Abstract: A system and method for reducing and/or eliminating the printed layer-over-layer registration error.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing and/or eliminating the printed layer-over-layer registration error.

Abstract: An engraver having an engraving signal generating system for engraving a workpiece. The engraver includes a setup circuit enabling direct dimensional control of the cavities engraved by the engraver. Controls are provided for setting at least one of a plurality of parameters, such as a black cell width. These parameters are fed to the setup circuit which translates them into multiplication factors for an AC signal and a videosignal. The multiplied signals are combined with an offset signal to produce an engraving signal.

Abstract: A platform for supporting an engraving head in a manner accommodating translational movement without any associated rotation. The platform has a deck which is supported by a pair of flexible support columns. In operation the platform is situated alongside a rotating printing cylinder. The engraving head is mounted on the deck of the platform and is provided with a guide shoe which rides against the surface of the printing cylinder. As the cylinder rotates to angular positions having different radii, the engraving head responds with a purely linear reaction. Consequently the engraving head is able to engrave uniform-depth cavities in the surface of the printing cylinder. In two alternative embodiments the deck is driven by a resilient link arrangement which is coupled to a leadscrew and carriage assembly.

Abstract: The invention is characterized in that it comprises a toolpath generating routine and system for generating a plurality of control points directly from image data representing an image to be engraved. The control points are used to generate a toolpath which, in turn, will be used to energize an engraving head such that a tool or stylus will engrave a pattern of engraved areas in response to the toolpath. An engraving system and method for engraving at least one engraved area is shown having an engraving head tuner for tuning an engraving head such that the frequency characteristic of the engraving head defines a substantially constant gain for frequencies less than a predetermined frequency.

Abstract: An engraver having an engraving signal generating system for engraving a workpiece. The engraver includes a setup circuit enabling direct dimensional control of the cavities engraved by the engraver. Controls are provided for setting at least one of a plurality of parameters, such as a black cell width, a black channel width and a highlight cell width. These parameters are fed to the setup circuit which translates them into multiplication factors for an AC signal and a video signal. The multiplied signals are combined with an offset signal to produce an engraving signal.

Abstract: A platform for supporting an engraving head in a manner accommodating translational movement without any associated rotation. The platform has a deck which is supported by a pair of flexible support columns. In operation the platform is situated alongside a rotating printing cylinder. The engraving head is mounted on the deck of the platform and is provided with a guide shoe which rides against the surface of the printing cylinder. As the cylinder rotates to angular positions having different radii, the engraving head responds with a purely linear reaction. Consequently the engraving head is able to engrave uniform-depth cavities in the surface of the printing cylinder. In two alternative embodiments the deck is driven by a resilient link arrangement which is coupled to a leadscrew and carriage assembly.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for controlling the engraving head and the response of the engraving head in response to a plurality of engraving setup parameters which may be input into a computer associated with the engraving head and automatically generating a response signal for energizing the engraving head in response to the plurality of engraving setup parameters which were input in real units. The method further provides that adjusting one or more of the engraving setup parameters in real units may be performed. Further, the method provides for multiplying either an AC input signal or a video signal by a multiplication factor which is generated by the setup circuit to produce the driving signal.

Abstract: A platform for supporting an engraving head in a manner accommodating translational movement without any associated rotation. The platform has a deck which is supported by a pair of flexible support columns. In operation the platform is situated alongside a rotating printing cylinder. The engraving head is mounted on the deck of the platform and is provided with a guide shoe which rides against the surface of the printing cylinder. As the cylinder rotates to angular positions having different radii, the engraving head responds with a purely linear reaction. Consequently the engraving head is able to engrave uniform-depth cavities in the surface of the printing cylinder. In two alternative embodiments the deck is driven by a resilient link arrangement which is coupled to a leadscrew and carriage assembly.

Abstract: Apparatus for engraving a gravure printing cylinder includes a setup circuit enabling direct dimensional control of the cavities engraved by a stylus. Controls are provided for setting a black cell width, a black channel width and a highlight cell width. These parameters are fed to the setup circuit which translates them into multiplication factors for an AC signal and a video signal. The multiplied signals are combined with an offset signal to produce a driving signal for the stylus.

Abstract: A leadscrew driving arrangement which is corrected to eliminate the effect of pitch errors. The leadscrew is mapped to create a table of differences between the leadscrew angular position and the corresponding angular position of a perfect leadscrew which has been advanced the same axial distance. The differences are used to create a correction table which is stored in a PROM. During operation of the leadscrew, the correction table is used to adjust the leadscrew driving signal.

Abstract: An engraving apparatus for engraving the outer surface of a cylinder used in a gravure printing process includes an engraving stylus mounted onto a shaft for engraving the surface of the cylinder. A drive mechanism is employed for producing angular movement of the shaft and the stylus aboout the central axis of the shaft. A position sensor comprising a light beam illuminator and a light beam detector is associated with the shaft to sense the angular movement of the shaft and produce a shaft position signal representative thereof. A reference signal generator is employed for producing a reference drive signal and a video signal generator is used to produce a video drive signal representative of the information to be engraved into the surface of the cylinder.