摘要:
A method and system for verifying the intended imaging produced by a printer allow this task to be accomplished in essentially real-time, and utilizing relatively inexpensive, and high speed (e.g. about 200 feet per minute or greater) components. A computer control commands a raster image processor (RIP) to generate electronic print data (e.g. a bitmap) that is sent to an electronic digital printer (such as an inkjet cartridge array) and also to a print monitor. The printer images the bitmap onto a web or sheet, then a linear digital photosensor (e.g. photodiode) array scans essentially every pixel across the width of the web or sheet image area and transmits the scanned data to the print monitor system, which compares it to the bitmap produced by the RIP. If there is some discrepancy (of any sort), a message is generated which is ultimately transmitted back to the computer control where it may be used to log defective documents (MAG) being produced, generate human recognizable indicia (such as a warning light or sound), or shut down the system components. A second linear photodiode array may be provided before the printer and the data from it sent to the print monitor system to be combined with the electronic bitmap and compared to the data from the first sensor to determine whether there is any deficiency.
摘要:
Systems and methods for high-speed variable printing are provided. Ink jet technology and lithographic systems may be combined in such a way to create a fully variable and high-quality print system. Ink is applied to a first cylinder. Aqueous solution is applied to a second cylinder to produce a negative image. At least a portion of the ink from the first cylinder is transferred to the second cylinder. A positive image in ink is then transferred from the second cylinder to a print medium, and residue ink and aqueous solution is cleaned from the second cylinder. The systems and methods described herein may be used to create high-quality one-to-one marketing applications.
摘要:
A method of producing a printed sheet output of a printing press uses an aqueous solution, an ink, and an input sheet. The method applies aqueous solution to the input sheet to form a non-image area and an image area thereon, and contacts the non-image and image areas of the input sheet with ink. Ink is transferred substantially only to the image area to produce the printed sheet output of the printing press. A method of producing a printed web of a printing press is also disclosed.
摘要:
Systems and methods for high-speed variable printing are provided. Ink jet technology and lithographic systems may be combined in such a way to create a fully variable and high-quality print system. Ink is applied to a printing cylinder. An aqueous solution is then applied on top of the ink to produce a negative image. A positive image is then transferred in ink to a print medium. The systems and methods described herein may be used to create high-quality one-to-one marketing applications.
摘要:
A method and assembly varies the image density of ink from a plurality of ink jet nozzles to provide substantially uniform ink density. Electronically and automatically the electrical power consumption of an ink jet device having an electrical heater is measured (typically by measuring the current draw), and in response to that measurement, if necessary, pulse or voltage supplied to the heater or heaters of each of the ink jet devices is automatically adjusted. More electrical power is supplied if greater image density is required for a particular ink jet device, and less electrical power if lower image density is desired. During typical operation all pulse widths are reset to default settings, the signal received is calibrated, a pattern generator is signalled to provided test data, the present peak electrical current consumed by each nozzle heater is sampled, and the pulse width for each nozzle heater is set based upon the current sample.
摘要:
Multi-part business forms having speciality electronically imaged indicia are produced in a low-cost, high speed, low waste, and enhanced flexibility method. While two part or four or more part forms may be produced, especially advantageous is the production of three part forms, such as airbills. After individual first, second and third parts are produced using conventional presses, the individual webs are separately fed to a collator and while fed to the collator are electronically imaged with speciality indicia, such as the name and address of the sender, airbill number, and--for the third part--a bar code. The webs are then collated on the collator, two business forms wide. A three part airbill produced includes first and second parts of carbonless paper stock having personalized first indicia electronically imaged on them, and a third part of carbonless label stock having the personalized indicia, and including bar code indicia, electronically imaged on it. A system for producing the forms includes a collator, a web unwind, a feeding device and electronic imager for each web unwind, and a computer control for controlling the electronic imagers and the collator so that matching indicia is provided on the multiple parts of each form of the common web produced.
摘要:
A method of printing a printed output of a press comprising ink on a print medium applies ink to a surface, places individually controlled drops of aqueous solution onto the print medium in a drop pattern, and transfers ink from the surface to areas of the print medium that are free of aqueous solution to produce the printed output of the press. A method of variable printing is also disclosed.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for transferring a principal substance applies the principal substance onto a surface and deposits drops of a gating agent onto a first portion of the principal substance applied to the first surface. The depositing of each drop of gating agent is individually controlled. A second portion of the principal substance not covered by the gating agent is transferred from the first surface to a second surface. A printing system adapted to transfer principal substance from a first surface to a second surface is also disclosed.
摘要:
Multi-part business forms having speciality electronically imaged indicia are produced in a low-cost, high speed, low waste, and enhanced flexibility manner. While two part or four or more part forms may be produced, especially advantageous is the production of three part forms, such as airbills. After individual first, second and third parts are produced using conventional presses, the individual webs are separately fed to a collator and while fed to the collator are electronically imaged with speciality indicia, such as the name and address of the sender, airbill number, and—for the third part—a bar code. The webs are then collated on the collator, two business forms wide. A three part airbill produced includes first and second parts of carbonless paper stock having personalized first indicia electronically imaged on them, and a third part of carbonless label stock having the personalized indicia, and including bar code indicia, electronically imaged on it.
摘要:
A single document page with multiple different variable indicia from a least two discrete sources is produced using a computer control and an imaging system (such as a selective flexographic system with ion deposition or ink jet stations), variable database streams and variable data streams from at least two discrete sources are fed to the same computer control, which is then used to control the imaging system to merge the variable database streams and variable data streams from at least two discrete sources to that they may be imaged on the same document page. Paper is fed to the imaging system, and using the imaging system the same document page is imaged with variable database indicia from the multiple discrete sources. Three, or even more, discrete sources can be utilized, and each discrete source may also have a distinct form structure so that the variable data indicia and variable database indicia are each placed in their own distinct form structure. The variable database streams may include company name and logo data, coupon data, direct marketing messages, and/or images, or the like, while the variable data streams include alphanumeric characters which convey account and/or billing information. All of the indicia may be imaged on the same face of a single sheet (e.g. having a maximum length of about 12 inches and a maximum width of about 9 inches), and imaging may take place on a web which is then cut into individual single pages.