Method for creating a test report, accompanied by a certificate, of a test of a marking printed on a packaging material in a printing machine, and a system for carrying out this method

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for creating a test report provided with a certificate from an inspection of a marking printed on a packaging material in a printing press, wherein digital image data are created from the marking printed on the packaging material by photographically imaging it using an image recording device, wherein a control unit of the printing press sends metadata of the current print job forming the relevant marking on the packaging material to the image recording device, wherein the image recording device sends the image data captured from the currently printed marking and the metadata of the current print job received from the control unit of the printing press to an evaluation unit.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for creating a test report, provided with a certificate, of a test of a marking printed on a packaging material in a printing machine according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a system for carrying out this method according to the preamble of claim 5.

[0002] In materials management, packaging of goods is usually provided with a marking for logistical reasons. This marking can be in the form of a one-dimensional code such as a barcode or a two-dimensional code such as a DataMatrix code. Since such marking is applied to packaging in particular by printing technology, i.e. in a print shop using a printing press, and sufficient legibility of this marking, in particular its machine readability, must be ensured in the material flow for successful logistics, requirements for the print quality of such markings have been defined in standards. For example, the ISO / IEC 15416 standard was created, which defines requirements for the print quality of barcodes, and the ISO / IEC 15415 standard, which defines requirements for the print quality of matrix codes.The term ISO refers to the International Organization for Standardization, which is a global network of the world's leading standards organizations and brings together national standards bodies from all over the world.

[0003] Many packaging product customers require a certificate from a printing company that applies a label to the packaging material used for the packaging product, proving compliance with the relevant standard. To provide this proof, certified code verification systems for 1D barcodes and 2D matrix codes are available and readily available in printing companies, such as those from REA Elektronik GmbH in D-64367 Mühltal (Germany). The result of a code verified by such a code verification system is stored electronically, for example, and can be provided to the customer of the packaging material bearing the code as proof of compliance with the relevant standard.

[0004] Such code verification systems are typically "stand-alone" verification devices, i.e. they operate independently and independently of the equipment required to execute a print job. The effort required to verify packaging material printed with a marking in a print shop is not insignificant, as it means, for example, removing a printed sheet printed with the marking in question from its production flow and scanning at least the marking in question with the verification device away from the sheet's transport path through the printing press. A further complicating factor is that a printed sheet often has several copies, with preferably every single copy of the printed sheet in question having the marking in question or at least one of several possible markings. Generating the required proof of standard-compliant printing and filing the associated documentation is therefore very complex.

[0005] While it is common practice for the respective positions of the codes to be checked on the printed sheet to be calculated or provided from prepress data, additional effort is required to determine and provide this position data to a code verification system designed as a stand-alone verification device that performs the check.

[0006] DE 10 2021 108 925 A1 discloses a device for testing a marking of a product, wherein in an image capture step at least one image of the marking arranged on a surface of the product is captured using a calibrated inspection camera, and wherein in a layout check step the quality of the marking applied to the surface is checked with regard to static data such as position and machine readability via the at least one captured image, wherein the device comprises a digital data processing system which is configured tothat, in addition to checking the quality of the marking in the layout checking step, variable product information contained in the marking is recorded in a code checking step using the at least one image taken with the inspection camera, and the recorded variable product information is compared with reference information from a reference information database, whereby the comparison determines a conformity parameter.

[0007] US 2002 / 0087574 A1 discloses a method for machine-based verification of alphanumeric data on labels using an electronic sensor, the sensor being programmed to acquire data from the labels and to compare the acquired data with a master template, thereby identifying deviating labels, the method comprising the following in any order: a) loading a master label template data file in computer-readable form onto a label reader or creating the same thereon; and b) loading printed labels into the device; and then scanning each label or a selected subset of labels using a reader in the device, the data read by the reader being compared with the template data file, and the device having a mechanism for identifying a read label that does not match the parameters contained in the template data file.

[0008] WO 2019 / 171070 A1 discloses a system for printing and checking product labels, comprising data processing means configured to a) control the printing of product labels, b) control the capture and reception of images of the printed labels by an image capture device such as an optical scanner, and c) check the printed labels for defects, wherein each printed label conforms to a label format specification for that label, wherein the label has a common layout and includes printed product-related information located in one or more areas on the label, wherein the data processing device comprises a label checking module in which a reference image of the label is provided, and wherein the checking module is configured to sequentially compare the captured images with the reference image according to predetermined quality control indicators,where the label is marked for review or rejection if it is non-compliant.

[0009] The invention is based on the object of creating a test report, provided with a certificate, from an inspection of a marking printed on a packaging material in a printing press, and a system for carrying out this method.

[0010] The object is achieved according to the invention by the subject matter having the features of claim 1 or 5. The respective dependent claims relate to advantageous embodiments and / or further developments of the solution found. The solution found is characterized, among other things, by data networking with a printing press printing the relevant marking and / or with a management information system (MIS) of the printing company connected to the relevant printing press. A management information system is a computer-aided information system that collects and processes important company information, in particular business-oriented company data, preferably provided in digital form, for a management level of the relevant company - here in particular a printing company. Based on this information, analyses can be carried out, problems can be solved, or strategic decisions can be made.It provides the company with as much of the important information as possible to maintain efficient operations. Examples include controlling and other operational management tasks.

[0011] The advantages achieved with the invention are, in particular, that the effort associated with testing labels that must be created on packaging materials in accordance with standards is reduced. In particular, the testing process is simplified and the storage of the test reports resulting from this test can be automated and secure.

[0012] An embodiment of the invention is shown in the single drawing and is described in more detail below.

[0013] Fig.1 illustrates, in a block diagram, by way of example and in simplified form, a system arranged in a printing shop for creating a test report provided with a certificate from an inspection of a marking 02 printed on a packaging material 01 in a printing press 03. This marking 02 is formed in a print job executed by the printing press 03 on the packaging material 01, in particular in the form of a one-dimensional or a two-dimensional code. The packaging material 01 is formed, for example, as a printed sheet made of paper or cardboard or as a metal panel or as a printing substrate made of a plastic, wherein the packaging material 01 in question is transported by a transport device 13, e.g. lying flat on a conveyor belt, in a specific transport direction T through the printing press 03 or at least along an effective range of a printing device of the printing press 03.The printing press 03, with its printing device, forms the marking 02 to be printed by it in an industrial printing process, e.g., in a single color or multi-color manner, e.g., using an inkjet printing process, a laser printing process, or an offset printing process. On each copy of the packaging material 01, a single marking 02, but preferably several markings 02, including different markings 02, can be formed by the printing device of the printing press 03.

[0014] To perform the inspection of the printed marking 02, digital image data are created from the respective marking 02 printed on the packaging material 01 by photographically imaging it using a preferably optoelectronic image recording device 04. This image recording device 04, which can preferably be used independently and even spatially separated from the printing press 03, is designed in particular as a mobile device, preferably as a smartphone or as a digital camera.

[0015] The printing press 03 printing the relevant marking 02 onto the packaging material 01 has a control unit 11, wherein this control unit 11 is arranged, for example, in a control station of this printing press 03 or is a control station of the printing press 03. The control unit 11 of the printing press 03 is configured such that it sends metadata of the current print job forming the relevant marking 02 on the packaging material 01 to the image capture device 04 via a first data connection. The image capture device 04 then sends both the image data captured from the currently printed marking 02 and the metadata of the current print job received from the control unit 11 of the printing press 03 to an evaluation unit 07 via a second data connection.The image data captured from the currently printed marking 02 and the metadata of the current print job received from the control unit 11 of the printing press 03 are each transmitted to the evaluation unit 07 approximately simultaneously, i.e., in close temporal relationship to one another. In general, metadata is information about other data; in the present application, this other data is, in particular, the job data of the print job in question. The evaluation unit 07 can be arranged in close proximity to the image recording device 04, i.e., even in the same device housing, for example, or spatially separate from it.

[0016] In the evaluation unit 07, the image data are linked to the metadata relating to the packaging material 01 to be printed with the marking 02 in a data packet. This data packet is transferred as a test report from the evaluation unit 07 in a program-controlled manner via a third, bidirectional data connection to a certified testing system 08. This certified testing system 08 provides the test report with a certificate, particularly if it is designed in accordance with the standards, and sends it back to the evaluation unit 07. In addition, the evaluation unit 07 program-controlledly sends the test report, provided with the certificate, via a fourth data connection to a document management system 06, in which test reports provided with a certificate are archived.The document management system 06, in turn, is connected to the control unit 11 of the printing press 03 via a fifth, bidirectional data connection and to a management information system 09 belonging to the printing company via a sixth, bidirectional data connection. One advantage of this data networking is that a test report, accompanied by a certificate, can be easily made available from the document management system 06 to a customer of the respective print job.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the control unit 11 of the printing press 03 is connected to a monitor 12 for data purposes, wherein the certified test report created during the processing of a print job and / or a message generated therefrom is displayed on the monitor 12 or at least can be displayed after a request triggered, for example, on the control unit 11. On the control unit 11 of the printing press 03 printing the relevant marking 02, in particular on the monitor 12 of this control unit 11, for example, a number of tests to be carried out on the relevant markings 02 to be printed for a specific job is set or at least adjustable or selectable, wherein an operator of the printing press 03 is preferably shown a time for carrying out the respective test.

[0018] The first data connection between the image capture device 04 and the control unit 11 of the printing press 03 is preferably implemented as a WLAN or a mobile radio connection. The remaining aforementioned data connections can be implemented, for example, via wired connections or via WLAN or a mobile radio connection.

[0019] To check the tests carried out with the image recording device 04 such as a smartphone or a digital camera, it can be provided that at least randomly, for example in a specific print job or after a specified number of executed print jobs, tests are also carried out with a conventional certified test device designed as a "stand-alone" test device, wherein the test results of the image recording device 04 proposed here are then compared with those of the certified test device and, in the event of a deviation, the image recording device 04 is calibrated using the certified test device.

[0020] Furthermore, it can be provided that the image recording device 04 is held by a mechanical holder 14 when carrying out the inspection of a printed marking 02 in order to ensure a fixed distance A from the marking 02 to be inspected. This is because the use of this holder 14 ensures a reproducible, uniform measuring distance between the image recording device 04 and all printed markings 02 to be inspected.

[0021] Furthermore, it is advantageous to arrange an activation device 16 in spatial proximity to the image recording device 04, wherein this activation device 16 preferably starts an app installed in the image recording device 04, i.e. a program, via an NFC connection or by means of an NFC function (NFC stands for “near field communication”), wherein this app, through its activation by the activation device 16, automatically puts the image recording device 04 into a mode in which the image recording device 04 photographically images the relevant marking 02 printed on the packaging material 01 and creates the digital image data to be sent to the evaluation unit 07 from this printed marking 02. List of reference symbols 01 Packaging material 02 Marking 03 Printing machine 04 Image capture device 05 - 06 Document management system 07 Evaluation unit 08 certified testing system 09 Management Information System 10 - 11 Control unit 12 monitors 13 Transport device 14 Bracket 15 - 16 Activation device A distance T Transport direction QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2021 108 925 A1

[0006] US 2002 / 0087574 A1

[0007] WO 2019 / 171070 A1

[0008]

Claims

[1] Method for creating a test report, provided with a certificate, of a test of a marking (02) printed on a packaging material (01) in a printing machine (03), wherein digital image data are created from the marking (02) printed on the packaging material (01) by photographically imaging it using an image recording device (04), characterized by that a control unit (11) of the printing press (03) sends metadata of the current print job forming the relevant marking (02) on the packaging material (01) to the image recording device (04), wherein the image recording device (04) sends the image data captured from the currently printed marking (02) and the metadata of the current print job received from the control unit (11) of the printing press (03) to an evaluation unit (07). [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized bythat in the evaluation unit (07) the image data captured from the currently printed marking (02) and the metadata of the current print job received from the control unit (11) of the printing press (03) are linked together in a data packet, wherein this data packet is transferred as a test report from the evaluation unit (07) in a program-controlled manner to a certified test system (08), wherein this certified test system (08) provides the test report with a certificate and sends it back to the evaluation unit (07). [3] Method according to claim 2, characterized by that the test report provided with the certificate is sent program-controlled by the evaluation unit (07) to a document management system (06) and archived there. [4] Method according to claim 3, characterized bythat the test report provided with the certificate is sent from the document management system (06) to a management information system (09) and / or to the control unit (11) of the printing press (03). [5] System for carrying out the method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by that the image recording device (04) creating digital image data from the marking (02) printed on the packaging material (01) is designed as a smartphone or as a digital camera. [6] System according to claim 5, characterized bythat an activation device (16) is arranged in spatial proximity to the image recording device (04), wherein this activation device (16) starts a program installed in the image recording device (04) via an NFC connection or by means of an NFC function, wherein this program is designed such that, as a result of its activation by the activation device (16), it automatically puts the image recording device (04) into a mode in which the image recording device (04) photographically images the relevant marking (02) printed on the packaging material (01) and creates the digital image data to be sent to the evaluation unit (07) from this printed marking (02). [7] System according to claim 5 or 6, characterized by that the control unit (11) of the printing machine (03) printing the relevant marking (02) is arranged in a control station of this printing machine (03). [8] System according to claim 5 or 6 or 7, characterized bythat the control unit (11) of the printing machine (03) printing the relevant marking (02) is connected to a monitor (12) in terms of data technology, wherein the test report and / or a message generated from the test report is displayed on the monitor (12) or at least can be displayed upon request. [9] System according to claim 5 or 6 or 7 or 8, characterized by that a number of tests of the relevant markings (02) to be printed in a specific order can be set or selected on the control unit (11) of the printing press (03) printing the relevant marking (02), in particular on the monitor (12) of this control unit (11), wherein a time for carrying out the relevant test is displayed to an operator of the printing press (03). [10] System according to claim 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 or 9, characterized bythat the marking (02) printed on the packaging material (01) is in the form of a one-dimensional or a two-dimensional code. [11] System according to claim 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 or 10, characterized by that the testing device (04) is held by a holder (14) at a fixed distance (A) from the marking (02) to be tested when testing a printed marking (02).

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