Method for predicting ink consumption
AssigneeOhio Electronic Engravers, Inc.
InventorsDavid R. Seitz, Juli A. Stuve
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method relates to an ink volume determination for determining the amount of ink to be applied by the printer. The ink volume determination involves generating a composite cylinder layout of at least one image for the engraved cylinder, generating a set of data corresponding to the composite cylinder layout and then using the set of data to determine the volume of ink. The printer is then filled with a volume of ink related to this calculated ink volume during a printing process. The method of determining ink volume may be used independently of the printing process, for example, in order to control or manage the amount of ink used in the printing press.
Claims44
A method for determining a volume of ink for an engraved cylinder, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) generating a composite cylinder layout of at least one image for said engraved cylinder;
- (b) generating a set of data corresponding to said composite cylinder layout;
- and
- (c) using said set of data to determine said volume of ink.
A method for predicting ink usage by an engraved cylinder on a printing press during a printing process, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining ink volume required by at least a portion of the engraved cylinder during the printing process;
- and
- (b) supplying a quantity of ink to the printing press in an amount corresponding to said ink volume;
- said determining step further comprising the steps of:
- generating a composite cylinder layout of at least one image for said engraved cylinder;
- generating a set of data corresponding to said composite cylinder layout;
- and
- using said set of data to determine a volume of ink used by said engraved cylinder during said printing process.
A method for predicting ink usage by an engraved cylinder on a printing press during a printing process, said printing press comprising an ink well, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining ink volume required by at least a portion of the engraved cylinder during the printing process;
- (b) supplying a quantity of ink to the printing press in an amount corresponding to said ink volume;
- and
- (c) filling said ink well with said quantity of ink.
A method for predicting ink usage by an engraved cylinder on a printing press during a printing process, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining ink volume required by at least a portion of the engraved cylinder during the printing process;
- and
- (b) supplying a quantity of ink to the printing press in an amount corresponding to said ink volume;
- ps said step (a)(i) further comprises the step of:
- (a)(i)(1) inputting at least one engraving parameter.
A method for predicting ink usage by an engraved cylinder on a printing press during a printing process, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining ink volume required by at least a portion of the engraved cylinder during the printing process;
- and
- (b) supplying a quantity of ink to the printing press in an amount corresponding to said ink volume;
- said step (a) further comprising the step of:
- (a)(i) generating a histogram corresponding to densities associated with at least a portion of cells on said engraved cylinder.
A method for predicting ink usage by an engraved cylinder on a printing press during a printing process, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining ink volume required by at least a portion of the engraved cylinder during the printing process;
- and
- (b) supplying a quantity of ink to the printing press in an amount corresponding to said ink volume;
- said step (b) further comprises the step of:
- (b)(i) determining a cell description using cell shape parameters.
A method of reproducing an image comprising the steps of:
- generating an engraving signal representing densities of a series of pixels associated with said image;
- rotating a printing cylinder about a cylindrical axis thereof;
- oscillating an engraving tool into engraving contact with said printing cylinder, along an engraving track, concomitantly with said rotating and under control of an engraving head signal related to said engraving signal such that said engraving tool engraves into a surface of said printing cylinder a series of cells along said engraving track and corresponding to said pixels, each of said series of cells having a maximum depth corresponding to a density of its associated pixels;
- activating a processor to determine a cross-sectional area of any of said series of cells at any cell location along a line extending in a direction along said engraving track;
- causing said processor to calculate a total volume of all of said cells by integrating said cross-sectional area along a length of said engraving track;
- mounting said printing cylinder on a printing press;
- applying ink to said printing cylinder in an amount given by an equation:
- A=VRN
- where A=total amount of ink
- V=calculated total cell volume
- R=ink release factor
- N=number of copies to be printed;
- and
- using said printing cylinder to print N copies of said image.
A printing system comprising:
- a printer having an ink well;
- an engraved cylinder rotatably mounted on said printer, said engraved cylinder having a plurality of cells thereon;
- a computer;
- means located in said computer for determining an ink volume required by at least a portion of the engraved cylinder during a printing process;
- said means comprising generating means for generating a set of data corresponding to a composite cylinder layout which is input into said computer and also for using said set of data to determine said ink volume in order to manage ink filled in said ink well.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.