EP1958770A2 - Method for operating a processing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves propelling a plate cylinder or a form cylinder alternatively in one mode of operation by single drive or in another mode of operation by main drive between force-locked connection of shift clutch and wheel course in a printing or varnishing operation. A quality control of the printed or varnished products is performed during the operation and sources of error from the modes of operation are detected over exclusion criteria.

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating a processing machine, in particular a sheet material-processing printing machine or varnishing machine, according to the preamble of claim 1.

Sheet-fed printing machines and painting machines have a variety of facilities that need to be driven in the printing / painting, setting or maintenance operation of the respective machine. In classical constellations all driven devices of such a printing or coating machine are driven by a so-called main drive. All driven devices are then usually mechanically connected via a transmission technology coupling, in particular a closed gear train, with the main drive.

In modern concepts for sheet material processing printing presses at least some of the driven devices of a printing press are driven by an engine. Thus, it is already known from the prior art to drive form cylinders or plate cylinders of printing units of the printing press by virtue of the fact that each of the form cylinder is assigned a separate drive, so that the form cylinder can be driven independently of the main drive.

A sheet material processing printing machine whose printing works have self-propelled forme cylinder (plate cylinder), is from the EP 0 834 398 B1 known, according to this prior art driven by the main drive rubber cylinder of the printing units and the respective self-powered Form cylinder (plate cylinder) of each printing unit via a switchable coupling can be coupled or decoupled.

In order to ensure safe operation of a printing machine, protective measures must be implemented on the control side for all hazards caused by drives of the printing press. This applies both to the main drive as well as each independently driven by the main drive drive a self-propelled device. Thus, a safe operation of a drive is usually only to be ensured if basic protective measures or safety specifications are implemented for it, in particular measures for a safe shutdown of the drive, measures against an unexpected start of the drive, measures to maintain maximum speeds of the drive, measures to comply with maximum distances of the drive and measures to maintain a correct direction of rotation of the same. The implementation of all these protective measures for the main drive and each independently driven from the main drive drive the self-propelled devices of the printing press requires a lot of effort on the control side. This is disadvantageous overall.

The object of the invention is to provide a method for operating the processing machine with at least one individually driven, a printing plate-bearing cylinder, which improves the reliability.

The object is achieved by the features of claim 1.

The processing machine according to the invention has a control device which directly in the presence of a safety-relevant event, a synchronous operation between the driven by the or each main drive and gear train cylinders or rollers of a printing unit and the respective self-propelled, ie individually driven plate / forme cylinder, namely thereby in that the control device is the or each switchable one Clutch frictionally (non-positively) between the blanket cylinder or the associated sheet guiding cylinder (impression cylinder) and the plate cylinder of the respective printing unit or between the forme cylinder and the sheet guiding cylinder (impression cylinder) of the respective coating unit closes and the single drive of the plate cylinder in the printing unit or the single drive of the forme cylinder Lackwerk torqueless switches. The term "single drive of the forme cylinder in the coating unit" also includes an own motor driven (single drive) drive of a forme cylinder in a flexographic printing unit. Likewise, the term "printing form" includes a paint form or a flexographic printing form. The term of operational safety includes the emergency operation of a single-motor driven plate cylinder / forme cylinder in case of failure of the individual drive and the reliability supporting diagnostic options.

For the purposes of the present invention, it is proposed that a control device force a synchronous operation between the devices of the processing machine driven by the main drive and the gear train and the plate or forme cylinder driven by the motor directly in the presence of a safety-relevant event. The synchronous operation is enforced by the fact that the control device closes the clutch, which is open in the printing / painting operation of the processing machine and the plate or forme cylinder from the main drive and gear train, and switches the single drive of the plate or forme cylinder torqueless. This ensures that all protective measures or safety requirements of the main drive with gear train are transmitted to the drive of the respective self-propelled plate / plate cylinder control side.
With this mode of operation an uncontrolled turning (tumbling) of a cylinder can be prevented after failure of the drive torque of the individual drive assigned to the cylinder. Another advantage is that the production process (printing and / or painting) after failure of a single drive must not be interrupted. This emergency running properties are guaranteed on the failed, otherwise self-propelled cylinder. Is the operational capability of the failed individual drive restored, so can the clutch (via the control device) opened and the previously unpowered (single-torque) cylinder by means of the individual drive are driven by an engine again.

Another advantage is that with a possible overload of the single drive, the control device closes the clutch between one of the driven by the main drive and gear train cylinder and the plate or forme cylinder under adhesion and then switches the single drive of the plate or forme cylinder torqueless. Thus, the respective plate or forme cylinder can be coupled without affecting the moment in the main drive. The registration of the cylinder axis concerned which can no longer be realized in this case can be compensated for via the register correction devices of other cylinder axes.

Another advantage is that - for diagnostic purposes, for example - drive of plate or form cylinder can be done either via the main drive and gear train or via the respective single drive. For this purpose, the clutch is selectively opened or closed by means of the machine control. For example, by the optional drive possible quality deviations can be detected in the processing process, changes analyzed and assigned to the respective drive concept and turned off.

Fig. 1:

eine Bogenrotationsdruckmaschine mit mehreren Druckwerken und einem Lackwerk,

Fig. 2:

eine erste Antriebseinrichtung für einen Plattenzylinder in einem Offsetdruckwerk,

Fig. 3

eine zweite Antriebseinrichtung für einen Formzylinder in einem Lackwerk, alternativ in einem Flexodruckwerk.

The invention will be explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment. Showing:

Fig. 1:

a sheet-fed rotary printing machine with several printing units and a coating unit,

Fig. 2:

a first drive device for a plate cylinder in an offset printing unit,

Fig. 3

a second drive means for a forme cylinder in a coating unit, alternatively in a flexographic printing unit.

The sheet-fed rotary printing machine is shown for example with a feeder 4, five offset printing units 1, a coating unit 2 and a boom 5. Each offset printing unit 1 has in a known manner an inking unit 12 with inking rollers, a cylinder 10 carrying a printing plate, here as a plate cylinder 10, and a blanket cylinder 8. If necessary, each plate cylinder 10 is associated with a dampening unit.
The coating unit 2 has in a known manner a metering device 11 for the medium to be processed (paint, ink), preferably a chambered doctor blade with assigned, screened applicator roll, as well as a printing plate (paint form, flexographic printing) carrying cylinder 9, here as a forme cylinder 9, on.

Plate cylinder 10 and forme cylinder 9 each carry at least one printing plate and are in contact with the inking rollers of the inking unit 12 or the applicator roller of the metering device 11. For the sheet transport in the conveying direction 3 more sheet guiding cylinder 6 are provided. In each offset printing or coating unit 1, 2 is designed as a pressure cylinder sheet guiding cylinder 6 with the respective blanket cylinder 8 and form cylinder 9 in functional connection, wherein in the first offset printing unit 1 formed as a printing cylinder sheet guiding cylinder 6 a plant drum is arranged as a sheet guiding cylinder 6. For the sheet transport between the printing cylinder 2 designed as a pressure cylinder sheet of the printing or coating units 1, 2 more sheet guiding cylinder 6 are arranged as a transfer cylinder. The sheet-guiding cylinders 6 designed as pressure cylinders and the blanket cylinders 8 and the forme cylinder 9 are preferably associated with washing devices 7.
At least all of the sheet guiding cylinders 6 are coupled to each other via an unspecified main drive (at least one feeding drive motor) and a closed gear train on the drive side. In this gear train are also the blanket cylinder 8 of the offset printing units 1, each with a blanket cylinder gear 13 integrated. In the coating units 2 of the forme cylinder 9 adjacent sheet guiding cylinder 6, each with a sheet guiding cylinder gear 17 is integrated into this gear train.

Each plate cylinder 10 and preferably each form cylinder 9 is - mechanically decoupled from the main drive and gear train - each by a single drive M (also called direct drive), ie a separate drive motor, driven. These individual drives M are coupled to a machine control and are driven in a predeterminable manner relative to the main drive and gear train with the sheet guiding cylinders 6 in the coating units 2 and additionally coupled with main drive and gear train blanket cylinders 8 at the offset printing units 1 individually. When form cylinder 9 and plate cylinder 10 is therefore a self-powered by means of individual drive M device of the sheet-fed rotary printing press.
It should be noted at this point that the sheet-fed rotary printing press may comprise a plurality of main drives which feed into the closed gear train. In the offset printing 1 each with the adjacent sheet guiding cylinder 6 drive side coupled blanket cylinder 8 is driven by the main drive with gear train and in the offset printing 1, preferably each plate cylinder 10 is driven by motor M by means of individual drive. The form cylinder 9 in the coating unit 2 adjacent sheet guiding cylinder 6 is driven by the main drive with gear train and preferably each of the forme cylinder 9 of the coating units 2 is driven by an individual motor M self-propelled. Alternatively, a sheet-fed rotary printing machine having a plurality of offset printing units 1 or coating units 2 can also have individual offset printing units 1 and / or coating units 2 whose plate or forme cylinders 10, 9 have no individual drive M. Such conventional plants 1, 2 are driven in total by means of the main drive and gear train within the processing machine. The corresponding plate or forme cylinder 10, 9 are thus integrated into the gear train.

In printing units 1, the clutch 15 is disposed between the driven by the main drive and gear train cylinders and the respective by means of individual drive motor driven plate cylinder 10.
As in Fig. 2 is shown, a force-locking clutch 15 is disposed between the blanket cylinder 8 and the plate cylinder 10 of an offset printing unit 1. Alternatively, the clutch 15 can also be arranged between a sheet guiding cylinder 6 and the plate cylinder 10.

In the present example, the clutch 15 is disposed on the plate cylinder 10 and the plate cylinder 10, a freely rotatable gear 14 of the clutch 15 is further arranged adjacent. The freely rotatable gear 14 is in constant mesh with the blanket cylinder gear 13 of the gear train driven by the main drive. Of the main drive and gear train is thus fed to the blanket cylinder gear 13 a drive 16 (from the main drive with gear train).
In a further embodiment, the freely rotatable gear 14 may be coupled by means of a transmission connection directly or by means of another coupling with the downstream inking unit 12 on the drive side.

In normal pressure operation, in which the plate cylinder 10 is driven by an individual motor M, the clutch 15 is opened, so as to decouple the plate cylinder 10, especially the gear 14, from the main drive or from the blanket cylinder gear 13.

To implement the necessary safety measures for the self-propelled plate cylinder 10 is proposed in the sense of the present invention, the safety measures of the main drive (with gear train) on the control side on the self-propelled plate cylinder 10 of the respective offset printing unit 1 thereby inherit that in the presence of a security-related event a Synchronous operation between the driven by the main drive and gear train cylinder, in particular the sheet guiding cylinder 6 (impression cylinder) or blanket cylinder 8 and the self-propelled by the individual drive M plate cylinder 10 is specified. In the present example, this is realized via a blanket cylinder gear 13.

For this purpose, in the context of the present invention, a control device 18 is used, which is supplied with a signal as an input signal, which contains data on whether a security-relevant event is present or not. The control device 18 or a plurality of control devices 18 are preferably coupled to a control station. Such a control device 18 is directly in the presence of a safety-related event synchronous operation between the driven by the main drive blanket cylinder gear 13 and driven by the single drive M plate cylinder 10 in that the control device 18 via an output signal the clutch 15 to the freely rotatable gear 14 under adhesion closes. In this first switching position, the clutch 15 is coupled to the gear 14 and via the gear 14 with the rubber blanket gear 13. About a further output signal of the controller 18, the single drive M of the plate cylinder 10 is switched torqueless by z. B. is switched off or de-energized. By closing the non-positive clutch 15 immediately in the presence of a safety-related event, the control device 18 forces the synchronous operation between the plate cylinder 10 and the main drive (with gear train) driven blanket cylinder 8, alternatively the sheet guiding cylinder 6 (impression cylinder) immediately in the presence of a safety-relevant event. This achieves that the plate cylinder 10 follows the main drive. About another output signal, the clutch 15 after removal of the safety-related event in a second switching position of the gear 14 decoupled (normal operation).

In Fig. 3 It is shown that between the form cylinder 9 and the adjacent sheet guiding cylinder 6 (printing cylinder) of a coating unit 2, a force-acting clutch 15 is arranged.
In the present example, the clutch 15 is arranged on the forme cylinder 9 and on the forme cylinder 9, a freely rotatable gear 14 of the clutch 15 is further arranged adjacent. The freely rotatable gear 14 is in constant mesh with the sheet guiding cylinder gear 17 of the gear train driven by the main drive. From main drive and gear train is a drive 16 (from the main drive with gear train) fed to the sheet guiding cylinder gear 17. In a further embodiment, the freely rotatable gear 14 may be coupled to the downstream applicator roller of the metering device 11 by means of a transmission connection directly or by means of a further coupling on the drive side.
In solid color operation or normal pressure operation, in which the forme cylinder 9 is driven by the individual drive M, the clutch 15 is opened so as to decouple the forme cylinder 9 from the main drive or from the sheet guiding gear 17.
To implement the necessary safety measures for the respective self-propelled plate cylinder 10 or form cylinder 9 is proposed in the sense of the present invention, the safety measures of the main drive control side on the self-propelled plate cylinder 10 of the respective offset printing unit 1 and the self-propelled forme cylinder 9 of the respective coating unit 2 thereby inherit or transfer that in the presence of a safety-related event, a synchronous operation between the main drive driven blanket cylinder gear 13 and the self-propelled by the individual drive M plate cylinder 10 and driven by the main drive sheet guiding cylinder gear 17 and the single drive M. eigenmotorisch drivable forme cylinder 9 is specified.

For this purpose, within the meaning of the present invention, at least one control device 18 is used, to which a signal is fed as input signal which contains data on whether or not there is a safety-relevant event. Each with a single drive M coupled plate cylinder 10 and forme cylinder 9 is preferably circuit technology coupled with its own control device 18. The control device 18 is preferably coupled to a control station Immediately in the presence of a safety-relevant event, a synchronous operation between the blanket cylinder gear 13 driven by the main drive and the sheet guiding cylinder gear 17 and the plate cylinder 10 or forme cylinder 9 driven by the individual drive M is provided by the control device 18 via an output signal of the clutch 15 to the freely rotatable gear 14 closes and on another output signal, the single drive M of the plate cylinder 10 torqueless switches by this z. B. is switched off or de-energized. By closing the frictional clutch 15 immediately in the presence of a safety-relevant event, the control device 18 thus forces the synchronous operation between the plate cylinder 10 or forme cylinder 9 and the blanket cylinder 8 or sheet guiding cylinder 6 driven by the main drive immediately in the presence of a safety-relevant event. As a result, it is achieved that the plate cylinder 10 or the forme cylinder 9 follows the main drive.

In order to prevent the positive locking of the clutch 15, a relative movement of the cylinder, in particular in the contact point (print zone, painting) of the blanket cylinder 8 or the forme cylinder 9 with the associated sheet guiding cylinder 6 (impression cylinder), in a further embodiment of the blanket cylinder 8 or the forme cylinder 9, preferably predetermined by the control device 18, in pressure from - moved position.

• bei Druckwerken 1 zwischen den von dem Hauptantrieb und Räderzug angetriebenen Zylindern, insbesondere Bogenführungszylindern 6 oder Gummituchzylindern 8, und dem jeweiligen eigenmotorisch mittels Einzelantrieb M angetriebenen Plattenzylinder 10, oder
• bei Lackwerken 2 zwischen den von Hauptantrieb und Räderzug angetriebenen, dem Formzylinder 9 zugeordneten Bogenführungszylinder 6 und dem jeweiligen eigenmotorisch mittels Einzelantrieb M angetriebenen Formzylinder 9,
  vorgibt, indem die Steuerungseinrichtung 18 die jeweilige Schaltkupplung 15 zwischen
• dem einem der Zylinder 6, 8 , insbesondere Bogenführungszylinder 6 oder Gummituchzylinder 8 und dem Plattenzylinder 10 des jeweiligen Druckwerks 1, oder
• dem Bogenführungszylinder 6 und dem Formzylinder 9 des jeweiligen Lackwerks 2 unter Kraftschluss schließt

und den Einzelantrieb M des Plattenzylinders 10 oder Formzylinders 9 momentenlos schaltet.In summary, the invention comprises a control device 18, the synchronous operation immediately in the presence of a safety-related event

• in printing units 1 between the driven by the main drive and gear train cylinders, in particular sheet guiding cylinders 6 or blanket cylinders 8, and the respective own motor driven by single drive M plate cylinder 10, or
• in coating units 2 driven between the main drive and gear train, the forme cylinder 9 associated sheet guiding cylinder 6 and the respective self-propelled by means of individual drive M. Form cylinder 9,
  pretends, by the control device 18, the respective clutch 15 between
• one of the cylinders 6, 8, in particular sheet guiding cylinder 6 or blanket cylinder 8 and the plate cylinder 10 of the respective printing unit 1, or
• the sheet guiding cylinder 6 and the forme cylinder 9 of the respective coating unit 2 closes under adhesion

and the single drive M of the plate cylinder 10 or forme cylinder 9 torqueless switches.

As a security-relevant event, it is preferably monitored whether a protective device is open on the sheet-fed printing press and thus a danger zone is accessible to it. However, any other signal can be evaluated as a security-relevant event. Thus, in particular in case of failure of an auxiliary power source or a single drive M, a synchronous operation, as described above, be enforced. An uncontrolled moving (tumbling) of a cylinder after failure of the drive torque of the single drive M on this cylinder is thus also prevented. An additional advantage is that the normal production process (printing operation / painting operation) does not have to be interrupted after the failure of a single drive M. This runflat properties of the otherwise self-propelled engine by means of driven cylinder are guaranteed until the operational capability of the failed individual drive M is ensured again.
A further embodiment allows in the event of overloading of the single drive M switching the plate cylinder / forme cylinder on the main drive without torque break. In this case, the individual drive M is only switched torque-free by means of control device 16, when the clutch 15 is closed under adhesion.
The registration of the affected cylinder axis, which is no longer possible in this case, can be compensated for via the register correction devices of other cylinder axes.
A further embodiment of the method allows, for example for diagnostic purposes, The choice of driving the plate cylinder 10 or forme cylinder 9 on the main drive with gear train or on the single drive M. Thus, the causes of changes in printing or Lackierqualität in the production process the area of the single drive M or the main drive with gear train, alternatively the other machine peripherals - assigned to analysis and changed or turned off.
In the case of several offset printing units 1, each work 1 preferably has a plate cylinder 10 which can be driven by its own motor, to which a single drive M is assigned. In the case of several coating units 2, each work 2 preferably has a form cylinder 9 which can be driven by an own motor, to which a single drive M is assigned. It is within the meaning of the present invention that for each self-propelled plate cylinder 10 or forme cylinder 9 for each offset printing unit 1 and coating unit 2 separately or individually the presence of at least one security-relevant event is monitored.

A method for operating a processing machine, in particular sheet material processing printing or varnishing machine, with at least one printing / coating unit 1, 2, wherein each printing / coating unit 1, 2 depending on a printing plate bearing, coupled to a single drive M plate cylinder 10 and Form cylinder 9, the plate / forme cylinder 10, 9 mechanically decoupled from acting on a gear train of cylinders and drums (sheet guiding cylinder 6) for sheet transport and printing units 1 on the blanket cylinder 8 main drive and in a predeterminable manner with respect to the sheet guiding cylinders 6 and blanket cylinders 8 are drivable is
characterized,
that a plate cylinder or forme cylinder can be driven selectively in a first mode of operation by means of a single drive or in a second mode of operation under non-positive connection of the clutch by means of the main drive and gear train in the printing / coating operation, that during or after the respective printing / coating operation a quality control of the printing / Lackierprodukte takes place and that about exclusion criteria sources of error from the respective operation be detected to improve the reliability. A plate cylinder 10 or a forme cylinder 9 of the processing machine can be driven either by means of a single drive M or under frictional connection of the clutch 15 by means of the main drive and gear train in the printing / coating operation. As a result, changes in the quality of a printing or Lackierprodukt, for example by comparison, can be found. Furthermore, there is a possibility of diagnosis in that possible sources of error can be detected, for example, via exclusion criteria.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Offset printing

2

coating unit

3

conveying direction

4

investor

5

boom

6

Sheet guiding cylinder

7

washer

8th

Blanket cylinder

9

Printing form bearing cylinder / forme cylinder

10

Printing plate bearing cylinder / plate cylinder

11

metering

12

inking

13

Blanket cylinder gear

14

freely rotatable gear

15

clutch

16

input drive

17

Sheet guiding cylinder gear

18

control device

M

individual drive

Claims (1)

Method for operating a processing machine, in particular sheet material processing printing or varnishing, with at least one printing / coating unit, each printing / varnishing each having a printing plate, coupled with a single drive plate cylinder or forme cylinder, the plate / forme cylinder of a on a gear train of cylinders and drums (sheet guiding cylinder) for sheet transport and printing on the blanket cylinder acting main drive mechanically decoupled and drivable in a predetermined manner to the sheet guiding cylinders and blanket cylinders and the plate or forme cylinder via at least one clutch to the main drive with gear train can be coupled and decoupled,
characterized,
that a plate cylinder or forme cylinder can be driven selectively in a first mode of operation by means of a single drive or in a second mode of operation under non-positive connection of the clutch by means of the main drive and gear train in the printing / coating operation, that during or after the respective printing / coating operation a quality control of the printing / Lackierprodukte takes place and that are detected by exclusion criteria sources of error from the respective operating mode.

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