JP3228558U - Automatic operation menu guide supported by color - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing machine which optimizes an operation guide for a printing machine operator, reduces downtime in the printing machine, and optimizes operation processing in the printing machine. A printing machine (1) includes a printing mechanism (2), a computer (6), and a display device (5). The printing mechanism (2) has an optical signal device (7) connected to the computer (6). Is connected to the display device 5. The printer 1 is configured so that the display device 5 expresses the operating state of the printing machine 1 in color matching the display of the operating state of the optical signal device 7 of the printing mechanism 2. [Selection diagram] Fig. 1

Description

The present invention relates to a printing machine including a printing mechanism, a calculator, and a display device. The printing mechanism has an optical signal device connected to the computer, and the computer is connected to the display device.

From Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-202378, a printing machine in which a lighting device is attached to a printing mechanism is known. The lighting device of the printing mechanism attempts to clearly indicate the state of the printing press to the operator, and the operator identifies the lighting device of the printing press even if the operator is a little away from the printing press. It is possible. Here, a lighting device is attached to the side wall of the printing mechanism of the printing machine, and the current operating state of the printing machine is detected via a plurality of sensors and transferred to the control computer. The control calculator itself controls, for example, the lighting device of the printing mechanism, which displays the amount of ink remaining in the printing mechanism, respectively. This display of the amount of ink is performed based on the information supplied by the sensor to the control computer of the printing press. The drawback of this printing press is that the display of information in the printing press is not related to other operating elements of the printing press, especially display devices such as displays.

From the German Patent Invention No. 10339571, a method for identifying an optimum procedure for job switching in a printing machine equipped with at least one control computer is further known. Here, the control computer compares the data of the first machine job with the data of the subsequent machine job, and uses this comparison to calculate the order of the work to be performed in order at the time of job switching. The operator is visually guided by this workflow based on the calculated workflow sequence to perform the job switch. This workflow is visually performed on a display device attached to the printing press.

An object of the present invention is to reduce the downtime in the printing press and optimize the operation processing in the printing press by optimizing the operation guide for the printing press operator.

This problem is solved by claim 1 according to the present invention. Advantageous embodiments of the present invention are obtained from the dependent claims, description and figures. The printing press may be an offset printing press, an inkjet printing press, or another printing press having at least any printing technique equipped with a printing apparatus such as a printing mechanism. The printing press needs to have at least a computer connected to a display device such as a display and an optical signal device in the printing mechanism of the printing press. This allows the computer to link and control the display process in the optical signal device and the display process in the display device. The present invention defines that the printing press is configured so that the computer expresses the operating state of the printing press in the display device by matching the color with the display of the operating state in the optical signal device of the printing mechanism. That is what you are doing. This means that the operating state of the printing press is the same or at least similar to the operating state of the optical signal device of each printing mechanism, even in a display device such as a display of a printing press. It is to be displayed in. As a result, the display of the operating state on the display and the display of the operating state on each printing mechanism are visually linked by displaying in color matching, thereby almost avoiding mistakes for the operator. Will be done. Optimally, the color display on the optical signal device and the color display on the display device are performed in exactly the same color tone, but a predetermined deviation of the color tone that does not lead to a mistake is sufficiently tolerated.

What is defined in the first embodiment of the present invention is that a plurality of operating states are simultaneously or alternately displayed in different colors by an optical signal device in a printing mechanism. Depending on the operating state of the printing press, one printing mechanism may involve or perform multiple actions. In order to be able to display these plurality of actions in one printing mechanism, it is conceivable to display the optical signal devices in different colors simultaneously or alternately. When displaying at the same time, this means that the optical signaling device is divided into two or more areas, and different colors associated with a particular operating state are displayed in each area. Is. For example, in one printing mechanism, the states "preparation by printing job switching" and "manual intervention required" can be displayed simultaneously in two different colors. Further, by changing the color at time intervals, it is possible to alternately display different colors in the optical signal device of the printing mechanism, and in particular, it is possible to change the color at high speed, that is, pulsation.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention specifies that the optical signaling device is a multicolor LED strip light. Modern multicolor LEDs have the great advantage that they are almost arbitrarily deformable, consume less energy and can form a wide color spectrum. This makes it possible to attach an almost arbitrarily molded optical signal device to the printing mechanism and illuminate it in almost any number of colors. Since one operating state is associated with each color, many operating states can be displayed in different colors almost arbitrarily. All that is important at this time is that the operator can visually distinguish the colors of the different operating states so that no mistakes occur. The LEDs can also be arranged side by side or vertically side by side as an array with multiple LEDs and a predetermined width and length in a multicolor signaling device, thereby displaying an arrow or another symbol. It can be displayed in color.

As defined in one evolution or alternative embodiment of the invention is that a user interface with at least one mask is displayed on the display device, where time is in one area of the mask. A line is provided, and the time line displays the print jobs in the print job queue associated with the printing machine in chronological order. The display device can be implemented in the control panel of the printing press as a pure display device, especially as a large wall screen, but may be a separate touch screen, which is the operator of the printing press. Receives the user interface with input. The user interface may operate on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets to enable mobile use. The user interface is therefore available as a display that allows direct input or is controlled via another input device such as a mouse or keyboard. In this case, a time line is continuously provided in the mask area in the user interface of the display device, and the print jobs in the print job queue associated with the printing machine are displayed in chronological order by this time line. To. This allows the press operator to always see which print jobs have been processed, which print jobs are still waiting in line, and which print jobs have already been processed. The print job queue is preferably displayed in the same color used by the printing mechanism to signal the operating state "main printing operation". This feature of the present invention can be combined with colored signal elements and adjusted coloring of the user interface, however, this feature works without color adjustment.

As defined in another advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the user interface includes a mask having an area for displaying the nature of the print job being executed and the nature of the next print job. Proposals for the process of switching jobs between a running print job and the next print job, which include manual intervention by the operator, are displayed by the computer in the user interface. .. Whenever print job switching is waiting in line, a mask is inserted into the user interface in a timely manner. This mask contains areas where properties such as plates, printing inks, substrates, and client names for the print job that is still running and the next print job are inserted, which allows the operator to perform. You can directly see what changes when you switch print jobs between the print job inside and the next print job. In addition, the mask presents a proposal that includes manual intervention by the operator to handle the print job switch between the running print job and the next print job. In order for the press operator to correctly perform the required manual intervention, the operator will also see the corresponding suggestions for handling the print job switch on the display by the press calculator. This allows the operator to be optimally prepared for imminent manual intervention. In this case, additionally, the user interface of the display device and the optical signal device in each printing mechanism can signal this manual intervention by the corresponding same color.

Further favorably defined is that at the start of job switching, another mask indicating the preparatory process being performed on the printing press is displayed on the display by the computer and by the optical signal device in the printing mechanism of the printing press. , The corresponding preparatory process is to be displayed in the matched color. In this embodiment, at the start of job switching, the mask is changed by displaying another mask that displays the preparation process being executed on the printing press. Again, the corresponding preparatory process is color coordinated with each other in the user interface and the optical signaling device of the printing mechanism. Advantageously, the mask displays only the next preparatory process waiting in line at the corresponding printing mechanism, respectively, and is signaled with the adapted color at the printing machine's associated printing mechanism. This allows the printer to be optimally guided, to work only on the preparatory process, and to know at which printing mechanism this preparatory process should be performed.

Another embodiment of the present invention specifies that the manual preparatory process is displayed on the display device and the optical signal device of the printing mechanism in a color different from that of the automatic preparatory process. In this embodiment of the present invention, the colors differ between the manual preparation process and the automatic preparation process. This tells the operator, firstly, in which printing mechanism he must perform the manual preparatory process, and secondly, if he is at another printing mechanism, by a different color. The operator is instructed that the preparatory process is also performed in this other printing mechanism, but this operator does not have to manually intervene in this other printing mechanism.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a mask for displaying an area for displaying the ink amount and the color measurement result is specified during the adjustment phase from the start of production of the print job after the print job is switched. , Displayed on the user interface by the computer. During the adjustment phase up to the start of manufacturing of the print job, another mask is displayed in the user interface to display important information during this adjustment phase to best guide the operator. The mask specifically includes an area for displaying ink metering and color measurement results. Since the printing press is not in a stable state during the adjustment phase until the start of production of the print job, the production of printed matter is monitored by, for example, an image inspection device or a color measuring device that transmits the corresponding color measurement result to the computer of the printing press. Must. The color measurement result is then displayed on the mask during the adjustment phase, which allows the printer to determine if the color measurement result is within the desired range. Equally advantageous is especially when displaying the ink metering to the operator in a zoned ink system in an offset printing machine, which gives the operator a mask in the user interface and an individual in the printing mechanism. The opening of the ink zone is always visible. As a result, the color measurement result and the opening degree of the ink metering element in the printing machine can be directly arranged on the same mask, and the overall outlook for the operator is significantly improved.

Further preferably, in the manufacture of a running print job, a mask that includes color measurements and displays the opening degree of the ink metering element in the printing mechanism of the printing press is provided by the computer on the display device. It is to be displayed in the user interface. In order to completely separate the adjustment phase up to the start of production from the production in progress, it is preferably used only for the production in progress and again the corresponding color measurements and ink metering in the printing press's printing mechanism. Another mask displaying the opening of the element is displayed in the user interface. This allows the operator to immediately know that he or she is in the running manufacturing state of the print job and is currently monitoring the print quality of the running print job.

Another embodiment of the present invention defines a deviation in print quality between a printed matter and a printed manuscript based on the measured values specified by the measuring device during the manufacture of the print job. In addition, a mask that proposes a change in the setting of the printing machine as an auxiliary means is displayed on the user interface of the display device by the computer. In this case, during the production of the print job, a target / actual value comparison between the digital data of the printed manuscript and the measured value specified by the measuring device is performed and the corresponding deviation is displayed on the mask. If deviations are not tolerated, the mask will indicate how deviations from the printed manuscript can be minimized by changing the press settings. This allows the press to see in front of himself both the measurements and suggestions for changing settings when deviations are not tolerated, on the same mask during the manufacture of the print job. Suggestions for changing the settings of the printing press can also be made in the same mask or different masks in the user interface.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on the three figures.

It is a figure which shows the offset sheet paper printing machine which has a plurality of printing mechanisms equipped with an optical signal device, a computer, and a display device in a printing machine. It is a figure which shows the operation mask of the user interface in the display device of a printing machine after the print job switching is started. It is a figure which shows the mask of the user interface in the adjustment phase until the production of a print job is started.

In FIG. 1, a sheet-fed paper offset printing machine 1 is illustrated as an example, and the sheet-fed paper offset printing machine 1 includes six printing mechanisms 2, a paper feeding unit 3, and a paper ejection unit 4. , And an operation section 5. An operating section 5 having a display device in the form of a display can be used to control the entire printing press or multiple parts of the printing press. In addition, it is possible to provide a large display such as a wall screen not shown in FIG. The operation section 5 is connected to a control computer 6 that controls the printing press 1. The control computer 6 controls both the printing mechanism 2, the paper feeding unit 3, and the paper discharging unit 4. An LED light emitting stripe 7 capable of shining in various different colors is attached to each printing mechanism 2. The LED light emitting stripe 7 is also connected to the control computer 6 in the same manner, whereby the control computer 6 can drive and control the color of the LED light emitting stripe 7 accordingly. The light emitting stripe 7 displays different colors depending on the operating state of the related printing mechanism 2. For example, the main printing operation is displayed in blue, while the automatic preparation process is displayed in green. If manual intervention by the operator is required in the printing mechanism 2, the associated LED light emitting stripe 7 glows yellow. The display in operation section 5 shows the corresponding machine status in the same color as the LED light emitting stripe 7 of the associated printing mechanism 2. This allows the operator to clearly visually associate the display of the printing mechanism 2 with the display in the operation section 5 in color. When the printing mechanism 2 attempts to display a plurality of operating states, the LED light emitting stripes 7 alternately display different colors one after the other, or correspond to different states of the printing press 1 in at least two areas. It is possible to drive and control the LED light emitting stripe 7 so as to display different colors at the same time. As a result, the printing mechanism 2 can simultaneously display a plurality of operating states using one LED light emitting stripe 7.

2 and 3 show a user interface 8 displayed in operation section 5. The printing press 1 is controlled using the user interface 8. For this reason, relevant process instructions for the current machine state are always displayed to the operator in the user interface 8. The system guides the operator and automatically suggests the next steps required. In order for the operator not to lose the overall view, a corresponding mask is displayed in the user interface 8 for each process in the press 1, which allows the operator to now in the press 1 , You always know which process is involved. In cooperation with the LED light emitting stripe 7 in the printing mechanism 2, the current operating state of the printing machine 1 is made visible to all personnel involved in the printing process, for example, a printer, an assistant worker, a print manager, and the like. Will be done. Further, the user interface 8 is provided with an area 13 having a print job queue, and the area 13 continuously displays the print jobs waiting in line in a time line in chronological order. .. As a result, the operator of the printing press 1 always knows which print job has been processed, which print job must still be processed, and which print job is currently processed in the printing press 1. Understand. The mask displayed to the operator according to each process in the printing machine 1 cannot be operated by itself, and is used only for the operator's information. Adjustments in the printing press 1 are made by the operator only through the corresponding operation menu in operation section 5, which is separate from the mask.

In FIG. 2, a mask in the user interface 8 is drawn, and this mask is automatically displayed when the print job switching is started. What can be identified here is that the print job queue 13 is always displayed in the area under the mask, which gives the operator an overall view of the print jobs waiting in line on the press 1. Always keep it. Further, an area 11 is provided, and the area 11 displays the properties and data of the print job before the print job is switched, whereas the area 12 displays the properties and data of the print job after the print job is switched. Is displayed. As a result, the operator knows which setting of the printing press 1 must be changed in order to be able to execute the print job switching. Further, the mask is provided with a region 10, which indicates the process that proceeds in the printing mechanism 2 during printing job switching. Here, the processes proceeding in the printing mechanism 2 are displayed on the mask in the same color as signaled by the LED light emitting stripe 7 in each printing mechanism 2. Above this area, the printing press 1 is drawn in the area 9, which marks the printing press 1 with colors in a plurality of printing mechanisms in the display device 5 when switching print jobs. An additional association is provided between the plurality of processes and each printing mechanism 2 in the printing press 1. Here, the preparatory process being executed in the printing mechanism 2 is displayed in green, whereas in the case of manual intervention, each printing mechanism and each process are colored in yellow.

In FIG. 3, another mask displayed in the user interface 8 during the adjustment phase until the start of the next print job is drawn. This mask, also called a so-called fine adjustment preparation mask, is composed of two states, and when the first printing mechanism 2 is switched to printing, it is started together with the first printing mechanism 2. The first state includes starting the printing press 1 up to the first measurement of the manufactured print by the color measuring device, and a preview image 14 of the print job is displayed in the ink zone profile of the printing press 1. , Print switching, machine settings, and their respective ink registers are displayed. The second state is displayed from the first measurement to the start of the OK sheet. Next, the ink zone display is replaced with the measurement result. The rest of the display remains the same. When operating the printing press 1 without the color measuring device, the mask remains in the first state.

Immediately after the OK sheet is detected, the mask switches to the manufacturing state, and if a color measuring device is provided, print quality control is performed, where the measurement result is compared with the printed document and the mask is compared. Is displayed in.

The advantage of the concept with different masks is that in the operation section 5 and the operator's user interface 8, the operator always displays only the masks that are appropriate for each process on the press 1 and the operator can use multiple processes on the press 1. It is to be dynamically guided through. The operator does not face a flood of information, but only the information that fits the process that is currently underway on the press 1. As a result, the operation is intuitively configured, and erroneous operation by the operator is avoided. As a result, the down time of the printing machine 1 is reduced, and the manufacturing reliability is improved.

1 Printing machine 2 Printing mechanism 3 Paper feeding section 4 Paper ejection section 5 Operation section 6 Control computer 7 LED light emitting stripe 8 User interface 9 Area for machine 10 Area for process in printing mechanism 11 Area for printing job before switching 12 Printing Area for after job switching 13 Print job queue 14 Print preview

Claims (10)

A printing machine (1) provided with a printing mechanism (2), a computer (6), and a display device (5).
The printing mechanism (2) has an optical signal device (7) connected to the computer (6), and the computer (6) is connected to the display device (5). In 1)
By the computer (6), the expression of the operating state of the printing machine (1) in the display device (5) matches the color of the display of the operating state in the optical signal device (7) of the printing mechanism (2). The printing machine (1) is configured so as to be performed.
Printing machine (1). The optical signal device (7) in the printing mechanism (2) simultaneously or alternately displays a plurality of the operating states in different colors.
The printing machine (1) according to claim 1. The optical signal device (7) is a multicolor LED strip light.
The printing press (1) according to claim 1 or 2. The user interface (8) with at least one mask is displayed on the display device (5).
A time line (12) is provided in one area of the mask, and the print jobs in the print job queue associated with the printing machine (1) are arranged in chronological order by the time line (12). Characterized by being displayed,
The printing press (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The user interface (8) includes a mask having an area for displaying the nature of the print job being executed and the nature of the next print job.
A proposal for processing a job switch between the running print job and the next print job, which includes manual intervention by the operator, is provided by the computer (6) to the user interface (8). ) Is displayed,
The printing machine (1) according to claim 4. At the start of the job switching, another mask for displaying the preparation process being executed in the printing machine (1) is displayed on the display device (5) by the computer (6).
The optical signal device (7) in the printing mechanism (2) of the printing press (1) displays the corresponding preparatory process in a matched color.
The printing machine (1) according to claim 5. The manual preparation process is characterized in that it is displayed in a different color from the automatic preparation process on the display device (5) and the optical signal device (7) of the printing mechanism (2).
The printing machine (1) according to claim 6. During the adjustment phase from the start of production of the print job after switching the print job, in particular, the mask for displaying the area for displaying the ink amount and the color measurement result is displayed on the user interface (8) by the computer (6). Characterized by being
The printing press (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 7. In the production of the printing job being executed, the mask that includes the color measurement value and displays the opening degree of the ink metering element in the printing mechanism (2) of the printing machine (1) is described by the calculator (6). It is displayed on the user interface (8) of the display device (5).
The printing press (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 8. During the production of the print job, the deviation of the print quality between the printed matter and the printed original is displayed based on the measured value specified by the measuring device, and the change of the setting of the printing machine (1) is used as an auxiliary means. The proposed mask is displayed by the computer (6) on the user interface (8) of the display device (5).
The printing press (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 9.