Abstract: According to one aspect, a web handling system comprises a plurality of cross-grooved idler rollers, an imaging drum, a nip roller adjacent the imaging drum and forming a nip therewith, and a spreader roller disposed between the plurality of idler rollers and the nip roller. Each idler roller is disposed no more than a first distance from an adjacent idler roller, spreader roller, and nip roller and the spreader roller is disposed no more than a second distance from the nip. The first distance is in a range of 38 to 28 inches, 36 to 30 inches, or 35 to 33 inches and the second distance is in a range of 6 to 11 inches, 6.5 to 9 inches, or 7.0 to 8.5 inches.

Abstract: A drying system and method of operating the drying system to dry a printed shrinkable web are disclosed. A web transport is adapted to convey the printed web between a heating apparatus and a cooling apparatus. The heating apparatus directs heat toward the web and the cooling apparatus concurrently chills the web. A temperature sensing device is adapted to develop an indication of a temperature of the web and the controller is adapted to adjust a temperature of at least one of the heating apparatus and the cooling apparatus in accordance with such indication.

Abstract: A printing system comprises a transport apparatus adapted to transport a flexible web (24) along a process direction and first and second individually controllable inkjet imager units (44, 60, 70, 82) offset from one another along the process direction. Each of the first imager unit and the second imager unit includes a first portion (226) operable to print on a first portion of the web and a second portion (228) operable to print on the second portion of the web wherein each of the first portion and second portion of the first and second imager units is stationary along the process direction and the lateral direction.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a web handling system comprises a plurality of cross-grooved idler rollers, an imaging drum, a nip roller adjacent the imaging drum and forming a nip therewith, and a spreader roller disposed between the plurality of idler rollers and the nip roller. Each idler roller is disposed no more than a first distance from an adjacent idler roller, spreader roller, and nip roller and the spreader roller is disposed no more than a second distance from the nip. The first distance is in a range of 38 to 28 inches, 36 to 30 inches, or 35 to 33 inches and the second distance is in a range of 6 to 11 inches, 6.5 to 9 inches, or 7.0 to 8.5 inches.

Abstract: A dryer management system includes a global dryer control system and a closed loop dynamic dryer control system to manage drying of a material deposited on web. The global dryer control system analyzes information regarding a production run to determine a web conveyance speed and a maximum web temperature. The closed loop dynamic dryer control system monitors an indication of a temperature of the web to maintain the indication of the temperature below the maximum web temperature. The closed loop dynamic dryer control system also analyzes images of the web to determine if the material is being insufficiently dried.

Abstract: A system (20) and method for printing on clear polymeric film web (24) are disclosed. A first stationary inkjet print unit (44, 60, 70, 82) has first ejection nozzles that span a width of the clear polymeric film web and a second stationary inkjet print unit (44, 60, 70, 82) has second ejection nozzles that span the width of the clear polymeric film web. A web transport conveys the clear polymeric film web past the stationary inkjet print units. First and second print controllers operate the first and second and stationary inkjet print units to deposit drops of a first and a second material on the clear polymeric film web at a first and a second resolution, respectively. In addition, dimensions and position of a page element to be printed on the clear polymeric film web are adjusted to compensate for distortion that may occur to the printed page element due to shrinking of the clear polymeric film web.