Method for remotely monitoring operation of a lithographic printing plate processor

摘要

The present invention provides a method for remotely monitoring and optionally adjusting operation of a lithographic printing plate processor (10), said processor comprising: (i) developing station (12) for developing an image-wise exposed lithographic printing plate precursor according to silver salt diffusion transfer development; (ii) washing station (14) for rinsing said lithographic printing plate precursor subsequent to development so as to obtain a printing plate having an image consisting of ink accepting silver containing areas on an ink repellant background; (iii) finishing station (15) for improving the ink accepting property of said silver containing areas and/or the ink repellant property of said background; (iv) means for detecting actual operating conditions of said developing station, washing station or finishing station; (v) storing means (60,61) holding operating conditions of at least one of said developing station, washing station and finishing station; (vi) means (100) for controlling operation of at least one of said developing station, rinsing station and finishing station based on said operating conditions stored in said storing means; (vii) communication means (80) allowing for communication with a remote computing means (200); said method comprising the steps of: (a) establishing a communication between said lithographic printing plate processor and said computing means; (b) retrieving said operating conditions stored in said storing means to said computing means and displaying said stored operating conditions; (c) retrieving actual operating conditions to said computing means by retrieving the status of said detecting means; (d) displaying said actual operating conditions and (e) periodically repeating steps (c) and (d).