Abstract: A system and method for embedding in a phantom target used in digital radiography systems information specific to the phantom target, such as serial number, phantom target type, precision landmarks, composition, physical properties of the dedicated targets and the like. The information is encoded and represented by small holes in the phantom target that can easily and unambiguously be detected by decoding-software acting on the radiation image of the phantom target. A look-up table or any other flexible data structure defines the functionality of the holes detected based on their image-location. Regions of interest can be located based on an internal coordinate system defined accurately by the sub-pixel position of the hole centres.

Abstract: An image transformation system and method for transforming a source image having source image pixel data associated with a source pixel array having an origin into a target image having target image pixel data associated with a target pixel array according to an image transformation. The image transformation is applied to the source image pixel data to generate transformed image pixel data. The transformed image pixel data is then compared to the target pixel array and the portion of the transformed image pixel data that fits within the target pixel array is determined. The portion of the source image pixel data that corresponds to the portion of the transformed image pixel data is determined. Finally, the image transformation is applied to the portion of the source image pixel data to generate the target image pixel data.

Abstract: A method of making a lithographic printing plate includes the steps of: (a) providing a lithographic printing plate precursor including a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer, and a coating on the support, the coating including (i) at least one image-recording layer which includes a photocurable composition, the composition including a compound which is capable of forming free radicals upon image-wise exposure, and (ii) on top thereof, an oxygen-barrier layer including a water-soluble or water-swellable polymer, (b) image-wise exposing the coating, (c) optionally, heating the precursor in a pre-heating unit, (d) treating the image-wise exposed precursor with water or an aqueous solution to remove at least a portion of the oxygen-barrier layer, thereby increasing the oxygen permeability of the coating to such an extent that curing of the non-exposed areas of the coating by ambient light is inhibited by quenching of free radicals with oxygen, (e) mounting the treate

Abstract: A non-aqueous pigment dispersion including a diketopyrrolo-pyrrole pigment, a polymeric dispersant and a dispersion synergist in a dispersion medium wherein the dispersion synergist is a quinacridone derivative containing at least one acidic group or a salt thereof.

Abstract: A non-aqueous pigment dispersion includes a Naphthol AS pigment or a mixed crystal thereof and a Naphthol AS colorant according to Formula (I): wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, halogen, methoxy, ethoxy, —CONH-phenyl, and —NO2; wherein the group Q is phenyl substituted by either one sulphonic acid group, two carboxylic acid groups, or salts thereof. Also, non-aqueous inkjet inks and use of the non-aqueous pigment dispersions for making colored layers.

Abstract: A method for inkjet printing includes, in order, the steps of a) providing an ink-receiver; b) jetting an image on the ink-receiver with a curable inkjet ink; and c) jetting and curing on the image an outermost layer of a curable liquid; wherein the curable liquid contains a silicon modified or fluorinated polymerizable compound in an amount between 20 wt % and 99.6 wt % based on the total weight of the curable liquid and the silicon modified or fluorinated polymerizable compounds are either absent or present in the curable inkjet ink in a concentration of less than 20 wt % based on the total weight of the curable inkjet ink. A curable inkjet ink set includes curable inkjet inks and one curable liquid wherein the curable liquid contains a silicon modified or fluorinated polymerizable compound in an amount between 20 wt % and 99.

Abstract: A positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor is disclosed comprising on a grained and anodized aluminum support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with hydrophilic layer, a coating comprising: (i) an infrared absorbing agent and at least one colorant; (ii) a first layer comprising a heat-sensitive oleophilic resin; and (iii) a second layer between said first layer and said hydrophilic support wherein said second layer comprises a polymer comprising at least one monomeric unit that comprises at least one sulfonamide group; wherein the surface of said grained and anodized aluminum support has a mean pit depth equal or smaller than 2.2 ?m.

Abstract: A contrast dye for preparing a lithographic printing plate includes at least one A, D, and B group wherein A represents a phosphorous containing group capable of reacting with the surface of a lithographic receiver; D represents a chromophore group absorbing light between 400 nm and 700 nm; and B represents an aliphatic group of at least 6 carbon atoms. A lithographic printing plate includes such a contrast dye.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for capturing information contained in a phosphor layer, comprising an irradiation device (4) for irradiating the phosphor layer (1) with stimulation light (3) which is adapted to stimulate emission light (7) in the phosphor layer (1), the irradiation device (4) including with the normal (L) on the phosphor (1) layer a first angle of inclination (?S), and comprising a detection device (10) for capturing emission light (7) stimulated in the phosphor layer (1), the detection device (10) including with the normal (L) on the phosphor layer (1) a second angle of inclination (?D).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for aligning the printing of dots generated by at least one array of printing elements in an printing apparatus, wherein the method includes the steps of printing a calibration test pattern, scanning the printed calibration test pattern, determining at least one calibration value based on the scanned calibration test pattern, positioning an alignment adjustment tool relative to the array of printing elements of which the alignment needs to be adjusted and, based on the calculated calibration value, automatically adjusting the alignment of the array of printing elements using the alignment adjustment tool.

Abstract: A digital printer is provided with an automated printing sheet transport system, operating in an intermittent regime of feeding a printing sheet to the digital printer, halting the transport to allow printing onto the printing sheet while the printing sheet is maintained in a fixed position, and removing the printed sheet from the digital printer after printing. The digital printer may be combined with a screen print station, both operating on top of a single printing sheet transport system, to form an integrated multifunctional and hybrid printing press.

Abstract: A color pigment containing, based upon the total weight of the pigment, at least 70.0 weight % of a first compound COP according to Formula (1): wherein one of R1 and R2 is hydrogen and the other one of R1 and R2 represents —COOR4; R4 and R5 represent methyl; R3 is selected from the group consisting of: with C* representing the point of attachment of R3 to the nitrogen in Formula (I); and having a pigment surface including between 2.0 and 30.0 weight %, based upon the total weight of the pigment of a second compound according to Formula (I), wherein —R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 have the same meaning as above with the exception that at least one of R4 and R5 represents hydrogen. Also, methods of preparation of the pigment and non-aqueous pigment dispersions.

Abstract: Method of detecting an image of a grid in a digital image by extracting a number of features from the digital image and classifying extracted features in a classification algorithm, preferably implemented with support vector machines, which is trained with the same training features extracted from a number of reference images.

Abstract: An apparatus (4) for reading out X-ray information stored in a storage phosphor layer (2) includes a support (10) onto which a storage phosphor plate (1) is laid. The storage phosphor plate (1) comprises the storage phosphor layer (2) and a support layer (3) onto which the storage phosphor layer (2) is applied. Furthermore, a controller (12) is provided for processing X-ray information read out from the storage phosphor layer (2). According to the invention, a distance sensor (14, 15) serves to determine a distance of the distance sensor (14, 15) from the storage phosphor plate (1) lying on the support (10), and the controller (12) is designed such that it processes the X-ray information read out from the storage phosphor layer (2) dependently upon the distance determined by means of the distance sensor (14, 15). An unlevelness determined by means of the distance sensor (14, 15) is taken into account by the controller (12) when processing the X-ray information read out.

Abstract: A method for making a lithographic printing plate includes the steps of providing a heat-sensitive lithographic printing plate precursor including on a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer, a heat-sensitive coating; image-wise exposing the precursor with IR-radiation or heat; and developing the image-wise exposed precursor with an alkaline developing solution, wherein an anti-sludge agent is present in the precursor or in the developing solution or in the precursor and the developing solution, and wherein the anti-sludge agent is a 5-membered heteroaromatic compound, including a —NH— group wherein the hydrogen is capable of being deprotonated in the alkaline developing solution, selected from the group consisting of an optionally substituted benztriazole, 1,2,3-triazole, tetrazole, or indazole compound. According to the above method, the formation of sludge is inhibited or reduced.

Abstract: A method separates a color vector into a colorant vector for a printing system that uses more than four colorants, for example cyan, magenta, yellow, black, orange and green colorants. According to the method, the separation process is split up into partial four colorant processes that contain opponent colors. For example, a first partial process is a cyan, magenta, yellow and black process; a second one is an orange, magenta, yellow and black process; and a third one is a cyan, green, yellow and black process. Continuity of magnitudes of the colorants is achieved across the boundaries of the color gamuts of the partial processes by imposing specific constraints on the combinations of colorants to render a given color. A computer implemented system and a print system are based on the method.

Abstract: An ultrasonic inspection apparatus for non-destructive inspection of a test body. The apparatus includes a probe, a transmitter operably connected to the probe, a receiver operably connected to the probe and a monitor with a display operably connected to the receiver for representing the echo signals received. The receiver receives echo signals. The transmitter generates transmitter pulses and delivers the transmitter pulses to the probe, wherein the probe delivers ultrasonic pulses and insonifies them at a certain angle (?) into a test body. The pulses penetrate the test body where the test pulses are at least once reflected from a rear wall of the test body forming, as a result thereof, at least one first leg that extends from an entrance surface to the rear wall and a second leg that extends from the rear wall to the entrance surface. The echo signals received are represented on the display so as to show from which leg the echo signals originate.

Abstract: A method of making a lithographic printing plate includes the steps of: providing a lithographic printing plate precursor including (i) a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer and (ii) a coating provided thereon which includes hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles; exposing the coating to heat, thereby inducing coalescence of the thermoplastic polymer particles at exposed areas of the coating; and developing the precursor by applying a gum solution to the coating, thereby removing non-exposed areas of the coating from the support. According to the above method, the plate precursor can be developed and gummed in a single step.

Abstract: A pigment dispersion includes a color pigment represented by formula (I): wherein R1 to R10 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a halogen atom, a methyl group, an ethyl group, a methoxy group, an ethoxy group, —CF3, —COOH, —COOCH3, —SO2NH—C6H5, —CONH—C6H5, —CONH—C6H5—CONH2, and —CONH2; and a polymeric dispersant, having via a linking group covalently linked to its polymeric backbone, at least one pending chromophore group which has a molecular weight smaller than 95% of the molecular weight of said color pigment. The pigment dispersion can be advantageously used in inkjet inks.

Abstract: A method and a corresponding apparatus for volume rendering of medical data sets comprises a display (11) for displaying at least one slice view (12) of a medical data set (18) of an object, in particular a patient. A user selection unit (13, 14, 15) enables a user to select a position on a structure of interest (SOI) in the at least one displayed slice view (12), a volume rendering unit (16) for determines a volume rendering (17) of the structure of interest (SOI) based on one or more first parameters. The first parameters characterize the view of the displayed volume rendering (17, 31) of the structure of interest (SOI), the volume rendering (17, 31) of the structure of interest (SOI) being displayed on the display (11).