How to preset ink in the printing process

Ink presets are not printing tools that are “just set”. Ink presetting is to convert the digital image description information of the pre-press layout into the ink key information printing alliance through a certain algorithm according to a mathematical simulation method. This requires the process of partitioned ink coverage calculation, ink key value correction, and ink fountain roller speed correction. All these processes are carried out in the printing market under the control of standard mathematical formulas.

Since the printing press is a simulated device, the actual ink consumption for printing always changes with changes in related environmental factors, such as raw materials, temperature and humidity, and printing machine adjustments. Corresponding to a simulated device with a mathematical standard algorithm, it is impossible for the printing alliance to completely correspond to these variable factors. In addition, the principle of the ink zone division of the printing machine and the characteristics of the ink roller series determine that the ink supply amount does not exactly correspond to the ink coverage of the corresponding part. For example, the opening of the ink keys of the two adjacent ink zones cannot be too different. Otherwise, it will restrict each other; if the setting of the ink fountain roller speed is related to the current printing press status and raw material characteristics, it is more of an empirical numerical printing tool. All of these make the conversion relationship from ink coverage to ink key opening impossible to be absolutely accurate. The accuracy of the calculated ink coverage and the actual ink key volume is only 40%, and it is improved to about 80% after printing. technology. The remaining 20% ​​need to modify the equipment consumables before or after booting according to the status of the printing press and the layout.

It should be said that the 20% correction is still the adjustment of the amount of ink on the layout, which will still affect the equipment supplies of the ink and water balance state of the printing press. After the ink is preset, it only increases the speed of water-ink balance and reduces the difficulty of maintaining water-ink balance, but it is not necessary to pay attention to the state of water-ink balance at all times.

In addition, the ink preset can be understood as including two processes of "pre" and "set", "pre" means that the ink key of the printing press can be accurately set before the start according to the layout information, this process needs to be supported by pre-press data 、 Ink calculation and correction software to calculate and get the relative information of the ink amount before starting, which is roughly equivalent to the work material market of CIP3 export software in CIP3 technology and CIP3 ink preset workstation of printing machine.

The "setting" of the ink preset is to automatically or manually adjust the ink key according to the above information, which is roughly equivalent to the process of importing the ink preset information into the ink table with a data interface, or to manually adjust the equipment based on the above information Supplies. It can be seen that the concept of ink preset focuses on "pre-", to provide the printing press with pre- and accurate adjustment support is the core material market of ink preset technology. The "setting" of the ink preset is a requirement for the data interface capability of the printing machine. A printing machine without a data interface is also a central printing that can be realized by manual adjustment.

Ink presetting is a closed and automated presetting process. People always put their core on the printing machine interface, that is, on the process of "setting", which limits the speed of ink presetting technology to a certain extent. Popularize equipment supplies. If there is a system with pre-press data export and calculation correction function, it is also a central part of China that can realize ink presetting. It should be noted that CIP3 is only one of the ways to realize ink presetting, not all equipment consumables.