JPH07215559A - Sorting method for print plate - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To efficiently perform printing work in printing process by detecting by which exposure, device a print plate completed in its developing process is image recorded and sending the print plate to a collection device provided opposed to the oppropriate exposure device according to the detection results. CONSTITUTION:When a plate detection sensor detects loading of PS plate 20 sent from a pattern area rate measuring device 26 onto a pallet 54, the sensor reads according to a controller by which composing plate the PS plate 20 is processed and selects according to the read information on which collection device 62 the PS plate 20 is collected. When the collection device 62 is selected, a drive device is driven so as to transfer the pallet 54 to the selected collection device 62 and the pallet 54 is made to stop at a position opposed to the applicable collection device 62. Afterward, a mortar 60 is driven so that the loaded PS plate 20 is sent to the turning shoot 66 of the collection device 62 by pairs of rollers 58.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of sorting printing plates when collecting printing plates imagewise exposed by an exposure device such as a plate making machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A printing plate (hereinafter referred to as "PS plate") such as a photosensitive planographic printing plate (for example, PS plate) used for newspaper printing is recorded on an original film by an exposing device such as a plate making machine. After image exposure is performed, development processing is performed and the images are temporarily stored in a stacking device such as a stocker. The PS plates accumulated in the stocker are carried to a printing process, mounted as a printing plate for printing on a plate cylinder of a rotary press, and used for producing a printed matter.

As a device for producing such a printing plate, a plurality of plate-making machines are provided, unexposed PS plates are sequentially supplied to each plate-making machine, and image-exposed PS plates are fed from the plate-making machine. Proposals have been made for an automatic platemaking system that takes out and immediately performs development processing. In such an automatic platemaking system, a PS plate is imagewise exposed using an original film on which an image is recorded, and a large number of printing plates can be automatically and continuously produced. The PS plates that have undergone image exposure in this way and have undergone development processing are sequentially accommodated in a stocker and collectively transported to the printing process.

On the other hand, when one color image is obtained as a printed matter, a Y (yellow) plate, a C (cyan) plate, and an M
An image of an original film, which is color-separated for each color of a (magenta) plate and, if necessary, a BK (sumi) plate, is exposed to create a printing plate, and these printing plates are overprinted. Therefore, to obtain one color image, three (Y, C, M) or four (Y, C, M and BK)
Plate) is required.

By the way, it is general that the images recorded on the original film of each color for obtaining one color image are imagewise exposed by the same plate-making machine, and the plates of the same rotary press are used. It is mounted on the body and used for printing.

However, when PS plates exposed by a large number of plate-making machines are accumulated in a single accumulator, PS plates image-exposed by one plate-making machine are image-exposed by another plate-making machine. The PS plates that have been created will be accumulated in a state where they have entered. For this reason, in the printing process, it is necessary to perform a sorting operation for extracting a necessary PS plate from the PS plates that are accumulated in pieces. At this time, the size of the PS plate varies depending on the breeding machine and the rotary press, and it may take time to find the PS plate on which the necessary image is recorded, which may delay the printing work. It is an obstacle. Further, when sorting the accumulated PS plates, it is necessary to check the images and the like recorded on each PS plate, which may damage the PS plates.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in consideration of the above facts, and an object thereof is to provide a method of sorting printing plates for efficiently performing a printing operation in a printing process. .

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing plate sorting method, wherein an unexposed printing plate is image-exposed by any one of a plurality of exposure devices, and the image-exposed printing plate is developed. When processing and sequentially accumulating in the accumulating device, an accumulating device accumulating the printing plates is provided in correspondence with the number of the exposing devices, and the printing plate after the developing process is recorded by any of the exposing devices. It is characterized in that whether or not the printing plate is determined is determined, and based on the result of the determination, the printing plate is sent to an accumulating device provided corresponding to the corresponding exposure device.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing plate sorting method, which comprises exposing an unexposed printing plate to an image with an exposure device.
When developing the image-exposed printing plates and sequentially stacking them on a stacking device, a stacking device for stacking the printing plates corresponding to the number of printing devices in the printing process using the printing plates is provided, It is possible to determine which of the printing devices the printing plate that has undergone the development processing is to be used, and to send the printing plate to the accumulating device provided corresponding to the printing device from the determination result. Characterize.

[0010]

In the method for sorting printing plates according to the first aspect of the present invention, a stacking device is prepared according to the number of plate-making machines,
It is determined by which intaglio printing machine the printing plate discharged after the developing process has been completed by the developing device has been baked, and sorting is performed according to the baking plate that has been subjected to the baking treatment. The printing plates sorted according to the plate making machine are sequentially accumulated in a collecting device provided for each plate making machine.

As a result, when the images recorded on the original film obtained by color-separating the color images into respective colors are printed by the same plate making machine, the printing plates on which the respective images are recorded are accumulated in the same accumulating device. It will be. This facilitates confirmation of the image recorded on the printing plate when printing a color image.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of sorting a printing plate, which comprises preparing an accumulating device in accordance with the number of printing machines used for producing a printed matter using the developed printing plate, and carrying out the development processing. Depending on which printing press the finished printing plate is to be used for, the printing plates are sorted by a stacking device corresponding to the printing press. As a result, only the printing plates used in the same printing machine are accumulated in each stacking device, and it is not necessary to sort the printing plates according to the printing machines when printing.

In order to sort the printing plates that have undergone the development processing by printing machine, the printing plates may be sorted according to the size of the printing plates, or the printing plates may be sorted according to the recorded image. You may sort.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows an automatic platemaking system 10 as an example of the platemaking system. In this automatic plate-making system 10, a plurality of (for example, four) plate-making machines 14 are arranged as image printing devices on one side of the rails 12 along the longitudinal direction of the rails 12 (one in FIG. 2). Only the part is shown).

The breeding machine 14 includes a Y (yellow) plate,
A manuscript film on which images separated into respective colors of C (cyan) plate, M (magenta) plate and BK (sumi) plate are recorded is loaded, and the image recorded on the manuscript film is printed on a printing plate (hereinafter referred to as “PS plate”). 20 "). In the breeding machine 14, when the manuscript film is mounted, the size of the PS plate 20 that exposes the image recorded on the manuscript film,
The type etc. is set, and PS version 2 will be described later.
The required type and size of the PS plate 20 are output to the 0 supply mechanism and requested.

A PS plate supplier 16 accommodating an unexposed PS plate 20 to be supplied to the plate-making machine 14 and a punch table 20 are arranged on the side opposite to the plate-making machine 14 with the rail 12 interposed therebetween. Adjacent to the punch table 20, a pan-out device 21, a bar-code sticking device 22, an automatic developing device 24, a pattern area ratio measuring device 26 for panning out the PS plate 20 that has been image-exposed by the plate-making machine 14 is printed. Are arranged.
A transport robot 28 that transfers the PS plate 20 between these devices is arranged on the rail 12.

The transfer robot 28 is adapted to move on the rail 12 by a moving mechanism (not shown). The transfer robot 28 has a suction frame 34 (which is covered with a cover 34A in FIG. 2) that sucks and holds the surface of the PS plate 20 at the tip of an arm portion 32 that is rotatably projected on a base 30. ) Is provided. Therefore, the transfer robot 28 can move the suction frame 34 to an arbitrary position and direct it in an arbitrary direction, and the PS plate 2
It is possible to hold and release the adsorption of 0.

The PS plate supplier 16 is provided on one end side of the rail 12 in the longitudinal direction, and a plurality of trays 36 are tilted at a predetermined angle on a bottom plate 36A thereof in a rectangular box-shaped casing 16A and are mutually connected. They are arranged so that they are parallel to each other. This PS version supplier 16
The inside of each of the trays 36 is shielded from light while the trays 36 are accommodated at predetermined positions. Further, the PS plates 20 are stacked and housed in the respective trays 36 at predetermined positions on the bottom plate 36A.

In this PS plate supplier 16, an arbitrary tray 36 can be pulled out from the casing 16A by means of a tray 36 moving means (not shown), whereby the PS plate 20 stacked on the tray 36 can be exposed. You can do it. The PS plate 20 can be taken out from the PS plate supplier 16 by pulling out the tray 36 from the inside of the casing 16A and sucking the exposed PS plate 20 by the suction frame 34 of the transport robot 28. At this time, the suction frame 34 sucks and takes out a predetermined position on the surface of the PS plate 20 which is set in advance regardless of the size of the PS plate 20.

The punch table 18 is arranged adjacent to the longitudinal direction side of the rail 12 of the PS plate supplier 16. The transfer robot 2 is mounted on the surface plate 38 on the upper surface of the punch table 18.
The unexposed PS plate 20 taken out from the PS plate supplier 16 by 8 is placed. In this punch table 18, the PS plate 20 is positioned at a predetermined position on the surface plate 38, and punch holes are formed as a reference when performing image exposure in the plate-making machine 14 and a reference in a printing process.

The PS plate 20 having punch holes formed on the punch table 18 is sucked and held by the transfer robot 28, taken out, and mounted on the exposure table of the plate-making machine 14.

On the other hand, in the burn-out device 21 provided adjacent to the punch table 18, the PS plate 20 after image exposure by the plate-making machine 14 is taken out by the transfer robot 28 on the surface plate 42 on the upper surface. Are transported and placed.

The burn-out device 21 includes rails 12
A long light source unit 43 is provided above the surface plate 42 at the opposite end. A light source (not shown) is provided in the light source unit 43, and a light-shielding curtain 43A is suspended at the end on the rail 12 side and the end on the side opposite to the rail 12.
Further, on the upper surface of the surface plate 42, a pusher capable of moving the mounted PS plate 20 to a predetermined position along a direction from the rail 12 to the light source section 43 and along a direction orthogonal to this direction, is mounted. A turntable (both not shown) for rotating the placed PS plate 20 is provided.

For this reason, in the burn-out device 21, when the PS plate 20 placed on the surface plate 42 is a positive type, the non-image portions on the four peripheral edges of the PS plate 20 are moved to the lower side of the light source unit 43 by the pushers. The non-image portion is exposed so that the image portion is not exposed by the light shielding curtain 43A. When the exposure along one side of the PS plate 20 is completed, the PS plate 20 is moved to 90 by the turntable.
The ink is not adhered to the non-image portion of the PS plate 20 at the time of printing by rotating (rotating, for example, in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 6) all four edges of the PS plate 20 (shaded portions shown in FIG. 6) to expose. The so-called burnout is performed.

After that, in the burn-out device 21, when the burn-out of the PS plate 20 is completed, the bar-code sticking device 2 provided adjacently by a pusher (not shown).
It is sent onto the surface plate 44 of No. 2. The burn-out device 21
When the PS plate 20 is sent from the barcode sticking device 22 to the barcode pasting device 22, the PS robot 20 may be transported by the transport robot 28.

In the barcode sticking device 22, a barcode labeler 45 is arranged at one end on the surface plate 44.
In the barcode sticking device 22, when the predetermined position of the peripheral portion of the PS plate 20 is positioned at a position facing the barcode labeler 45, the barcode labeler 45
A bar code table 46 (see FIG. 6) is attached to a predetermined position of the non-image portion of the photosensitive surface (the surface on which the image is recorded) of the PS plate 20. When the bar code sticking device 22 sticks the bar code table 46 to the PS plate 20, the bar code sticking device 22 adjoins the automatic developing machine 24.
The PS plate 20 is sent to. In this bar code table 46,
The ID of the PS plate 20, the color of which image of which image is recorded, the information about the image exposing machine 14 and the information about the printing machine used in the printing process are coded and displayed.

In the automatic developing device 24, the PS plate 20 fed from the bar code sticking device 22 is subjected to development, desensitization treatment and drying treatment while being conveyed, and then discharged to the pattern area ratio measuring device 26.

In the pattern area ratio measuring device 26, the image area of the PS plate 20 on which the development processing has been completed is divided into a plurality of areas,
The amount of ink required for printing is calculated from the image area in each region, and the amount of ink is ejected from the pattern area ratio measuring device 26. In addition, in this pattern area ratio measuring device 26, the PS plate 2
The bar code recorded in the bar code table 46 attached to No. 0 is read, and the calculated necessary ink amount and the like are recorded in a magnetic card or the like not shown together with the content recorded in this bar code. There is. This magnetic card is carried to the printing process together with the PS plate 20, and when the printing operation is performed using the corresponding PS plate 20, the PS plate 2 is transferred to the printing machine.
It is used when reading information about an image recorded in 0. Note that instead of using a recording medium such as a magnetic card, online, the pattern area ratio measuring device 26
Data may be sent by connecting the printer to the printing machine in the printing process.

A control device 40 is provided on one end side of the rail 12. The controller 40 includes a PS plate supplier 16, a punch table 18, a burn-out device 21,
The barcode pasting device 22 and the transfer robot 28 are connected to each other, and the operation of each device is controlled by the control device 40. Further, four control plates 40 are connected to the control device 40, and the PS plate 20 is connected to the control device 40 prior to the exposure operation.
It is required to supply the PS plate 20 together with the size and type of
When the exposure work on the PS plate 20 is completed, a request for discharging the PS plate 20 is made.

As shown in FIG. 1, an integrated system 50 according to the present invention is provided on the downstream side of the pattern area ratio measuring machine 26. The integrated system 50 described below
Shows an example to which the present invention is applied, and does not limit the configuration of the present invention.

The integrated system 50 is a pattern area ratio measuring device 2
A pair of rails 52 is disposed adjacent to the rail 6, and a pallet 54 is stretched over the pair of rails 52. The rail 52 is provided so that the longitudinal direction thereof is orthogonal to the discharge direction of the PS plate 20 from the pattern area ratio measuring device 26. The pallet 54 is movable on the pair of rails 52 along the longitudinal direction of the rails 52.
The PS plate 20 is discharged from the pattern area ratio measuring device 26 onto the pallet 54.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a large number of rollers 56 are provided on the upper surface of the pallet 54, and a roller pair 58 is provided at the end opposite to the pattern area ratio measuring device 38. . The PS plate 20 sent from the pattern area ratio measuring device 38 smoothly moves along the upper surface of the pallet 54 by these rollers 56, and stops with the leading end in the sending direction entering between the roller pair 58. Pallet 54
Placed on top.

In the roller pair 58 on the pallet 54, when the lower roller is rotated by the drive of the motor 60 (see FIG. 4), the upper roller which is in contact with the lower roller follows and rotates, and is sandwiched by the upper and lower rollers. The PS plate 20 is sent out from the pallet 54.

The integrated system 50 is provided with a plurality of integrated devices 62 on the opposite side of the pattern area ratio measuring machine 38 along the longitudinal direction of the rail 52. This stacking system 50 includes stacking devices 62 for the number of the plate-making machines 14 of the automatic plate-making system 10, and in this embodiment, 4 is provided.
4 accumulation devices 62 (62A-
62D).

When the PS plate 20 is placed on the pallet 54,
One of the integrated devices 6 is driven by the driving device 64 (see FIG. 4).
It is adapted to move on the rail 52 to a position facing 2. As the drive device 64, it is possible to apply a drive device that is movable to an accurate position by engaging a rack gear provided between a pair of rails 52 with a pinion gear that is rotationally driven by a pulse motor. Alternatively, it may be moved by driving a rodless cylinder or the like.

As shown in FIG. 3, the stacking device 62 is provided with a substantially plate-shaped turning chute 66 which is inclined at a predetermined angle and whose upper end is adjacent to the roller pair 58 of the pallet 54. A lower end of the rotating chute 66 is rotatably connected to and supported by a bracket 70 that is erected from a base plate 68 via a shaft 72. The PS plate 20 delivered from the pallet 54 by the roller pair 58 is placed on the upper surface of the rotating chute 66. A stopper 67 is provided at the lower end of the rotating chute 66,
The front end of the PS plate 20 sliding down on the rotating chute 66 comes into contact with the stopper 67 and stops.

A rotating device 74 is provided on the base plate 68. The rotating device 74 includes a motor 76 attached to the base plate 68, the motor 76 and the rotating chute 6.
6 and a link mechanism 78 that connects the intermediate portions in the vertical direction. Therefore, when the link mechanism 78 is driven by the operation of the motor 76, the rotation chute 66 makes one reciprocating rotation. One reciprocating rotation of the rotating chute 66
In the direction in which the upper end of the rotating chute 66 approaches the pallet 54 and moves away from the shaft 72 (the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3), the surface on which the PS plate 20 is placed is directed downward. When it is turned to the position (shown by the broken line in FIG. 3) directed to, the upper end returns to the original position adjacent to the pallet 54.

A stocker 80 is connected to a base plate 68 of the stacking device 62. The stocker 80 has a plurality of casters 84 attached to a lower side of a pedestal 82, and can be freely moved on the floor surface when the connection with the base plate 68 is released. Also, the pedestal 82
At the bottom, a back plate 86 whose lower end is inclined so as to approach the base plate 68 is erected, and a bottom plate 88 is provided at a lower portion of the back plate 86 at a substantially right angle toward the turning chute 66 side. It is protruding.

Therefore, the rotating chute 66 is attached to the PS plate 20.
When the sheet is placed and rotated, the end portion which is in contact with the stopper 67 is disengaged from the stopper 67 and is brought into contact with the bottom plate 88 of the stocker 80, and the PS plate 20 is attached to the stocker 80.
It falls to the side and leans against the back plate 86. by this,
The PS plate 20 is transferred from the rotating chute 66 to the stocker 80.

A plate detector 90 for detecting the PS plate 20 sent from the pallet 54 is provided at the lower end of the rotating chute 66, and the plate detector 90 operates to rotate the chute 66. When it is detected that the PS plate 20 has been placed, the motor 76 described above is activated and the PS plate 20 is placed on the stocker 80 again. Also,
A large number of rubber rollers, for example, are arranged on the surface of the rotating chute 66 that comes into contact with the PS plate 20, so that the surface of the PS plate 20 delivered from the pallet 54 can be smoothly slid off without being damaged.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic block diagram of the integrated system 50. The controller 92 of the stacking system 50 is connected to the control device 40 of the automatic plate-making system 10, and P discharged from the pattern area ratio measuring machine 26.
Information such as by which incubator 14 the S plate 20 was imagewise exposed is sent. Further, the controller 92 includes a motor 60 for the pallet 54, a drive device 64, and a plate detection sensor 94 (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 3) that detects whether or not the PS plate 20 is placed on the pallet 54. ) Is connected. The plate detection sensor 94 may detect the PS plate 20 by mechanical contact such as a micro switch, or may be a non-contact detection mechanism such as a photoelectric type.

Therefore, when the controller 92 detects that the PS plate 20 is placed by the plate detection sensor 94, the PS plate 20 is detected from the information about the PS plate 20 sent from the control device 40 of the automatic breeding system 10. 20 is selected in which stacking device 62 is to be stacked, and then the pallet 54 is moved to a position facing the stacking device 62 selected by the driving device 64, so that the PS plate 20 is stacked in the selected stacking device 62. It is designed to be accumulated in the stocker 80.

The controller 92 includes the integrated device 6
2A to 62D are connected to each integrated device 6
It is possible to confirm whether or not the stocker 80 is connected to 2. When the stocker 80 is not connected to the selected stacking device 62, the stacking device 6
2 stops the feeding of the PS plate 20 to the PS plate 2 and waits,
The processing standby of 0 may be notified by a request or an alarm.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. First, in the automatic platemaking system 10 of the present embodiment, PS is set in the platemaking machine 14.
A document film for image exposure is mounted on the plate 20, and data such as the type, size, and number of PS plates 20 for image exposure are input. The plate making machine 14 makes a request for the type and size of the PS plate 20 and the plate feeding request to the control device 40 from these data.

When there is a plate feeding request from the plate making machine 14, the control device 40 pulls out the tray 36 containing the requested PS plate 20 and causes the transport robot 28 to feed the tray 3.
The PS plate 20 is taken out from 6, and the surface plate 38 of the punch table 18
Put it on top. In the punch table 18, the PS plate 2 on the surface plate 38
After positioning 0 according to its size, punch holes are drilled at predetermined positions. PS plate 2 with punch holes
0 is taken out from the surface plate 38 by the transfer robot 28 and supplied to the plate-making machine 14.

It should be noted that the PS plate supplier 16 has a PS plate 2 of a size and type required in advance for each tray 36.
0 is stored in the PS plate 2 as the platemaking work progresses.
The PS plate 20 is sequentially replenished to the tray 36 in which the remaining amount of 0 is insufficient. To replenish the PS plate 20, the tray 36 to be replenished is pulled out, and the PS plate 20 is stacked at a predetermined position on the inclined bottom plate 36A of the tray 36. At this time, since the bottom plate 36A is tilted, it is not necessary to lift the entire PS plate 20 high, and the PS plate 20 can be extremely lightly worked.
Can be replenished.

In the breeding machine 14, the supplied unexposed PS
When the image recorded on the original film at a predetermined position on the plate 20 is exposed, the controller 40 is requested to eject the PS plate 20. In the control device 40, when the exposure is completed in the plate making machine 14 and the discharge request of the PS plate 20 is input, the PS plate 20 is taken out from the plate making machine 14 by the transfer robot 28,
The information is placed on the surface plate 42 of the burn-out device 21 and the information for creating the barcode table 46 is output to the barcode attaching device 22.

When the PS plate 20 placed on the surface plate 42 of the burn-out device 21 is a positive type, the PS plate 20 is rotated by a pusher (not shown) and a turntable, and the non-image portion of the peripheral portion is successively exposed. It is burnt out. After this, the PS plate 20 is sent to the bar code sticking device 22, and when the bar code table 46 is stuck to a predetermined position on the peripheral edge, it is sent to the automatic developing machine 24.

In the automatic developing machine 24, the PS plate 20 is subjected to development processing, desensitization processing and the like while being conveyed, and then dried, and the PS plate 20 is sent to the pattern area ratio measuring machine 26.
The pattern area ratio measuring device 26 measures the area of the image portion of the PS plate 20 to calculate the amount of ink required for printing, and the information recorded in the bar code table 46 attached to the PS plate 20. Read, record them on a magnetic card and send them to integrated system 50.

Next, the operation of the integrated system 50 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First Step 10 of this Flowchart
At 0, the plate detection sensor 94 detects whether or not the PS plate 20 sent from the pattern area ratio measuring machine 26 is placed on the pallet 54. Here, when it is detected that the PS plate 20 is placed, in the next step 102, the PS plate 20 is placed.
It is read from the control device 40 which of the incubators 14 has been processed by the control device 40, and next, based on the information read from the control device 40, it is selected in which stacking device 62 the PS plate 20 is to be stacked (step 104).

When the accumulating device 62 for accumulating the PS plate 20 is determined, the driving device 64 is then driven to move the pallet 54 to the selected accumulating device 62 (step 10).
6) Stop the pallet 54 at a position facing the corresponding stacking device 62. After that, in step 108, the motor 60 is driven and the roller P is placed by the roller pair 58.
The S plate 20 is sent to the rotating chute 66 of the stacking device 62 (step 108).

When it is confirmed by the plate detection sensor 94 that the PS plate 20 has been sent from the pallet 54 to the stacking device 62 (step 110), the driving device 64 is driven to face the pallet 54 to the pattern area ratio measuring machine 26. (Step 112), and waits at the position where the next PS plate 20 is sent out. In step 110, not only the plate detection sensor 94 but also the detector 90 provided in the stacking device 62 may detect whether the PS plate 20 is placed on the rotating chute 66. Also, step 1
At 14, it is confirmed whether or not the operation of the automatic plate transfer system 10 is completed, and when the operation of the automatic plate transfer system 10 is completed, the operation of the stacking device 50 is stopped.

In this way, the PS plates 20 processed by the automatic plate-making system 10 are sequentially accumulated in the selected accumulating devices 62, so that the stocker 80 of each accumulating device 62 has the same plate-making machine 14. The imagewise exposed PS plates 20 are accumulated. For this reason, if the PS plates 20 are conveyed to the next printing process by distinguishing them in the state where they are accumulated in the respective stockers 80, the sorting work of the PS plates 20 in the printing process becomes unnecessary and the printing work can be carried out smoothly. . Further, since the worker does not manually sort the PS plates 20, the PS plates 20 are not damaged before being used for printing, and it is possible to create a printed matter of high quality.

The present embodiment shows an example of the method of sorting the printing plates of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the printing device 14 is not provided with the accumulating device 62, but printing is performed. The integrated device 62 may be provided according to the number of printing machines used in the process.

In this case, when the manuscript film is loaded into the plate making machine 14, the identification code such as the number of the printing machine that performs the printing operation is input in addition to the size and type of the PS plate 20. The controller 90 of the integrated system 50 reads the identification number of this printing machine when sorting the exposed and developed PS plates 20, and the integrated device 6 corresponding to this identification number.
The PS plate 20 may be integrated into the second unit. As a result, it is not necessary to sort which PS plate 20 is used by which printing machine to perform printing work, and more efficient printing work can be performed.

Further, the breeding machine 14 or the printing machine which performs the same processing is divided into the grapes, and the PS plates 20 are grouped into groups.
It is also possible to sort.

The present embodiment shows an application example of the sorting method of the present invention, and does not limit the respective components such as the automatic platemaking system 10, the stacking system 50, and the stacking device 62. For example, although the pallet 54 is used to convey the PS plates 20 to be sorted to each stacking device 62, a belt conveyor or the like may be used. Further, a stock unit for temporarily holding the PS plates 20 to be accumulated may be provided, and the PS plates 20 to be accumulated in the respective accumulating devices 62 may be rearranged and accumulated in a preset order. As a result, it is possible to further improve the work efficiency in the printing process.

As the stacking device 62, a general stacking device used for stacking the PS plate 20 can be applied, and for example, the rotating chute 66 and the stocker 80 may not be separated.

It is sufficient that at least the number of stacking devices 62 corresponding to the number of exposure devices or printing machines is provided, and the number of exposure devices or printing machines need not be the same.

Further, it may be applied to an automatic plate-making system in which the automatic plate-making system 10 and the accumulation system 50 are integrally formed, which enables smooth automation of the plate-making work. Further, in the present embodiment, the automatic plate type system 10 in which the PS plate 20 is exposed as a printing plate is used, but not limited to the PS plate 20, OPC (Organic Photconductor) printing using an organic photoconductor for the photosensitive layer is also used. It can be applied when sorting and accumulating printing plates that have been processed by an automatic plate-making system that exposes other printing plates such as plates.

[0063]

As described above, according to the printing plate sorting method of the present invention, the printing plate that has undergone the development processing can be sorted according to the exposure device or the printing machine. This makes it easy to find the printing plate required when it is mounted on the machine, and it is possible to obtain the excellent effect that the printing operation can be carried out smoothly.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of an automatic sorting device to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of an automatic plate making device to which an automatic sorting device is connected.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view showing an integrated device of this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration of an automatic sorting device.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the automatic sorting device.

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of a PS plate applied to this example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Automatic plate-making system 14 Plate-making machine (exposure device) 20 PS plate (printing plate) 24 Automatic developing machine 50 Accumulating system 54 Pallet 62 Accumulating device 80 Stocker

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A stacking device that stacks the printing plates when the unexposed printing plates are image-exposed by any one of a plurality of exposure devices, and the image-exposed printing plates are developed and sequentially stacked in a stacking device. An apparatus is provided corresponding to the number of the exposure apparatuses, it is determined by which of the exposure apparatuses the image of the printing plate on which the development processing has been completed is recorded, and based on the determination result, the apparatus is provided corresponding to the exposure apparatus. A printing plate sorting method, characterized in that the printing plate is sent to the accumulated device. 2. The number of printing devices in a printing process using the printing plates when the unexposed printing plates are image-exposed by an exposure device, and the image-exposed printing plates are developed and sequentially accumulated in an accumulating device. An accumulating device for accumulating the printing plates corresponding to the above is provided, it is determined which of the printing devices the printing plate that has undergone the development processing is to be used, and the corresponding printing is performed based on this determination result. A method of sorting printing plates, characterized in that the printing plates are sent to a stacking device provided corresponding to the device.