Abstract: A method of producing a print product by controlling a printing element to form ink dots on a textured surface of a substrate includes capturing an image of the textured surface with an opto-electronic device; processing data received from the opto-electronic device, thereby to locate surface areas of the textured surface that are suitable for receiving ink; and controlling the printing element to form ink dots selectively on the located surface areas. The ink dots that are expected not to reach the surface of the substrate are not applied. The method better preserves the texture of the textured substrate surface and avoids the unnecessary application of ink.

Abstract: A droplet ejection device has a nozzle head with a plurality of ejection units, each of which includes a nozzle, a duct connected to the nozzle, and an electromechanical transducer arranged to create a pressure wave in a liquid in the duct so as to expel a droplet of the liquid from the nozzle. The device further includes an electronic control circuit arranged to apply control signals to the transducers and to receive detection signals that are generated in the transducers in response to the transducer being exposed to pressure fluctuations. The nozzle head includes a reference duct which has an electromechanical transducer serving as a reference transducer. The control circuit is arranged to subtract a detection signal of the reference transducer from a detection signal of at least one of the ejection units.

Abstract: In a method for cleaning print heads that are arranged in at least one row within at least one print bar, a position of a spray nozzle can be determined, and a nozzle surface can be sprayed using the spray nozzle. The nozzle surface can be sprayed with at least one liquid cleaning jet, and can be based on the determined position of the spray nozzle. The at least one liquid cleaning jet can strike the nozzle surface at an obtuse angle of incidence. The spraying of the at least one liquid cleaning jet can be omitted if the spray nozzle is located in a gap between two adjacent print heads.

Abstract: A media processing system is arranged to process image receiving media under predetermined physical conditions. The system includes a scheduler arranged to schedule jobs to be processed in the system and to calculate predicted timings (T0) at which media will have to be ready for processing and to indicate the predicted timings on a user interface. The system further includes a buffer in which a supply of media that has been received from a first environment is kept in a specified second environment before being processed. The scheduler is configured to calculate an acclimatization time required for the media to acquire the predetermined physical conditions by being kept in the second environment in the buffer, and to calculate and indicate a predicted timing (T1) at which the media should be present in the sheet buffer at the latest in view of the calculated acclimatization time.

Abstract: In a method to active print nozzles of an inkjet printer including a print head having print nozzles and respective actuators associated with each of the print nozzles, one or more conveying pulses are generated to eject respective droplets of ink from the respective print nozzle; and the actuator is activated with one or more intermediate pulses having an amplitude and/or a duration that is less than an amplitude and/or a duration of the one or more conveying pulses. The one or more intermediate pulses can be configured such that no ink is ejected from the respective print nozzle with the one or more intermediate pulses.

Abstract: In a print server for digital high-capacity printing systems, print jobs are received, processed with predetermined application processes, and relayed to one or more printers. A method to operate the print server can include monitoring, using a collect trigger, status parameters which describe system statuses; and triggering, using trigger logic, filters to reading additional status parameters that include process statuses of application processes executed at the print server. The triggering of the filters can be based on whether the system statuses monitored with the collect trigger represent an extraordinary or abnormal operating status.

Abstract: In a print server for digital high-capacity printing systems, print jobs are received, processed with predetermined application processes, and relayed to one or more printers. A method to operate the printer server can include: estimating a demand for necessary resources to execute one or more of the application processes for a specific print job; checking whether sufficient resources are present at the print server and/or printer to execute the one or more application processes; and starting the one or more application processes based on the checking of sufficient resources. The one or more application processes can be print services with which print data of the print jobs are processed at the print server, and include one or more backend processes with which the print data is respectively relayed to a printer.

Abstract: A method of aligning a first image on a first side of a medium and a second image on a second side of a medium, the first side and the second side facing away from each other, includes using an imaging device for printing the first image and a discrimination feature including a discriminatory edge perpendicular to an alignment direction in a coordinate system of the medium on a first side of the medium while controlling the position of the medium with respect to a coordinate system of the imaging device based on a first set of feed parameters and using the imaging device for printing the second image and a plurality of features on the second side of the medium while controlling the position of the medium in the coordinate system of the imaging device based on a second set of feed parameters, the plurality of features including a first feature, a second feature and a third feature.

Abstract: A printer includes an image forming station; a first media transport path arranged to convey printed media from the image forming station to an output port; a second media transport path branching off from the first media transport path and arranged to convey printed media to a reject port; a switch for directing printed media into the second media transport path; an image inspection device for inspecting images printed onto the media; and a decision unit arranged to decide, on the basis of an inspection result obtained from the image inspection device, whether a printed image shall be rejected, and arranged to control the switch. The printer is a roll-to-sheet printer having a roll from which the media are supplied into the first media support path in the form of an endless web.

Abstract: A production machine can be operated with one or more touchscreens that are mounted on lateral surfaces of the production machine. The position of an operator can be determined with at least one first sensor. The position of a control panel for the production machine that is displayed on the at least one touchscreen is adapted to the position of the operator.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for operating a computer for digital high-capacity printing systems to relay print data. The computer can include an operating system. Print data can be written to a memory and read from the memory to relay the read print data to be printed onto a recording medium at a printer. Operating system commands can be used for writing and reading. At least the operating system command for writing data can be supplemented by a delay function. The delay function can delay the operating system command for writing based on process identifier information. The process identifier information can describe a read process.

Abstract: A scanning inkjet printing method comprises arranging a recording medium on a print surface; moving a carriage supporting at least one inkjet print head over the recording medium on the print surface in a scanning direction, while image-wise applying droplets of a liquid to the recording medium to form a first swath of printed dots on the recording medium; moving the recording medium and the carriage relative to each other in a transport direction, wherein the transport direction is transverse to the scanning direction; moving the carriage over the recording medium on the print surface in the scanning direction, while image-wise applying droplets of the liquid to the recording medium to form a second swath of printed dots on the recording medium; detecting a position of the first swath; determining a sub-carriage movement relative to the carriage in response to the detected position of the first swath to position the second swath relative to the first swath, wherein the sub-carriage is supported by the carria

Abstract: A sheet flipping device includes a receiving member for receiving a sheet, a flipping volume being the volume which in operation is defined by the flipping movement of the sheet, and a flipping element for flipping the sheet around an axis of rotation within the flipping volume onto the receiving member. The sheet flipping device further includes an air vortex ring generator having an air vortex ring exit nozzle defining a translational direction of a generated air vortex ring when the generated vortex ring is in operation generated from the air vortex ring exit nozzle. The air vortex ring generator is mounted such that in operation the sheet is urged onto the receiving member by the air vortex ring during the flipping motion of the sheet through the flipping volume. A sheet stacking device and a printing apparatus include the sheet flipping device.

Abstract: An ink handling system for an ink jet printer includes a local ink reservoir associated with a print head assembly of the printer, a fill state sensor arranged to detect a fill state of the local ink reservoir, a pump arranged to supply ink into the local ink reservoir, and a pump controller for controlling an operation of the pump, including controlling an on/off state of the pump, on the basis of a detection result of the fill state sensor.

Abstract: A flatbed cutter assembly includes a medium support table for supporting a recording medium, the table extending in a first direction and a second direction, the first direction being perpendicular to the second direction, a gantry arranged to be moveable over the medium support table in the first direction, a carriage support movably arranged on the gantry to move over the medium support table in the second direction, a cutter configured to be coupled to the carriage support and a controller for controlling the movements of the gantry, the carriage support and the cutter while moving over the medium support table.

Abstract: A printer having a carriage (10) movable along a guide beam (12) in a main scanning direction (y), and a number of print heads (14) mounted on the carriage (10), each print head having a plurality of printing elements (16), wherein the carriage (10) has at least two sub-carriages (38) each of which carries at least one of the print heads (14) and is independently guided at the guide beam (12), and the sub-carriages (38) are coupled for joint movement in the main scanning direction (y) but are movable relative to one another in a sub-scanning direction (x) normal to the main scanning direction (y).

Abstract: An apparatus for handling take-up rolls in a printing system includes a holder device for holding a take-up roll in a take-up position. The take-up roll is rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof in the take-up position for taking-up printed sheet output from the printing system. The holder device is movable to release or discharge the take-up roll from the holder device when the take-up roll is full or when a print job is finished. A movement of the holder device to release or discharge a full take-up roll also operates to load a new take-up roll onto the holder device and into the take-up position. A corresponding method of handling take-up rolls in a printing system is disclosed.

Abstract: A flatbed printer assembly includes a controller for controlling the movements of a gantry, a carriage support and the print head while moving over a medium support table. The controller is configured to receive a print job including a cut path intended to circumvent a piece of the recording medium, a first image intended to be printed on a front side of the piece of the recording medium, a second image intended to be printed on a back side of the piece of the recording medium, wherein at least one of the first and second image is intended to be printed at least partially in a full bleed print mode. Shapes are selected for a first alignment mark for the first image and a second alignment mark for the second image. A first location is determined on the front side of the recording medium according to the selected shape of the first alignment mark. The first location crosses the cut path.

Abstract: A controller to control an apparatus (e.g. a printer) can include multiple secondary sub-controllers and a main sub-controller. Each of the secondary sub-controllers can have an operator process and one or more executable control processes. Each of the control processes can be configured to exchange data with one or more other of the control processes. The main sub-controller can be communicatively coupled to the secondary sub-controllers via a data network. Each of the main and secondary sub-controllers can include at least one processor and an operating system. The respective operator processes can be configured to communicate via the data network, and the control processes of each of the secondary sub-controllers can be configured such that the control processes communicate exclusively with the operator process of their respective secondary sub-controller to communicate via the data network.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for applying marking material to a substrate, thereby reproducing an image. At least two arrays and at least two piezo-electric print elements in each array are used. An actuation signal for a print element is applied with a predetermined delay with respect to a reference actuation signal. The predetermined delay values are based on a measurement of a drop velocity in dependence on a further, simultaneous actuation of a neighboring print element. They form a repetitive series of delay values for reducing an amount of mechanical crosstalk between the print elements in an array. Two print elements that produce a drop of marking material for landing in each others vicinity on the substrate are associated with a different delay value of the repetitive series.