and therefore the first count device 11 and the second count device 12 cause a deviation in count. There is no fear.

  The count data and image data of the printed matter determined as defective by the detection device 24 are stored in the storage device 25 as defective product data. Since the count data is a numerical value counted by the second number management machine 22 up to the corresponding defective product, it is data indicating the number of sheets after the second number management machine 22 starts counting. As for the image data, the image data of the printed matter imaged by the imaging device 23 may be used as it is. However, the position data indicating the position of the defective printing portion in the printed matter and the partial image data obtained by extracting only the defective printing portion from the image data. It is preferable because the inspection history described later can be compactly collected. As for the position data, for example, the printed matter is divided into a plurality of regions by a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, such as 3 rows by 3 columns, and a plan view showing which region corresponds, or each row and each column of the column May be assigned a code, and the code may indicate a row and a column.

  After t8 when printing is completed, defective product data stored in the storage device 25, that is, count data and image data, or count data, position data, and image data are output as an inspection history. The data output may be output as a printed matter using a printing device, or may be output as an image to a display device. The printing device and the display device are independent of each other even if the device is attached to the inspection device 20. It may be a device. FIG. 4 shows an example in which the inspection history is output as a printed matter. “Synchronized number” indicates the count data counted by the second number management machine 22, “Position” indicates the position data, and a print defect location in the printed matter is indicated by a plan view. “Defective image” is partial image data indicating only a defective printing portion. Also, the time printed on the upper right of the inspection history in FIG. 4 is counted by the second number management machine 22 continuously from the first sheet to the final count, including defective products whose data is output in the inspection history. This is the time when the printing of a series of printed materials is finished. As described above, by adding the print end time or the print start time to the defective product data as the print time data, it becomes easier to specify the position of the defective product described later.

  Since the stacked pallets loaded with printed materials are arranged in the order of printing, it can be easily understood from which number of stacked pallets at which position the defective product is located, based on the synchronized number of inspection histories. When the first number management machine 12 is reset for each loaded pallet, the synchronized number indicates the number of printed materials loaded on the corresponding loaded pallet. Usually, since the printing process indicated by t5 to t8 in FIG. 3 is performed a plurality of times a day, the count data overlaps. Also, when the first number management machine 12 is reset for each loaded pallet, the count data is duplicated by the number of loaded pallets. However, as shown in FIG. 4, if the printing end time is known, it is possible to instantly understand which printing process or stack pallet inspection history. Also, if the print end time is printed, the print order can be determined from the print end time even if the printed inspection history is changed, so there is no possibility of mistaking the stacked pallets. The same applies when the print start time is used instead of the print end time.

  The operator confirms the degree of defective printing of the defective product from the image data of the inspection history, identifies the position of the defective product from the count data, actually extracts it, and visually confirms the defective printing. In a sheet discharge type printing machine, a tape may be sandwiched between printed materials in units of a predetermined number such as 100 sheets or 200 sheets. If such a tape is used as a mark, the printed material can be easily counted and defective products are obtained. Is easier to extract.

  Defective products that have been visually confirmed to be defective are excluded, but in the present invention, the printed matter is not marked. Therefore, if it is determined by visual observation that it does not correspond to a defective printing and it is an overdetection, it is a non-defective product. Can be returned as.

  In the above description, the printing machine 1 including the first counting device 11 that counts the printed matter 14 is inspected by the inspection device 20 that does not have the first counting device 11. The method can also be applied to a printing machine that does not have the first counting device 11 by providing the inspection device 20 with the first counting device 11. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, in the second embodiment of the inspection apparatus of the present invention, the inspection apparatus 20 includes a first counting device 11 that counts the printed matter discharged from the printing machine 1 onto the stacked pallet. 2 is the same as the inspection apparatus 20 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 and is exactly the same as the first counting apparatus 11, the first counting apparatus 11, and the first number management machine 12. It is. The inspection apparatus 20 of this example can also be applied to the printing press 1 provided with the first count device 11, and in this case, the second number management of the second count device 21 of the inspection apparatus 20. The machine 22 is configured to be synchronized with the first number management machine 12 attached to the first counting device 11 of the printing machine 1, and the first number to be synchronized with the second number management machine 22 is configured. As a management machine, a switching means for selecting one of the first quantity management machine 12 of the printing press 1 and the first quantity management machine 12 of the inspection apparatus 20 may be provided.

  In the above-described embodiment, the image data of the printed matter imaged by the imaging device 23 is sent to the second counting device 21, the count data and the image data are sent to the detecting device 24 after being counted by the second number management device 22, Although the configuration for determining a defective product has been shown, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. In the present invention, the detection device 24 is arranged between the imaging device 23 and the second counting device 21, and the image data of the printed matter imaged by the imaging device 23 is sent to the detection device 24 to determine the defective product. After that, the image data may be sent to the second counting device 21 to count and identify the image data, and the defective image data and count data may be sent to the storage device 25 as defective product data for storage. Alternatively, the second counting device 21 is provided in the detection device 24, the image data is counted and the defective product is simultaneously determined, and the defective image data and the count data are sent to the storage device 25 as defective product data. May be saved.

  1: Printing machine, 11, 21: Counting device, 12, 22: Number management machine, 13: Loading pallet, 14: Printed matter, 20: Inspection device, 23: Imaging device, 24: Detection device, 25: Storage device

Claims (6)

A method for inspecting printed matter in a sheet discharge printing press,
A first counting step of counting a printed matter printed by the printing machine with a first number management machine;
An imaging step of imaging a printed matter printed by the printing machine;
A second counting step of counting image data obtained by imaging the printed matter with a second number management machine linked to the first number management machine;
Based on the image data, a detection step of detecting the presence or absence of a defective portion of the printed matter;
A storage step for storing both the image data and the count data counted in the second counting step for the printed matter of the defective product in which the defective portion is found in the inspection step,
An output step of outputting the count data and the image data of the defective product stored in the storage step after the printing is completed;
A method for inspecting a printed matter in a sheet discharge type printing machine.   The said printing machine has a means to generate | occur | produce the count pulse which has a pulse corresponding to the said printed matter, The pulse of the said count pulse is counted by the said 1st and 2nd number management machine. The inspection method of the printed matter in the sheet discharge type printing machine of description.   In the storing step, the print start time or the print end time of the printed matter continuously counted by the second number management machine is stored as print time data together with the defective product count data and image data, and in the output step 3. The method for inspecting printed matter in a sheet discharge type printing machine according to claim 1, wherein the printing time data is output together with the count data and image data. An inspection apparatus for printed matter in a sheet discharge type printing machine,
An imaging device for imaging a printed matter printed by the printing press;
The image data of the printed matter imaged by the imaging device is counted by a second number management device that operates in conjunction with a first number management device that counts the printed matter in the first counting device provided in the printing machine or the inspection device. A second counting device that
Based on the image data, a detection device for detecting the presence or absence of a defective portion of the printed matter;
A storage device that stores both the image data and the count data counted by the second count device for a defective printed matter in which a defective portion is found in the detection device;
An inspection apparatus for printed matter in a sheet discharge type printing machine.   The said printing machine has a means to generate | occur | produce the count pulse which has a pulse corresponding to the said printed matter, The pulse of the said count pulse is counted by the said 1st and 2nd number management machine. The printed matter inspection apparatus in the sheet discharge type printing machine as described.   6. The sheet discharge according to claim 4, wherein the storage device stores a print start time or a print end time of the printed matter continuously counted by the second number management machine as print time data. Inspection device for printed matter in a printing press.

Images