WO2017169249A1

WO2017169249A1 - Printing device, printing system, printing method, and recording medium

Info

Publication number: WO2017169249A1
Application number: PCT/JP2017/005708
Authority: WO
Inventors: 民雄福井; 清原　理; 秀幸江藤; 智幸坂井
Original assignee: 株式会社Ｓｃｒｅｅｎホールディングス
Priority date: 2016-03-28
Filing date: 2017-02-16
Publication date: 2017-10-05

Abstract

A printing device (10) includes: a recording unit (11) for adhering a recording agent to a substrate to record a printed image; and a printing control unit (51) for controlling the recording unit (11). The printing control unit (51) includes: a provisional print processing unit (72) for causing the recording unit (11) to execute provisional print processing in which a provisional printed image is recorded on the substrate one page at a time; a main print processing unit (73) for causing the recording unit (11) to execute main print processing in which a main printed image is recorded on the substrate one page at a time; and a print processing switching unit (74) for causing the recording unit (11) to execute a switch from provisional print processing to main print processing during the execution of provisional print processing. The amount of recording agent used when printing a provisional printed image is less than the amount of recording agent used when printing the main printed image. Thus, positional alignment with respect to the post-processing device can be accurately performed while suppressing an increase in the amount of recording agent consumed by the printing device that is used along with the post-processing device.

Description

Printing apparatus, printing system, printing method, and recording medium

The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, a printing system, a printing method, and a recording medium for recording a print image on a long belt-like base material.

Conventionally, a printing device that performs printing on a long belt-like substrate and a post-processing device that performs other processing such as backside printing, cutting, and folding on the substrate following the printing device are continuously arranged. Printing systems are known.

A conventional printing system is described in Patent Document 1, for example. The printing system described in Patent Document 1 includes a front surface printing device and a back surface printing device that perform printing on a continuous belt-like continuous paper, and a post-processing device that performs post-processing on the continuous paper after printing. (Paragraphs 0040, 0045). Thereby, a plurality of processings by a plurality of processing devices are continuously performed on continuous paper.

JP 2009-78886 A

In such a printing system, it is necessary to match the position of post-processing performed on the base material in the post-processing apparatus with the position where printing is performed by the printing apparatus. In order to perform alignment accurately in the post-processing machine, it is preferable to use a base material that has been printed by a printing apparatus so that the printing position of the base material can be confirmed.

However, if alignment is performed in the post-processing apparatus using a substrate on which printing is continuously performed, the ink or the like adhered to the base material for a portion that has passed through the post-processing apparatus while performing alignment The recording agent is wasted.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and in a printing apparatus used with a post-processing apparatus, it is possible to accurately perform alignment in the post-processing apparatus while suppressing an increase in the consumption of the recording agent. The purpose is to provide technology that can be used.

In order to solve the above problems, a first invention of the present application is a printing apparatus that records a print image on a substrate conveyed in a conveyance direction, wherein a print agent is attached to the substrate and the print image is printed And a printing control unit for controlling the recording unit, wherein the printing control unit performs a temporary printing process for recording a temporary printing image page by page on the base material. A temporary print processing unit to be executed, a main print processing unit to cause the recording unit to execute a main print process for recording a main print image page by page with respect to the base material, A printing process switching unit that causes the recording unit to switch from the temporary printing process to the main printing process, and the amount of recording agent used during printing of the temporary printing image is the same as that during printing of the main printing image. Less than the amount of recording agent used.

A second invention of the present application is the printing apparatus according to the first invention, further comprising an input unit for inputting print image data to the print control unit, wherein the print control unit receives the print input from the input unit. A job creation unit for creating a main print job and a temporary print job based on the image data, wherein the main print processing unit performs the main print processing based on the main print job; Performs the temporary printing process based on the temporary printing job.

The third invention of the present application is the printing apparatus of the first invention or the second invention, wherein the temporary print image is a print image in which the density of each color of the main print image is lowered.

A fourth invention of the present application is the printing apparatus of the first invention or the second invention, wherein the main print image is a print image printed in multiple colors, and the temporary print image is a print that can be printed in a single color. It is a statue.

A fifth invention of the present application is the printing apparatus of the first invention or the second invention, wherein the temporary print image is a print image including a diagram representing only the outer shape of each component of the main print image in a single color. is there.

A sixth invention of the present application is the printing device according to any one of the first to fifth inventions, which is disposed on the downstream side of the printing device and is used together with a post-processing device that performs processing on the base material. .

A seventh invention of the present application is the printing device of the first invention or the second invention, and is used together with a cutting device that is disposed on the downstream side of the printing device and performs a cutting process on the base material. The image is a printed image in which the position where the cutting process is performed in the cutting apparatus is displayed in a single color.

An eighth invention of the present application includes the printing device according to any one of the first to fifth inventions, and a post-processing device that is disposed on the downstream side of the printing device and performs processing on the base material.

A ninth invention of the present application is the printing apparatus of the first invention or the second invention, wherein the transport speed of the base material during execution of the temporary printing process is the first speed, and the printing process is being executed. The conveyance speed of the base material in is a second speed larger than the first speed.

A tenth aspect of the present invention is the printing apparatus according to the ninth aspect, wherein the main print processing unit is one page at a time with respect to the base material after the temporary print process is completed and before the main print process is started. A switching print process for recording a main print image is executed by the recording unit, and the main print process is started after the transport speed of the base material reaches the second speed.

An eleventh invention of the present application is the printing apparatus according to the tenth invention, wherein the main print processing unit starts printing on the recording unit as a page printed at the end of the switching print processing and the main print processing. Marker is recorded at the boundary with the page.

A twelfth invention of the present application is a printing method for recording a printed image by attaching a recording agent to a substrate conveyed in the conveying direction, and a) a temporary printed image for each page of the substrate. A step of performing a temporary printing process to be recorded; b) a step of determining whether or not a switching command signal is input during execution of the step a); and c) the switching command signal is input in the step b). A step of stopping the step a) after it is determined, and d) a step of performing a main print process for recording a main print image of a desired number of pages on the substrate after the step c). And the amount of recording agent used during printing of the temporary print image per page in step a) is greater than the amount of recording agent used during printing of the main print image per page in step d). Few.

A thirteenth invention of the present application is the printing method of the twelfth invention, and e) a temporary printing job for performing a temporary printing process based on print image data input from the input unit before the step a). And a printing method further comprising a step of creating a main print job for performing the main printing process.

14th invention of this application is the printing method of 12th invention or 13th invention, Comprising: The said temporary print image is a print image which reduced the density of each color of the said main print image.

A fifteenth aspect of the present invention is the printing method according to the twelfth aspect or the thirteenth aspect, wherein the main print image is a print image printed in multiple colors, and the temporary print image is a print that can be printed in a single color. It is a statue.

A sixteenth aspect of the present invention is the printing method according to the twelfth aspect or the thirteenth aspect, wherein the temporary print image is a print image including a diagram representing only the outer shape of each component of the main print image in a single color. is there.

A seventeenth invention of the present application is the printing method according to any one of the twelfth to fifteenth inventions, and f) downstream of a printing apparatus that performs the temporary printing process and the main printing process in parallel with the step a). A step of aligning the post-processing apparatus disposed on the side with the base material, and g) a step of inputting the switching command signal during the execution of the step a) and after the completion of the step f). And.

An eighteenth aspect of the present invention is the printing method according to the twelfth aspect or the thirteenth aspect of the invention, and h) arranged downstream of a printing apparatus that performs the temporary printing process and the main printing process in parallel with the step a). A step of aligning the cutting apparatus with the base material; and i) a step of inputting the switching command signal during the execution of the step a) and after the completion of the step h). The provisional print image is a print image in which a position where the cutting process is performed in the cutting device is displayed in a single color.

A nineteenth invention of the present application is the printing method according to the twelfth or thirteenth invention, wherein the transport speed of the base material in the step a) is the first speed, and the transport of the base material in the step d). The speed is a second speed that is greater than the first speed.

A twentieth aspect of the present invention is the printing method according to the nineteenth aspect of the present invention, wherein j) after step c), the printed image is printed one page at a time on the substrate while increasing the conveyance speed of the substrate. A step of performing a switching printing process for recording; and k) a step of determining whether or not the conveyance speed of the base material has reached a second speed during the execution of the step j), d) is performed after it is determined in step k) that the transport speed of the base material has reached the second speed.

A twenty-first aspect of the present invention is the printing method according to the twentieth aspect of the present invention, in which l) in the step k) after the conveyance speed of the substrate has reached the second speed, and in the step d) Previously, the method further includes a step of recording a marker at the boundary between the page printed last in step j) and the page where printing starts in step d).

A twenty-second invention of the present application is a computer-readable recording medium that stores an operation control program for a printing apparatus that records a print image by attaching a recording agent to a substrate conveyed in a conveyance direction. The operation control program includes: A) causing the computer included in the printing apparatus to perform A) a temporary printing process in which the printing apparatus records a temporary printing image page by page on the base material; and B) the step A). A step of determining whether or not a switching command signal is input during the execution of C, and C) a step of stopping the step A) after it is determined that the switching command signal is input in the step B) D) After the step C), causing the printing apparatus to perform a main printing process for recording a main print image on the substrate, and performing the temporary printing per page in the step A). Recording material usage amount at the time of printing is less than the recording material usage amount at the time of printing of the present print image per page in the step D).

A twenty-third invention of the present application is the recording medium of the twenty-second invention, wherein the operation control program performs temporary printing processing on the computer based on print image data before E) step A). The process of creating the temporary print job and the main print job for performing the main print processing is further executed.

A twenty-fourth aspect of the present invention is a recording medium for a printing apparatus according to the twenty-second or the twenty-third aspect, wherein the operation control program is stored in the computer during the execution of step A). The substrate is further transported at the first speed, and the substrate at the second speed is larger than the first speed with respect to the transport mechanism during the step D). The conveyance is further executed.

According to the first to twenty-fourth inventions of the present application, in the printing apparatus used together with the post-processing apparatus, it is possible to accurately perform alignment in the post-processing apparatus while suppressing an increase in the consumption of the recording agent.

1 is a diagram conceptually illustrating a configuration of a printing system according to a first embodiment. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a control system of a printing system according to a first embodiment. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of operations during driving of the printing system according to the first embodiment. It is the figure which showed an example of the submission data concerning 1st Embodiment. It is the figure which showed an example of the temporary printing image which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is the figure which showed an example of the temporary printing image which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is the figure which showed an example of the temporary printing image which concerns on 1st Embodiment. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of operations during driving of the printing system according to the second embodiment. It is the schematic which shows the example of the printing paper in which the printing process was performed in the printing system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, the direction in which the printing paper 9 is transported is referred to as “transport direction”, and the horizontal direction orthogonal to the transport direction is referred to as “width direction”. Further, the upstream side in the transport direction is simply referred to as “upstream side”, and the downstream side in the transport direction is simply referred to as “downstream side”.

<1. First Embodiment>
<1-1. Configuration of printing system>
FIG. 1 is a diagram conceptually showing the configuration of a printing system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control system of the printing system 1. The printing system 1 is a processing system that performs processing such as printing on the printing paper 9 while transporting the printing paper 9 that is a long belt-like base material.

The printing system 1 includes a printing device 10, an unwinding mechanism 21, a winding mechanism 22, a buffer device 30, a cutting device 40, a control unit 50, and an operation unit 60. In the printing system 1, the printing paper 9 is fed out from the unwinding mechanism 21, processed in the printing device 10, the buffer device 30, and the cutting device 40 in order, and then collected into the winding mechanism 22.

In this printing system 1, the unwinding mechanism 21, the winding mechanism 22, and the plurality of transport rollers 23 constitute a transport mechanism 20. The plurality of transport rollers 23 are included in the printing device 10, the buffer device 30, and the cutting device 40. Moreover, some conveyance rollers 23 may be arrange | positioned between each apparatus. The transport mechanism 20 is a mechanism for transporting the printing paper 9 in the transport direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the print paper 9.

A motor (not shown) serving as a power source is connected to the unwinding mechanism 21, the winding mechanism 22, and the plurality of transport rollers 23. When the control unit 50 drives the motor, the unwinding mechanism 21, the winding mechanism 22, and the transport roller 23 rotate. Thereby, the printing paper 9 is conveyed in the conveyance direction. However, some or all of the plurality of transport rollers 23 may be driven rollers that are not connected to the motor and rotate according to the movement of the printing paper 9.

A plurality of transport rollers 23 and

various rollers

31 and 32 included in the buffer device 30 constitute a transport path of the printing paper 9. Each transport roller 23 guides the printing paper 9 to the downstream side of the transport path by rotating about the horizontal axis. That is, the printing paper 9 is unwound from the unwinding mechanism 21 and then collected by the winding mechanism 22 along the transport path.

The printing device 10 is a device that records an image on the upper surface of the printing paper 9 on the upstream side of the buffer device 30 and the cutting device 40. The printing apparatus 10 includes a recording unit 11 disposed above the conveyance path of the printing paper 9 and a print control unit 51 (to be described later) of the control unit 50. The recording unit 11 ejects ink droplets onto the printing paper 9 conveyed by the conveyance mechanism 20. As a result, the recording unit 11 records the print image by attaching the ink as the recording agent to the print paper 9. In the present embodiment, the recording unit 11 includes four recording heads 12. Each of the four recording heads 12 ejects cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) ink droplets onto the upper surface of the printing paper 9 in order.

The printing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment ejects ink droplets from the recording head 12 having a recording width equal to or larger than the paper width of the printing paper 9 while the printing paper 9 passes under the recording heads 12 only once. Thus, a so-called one-pass ink jet printer that records a desired print image on the print paper 9.

The buffer device 30 is a device that adjusts the tension of the printing paper 9 between the printing device 10 and the cutting device 40. The buffer device 30 includes a plurality of buffer rollers 31 and dancer rollers 32. The buffer roller 31 and the dancer roller 32 are alternately arranged up and down along the transport direction.

As shown by arrows in FIG. 1, the tension of the printing paper 9 can be adjusted by moving the dancer roller 32 up and down. Further, the length of the printing paper 9 held in the buffer device 30 can be adjusted by moving the dancer roller 32 up and down. Thus, even if there is a temporary difference between the conveyance speed of the printing paper 9 on the upstream side of the buffer device 30 and the conveyance speed of the printing paper 9 on the downstream side of the buffer device 30, the upstream side and the downstream side The difference in the conveyance speed with respect to the side can be absorbed, and the tension of the printing paper 9 can be kept constant.

The cutting device 40 is a post-processing device that performs post-processing on the printing paper 9 after the printing process. The cutting device 40 is disposed on the downstream side of the buffer device 30 and performs a cutting process on the printing paper 9. In the present embodiment, a sealing base material having a sealing layer and a mount layer is used as the printing paper 9. The cutting device 40 performs a so-called half-cut processing process in which only the seal layer of the seal layer and the mount layer is cut.

Note that, instead of the cutting device 40, a cutting device such as a die cutting device that performs die cutting of the printing paper 9 or a cutting device that cuts the printing paper 9 may be disposed as the post-processing device. Further, in place of the cutting device 40, another printing device that performs printing on the surface opposite to the printing surface in the printing device 10, or a folding machine that folds the printing paper 9 every predetermined length, is a post-processing device. May be arranged. When a cutting device or a folding machine is arranged in place of the cutting device 40, the printing system 1 does not have the winding mechanism 22 because it is not necessary to wind the processed printing paper 9.

The cutting device 40 of the present embodiment is a rotary die cutter having a bladed cylinder 41 and an anvil cylinder 42. The bladed cylinder 41 and the anvil cylinder 42 each extend in a direction that is horizontal and orthogonal to the transport path.

The cylinder 41 with the blade is arranged above the conveyance path of the printing paper 9. The bladed cylinder 41 includes a cylindrical cylinder 411 and a punching blade 412 attached around the cylinder 411. As shown by an arrow in FIG. 1, the bladed cylinder 41 has a standby position where it does not contact the printing paper 9 (indicated by a broken line in FIG. 1) and a driving position where it contacts the printing paper 9 (shown by a solid line in FIG. 1). Display) can be moved up and down.

The anvil cylinder 42 is arranged below the conveyance path of the printing paper 9. When the cutting process is performed, the printing paper 9 conveyed on the conveyance path is sandwiched from above and below by the bladed cylinder 41 and the anvil cylinder 42, and as shown by the broken line arrow in FIG. And the anvil cylinder 42 rotates. Thereby, the cutting process is performed on the printing paper 9.

The control unit 50 is a control means for controlling the operation of each unit in the printing system 1. As conceptually shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 50 of the present embodiment is configured by a computer having an arithmetic processing unit 501 such as a CPU, a memory 502 such as a RAM, and a storage unit 503 such as a hard disk drive. Yes. As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 50 is electrically connected to the printing device 10, the transport mechanism 20, the buffer device 30, the cutting device 40, and the operation unit 60.

The control unit 50 of the present embodiment is configured by installing the operation control program Pi of the printing apparatus 10 in a computer. The storage unit 503 of the control unit 50 stores a computer program P including the operation control program Pi and data D.

The control unit 50 temporarily reads the computer program P and data D stored in the storage unit 503 into the memory 502, and the arithmetic processing unit 501 performs arithmetic processing based on the computer program P and data D. The operation of each unit in the printing system 1 is controlled. Thereby, the conveyance process of the printing paper 9 by the unwinding mechanism 21, the winding mechanism 22 and each conveyance roller 23, the printing process in the printing apparatus 10, the tension adjustment process by the buffer apparatus 30, and the cutting process by the cutting apparatus 40 proceed. To do. Note that the control unit 50 may be configured by an electronic circuit.

As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 50 includes a print control unit 51 for controlling the printing apparatus 10 and a cutting control unit 52 for controlling the cutting apparatus 40 as processing units realized on software. And have.

In this embodiment, each operation of the printing apparatus 10, the unwinding mechanism 21, the winding mechanism 22, the buffer apparatus 30, and the cutting apparatus 40 is controlled by one control unit 50. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Each device may be connected to a different control unit. In that case, at least the printing apparatus 10 is connected to a control unit including the printing control unit 51, and the cutting apparatus 40 is connected to a control unit including the cutting control unit 52.

Each function of the print control unit 51 is realized by the arithmetic processing unit 501 operating based on the operation control program Pi. The print control unit 51 includes a job creation unit 71, a temporary print processing unit 72, a main print processing unit 73, and a print processing switching unit 74.

The job creation unit 71 creates a temporary print job D2 and a main print job D3 based on the submitted data D1 input from the input unit 62. The submitted data D1 includes image data representing a print image desired by the user.

The temporary print job D2 is a job (print instruction data) for causing the recording unit 11 of the printing apparatus 10 to perform operation control so as to form a temporary print image on the printing paper 9. The provisional print image is a print image used for alignment in the cutting device 40.

The main print job D3 is a job (print instruction data) for causing the recording unit 11 of the printing apparatus 10 to perform operation control so as to form a main print image on the print paper 9. This print image is a reproduction of a print image desired by the user included in the submitted data D1 using the printing apparatus 10.

The temporary printing processing unit 72 causes the recording unit 11 of the printing apparatus 10 to execute temporary printing processing based on the temporary printing job D2. In the temporary printing process, the recording unit 11 records a temporary printed image on the printing paper 9 page by page.

The main print processing unit 73 causes the recording unit 11 of the printing apparatus 10 to execute the main print processing based on the main print job D3. In the main printing process, the recording unit 11 records the main print image on the printing paper 9 one page at a time.

The printing process switching unit 74 outputs a stop command signal S2 and an execution command signal S3 to the temporary printing processing unit 72 and the main printing processing unit 73 based on the switching command signal S1 input from the input unit 62.

Specifically, when the switching command signal S1 for switching to the main printing process is input from the input unit 62 during the execution of the temporary printing process by the temporary printing processing unit 72, the printing process switching unit 74 causes the temporary printing process to be performed. A stop command signal S2 for stopping the temporary printing process is output to the unit 72, and an execution command signal S3 for starting execution of the main printing process is output to the main printing processing unit 73. As a result, the printing process switching unit 74 causes the recording unit 11 of the printing apparatus 10 to switch from the temporary printing process to the main printing process.

The operation unit 60 includes a display unit 61 and an input unit 62. The display unit 61 displays information such as the operating status of each device input from the control unit 50. The operator can input a command to the control unit 50 or input submitted data to the control unit 50 by operating the input unit 62. As the display unit 61, for example, a liquid crystal display is used.

The input unit 62 includes a command input unit 621 and a data input unit 622. For the command input unit 621, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a voice input device, or the like is used. The operation unit 60 of the present embodiment is a separate device in which the display unit 61 and the command input unit 621 are independent from each other, but a touch panel type device in which the display unit 61 and the command input unit 621 are integrated is provided. May be used.

The data input unit 622 of the present embodiment is an optical drive that reads a program and data from the optical disc 600. The operation control program Pi and the submitted data D1 of the printing apparatus 10 are stored in, for example, the optical disc 600 that is a tangible recording medium. The data input unit 622 reads the operation control program Pi of the printing apparatus 10 and the submitted data D1 from the optical disc 600 and stores them in the storage unit 503 of the control unit 50. The data input unit 622 may be configured to input data by connecting a semiconductor memory instead of such an optical drive for reading the optical disc 600.

<1-2. Operation of printing system>
Next, operations of the recording unit 11 and the print control unit 51 of the printing apparatus 10 when the printing system 1 is driven will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of operations of each unit of the printing system 1 when the printing system 1 is driven. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the submitted data D1. 5 to 7 are diagrams showing examples of temporary print images based on the temporary print job D2 created from the input data D1 in the example of FIG.

When the printing system 1 is driven, first, the submission data D1 is input to the control unit 50 via the data input unit 622 of the input unit 62 (step ST101). The submitted data D1 includes image data D11 and cut position data D12. As shown in FIG. 4, the image data D <b> 11 is data indicating a print image desired by the user that the recording unit 11 should form on the printing paper 9. The cut position data D12 is data indicating a cut position on which the cutting process is performed in the cutting device 40. In FIG. 4, the image data D11 which is a multicolor image is displayed in gray scale, and the cut position is indicated by a broken line.

Next, the control unit 50 creates a temporary print job D2 and a main print job D3 (step ST102). Specifically, the job creation unit 71 of the print control unit 51 creates a temporary print job D2 and a main print job D3 based on the submitted data D1.

The job creation unit 71 creates the main print job D3 so that the main print image formed on the printing paper 9 by the recording unit 11 approximates the image data D11 of the submitted data D1. On the other hand, the job creation unit 71 executes the temporary print job D2 so that the ink amount used by the recording unit 11 when printing the temporary print image is smaller than the ink amount used by the recording unit 11 when printing the print image. create. Further, the job creation unit 71 creates a temporary print job D2 so that the positioning of the cutting device 40 and the printing paper 9 can be easily performed using the temporary print image.

For example, the job creation unit 71 of the present embodiment creates the temporary print job D2 so that the temporary print image becomes a print image in which the density of each color of the main print image is lowered. The temporary print image in the example of FIG. 5 is a print image in which the density of each color of the main print image is lowered. In this way, the amount of ink used when printing the temporary print image can be made smaller than the amount of ink used when printing the main print image. Further, since the positional relationship of the main print image can be grasped from the temporary print image, the alignment in the cutting device 40 can be performed accurately.

The job creation unit 71 may create the temporary print job D2 by another method. For example, the job creation unit 71 may create the temporary print job D2 so that the temporary print image is a gray scale representation of the main print image. In this way, when the print image is a print image that is printed in multiple colors, if the temporary print image is a print image that can be printed in black, other than the black ink used when printing the temporary print image. The amount of ink used can be reduced. Note that the color of the ink constituting the temporary print image may be a color other than black.

Further, for example, as shown in the example of FIG. 6, the job creation unit 71 creates the temporary print job D <b> 2 so that the temporary print image is a line diagram that represents only the outline of each component of the main print image. May be. In this way, it is possible to further reduce the amount of ink used when printing the temporary print image.

Further, as shown in the example of FIG. 7, the job creation unit 71 generates the temporary print job D2 so that the temporary print image is a single-color diagram indicating the cut position where the cutting process is performed in the cutting device 40. You may create it. In this way, it is possible to further reduce the amount of ink used when printing the temporary print image. In the example of FIG. 7, the cut position P1 is represented by a solid line, and the mark position P2 that is separated from the cut position P1 by a predetermined distance outward and inward is represented by a broken line. Thus, by including not only the cut position P1 but also the mark position P2 in the temporary print image, it becomes easier to align the printing paper 9 in the cutting device 40.

Here, when the size of the ejected ink droplets is constant, the amount of ink used by the recording unit 11 when printing each print image is the recording head 12 responsible for each color in the image formed on the printing paper 9. The smaller the total number of ejection pixels from which ink is ejected (hereinafter referred to as “total ejection pixel number”), the smaller the number. Therefore, for example, the job creation unit 71 creates the temporary print job D2 such that the total number of ejection pixels of the temporary print job D2 is smaller than the total number of ejection pixels of the main print job D3. In this way, the ink amount that the recording unit 11 uses when printing the temporary print image is smaller than the ink amount that the recording unit 11 uses when printing the main print image. When the temporary print image D2 is a single color image as in the examples of FIGS. 6 to 7, the number of ejection pixels of the inks of other colors is zero, so the total number of ejection pixels of the temporary print job D2 is the main print. It becomes smaller than the total number of ejection pixels of job D3.

When the job creation is completed, the control unit 50 starts driving the transport mechanism 20 (step ST103). Thereby, conveyance of the printing paper 9 is started.

Then, the temporary printing processing unit 72 of the control unit 50 causes the recording unit 11 to perform printing processing of the temporary printing image for one page based on the temporary printing job D2 (step ST104). Here, “one page” is an area in the conveyance direction of the printing paper 9 and corresponds to an area in which cutting is performed by one cutting process in the cutting device 40. In parallel with step ST104, the cutting device 40 aligns each part of the cutting device 40 with the printing paper 9. The alignment is performed, for example, by finely adjusting the position of the bladed cylinder 41 in the width direction and the rotation direction. This alignment may be performed manually by the user. Further, this alignment may be performed by the cutting control unit 52 controlling the operation of the cutting device 50 automatically or when the user inputs a command signal from the command input unit 621.

When the alignment is completed, the user inputs a switching command signal S1 from the command input unit 621 to the control unit 50. As a result, the switching command signal S1 is input to the printing process switching unit 74. The switching command signal S1 may be automatically input from the cutting control unit 52 that has detected the completion of alignment to the print processing switching unit 74.

During execution of the temporary printing process in step ST104, the printing process switching unit 74 of the control unit 50 monitors whether or not the switching command signal S1 is input from the command input unit 621 of the input unit 62. When it is determined that the switching command signal S1 has been input, the print processing switching unit 74 outputs a stop command signal S2 to stop the temporary printing process to the temporary printing processing unit 72 and at the same time the main printing processing unit 73. In response to this, an execution command signal S3 for starting execution of the printing process is output.

When step ST104 is completed, the temporary printing processing unit 72 determines whether or not a stop command signal S2 is input. That is, the provisional printing processing unit 72 determines whether or not the switching command signal S1 is input to the printing processing switching unit 74 during the execution of step ST104 (step ST105).

In step ST105, if the temporary print processing unit 72 determines that the stop command signal S2 has not been input, the process returns to step ST104 to continue the temporary print process. That is, if the switching command signal S1 is not input to the printing process switching unit 74 during the execution of step ST104, the temporary printing process is continued.

In step ST105, when the temporary printing processing unit 72 determines that the stop command signal S2 has been input, the temporary printing process is stopped. That is, when the switching command signal S1 is input to the printing process switching unit 74 during the execution of step ST104, the temporary printing processing unit 72 prints the temporary printing image being printed to the end of the page, and then performs the temporary printing process. To stop.

The main print processing unit 73 to which the execution command signal S3 is input during the execution of step ST104 starts the main print processing after the temporary print processing unit 72 has finished printing the temporary print image being printed (step ST106). . In this way, the print process switching unit 74 causes the recording unit 11 to switch from the temporary print process to the main print process.

In step ST106, the main print processing unit 73 causes the recording unit 11 to perform print processing of the main print image set in the recording unit 11 based on the main print job D3. When the main printing process in step ST106 is completed, the control unit 50 ends the driving of the transport mechanism 20 (step ST107).

As described above, in the printing system 1, when the alignment is performed in the post-processing device (cutting device 40) arranged on the downstream side of the recording unit 11 of the printing device 10, the amount of ink used is larger than that of the print image. Position alignment is performed using a small number of provisional printed images. Accordingly, it is possible to accurately perform alignment in the post-processing apparatus while suppressing an increase in ink consumption.

Also, in order to switch from temporary printing to main printing without using the switching command signal S1, it is necessary to determine in advance after predicting the number of pages of temporary printing necessary for alignment. In this case, if the alignment is performed more quickly than expected, unnecessary temporary printing processing occurs and ink is wasted. On the other hand, when the alignment is delayed from the prediction, the alignment is continued using the base material on which the printing process has been performed, and the ink is consumed wastefully.

In the printing system 1 of the present embodiment, the temporary printing process is terminated at the timing when the switching command signal S1 is input without fixing the number of pages for temporary printing. For this reason, the temporary printing process can be completed when it is determined that the alignment in the post-processing apparatus is completed. Therefore, an increase in ink consumption can be further suppressed.

In the printing system 1 of the present embodiment, the temporary print job D2 and the main print job D3 are created based on the same submitted data D1. For this reason, the temporary print image can be formed on the print paper 9 at the same position as the print position of the main print image. Therefore, alignment in the post-processing apparatus can be accurately performed with respect to the printing position of the print image.

<2. Second Embodiment>
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the second embodiment, the same printing system 1 as that in the first embodiment is used, and an operation different from that in the first embodiment is performed. FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of operations of each unit of the printing system 1 when the printing system 1 is driven in the second embodiment. Hereinafter, operations of the recording unit 11 and the print control unit 51 of the printing apparatus 10 when the printing system 1 according to the second embodiment is driven will be described with reference to FIG.

When the printing system 1 is driven, in the second embodiment, first, the submitted data D1 is input to the control unit 50 as in the first embodiment (step ST201). Then, the control unit 50 creates a temporary print job D2 and a main print job D3 based on the submitted data D1 (step ST202). Since steps ST201 to ST202 are the same as steps ST101 to ST102 in the first embodiment, detailed description thereof is omitted.

When the job creation is completed, the control unit 50 starts driving the transport mechanism 20 (step ST203). At this time, the control unit 50 drives the transport mechanism 20 so that the transport speed of the printing paper 9 becomes the first speed. The first speed is, for example, 5 [m / min] to 10 [m / min].

Then, the temporary printing processing unit 72 of the control unit 50 causes the recording unit 11 to perform printing processing of the temporary printing image for one page based on the temporary printing job D2 (step ST204). In parallel with step ST204, in the cutting apparatus 40, each part of the cutting apparatus 40 and the printing paper 9 are aligned. In this embodiment, the position is manually adjusted by the user. If the conveyance speed is high, it is difficult to perform manual alignment. The conveyance speed of the printing paper 9 during execution of the temporary printing process in step ST204 is the first speed described above. The first speed is a speed smaller than a conveyance speed (for example, a second speed described later) suitable for performing the printing process in the recording unit 11 and the cutting process in the cutting device 40. By adjusting the conveyance speed of the printing paper 9 to the first speed during alignment in the cutting device 40, manual alignment is facilitated.

During execution of the temporary printing process in step ST204, the printing process switching unit 74 of the control unit 50 monitors whether or not the switching command signal S1 is input from the command input unit 621 of the input unit 62. When it is determined that the switching command signal S1 has been input, the print processing switching unit 74 outputs a stop command signal S2 to stop the temporary printing process to the temporary printing processing unit 72 and at the same time the main printing processing unit 73. In response to this, an execution command signal S3 for starting execution of the printing process is output.

When step ST204 ends, the temporary printing processing unit 72 determines whether or not a stop command signal S2 has been input. That is, the provisional printing processing unit 72 determines whether or not the switching command signal S1 is input to the printing processing switching unit 74 during the execution of step S204 (step ST205).

In step ST205, if the temporary print processing unit 72 determines that the stop command signal S2 has not been input, the process returns to step ST204 to continue the temporary print processing. That is, if the switching command signal S1 is not input to the printing process switching unit 74 during the execution of step ST204, the temporary printing process is continued.

In step ST205, when the temporary printing processing unit 72 determines that the stop command signal S2 is input, the temporary printing process is stopped. That is, when the switching command signal S1 is input to the print processing switching unit 74 during execution of step ST204, the temporary print processing unit 72 prints the temporary print image being printed to the end of the page, and then performs the temporary print processing. To stop. And the control part 50 makes the conveyance mechanism 20 start the raise of the conveyance speed of the printing paper 9 (step ST206). At this time, the control unit 50 drives the transport mechanism 20 so that the transport speed of the printing paper 9 is a second speed larger than the first speed. The second speed is, for example, 50 [m / min] to 70 [m / min].

On the other hand, the main print processing unit 73 to which the execution command signal S3 is input during the execution of step ST204, after the temporary print processing unit 72 finishes printing the temporary print image being printed, The printing process of the print image is performed for one page (step ST207). In step ST207, as described above, the switching print processing for printing the print image while increasing the conveyance speed of the printing paper 9 from the first speed to the second speed is performed. During the execution of the switching printing process, the conveyance speed of the printing paper 9 is gradually accelerated from the first speed to the second speed. Therefore, the print processing unit 73 causes the recording unit 11 to eject ink in accordance with the conveyance speed of the printing paper 9.

The control unit 50 monitors the conveyance speed of the printing paper 9 in the conveyance mechanism 20 during the execution of the switching printing process in step ST207. When step ST207 ends, the control unit 50 determines whether or not the conveyance speed of the printing paper 9 has reached the second speed (step ST208).

In step ST208, when the control unit 50 determines that the conveyance speed of the printing paper 9 has not reached the second speed, the control unit 50 returns to step ST207 and causes the printing process of the print image to be performed page by page as the switching printing process.

If the control unit 50 determines in step ST208 that the conveyance speed of the printing paper 9 has reached the second speed, the process proceeds to step ST209. In step ST209, first, the main print processing unit 73 causes the recording unit 11 to record a constant speed marker at the boundary between the page printed at the end of the switching print processing and the page to be printed next as the main print processing. .

In step ST209, after recording the constant speed marker, the main print processing unit 73 causes the recording unit 11 to perform the print processing of the main print image for the number of pages set. That is, the main print processing unit 73 performs the main print processing. In this way, the print process switching unit 74 causes the recording unit 11 to switch from the temporary print process to the main print process. The conveyance speed of the printing paper 9 during the execution of the main printing process in step ST209 is the second speed. The second speed is an appropriate conveyance speed for performing the printing process in the recording unit 11 and the cutting process in the cutting device 40.

When the main printing process in step ST209 is completed, the control unit 50 ends the driving of the transport mechanism 20 (step ST210).

As described above, in the present embodiment, the conveyance speed of the printing paper 9 is different between the execution of the temporary printing process for positioning in the post-processing apparatus (cutting apparatus 40) and the execution of the main printing process. Thus, wasteful consumption of the printing paper 9 is suppressed while performing alignment.

In this embodiment, the constant speed marker is printed on the printing paper 9 after the conveyance speed of the printing paper 9 reaches the second speed. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the printing paper 9 on which printing processing has been performed in the printing system 1 according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9, on the printing paper 9, a temporary print page 91 on which a temporary print image is printed by the temporary print process in step ST204, and a switch print page on which the main print image is printed by the switch print process in step ST207. 92 and a main print page 93 on which the main print image is printed by the main print processing of step ST209 is formed. A constant speed marker 90 is printed at the boundary between the switching print page 92 and the main print page 93.

Thus, by printing the constant speed marker 90, the switching print page 92 and the main print page 93 can be easily distinguished.

<3. Modification>
Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

In the printing system of the above embodiment, a buffer device is interposed between the printing device and the cutting device which is a post-processing device. However, the printing system of the present invention may not have a buffer device.

Further, the printing system of the above-described embodiment has the job creation unit 71 inside the printing apparatus 1. Therefore, a temporary print job D2 and a main print job D3 are created in the printing apparatus 1 based on the submitted data D1. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In the data processing apparatus provided outside the printing apparatus 1, the temporary print job D2 and the main print job D3 may be created based on the submitted data D1. In this case, the temporary print job D2 and the main print job D3 created in the data processing apparatus may be input to the printing apparatus 1.

In addition, the printing system of the above-described embodiment is intended to process printing paper that is a long belt-like base material. However, the printing system of the present invention may use a sheet-like base material (for example, a resin film) other than general paper as a processing target.

In the above embodiment, an ink jet printing apparatus is used as the printing apparatus. However, the printing apparatus of the present invention may be a plateless printing apparatus of another system such as an electrophotographic system.

Further, the elements appearing in the above-described embodiments and modifications may be appropriately combined within a range where no contradiction occurs.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printing system 9 Printing paper 10 Printing apparatus 11 Recording part 20 Conveyance mechanism 40 Cutting apparatus 50 Control part 51 Print control part 52 Cutting control part 62 Input part 71 Job creation part 72 Temporary printing process part 73 This print process part 74 Print process switching Unit 501 Arithmetic processing unit 502 Memory 503 Storage unit Pi Operation control program S1 Switching command signal S2 Stop command signal S3 Execution command signal

Claims

A printing apparatus for recording a print image on a substrate conveyed in a conveyance direction,
A recording unit for recording a printed image by attaching a recording agent to the substrate;
A print control unit for controlling the recording unit;
Have
The print control unit
A temporary printing processing unit that causes the recording unit to perform a temporary printing process of recording a temporary printing image page by page on the base material;
A main print processing unit that causes the recording unit to execute a main print process of recording a main print image page by page on the base material;
A printing process switching unit that causes the recording unit to switch from the temporary printing process to the main printing process during execution of the temporary printing process;
Have
The printing apparatus, wherein the amount of recording agent used when printing the temporary print image is smaller than the amount of recording agent used when printing the main print image.
The printing apparatus according to claim 1,
An input unit for inputting print image data to the print control unit;
The print control unit
A job creation unit for creating a main print job and a temporary print job based on the print image data input from the input unit;
The main print processing unit performs the main print processing based on the main print job,
The temporary printing processing unit is a printing apparatus that performs the temporary printing process based on the temporary printing job.
The printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein
The temporary printing image is a printing apparatus in which the density of each color of the main printing image is reduced.
The printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein
The main print image is a print image printed in multiple colors,
The temporary printing image is a printing apparatus that is a printing image that can be printed in a single color.
The printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein
The temporary printing image is a printing apparatus that is a printing image including a diagram representing only the outer shape of each component of the main printing image in a single color.
A printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A printing apparatus that is disposed on the downstream side of the printing apparatus and that is used together with a post-processing apparatus that performs processing on the base material.
The printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein
Arranged on the downstream side of the printing device, used together with a cutting device for performing a cutting process on the substrate,
The temporary printing image is a printing apparatus in which a position where a cutting process is performed in the cutting apparatus is displayed in a single color.
A printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A post-processing device that is disposed on the downstream side of the printing device and performs processing on the substrate;
Having a printing system.
The printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein
The conveyance speed of the base material during execution of the temporary printing process is a first speed,
The printing apparatus, wherein a conveyance speed of the base material during execution of the main printing process is a second speed larger than the first speed.
The printing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein
The main print processing unit switches recording the print image for each page on the base material while increasing the conveyance speed of the base material after the temporary printing process is finished and before the start of the main print process. A printing apparatus that causes the recording unit to execute a printing process, and starts the main printing process after the conveyance speed of the base material reaches the second speed.
The printing apparatus according to claim 10,
The main print processing unit causes the recording unit to record a marker at a boundary between a page printed at the end of the switching print processing and a page to start printing as the main print processing.
A printing method for recording a print image by attaching a recording agent to a substrate conveyed in a conveyance direction,
a) performing a temporary printing process of recording a temporary printed image page by page on the substrate;
b) determining whether a switching command signal is input during the execution of the step a);
c) stopping the step a) after determining that the switching command signal is input in the step b);
d) after the step c), performing a main printing process for recording a desired print image of a desired number of pages on the substrate;
Have
A printing method in which the amount of recording agent used during printing of the temporary print image per page in step a) is less than the amount of recording agent used during printing of the main print image per page in step d) .
The printing method according to claim 12, comprising:
e) Step of creating a temporary print job for performing a temporary print process and a main print job for performing the main print process based on the print image data input from the input unit before the step a) A printing method further comprising:
The printing method according to claim 12 or 13,
The temporary printing image is a printing method in which the density of each color of the main printing image is reduced.
The printing method according to claim 12 or 13,
The main print image is a print image printed in multiple colors,
The temporary printing image is a printing method capable of printing in a single color.
The printing method according to claim 12 or 13,
The said temporary printing image is a printing method which is a printing image containing the diagram which represented only the external shape of each component of the said main printing image by the monochrome.
The printing method according to any one of claims 12 to 16, comprising:
f) In parallel with the step a), a step of aligning the post-processing apparatus disposed on the downstream side of the printing apparatus that performs the temporary printing process and the main printing process with the substrate;
g) inputting the switching command signal during the execution of the step a) and after the completion of the step f);
A printing method further comprising:
The printing method according to claim 12 or 13,
h) In parallel with the step a), a step of aligning the cutting device disposed on the downstream side of the printing device that performs the temporary printing process and the main printing process with the substrate;
i) inputting the switching command signal during the execution of the step a) and after the completion of the step h);
Further comprising
The temporary printing image is a printing method in which a position on which cutting processing is performed in the cutting device is displayed in a single color.
The printing method according to claim 12 or 13,
The conveyance speed of the base material in the step a) is a first speed,
The printing method in which the conveyance speed of the base material in the step d) is a second speed larger than the first speed.
The printing method according to claim 19, comprising:
j) after the step c), performing a switching print process for recording the print image on the substrate one page at a time while increasing the conveyance speed of the substrate;
k) determining whether or not the conveyance speed of the base material has reached a second speed during the execution of the step j);
Further comprising
The printing method, wherein the step d) is performed after it is determined in the step k) that the conveyance speed of the base material has reached the second speed.
The printing method according to claim 20, wherein
l) The page printed last in step j) after the determination that the conveyance speed of the base material has reached the second speed in step k) and before step d), and the step A printing method further comprising a step of recording a marker at a boundary with a page where printing is started in d).
A computer-readable recording medium,
An operation control program of a printing apparatus that records a print image by attaching a recording agent to a substrate conveyed in the conveyance direction is stored,
The operation control program is stored in a computer included in the printing apparatus.
A) causing the printing apparatus to perform a temporary printing process for recording a temporary printing image page by page on the substrate;
B) determining whether a switching command signal is input during the execution of the step A);
C) stopping the step A) after determining that the switching command signal is input in the step B);
D) after the step C), causing the printing apparatus to perform a main print process for recording a main print image on the substrate;
And execute
A recording medium in which the amount of recording agent used during printing of the temporary print image per page in step A) is smaller than the amount of recording agent used during printing of the main print image per page in step D) .
A recording medium for a printing apparatus according to claim 22,
The operation control program is stored in the computer.
E) Before the step A), the recording is further performed by a step of creating a temporary print job for performing a temporary print process and a main print job for performing the main print process based on the print image data. Medium.
A recording medium for a printing apparatus according to claim 22 or claim 23,
The operation control program is stored in the computer.
During the execution of the step A), the transport mechanism of the base material is further caused to transport the base material at a first speed, and
A recording medium that, during execution of the step D), causes the transport mechanism to further execute transport of the base material at the second speed greater than the first speed.