Abstract: A control system for regulating the composition of an emulsion ink made from an oil-based ink and a water-based fountain solution using a mixing and dispersing apparatus includes a liquid level sensor, means responsive to the liquid level sensor for maintaining a proper liquid level in the mixing and dispersing apparatus, and means for producing an emulsion ink with a water content value which is within a predetermined range from a desired water content value. The producing means includes a feedforward controller and a feedback controller for regulating water-based fountain solution input rate to the mixing and dispersing apparatus.

Abstract: A tension control device for a printing press having an adjustment roller, with a web of the press passing from a supply roll of the web to the adjustment roller. Means are provided for measuring the tension on opposed sides of the web passing downstream from the adjustment roller, and means are provided responsive to the measuring means for automatically approximately equalizing the tension of the web by adjustment of the adjustment roller on one end only of the adjustment roller.

Abstract: A control system for regulating the composition of an emulsion ink made from an oil-based ink and a water-based fountain solution using a mixing and dispersing apparatus includes a liquid level sensor, means responsive to the liquid level sensor for maintaining a proper liquid level in the mixing and dispersing apparatus, and means for producing an emulsion ink with a water content value which is within a predetermined range from a desired water content value. The producing means includes a feedforward controller and a feedback controller for regulating water-based fountain solution input rate to the mixing and dispersing apparatus.

Abstract: A sensor for detecting the level of circulating fluid in a tank comprises a paddle blade disposed at a particular height and oriented generally radially from a rotating shaft in the tank. A sensing device, such as a strain gauge, is attached to the paddle blade to detect when the paddle blade is in at least one of a normal and a displaced position, thereby indicating that fluid is absent or present at a particular level. Additional sensors may be used in the same tank to provide fluid level feedback at more than one height.

Abstract: A tension control device for a printing press having an adjustment roller, with a web of the press passing from a supply roll of the web to the adjustment roller. Means are provided for measuring the tension on opposed sides of the web passing downstream from the adjustment roller, and means are provided responsive to the measuring means for automatically approximately equalizing the tension of the web by adjustment of the adjustment roller on one end only of the adjustment roller.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for supplying emulsion ink to a printing plate on a printing press is disclosed. The apparatus includes an ink feed and recirculation system and associated control system to quickly and reliably form a high quality emulsion ink. The control system utilizes both feedback and feedforward control strategies. The recirculation of the emulsion ink ensures that the emulsion ink remains stable and makes it possible to reformulate the emulsion ink, if necessary, without waiting for the exhaustion of all of the emulsion ink that is in need of reformulation.

Abstract: A water metering apparatus for measuring water concentrations in a water-ink emulsion used in a printing press is provided. The apparatus develops a substantially linear output for water concentrations ranging from 0% to approximately 50% without employing a logarithmic amplifier. In addition, an improved sensor for use in the water metering apparatus is provided.

Abstract: An ink separation device for a printing press ink feed control having a device for printing a color chart having randomly distributed color patches, and recording the cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink dot sizes (CMYK) for each color patch, a device for measuring the red, green, blue and infrared reflection value (RGBI) from each color patch, and recording the RGBI value for each of the color patches, a device for defining a transfer function which maps a four-dimensional RGBI vector into a four-dimensional CMYK vector, a device for forming RGBI measurements over a reference copy, and transferring each of the RGBI measurements into the corresponding CMYK ink dot size value, a device for forming RGBI measurements over a production copy, and transferring each of the RGBI measurements into the corresponding CMYK ink dot Size value, a device for forming the dot size ratio between the production copy and the reference copy to form the ink volume ratio between the reference and production copies and a device for a

Abstract: A control system (60) for a printing press having a printed copy, a device (68 and 70) for manually using the copy to control operation of the press based on information on the copy, and device (80 and 82) for automatically reading the copy while excluding any control by target information on the copy, and controlling operation of the press based upon information on the copy.

Abstract: A control system (10) for a four-color printing press (11) having a device (21) for detecting the energy reflected from a paper surface in both the visible region and the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum, a device (23) for converting the output of the detecting device (21) to a set of variables which represent the amount of ink presented on the paper for any of the cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks, and a device (25) responsive to the converting device (23) for adjusting the four-color printing press (11) to maintain the color consistency with or without an additional color control target.

Abstract: A device for alignment of images for a control system of a printing press having a device for creating targets, a device for aligning a camera, a device for finding actual dot positions on at least one of the targets, a device for calculating the desired dot positions, a device for generating transfer functions, and a device for aligning the images.

Abstract: A control system (60) for a printing press having a printed copy, a device (68 and 70) for manually using the copy to control operation of the press based on information on the copy, and device (80 and 82) for automatically reading the copy while excluding any control by target information on the copy, and controlling operation of the press based upon information on the copy.

Abstract: A color sensing device of a printing press control system, having a plurality of lamp fixtures (100 and 102) for providing light in the visible region and the near infrared region of the spectrum to illuminate a viewing area (104), a camera assembly (108), the camera assembly having multiple channels to capture images in the visible region and the near infrared region, and at least one lens for generating the images, a calibration target (108) with a uniform light reflectance, a device for adjusting the distribution of the light so that image captured from said calibration target in each channel of the camera assembly is as even as possible, a device for applying a position related compensation process in order to obtain an image which corresponds to a position-invariant viewing condition, and a device for applying a camera value related compensation process in order to obtain an image under a standard viewing condition.