Method for checking the maintenance of register of printed images to be printed on two opposite sides of a printing material

Abstract

A method for checking the maintenance of register of printing images to be printed on two opposite sides of a printing material, in which the first side of the printing material is printed in a rotary printing press by a first printing unit cylinder, and in which the second side of the printing material, which lies opposite to first cite, is printed in the printing press by a second printing unit cylinder which interacts with the first printing unit cylinder. A printed image is printed by the first printing unit cylinder under the second printing unit cylinder. Afterwards, the printing material is printed in contact with the two interacting printing unit cylinders with the printing image, which is printed under the second printing unit cylinder, being printed onto the same side of the printing material together with an identical or a different printing image which is to be printed by the second printing unit cylinder during continuous printing of the rotary printing press. The printed images, which are printed together onto the same side of the printing material, are subsequently checked, with regard to their maintenance of register.

Claims

1. A method for checking the register accuracy of print images to be printed onto two opposite sides of a printing substrate (07), in which the first side of the printing substrate (07) is printed in a rotary printing machine by means of a first printing unit cylinder (02), and in which the second side of the printing substrate (07), opposite the first side, is printed in the printing process by means of a second printing unit cylinder (03) cooperating with the first printing unit cylinder (02), characterized in that a print image is printed by the first printing unit cylinder (02) onto the second printing unit cylinder (03), wherein the printing substrate (07) is then printed in contact with the two cooperating printing unit cylinders (02; 03), in that the print image printed onto the second printing unit cylinder (03) is printed, together with the same or a different print image, to be printed by the second printing unit cylinder (03) in the production printing phase of the rotary printing machine, onto the same side of the printing substrate (07), wherein these print images printed together on the same side of the printing substrate (07) are then checked with regard to their register accuracy.

2. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that it is carried out during the makeready phase of the rotary printing machine and/or in that it is used in security printing or in package printing.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a single sheet or a sequence of sheets or a printing substrate web is used as the printing substrate (07).

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a rotary printing machine that prints by an offset printing process is used.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the check for register accuracy of the print images to be printed onto opposite sides of the printing substrate (07) during the production printing phase of the rotary printing machine, but printed together on the same side of the printing substrate (07) for the purpose of checking their register accuracy, is carried out in that the relative positions of the print images printed on the same side of the printing substrate (07) are checked to determine whether they are in a prescribed relationship to one another.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that the relationship involving the relative position of the print images to be printed onto both sides of the printing substrate (07) consists in these print images being arranged congruently, or complementing one another to form a single geometric figure, or separated from one another in their respective positions at a fixed distance from one another.

7. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that in the case of a deviation of the predefined relationship from a setpoint value, the detected deviation is measured, and the measured value is used to calculate at least one correcting variable for adjusting the rotary printing machine.

8. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that the check for register accuracy is performed outside of the rotary printing machine on an inspection table.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least the second printing unit cylinder (03), onto which a print image has been transferred from the first printing unit cylinder (02), is washed prior to the production printing phase of the rotary printing machine and/or after each check for register accuracy.

10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the check for register accuracy, performed within the rotary printing machine or outside of the rotary printing machine on an inspection table, is carried out in either case by means of an optical system, wherein the optical system in either case has at least one detection device and one image processing device for analyzing the respective image of the relevant print image or the relevant print images captured by the detection device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) One exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the set of drawings and will be described in more detail in the following, in which further advantages associated with the exemplary embodiment will be apparent.

(2) Shown are:

(3) FIG. 1 a printing unit of a rotary printing machine without printing substrate;

(4) FIG. 2 the printing unit of FIG. 1 with a printing substrate;

(5) FIG. 3 a rotary printing machine using the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(6) FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 each show, by way of example, schematic and greatly simplified illustrations of a printing unit 01 of a rotary printing machine used, e.g. in security printing or package printing, e.g. a rotary printing machine for printing in an offset printing process, with printing unit 01 having two printing unit cylinders 02; 03 that cooperate, i.e. are thrown onto one another, during the printing process. Printing unit 01, which preferably is or at least can be operated remotely from a control console (not shown) associated with the rotary printing machine, at least has at least one inking unit (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) and optionally at least one dampening unit (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) for each of the two cooperating printing unit cylinders 02; 03. If the rotary printing machine is configured as an offset rotary printing machine, at least one forme cylinder (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) is assigned to each of the two cooperating printing unit cylinders 02; 03, which are in turn each embodied as a transfer cylinder or as a blanket cylinder. For each of the two cooperating printing unit cylinders 02; 03, a washing device 04; 06 is preferably also provided, which can be used to clean printing ink off of each of the printing unit cylinders 02; 03. Each of the printing unit cylinders 02; 03 can transfer at least one print image onto a printing substrate 07 (FIG. 2), and a plurality of print images can preferably be arranged one behind the other in the circumferential direction of each printing unit cylinder 02; 03. A plurality of print images can also be arranged side by side in the axial direction of each printing unit cylinder 02; 03. Each of the print images may be monochromatic or multi-colored. The direction of rotation of each printing unit cylinder 02; 03 is indicated in each of the figures by a directional arrow. The transport direction T provided for the transport of printing substrate 07 through printing unit 01 is likewise indicated by a directional arrow (FIG. 2). In the printing unit 01 shown in FIG. 2, e.g. in production printing on the rotary printing machine, the first side of printing substrate 07, e.g. the front side thereof, is printed by means of the first printing unit cylinder 02 and the second side of printing substrate 07, opposite the first side, e.g. the reverse side thereof, is printed in the printing process by means of the second printing unit cylinder 03 cooperating with the first printing unit cylinder 02. Printing unit 01 of the rotary printing machine is thus suitable for printing on opposite sides of printing substrate 07 simultaneously in recto and verso printing without turning said printing substrate 07, i.e. in a simultaneous printing process. To check the register accuracy of print images to be printed onto the two opposite sides of printing substrate 07 in production printing on the rotary printing machine, and thus to verify the correct setting of the rotary printing machine for the printing process, a method having the following method steps is proposed:

(7) Preferably during the makeready phase of the rotary printing machine, a print image is first printed by the first printing unit cylinder 02 onto the second printing unit cylinder 03, in that the first printing unit cylinder 02, inked with at least one printing ink, is placed in direct contact with the second printing unit cylinder 03, so that when the printing cylinders 02; 03 are thrown onto one another and rotated, e.g. said rotation being initiated from the control console, a print image to be printed by the first printing unit cylinder 02 is transferred directly and immediately to the lateral surface of the second printing unit cylinder 03. Printing substrate 07, e.g. a single sheet or a sequence of multiple sheets or a printing substrate web, is then guided through the roller nip of the two printing unit cylinders 02; 03 that are thrown onto one another, so that printing substrate 07 is placed in contact with the two cooperating printing unit cylinders 02; 03 and is thereby printed such that the print image that has been printed onto the second printing unit cylinder 03 is printed, together with the same or a different print image that will be printed by the second printing unit cylinder 03 during the production printing phase of the rotary printing machine, onto the same side of printing substrate 07. These two print images printed together on the same side of printing substrate 07 are then checked and/or measured to determine their register accuracy.

(8) The check for register accuracy of the print images printed on the same side of printing substrate 07, which is performed e.g. outside of the rotary printing machine, in particular at an inspection table, is carried out, e.g. in that the positions relative to one another of the print images to be printed on the two opposite sides of printing substrate 07 during the production printing phase on the rotary printing machine are checked, e.g. automatically or by a technician, e.g. with the aid of an optical system, to determine whether they are in a prescribed relationship to one another, preferably factoring in specified tolerances. The specified tolerances are typically within a range of significantly less than 1 millimeter. The relationship involving the relative position of the print images to be printed onto both sides of printing substrate 07 during the production printing phase on the rotary printing machine, but printed together on the same side of printing substrate 07 for the purpose of checking their register accuracy, consists, e.g. in that these print images are arranged as congruently as possible, or complementing one another to form a single geometric figure, or e.g. separated from one another in their respective positions at a fixed distance from one another, e.g. defined by the setpoint value. A deviation from the setpoint value specified for this relationship, in particular beyond the prescribed tolerances, will have a negative impact on quality. A detected deviation can also be measured, e.g. by means of the optical system, and the measured value used to calculate at least one correcting variable for adjusting the rotary printing machine. The optical system includes at least one detection device, e.g. in the form of a camera, and typically an illumination device, and in particular a digital image processing device for analyzing the photographic image of the print image or print images in question, captured by the at least one detection device.

(9) If the checked register accuracy of the print images to be printed on opposite sides of printing substrate 07 during the production printing phase of the rotary printing machine, but printed together on the same side of printing substrate 07 for the purpose of checking their register accuracy, is found to be satisfactory, a cylinder washing of at least the second printing unit cylinder 03, onto which a print image was transferred by the first printing unit cylinder 02 in particular prior to the start of the production printing phase of the rotary printing machine, is preferably carried out to remove the print image that was transferred onto the second printing unit cylinder, in that the washing device 06 associated with this second printing unit cylinder 03 is activated automatically or manually, e.g. from the control console. Optionally, both printing cylinders 02; 03 are washed by activating their respective washing devices 04; 06.

(10) If the checked register accuracy of the print images to be printed onto opposite sides of printing substrate 07 during the production printing phase of the rotary printing machine, but printed together on the same side of printing substrate 07 for the purpose of checking their register accuracy, is found to be unsatisfactory, i.e. not compliant with the quality level required, a modified, i.e. improved adjustment of the rotary printing machine is carried out, after which each of the above-described process steps is preferably repeated until the register accuracy is found to be satisfactory. The improved adjustment of the rotary printing machine is carried out, e.g. based upon the calculation of the at least one correcting variable for the purpose of adjusting the rotary printing machine, with said correcting variable having resulted from the measured value of the detected deviation from the relevant setpoint value of the prescribed relationship for the relative positions of the print images to be printed onto opposite sides of printing substrate 07 during the production printing phase of the rotary printing machine, but printed together on the same side of printing substrate 07 for the purpose of checking their register accuracy. It is preferably provided that at least the second printing unit cylinder 03, onto which a print image has been transferred by the first printing unit cylinder 02, is washed after each check for register accuracy.

(11) Printing unit 01, shown highly simplified in FIGS. 1 and 2, is a component, e.g. of the rotary printing machine described in the following in reference to FIG. 3 by way of example, and preferably used in security printing. Printing unit 01 comprises the first printing unit cylinder 02 and the second printing unit cylinder 03, in a cooperative arrangement, the first printing unit cylinder 02 being used, e.g. for recto printing and the second printing unit cylinder 03 being used, e.g. for verso printing. In this arrangement of printing unit cylinders 02; 03, a printing substrate 07, configured, in particular, as a sheet, guided through the roller nip between the first printing unit cylinder 02 and the second printing unit cylinder 03 can be printed on both sides simultaneously, i.e. at the same time. The rotary printing machine shown by way of example in FIG. 3 is configured, e.g. as a multi-color offset rotary printing machine. Each of the two printing unit cylinders 02; 03 is therefore configured as a transfer cylinder, in particular as a blanket cylinder. In this printing unit 01 illustrated by way of example, e.g. four forme cylinders 11 to 14 are or at least can be thrown onto the first printing unit cylinder 02 used, e.g. for recto printing, and e.g. four forme cylinders 16 to 19 are or at least can be thrown onto the second printing unit cylinder 03 used, e.g. for verso printing. Each of forme cylinders 11 to 14; 16 to 19 is also referred to as a plate cylinder. At least one inking unit 21 to 24; 26 to 29 is or at least can be thrown onto each of forme cylinders 11 to 14; 16 to 19. In addition, in conjunction with each inking unit 21 to 24; 26 to 29, a dampening unit 31 to 34; 37 to 39 may also be provided, which is required for a wet offset printing process. The recto-side inking units 21 to 24 and where applicable also the recto-side dampening units 31 to 34 are arranged, e.g. in a movable frame carriage 61. The verso-side inking units 26 to 29 and, where applicable, also the verso-side dampening units 37 to 39 can likewise be arranged, e.g. in a movable frame carriage 62; these two frame carriages 61; 62 can be moved away from one another in opposite directions and can be moved toward one another in mutually facing directions, and each of said frame carriages 61; 62 can be moved up to or away from the stationary printing unit 01. A plurality of printing blankets, e.g. three, are arranged one behind the other on the circumferential surface of each of the two printing unit cylinders 02; 03. Each of forme cylinders 11 to 14; 16 to 19 has e.g. only a single printing forme on its circumferential surface, with one printing forme length oriented in the circumferential direction preferably corresponding in each case to one printing blanket length oriented in the circumferential direction. Washing device 04, in particular configured as a blanket washing device, is or at least can be thrown onto the first printing unit cylinder 02. Washing device 06, in particular configured as a blanket washing device, is or at least can be thrown onto the second printing unit cylinder 03. Also preferably provided is an inspection unit 08, said inspection unit 08 being configured, in particular, as an optical system having a detection device in the form of a camera and an illumination device. Inspection unit 08 is also used, e.g. for checking the register accuracy of print images.

(12) A sheet supplied by a sheet feeder 41 is fed by means of a first conveyor device 42, embodied e.g. as a conveyor belt, in the transport direction T to a sheet feeder 43, and sheet feeder 43 feeds the sheet in question into printing unit 01. Printing unit 01 receives the sheet in question from sheet feeder 43, e.g. from a first transfer drum 44. In an advantageous configuration of the rotary printing machine shown by way of example in FIG. 3, it is provided that the recto side of the printing sheet in question is first printed with at least one printing ink, preferably with a plurality of printing inks, e.g. two, each of which is dried, e.g. by irradiation with ultraviolet (UV) light. For this purpose, a printing (impression) cylinder 46 that cooperates with the first transfer drum 44 is provided, onto which a transfer cylinder 47 embodied as a blanket cylinder is or at least can be thrown. One or more forme cylinders 48; 49, each configured as a plate cylinder, for example, is or at least can be thrown onto said transfer cylinder 47. Each of these forme cylinders 48; 49 is inked up by an additional inking unit 51; 52, and each of these inking units 51; 52 can in turn cooperate, if necessary, with a dampening unit 53; 54. Of course, a washing device 56 configured in particular as a blanket washing device may also be provided for the optionally provided transfer cylinder 47. A sheet printed in the roller nip between impression cylinder 46 and transfer cylinder 47, e.g. on the recto side, with at least one UV-drying printing ink is preferably guided past at least one UV dryer 57, after which said sheet is transferred by means of a second transfer drum 58 to the second printing cylinder 03 and is guided into the roller nip between the first printing unit cylinder 02 and the second printing unit cylinder 03. After a sheet has passed through the roller nip between the first printing unit cylinder 02 and the second printing unit cylinder 03, it can be inspected inline, i.e. within the rotary printing machine, by means of inspection unit 08 and checked, e.g. for the register accuracy of its printed images, before being transferred by means of a third transfer drum 63 to a second conveyor device 64, embodied, e.g. as a chain conveyor. The second conveyor device 64 conveys the sheet from printing unit 01 to a delivery 66, the delivery 66 having, in particular, a plurality of delivery pile compartments 67; 68; 69, e.g. three.

(13) It is preferably provided to carry out the proposed method in a rotary printing machine, illustrated by way of example in FIG. 3. This is because the proposed method enables a simple check for register accuracy of print images printed simultaneously onto both sides of a printing substrate 07.

(14) While preferred embodiments of a method for checking the maintenance of register of printed images to be printed on two opposite sides of a printing material, in accordance with the present invention, have been set forth fully and completely hereinabove, it will be apparent to one of skill in the art that various changes could be made thereto, without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention, which is accordingly to be limited only by the appended claims.