METHOD FOR CLEANING A PRINTING FLUID OFF A SURFACE OF AT LEAST ONE ROTATABLE COMPONENT OF A PRINTING MACHINE

Abstract

A method for cleaning a printing fluid off a surface of at least one rotatable component of a printing press includes selecting and executing one of a plurality of predefined cleaning operations in an automated way. The selection is made on the basis of a predefined mathematical model executed on a computer and, when the model is executed, a parameter corresponding to an amount of the printing fluid present on the surface is calculated. The improved cleaning method may be applied in all modes of operation of the printing press and in particular allows detergent, cleaning cloth, and/or water to be saved.

Claims

1. A method for cleaning a printing fluid off a surface of at least one rotatable component of a printing press, the method comprising the following steps: automatically selecting and executing one of a plurality of predefined cleaning operations; making the selection on a basis of a predefined mathematical model executed on a computer; and calculating a parameter corresponding to an amount of the printing fluid being present on the surface when executing the model.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the parameter is a film thickness of the printing fluid.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the printing fluid is at least one printing ink or a dampening fluid.

4. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises using the mathematical model to factor in predefined transfer rates of the printing fluid between at least two rotatable components when calculating the parameter.

5. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises using the mathematical model to factor in predefined transfer rates of the printing fluid between a respective two of a plurality of rotatable components of a printing unit of the printing press when calculating the parameter.

6. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises using the mathematical model to factor in predefined transfer rates of the printing fluid between printing material and at least one rotatable component when calculating the parameter.

7. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises using the mathematical model to factor in predefined transfer rates of the printing fluid between a respective two of a plurality of rotatable components of several printing units of the printing press when calculating the parameter.

8. The method according to claim 7, which further comprises using the mathematical model to factor in a turning of printing material when calculating the parameter.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predefined cleaning operations differ from one another in terms of using different detergents.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predefined cleaning operations differ from one another in terms of duration.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0038] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a printing unit in a printing press illustrating a preferred exemplary embodiment of a method of the invention;

[0039] FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating another preferred exemplary embodiment of a method of the invention; and

[0040] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a further preferred exemplary embodiment of a method of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0041] Referring now in detail to the figures of the drawings, in which features that correspond to one another are indicated by the same reference numeral, and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is seen a schematic representation of a printing unit 2 in a printing press 1, in particular a lithographic offset printing press, including a roller-type inking unit 3 and a dampening unit 4. The printing press prints at least one printing ink 6a onto sheets 5, for instance made of paper, paperboard, cardboard, or a plastic film. A preferred embodiment of the method of the invention may be executed in the illustrated printing press.

[0042] The printing press 1 includes a plurality of rotatable components 7, for instance cylinders and/or rollers, and further components: an ink fountain 18, an ink fountain roller 19, a first inking roller group 20, a second inking roller group 21, a dampening fluid fountain 22, a dampening fluid roller 23 (dipping roller and/or metering roller), a dampening fluid applicator roller 24, a plate cylinder 25, a blanket cylinder 26, and an impression cylinder 27.

[0043] The method of the invention is used to clean surfaces 8 of at least one of such rotatable components 7. The surface may be a cylinder surface or a roller surface. Instead, it may also be the surface of a cover of the component capable of rotating, for instance a rubber blanket surface.

[0044] Cylinders and/or rollers may be combined to form groups 7a and 7b, for instance a first inking roller group 7a and/or a second inking roller group 7b, each of which may include several inking rollers. The grouping makes sense and simplifies the calculations of the model because the individual rollers of each group are always engaged with one another.

[0045] In the cleaning operation, a printing fluid such as the printing ink 6a or a dampening fluid 6b is removed from the surface 8, preferably by washing and in particular by washing with an aqueous detergent. In the cleaning operation, dirt 6c, in particular paper dust, may additionally be removed from the surface.

[0046] The printing press 1 includes a computer 10, for instance a control unit or controller. The computer is connected to at least one cleaning device 11 and controls the operation thereof, for instance when the cleaning device is switched on and off, how intense the executed cleaning operation is, how long it takes, how often detergent is sprayed, etc.

[0047] The cleaning device 11 may include multiple spraying tubes 12 and every spraying tube may be connected to a detergent container 13. The various detergent containers may contain different detergents 14, for instance detergents for conventional offset inks or for UV inks. The cleaning device may additionally include a cleaning cloth and/or a rotatable cleaning brush and/or a doctor blade. It is possible to provide several cleaning devices 11 inside the printing press 1 or the printing units 2 thereof.

[0048] A dynamic mathematical model (or simulation model) is stored on the computer 10 in digital form, for instance in the form of a computer program. The model preferably represents the transfer of fluid or fluids in the printing press 1 and/or the printing unit or printing units 2.

[0049] An arrow 16 in FIG. 1 represents the respective transfer of a fluid 16 such as printing ink, varnish, or dampening fluid, or even a mix of such fluids, between two rotatable components, for instance cylinders and rollers, or between the printing material and rotatable components: the simple-tip arrow indicates the transfer of printing ink and/or varnish, the black-tipped arrow indicates the transfer of dampening fluid, and the white-tipped arrow indicates the transfer of dirt/paper dust.

[0050] The transfer 16 occurs in a line of contact 17 between two respective rotatable components 7. The lines of contact are preferably switchable, i.e. at least one of the two components may be engaged with and disengaged from the other component. In a line of contact, the respective transfer 16 may occur in one of the two possible directions of transfer (from component a to component b or vice versa) or in both directions (from component a to component b and vice versa). For example: At the line of contact between the blanket cylinder 26 and the printing material 5, the configuration and orientation of the arrows indicates that printing ink and dirt are transferred from the printing material to the cylinder and printing ink and dampening fluid are transferred from the cylinder to the printing material. This analogously applies to all other arrows.

[0051] The mathematical model 15 preferably models the physical processes of fluid transfer, for instance by fluid splitting, on the basis of predefined formulas. In this context, the assumption may be made that in a line of contact 17, a fluid film is split in half (50% of the fluid remains on component a and 50% is transferred to component b).

[0052] The mathematical model 15 accesses transfer rates A (which are preferably available on the computer 10). Each one of these transfer rates A is dependent on a first rotatable component and a second rotatable component or from a rotatable component and a printing material and on the respective surface properties thereof (acceptance and release behavior). These transfer rates may preferably be available on the computer or in the model as respective percentages for every line of contact 17. The transfer of fluid (and of dirt) between two rotatable components 7 may be calculated in the model as follows: transfer=A*(film thickness on the first rotatable componentfilm thickness on the second rotatable component). This analogously applies to the transfer between printing material and a rotatable component. The first rotatable component is the starting point and the second rotatable component is the destination of the fluid transfer. The calculations may be made iteratively and may represent changing conditions (fluid film thicknesses). The calculations may also factor in cleaning operations that may cause local fluid film thicknesses on the cleaned component (and on potential further components engaged with the component in question) to drop to zero.

[0053] The following examples are intended to illustrate this transfer: [0054] transfer of printing ink from the first inking roller group 20 to the plate cylinder 25: A=5%; [0055] transfer of printing ink from the plate cylinder 25 to the blanket cylinder 26: A=50%; [0056] transfer of printing ink from the blanket cylinder 26 to sheet the 5: A=10%; [0057] transfer of dampening fluid from dampening fluid applicator roller 24 to the plate cylinder 25: A=50%; and [0058] transfer of dirt from the sheet 5 to the impression cylinder 27: A=30%.

[0059] The mathematical model 15 may furthermore factor in that one or more maximum values that indicate the maximum amount of printing ink, dampening fluid, and/or dirt that may be present on the surface of the rotatable component 7 are assigned to every rotatable component 7 (and are as such predefined and available on the computer 10).

[0060] Some examples: [0061] A value max_ink=5 (maximum ink value) and a value max_dampeningfluid=5 (maximum dampening fluid value) may be assigned to the plate cylinder 25; [0062] A value max_ink=40 may be assigned to the first inking roller group 20; and [0063] the values max_ink=1, max_dampeningfluid=1 and max_dirt=1 (maximum dirt/paper dust value) may be assigned to the sheet 5.

[0064] The mathematical model 15 has access to corresponding A values for every arrow 16 shown in FIG. 1. The available percentages may be determined in advance by taking measurements.

[0065] The mathematical model 15 allows the amount of fluid (printing ink, dampening fluid) and/or dirt to be calculated that is present on the surface 8 of every rotatable component 7 at a specific instant. This calculation may be made at any time or it may be continuously updated. For this purpose, the transfer of fluid/dirt is calculated in a computer-assisted way, i.e. the computer simulates the actual transfer. Thus, the mathematical model may be considered a simulation model.

[0066] The method of the invention allows one of several predefined cleaning operations to be selected and executed in an automated way on the basis of such a model/such a simulation. As mentioned above, for this purpose, the respective cleaning device 11 may include several spraying tubes 12 and several detergent containers 13. For instance, when the first inking roller group 20 is to be washed, the mathematical model 15 or rather a corresponding simulation of the printing machine 1 and the transfer of fluid/dirt thereof is used to make a computer-assisted calculation of the type of fluid/fluids and the amount of the fluid/fluids (e.g. film thicknesses) that are present on the surfaces 8 of the rollers in the group at the beginning of the cleaning process. Based thereon, a suitable detergent 14, for instance a detergent for conventional printing ink or for UV printing ink, the amount of detergent, and the duration of the washing operation as well as potential further cleaning parameters are selected.

[0067] The mathematical model 15 may factor in the history of the switching positions between the rotatable components 7 (and the printing material 5), thus being able to reproduce the current condition in a near-perfect way. For this purpose, the mathematical model 15 is provided with all information on switching operations between the rotatable components 7 (and the printing material 5), for instance with information on which components are engaged with which other components at what time and for how long (how many revolutions).

[0068] In this way, the mathematical model 15 may suggest an optimum predefined washing program. Alternatively, a predefined washing program may be optimally adapted in this way.

[0069] Cleaning devices 11 may, for instance, be provided on the following components: first inking roller group 20, second inking roller group 21, blanket cylinder 26, and/or impression cylinder 27.

[0070] The following is a description of a typical application: [0071] 1. Starting conditions: inking unit, dampening unit, blanket cylinder, impression cylinder have been washed; the ink fountain is empty. [0072] 2. The operator fills ink into the ink fountain. [0073] 3. The ink is fed in automatically. [0074] 4. Current conditions: ink is present in the ink fountain, in the inking unit, on the plate; the blanket is clean, the impression cylinder is clean. [0075] 5. The production run is started: sheets enter the press. [0076] 6. The plate cylinder and the blanket cylinder are engaged with one another. [0077] 7. Current conditions: ink is present in the ink fountain, in the inking unit, on the plate, on the blanket; the impression cylinder is clean. [0078] 8. The first sheet reaches the printing unit and receives a print. [0079] 9. Current conditions: ink is present in the ink fountain, in the inking unit, on the plate, on the blanket; the impression cylinder is dirty.

[0080] The input variables for the dynamic model are the current switching states of the printing unit components. Every step of such an application case may be simulated in the model.

[0081] FIG. 2 illustrates a further preferred embodiment of the invention for a printing press 1 with a screen roller inking unit 3 (anilox inking unit). (In contrast to FIG. 1,) the inking unit includes a blade-type ink fountain 28, a screen roller 29 and an ink applicator roller 30. In this embodiment, the mathematical model 15 is likewise capable of calculating/simulating the amount of fluid and/or dirt on a specific rotatable component 7, for instance on the ink applicator roller 30, at any given point based on the predefined transfer rates A and of automatically selecting and carrying out an optimal washing program for cleaning the component in question.

[0082] The invention may alternatively be used in varnishing units, inkjet printing units, and other sheet-guiding devices.

[0083] FIG. 3 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention for a printing machine 1 having multiple printing units 2. A sheet 5 having a top side 5a and a bottom side 5b is conveyed to a first printing unit 2, for instance by using cylinders. In the first printing unit, ink is printed onto the top side, causing this side to be the straight-printing side 5a. Then the sheet is conveyed to the second printing unit 2 and likewise receives a print on the straight-printing side 5a, preferably in a different color. Finally, the sheet 5 is conveyed onwards and turned, preferably by using a turning device 31. In the third printing unit, ink is printed onto the bottom side 5b, causing this side to be the perfecting side 5b.

[0084] This exemplary embodiment illustrates that the mathematical model 15 is even capable of factoring in the facts that fluid and/or dirt may be transferred from one printing unit 2 to another printing unit 2 through the substrate and that top and bottom sides may change in the process (when the turning mode is active). In this way, a first ink from a first printing unit 2 may get into a second printing unit 2 and mix with the ink of the second printing unit 2. In this process, it is even possible for UV ink and conventional ink to get mixed, for instance. For such cases in particular it is advantageous that the invention provides an automated selection of the optimum cleaning program using the optimum detergent.

[0085] The invention may also be used when sheets are conveyed without printing. In this context, a blanket cylinder 26 in a printing unit 2 is engaged with an impression cylinder 27 in a printing unit 2, yet the plate cylinder 25 is not engaged with the blanket cylinder 26. Sheets are transported but not printed on in the printing unit 2. Therefore, the blanket cylinder 26, or rather the surface or cover thereof, only receives printing fluid 6a, 6b from upstream printing units through the transported sheets. Thus, the printing fluid film on the blanket cylinder is thinner than when it is in engagement with the plate cylinder and an adapted cleaning program, for instance a shorter one, may automatically be selected. The adapted cleaning program may additionally select a cleaning agent that works best with the printing fluid from the upstream printing units.

[0086] The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention:

[0087] 1 printing press

[0088] 2 printing unit/printing units

[0089] 3 inking unit

[0090] 4 dampening unit

[0091] 5 sheets of printing material/printing material

[0092] 5a top side of the sheet/straight printing side

[0093] 5b bottom side of the sheet/perfecting side

[0094] 6a printing ink

[0095] 6b dampening fluid

[0096] 6c dirt/paper dust

[0097] 7 rotatable component/cylinder/roller

[0098] 8 surface

[0099] 10 computer

[0100] 11 cleaning devices

[0101] 12 spraying tubes

[0102] 13 detergent container

[0103] 14 detergent

[0104] 15 mathematical model

[0105] 16 transfer of fluid/dirt

[0106] 17 line of contact

[0107] 18 ink fountain

[0108] 19 ink fountain roller

[0109] 20 first inking roller group

[0110] 21 second inking roller group

[0111] 22 dampening fluid fountain

[0112] 23 dampening unit roller

[0113] 24 dampening fluid applicator roller

[0114] 25 plate cylinder

[0115] 26 blanket cylinder

[0116] 27 impression cylinder

[0117] 28 blade-type ink fountain

[0118] 29 anilox roller

[0119] 30 ink applicator roller

[0120] 31 turning device

[0121] A transfer rates