Processing machine and method for adjusting a printing length and/or processing length

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12005695-B2
Application number	US-202218285718-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 8, 2022
Priority date	Jul 13, 2021
Publication date	Jun 11, 2024
Grant date	Jun 11, 2024

Abstract

In some examples, a processing machine for processing a substrate includes at least one shaping unit and/or at least one application unit. The at least one application unit and/or the at least one shaping unit in each case includes at least one forme cylinder and at least one impression cylinder. The at least one forme cylinder of the application unit includes at least one application forme including at least one application surface and/or the at least one shaping unit includes at least one shaping tool including at least one working surface. The application surface and/or the working surface are arranged to cover at least a portion of the outer cylindrical surface of the at least one forme cylinder. A speed of the at least one forme cylinder and a speed of the at least one impression cylinder have a speed ratio with respect to one another.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A processing machine for processing a substrate comprising at least one shaping unit and/or at least one application unit, the at least one application unit and/or the at least one shaping unit, each comprising at least one forme cylinder and at least one impression cylinder, the at least one forme cylinder of the application unit comprising at least one application forme including at least one application surface and/or the at least one shaping unit comprising at least one shaping tool including at least one working surface, the application surface and/or the working surface being arranged so as to cover a first portion of the outer cylindrical surface of the at least one forme cylinder, a gap, in which processing is not performed, extending over a second portion of the outer cylindrical surface of the at least one forme cylinder, the processing machine comprising at least one control unit for correcting a processing length and/or printing length, which controls, in an open loop and/or a closed loop, a speed of the at least one forme cylinder and/or of the at least one impression cylinder, the speed of the at least one forme cylinder and/or the speed of the at least one impression cylinder having a speed ratio with respect to one another, the application surface of the at least one application forme and/or the working surface of the at least one shaping tool being subdivided into a plurality of sections for processing multiple-ups of the substrate which are arranged one behind the other, characterized in that, during a full cylinder revolution of the at least one forme cylinder, the at least one forme cylinder and the at least one impression cylinder have a first speed ratio when a first section of the plurality of sections of the working surface passes through the processing point and/or when a first section of the plurality of sections of the application surface passes through the processing point, and that the at least one forme cylinder and the at least one impression cylinder have a second speed ratio that differs from the first speed ratio when a second section of the working surface passes through the processing point and/or when a second section of the application surface passes through the processing point, wherein the at least one control unit adjusts a phase position of the at least one forme cylinder as the gap passes the processing point for matching the application surface and/or the working surface with a next substrate.

2. The processing machine according to claim 1 , characterized in that the sections of the application surface of the at least one application forme and/or the sections of the working surface of the at least one shaping tool for processing the individual multiple-ups have at least partially identical contours.

3. The processing machine according to claim 1 , characterized in that the at least one application unit is configured as a printing unit and/or that the at least one shaping unit is configured as a die-cutting unit.

4. The processing machine according to claim 1 , characterized in that the control unit is arranged in such a way that the at least one forme cylinder and the at least one impression cylinder have a different speed ratio when each section of the working surface passes through the processing point and/or when the application surface passes through, and/or that the control unit is arranged in such a way that the speed ratio in each section can be adjusted as a function of a correction value for correcting the processing length and/or for correcting the printing length.

5. The processing machine according to claim 1 , characterized in that the at least one control unit, for correcting the processing length and/or the printing length, is arranged so as to transfer the speed ratio of the cylinders from a first speed ratio to a second speed ratio, as a function of a deviation of an actual state of a processing length and/or of a printing length from a target state of a processing length and/or of a printing length, and/or that, when a deviation of a processing length from a target value and/or of a printing length from a target value is present, the cylinders are arranged so as to be transferred from a first speed ratio to a second speed ratio by means of a correction value.

6. The processing machine according to claim 1 , characterized in that the at least one forme cylinder is arranged so as to be functionally connected to at least one drive and/or that the at least one drive of the at least one forme cylinder is configured as a speed-controlled and/or closed-loop angular position-controlled electric motor and/or that the at least one impression cylinder is arranged so as to be functionally connected to a further drive and the at least one drive of the at least one impression cylinder is configured as a speed-controlled and/or closed-loop angular position-controlled electric motor.

7. A method for adjusting a printing length and/or processing length of a substrate by means of at least one application unit and/or at least one shaping unit of a processing machine, the application unit and/or the shaping unit comprising at least one forme cylinder, the at least one forme cylinder comprising at least one application forme including at least one application surface and/or at least one shaping tool including at least one working surface, the application forme including the application surface and/or the at least one shaping tool including the at least one working surface covering a first portion of the outer cylindrical surface of the at least one forme cylinder, a gap, in which processing is not performed, extending over a second portion of the outer cylindrical surface of the at least one forme cylinder, the substrate being moved at a transport speed through the application unit and/or the shaping unit, the at least one application surface and/or the at least one working surface being subdivided into a plurality of sections for processing multiple-ups of the substrate which are arranged one behind the other, the speed of the at least one forme cylinder having a ratio with respect to the transport speed of the substrate, the printing length and/or the processing length of the substrate being adjusted by changing the speed ratio between the forme cylinder and the substrate, characterized in that a first speed ratio between the at least one forme cylinder and the substrate and corresponding to a first section of the at least one application surface and/or the at least one working surface is changed to a second, different speed ratio during a full cylinder revolution for a second section of the at least one application surface and/or for a second section of the working surface for adjusting the printing length and/or the processing length, and adjusting a phase position of the at least one forme cylinder as the gap passes the processing point for matching the application surface and/or the working surface with a next substrate.

8. The method according to claim 7 , characterized in that, in the event of a deviation of a processing length from a reference processing length and/or in the event of a deviation of a printing length from a reference printing length, the speed ratio between the substrate and the forme cylinder is changed from a first speed ratio in the region of the application surface and/or in the region of the working surface within a first cylinder revolution to a second different speed ratio within another cylinder revolution.

9. The method according to claim 7 , characterized in that the at least one shaping unit is configured as a die-cutting unit and/or that the at least one application unit is configured as a printing unit and/or that the actual state of the processing length and/or of

Assignees

• Koenig & Bauer Ag

Inventors

• Deppisch Bastian
• Müller Torsten
• Schneider Thomas

Classifications

• B41P2200/12

  Flexographic printing · CPC title

• B41F33/0036

  Devices for scanning or checking the printed matter for quality control · CPC title

• B41F33/02

  Arrangements of indicating devices, e.g. counters · CPC title

• B41P2213/91

  for sheet printing presses · CPC title

• B41F13/14

  with means for displacing the cylinders · CPC title