Platemaking method, platemaking device, and printing press

• US 9,421,750 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2015
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Yoshirou
• Primary Examiner(s): Tankersley, Blake A
• Application Number:
  US14/861,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20160009072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 336 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/06 Tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/42 Plastics B23K2103/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/50 Inorganic material, e.g. metals, not provided for in B23K2103/02 – B23K2103/26
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0006 taking account of the properties of the material involved B23K26/32, B23K26/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0823 Devices involving rotation of the workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0876 in at least two axial directions
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/355 Texturing
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/362 Laser etching
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/364 for making a groove or trench, e.g. for scribing a break initiation groove
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/402 involving non-metallic material, e.g. isolators
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/0235 the guide member forming part of a portal
• CPC Class Codes: B41C 1/05 Heat-generating engraving heads, e.g. laser beam, electron beam
• CPC Class Codes: B41N 1/12 non-metallic other than stone , e.g. printing plates or foils comprising inorganic materials in an organic matrix B41N1/003, B41N1/006 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41N 1/16 Curved printing plates, especially cylinders B41N1/003, B41N1/006 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41N 1/22 made of other substances

Abstract

There is provided a platemaking method of forming relief based on relief pattern data in a printing plate to be pressed on a printing matter, and the platemaking method includes steps of: estimating distribution of printing pressure of the printing plate pressed on the printing matter on the basis of image data and distribution data of plate thickness; calculating an amount of correction of engraving shape data on the basis of the distribution of printing pressure; correcting the engraving shape data on the basis of the amount of correction; and acquiring exposure amount data from the engraving shape data corrected. It is possible to form relief in consideration of deformation of a printing plate in accordance with the distribution of printing pressure in the printing plate to favorably print and reproduce an image on a printing medium.

Claims

1. A platemaking method of forming relief based on relief pattern data in a printing plate to be pressed on a printing medium, the platemaking method comprising the steps of:

calculating relief pattern data on the basis of image data;

acquiring distribution data of plate thickness showing distribution of plate thickness of the printing plate;

estimating distribution of printing pressure of a printing plate pressed on a printing medium on the basis of the image data and the distribution data of plate thickness;

calculating an amount of correction of the relief pattern data on the basis of the distribution of printing pressure;

correcting the relief pattern data on the basis of the amount of correction; and

forming the relief based on the corrected relief pattern data.

2. The platemaking method according to claim 1, wherein the distribution of printing pressure is estimated on the basis of an area ratio of a portion with which the printing medium is to be brought into contact within a prescribed range of the printing plate.

3. The platemaking method according to claim 1, wherein the relief includes a plurality of protrusions, and the relief pattern data includes height data and shape data of the plurality of protrusions, and wherein the amount of correction of the relief pattern data relates to at least any one of the height data and the shape data of the plurality of protrusions.

4. The platemaking method according to claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions includes a base and a tip provided on the base, on which a printing medium is pressed, and wherein the shape data of the plurality of protrusions includes at least shape data of the tip.

5. The platemaking method according to claim 4, wherein the shape data of the tip of each of the plurality of protrusions includes data on a portion of the tip that is to be brought into contact with the printing medium during printing.

6. The platemaking method according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of protrusions includes a base and a tip provided on the base, on which a printing medium is pressed, and wherein the height data of the plurality of protrusions relates to any one of tip height, base height, and entire height of the tip and the base.

7. The platemaking method according to claim 1, wherein the relief includes a plurality of protrusions, and the relief pattern data includes volume data of the plurality of protrusions, and wherein the amount of correction of the relief pattern data relates to the volume data of the plurality of the protrusions.

8. The platemaking method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of forming the relief on the printing plate on the basis of the relief pattern data corrected.

9. The platemaking method according to claim 8, wherein the relief is formed on the printing plate by exposure processing with respect to the printing plate, and exposure characteristics related to a thickness direction of the printing plate are derived on the basis of the distribution data of plate thickness so that the relief is formed on the printing plate by the exposure processing in consideration of the exposure characteristics.

10. A platemaking device that forms relief based on relief pattern data in a printing plate to be pressed on a printing medium, the platemaking device comprising:

a relief calculation unit that calculates relief pattern data on the basis of image data;

a plate thickness distribution acquisition unit that acquires distribution data of plate thickness showing distribution of plate thickness of a printing plate;

a printing pressure distribution estimation unit that estimates distribution of printing pressure of the printing plate pressed on the printing medium on the basis of the image data and the distribution data of plate thickness;

a correction amount calculation unit that calculates an amount of correction of the relief pattern data on the basis of the distribution of printing pressure;

a data correction unit that corrects the relief pattern data on the basis of the amount of correction; and

a relief forming unit that forms the relief based on the corrected relief pattern data.

11. A printing press comprising:

the platemaking device according to claim 10; and

a printing unit that presses the printing plate in which relief is formed by the platemaking device on the printing medium.