Abstract: A thermochromic composition including a dye molecule; a matrix, wherein the matrix comprises a material having a defined melting point; and an optional developer. A process for preparing a thermochromic composition, including providing a dye; heating a matrix above its melting point; adding the heated matrix to the dye until the dye dissolves in the matrix; optionally, adding a developer; wherein the thermochromic composition exhibits a first color at a first temperature and a second color at a second temperature; wherein the first color and the second color are different; and wherein the first temperature and the second temperature are different.

Abstract: Highly spherical particles may comprise a thermoplastic polymer grafted to a carbon nanomaterial (CNM-g-polymer), wherein the particles have an aerated density of about 0.5 g/cm3 (preferably about 0.55 g/cm3) to about 0.8 g/cm3. Said CNM-g-polymer particles may be useful in a variety of applications including selective laser sintering additive manufacturing methods.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses methods and systems for managing cancelled jobs at a multi-function device. The method includes receiving a request from a user to cancel a job submitted at the multi-function device. Based on the request, a user interface is provided to the user. The user interface includes one or more pre-defined options related to cancelling the job, for selection by the user. The one or more pre-defined options can be quality related option or non-quality related option. The selected pre-defined option is analyzed and based on the analysis, an admin user is notified in real-time to take an appropriate action.

Abstract: A method for operating a three-dimensional object printer compensates for inoperative ejectors. The method identifies image data values associated with an inoperative ejector that stored in a memory with other image data values for a three-dimensional object to be printed by the three-dimensional object printer. The method replaces the image data values associated with the inoperative ejector with image data values associated with an operative ejector that correspond to a material that is different than a material ejected by the inoperative ejector and operates a plurality of ejectors with reference to the other image data values and the replaced image data values to enable the operative ejector to eject drops of the material that is different than the material ejected by the inoperative ejector into the three-dimensional object at positions where the inoperative ejector would have ejected material.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing system and method for improving the certainty of removing or etching excess substrate from a stack of printed substrate slices to arrive at a 3D object. The approach includes printing a pseudo image as a shell layer around a desired object slice with less polymer (e.g., thermoplastic) material than the 3D object solid layer slice. This slows the etching process when this pseudo image is reached. The pseudo image may be printed to surround the object polymer image on a printed substrate sheet as a shell that provides notice during the excess substrate removal/cleaning process that the desired polymer image is nearby and extra care must be taken to avoid removal of the desired polymer image. The pseudo image may have a 3D patterned surface that can be recognized by a person doing the sandblasting or recognized automatically by an automated 3D object finisher.

Abstract: A direct-to-object printer is configured to adjust a pixel density of a portion of contone image data for an image to be printed on a surface of a tapered object. The controller of the printer also filters the contone image data with a stochastic halftone filer to produce binary image data for the image to be printed on the tapered object. The adjustment in the pixel density for the portion of the image to be printed on the portion of the object having a circumference that is different than another portion of the surface at the uppermost portion of the image produces a more uniform appearance in the resulting printed image.

Abstract: Compositions include polymer filaments compatible with fused filament fabrication, comprising: a thermoplastic polymer; and a bio-based additive admixed with the thermoplastic polymer in an effective amount to decrease total volatile organic compound (TVOC) emissions under additive manufacturing conditions, as determined by gas chromatography and measured relative to the thermoplastic polymer alone, by at least about 10% on a weight basis. Methods for forming a polymer filament compatible with fused filament fabrication may comprise: forming a melt blend comprising a thermoplastic polymer and a bio-based additive; and extruding the melt blend and cooling to form a polymer filament comprising the bio-based additive admixed with the thermoplastic polymer.

Abstract: A 3D printer includes a nozzle configured to jet a drop of liquid metal therethrough. The 3D printer also includes a light source configured to illuminate the drop with a pulse of light. A duration of the pulse of light is from about 0.0001 seconds to about 0.1 seconds. The 3D printer also includes a camera configured to capture an image, video, or both of the drop. The 3D printer also includes a computing system configured to detect the drop in the image, the video, or both. The computing system is also configured to characterize the drop after the drop is detected. Characterizing the drop includes determining a size of the drop, a location of the drop, or both in the image, the video, or both.

Abstract: Methods include dissolving a polyoxymethylene (POM) homopolymer or copolymer in one or more solvents at an elevated temperature (e.g., up to a boiling point+10° C. (TBP+10C) of the one or more solvents) to form a polymer mixture, wherein a difference in total Hansen solubility parameters (??t) for the POM homopolymer or copolymer and the one or more solvents is 6 or less; cooling the polymer mixture to form a POM particle composition; and isolating the POM particle composition. Said method may be performed at ambient pressures.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses methods and systems for scanning a document at a scan capable device. The method and systems comprise receiving user credentials from a graphical user interface, displaying scan capable devices on a network, creating a shared network folder accessible to a scan capable device, sending a user credential corresponding to the shared network folder to the scan capable device, creating a selectable data entry on the scan capable device corresponding to the network folder, and upon selection of the selectable data entry, digitizing a document and sending the digitized document to the shared network folder corresponding to the selectable data entry.

Abstract: A method includes illuminating a drop with a pulse of light from a light source. A duration of the pulse of light is from about 0.0001 seconds to about 0.1 seconds. The method also includes capturing an image, video, or both of the drop. The method also includes detecting the drop in the image, the video, or both. The method also includes characterizing the drop after the drop is detected. Characterizing the drop includes determining a size of the drop, a location of the drop, or both in the image, the video, or both.

Abstract: A method is disclosed. For example, the method executed by a processor of a multi-function device (MFD) includes executing a defect learning routine to identify defects, cataloging the defects based on a job function, a type of paper, and a machine state, receiving a job request, determining a known defect that has been catalogued based on the job function, the type of paper, and the machine state, and presenting a visualization of the known defect on a display of a user interface before executing the job request.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that facilitate parallel processing of PDF documents for printing, wherein the PDF documents comprise transparency effects. Transparent objects in the PDF document are identified, and the document is divided into subgroups of pages. The transparency objects are then flattened to enable conversion to PostScript format. The PostScript pages are processed and rendered to raster for printing.

Abstract: A method includes moving a first part along a movement path. The method also includes introducing drops of a liquid metal onto the first part using a three-dimensional (3D) printer. The drops of the liquid metal solidify to form a second part that is joined to the first part. The method also includes mechanically joining the second part to a third part.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses methods and systems for automatically detecting Infrared (IR) security mark based on unknown halftone frequency information. The method includes receiving a document from a user including an IR security mark. The document is scanned. Then, one or more halftone frequencies associated with the IR security mark portion are estimated. Based on the estimation, the IR security mark portion is classified into a background region and the IR marked region including the IR security mark. The IR security mark is extracted and pixels falling in the IR marked region are reconstructed to identify content in the IR security mark. Finally, the identified content is compared with one or more pre-stored IR security marks to ascertain the presence of the IR security mark in the document for further assessment. This way, the method automatically detects the IR security mark in the document.

Abstract: An image processing device includes an input device which receives image adjustment selections from an associated user interface device. Memory of the device stores a user interface generator, which generates a background adjustment selector for presenting to a user on the user interface device; a background adjustment component which, for each of a plurality of pixels of an input image computes adjusted color values, as a function of at least one of: (a) a background adjustment factor computed for the respective pixel, and (b) a background class derived from the computed background adjustment factor, the background adjustment factor being a function of a background strength of the pixel and a luminance strength of the pixel; and an image output component outputs an output image derived from the adjusted color values for the plurality of pixels. A processor implements the background adjustment component and image output component.

Abstract: Systems and methods for secure transfer of printed documents from a print device to a user are disclosed. The systems may include a print device and a drone. The print device may also include an output tray configured to receive documents processed by the print device. The system may receive a print request from the user and determine whether the print request will result in a printed document that should be kept confidential. If printed document that should be kept confidential, the system may generate and transmit a first authentication information to the user. The system may then cause the print device to execute the print request and output the printed document to the output tray. A drone may then transfer the printed document from the print device to the user, and authenticate the user before allowing the user to access the printed document.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a hybrid conductive ink including: silver nanoparticles and eutectic low melting point alloy particles, wherein a weight ratio of the eutectic low melting point alloy particles and the silver nanoparticles ranges from 1:20 to 1:5.

Abstract: A system and method evaluate defects in printed images. A target image, which has been captured of a printed image, is processed to identify defects, where present, which do not occur in a source image from which the printed image was generated. A trained classification model predicts a defect class for respective regions of the target image, each of the defect classes being drawn from a predefined set of defect classes. For at least one of the identified defects, a measure of severity of the defect is determined, such as a size of the defect. A decision on the acceptability of the printed image is made, based on the measure of severity of the at least one defect and the predicted defect class of a respective one of the regions in which the defect occurs.

Abstract: A method for producing polyimide microparticles may comprise: combining a diamine and a dianhydride in a first dry, high boiling point solvent; reacting the diamine and the dianhydride to produce a mixture comprising poly(amic acid) (PAA) and the first dry, high boiling point solvent; emulsifying the mixture in a matrix fluid that is immiscible with the first dry, high boiling point solvent using an emulsion stabilizer to form a precursor emulsion that is an oil-in-oil emulsion; and heating the precursor emulsion during and/or after formation to a temperature sufficient to polymerize the PAA to form the polyimide microparticles.