Abstract: According to aspects of the embodiments, there is provided an apparatus and method to maintain a clean and effective external heat roll surface in a printing system. The disclosed embodiment's uses a cleaning roller in contact with the external heat rollers designed to dislodge and displace contamination products that would otherwise accumulate on and in the external heat roller rough surface. The cleaning roller rotates concurrently with the heating roller so that the cleaning media cleans the roller from a picking action as opposed to a wiping motion. This provides maximum cleaning action with the undesirable wear and tear of the bristles that would occur with the conventional method of a wiping motion.

Abstract: According to aspects of the embodiments, an apparatus and method is proposed to detect nip width by use of at least one piezoelectric (PZT) crystal embedded into a roll at both the inboard and outboard ends. A piezoelectric (PZT) crystal generates a charge when subjected to a load and when the load is released. The PZT generate signal is channeled to the ends of the roller such as with a brush contact to be processed and used within machine control. The duration measure from application and released of the load is indicative of the dwell time and the amplitude PZT generate signal is a function of the pressure. The time and amplitude of the PZT signal can be calibrated to correlate directly to nip width or pressure and tracked in machine control.

Abstract: According to aspects of the embodiments, an apparatus and method is proposed to detect nip width by use of at least one piezoelectric (PZT) crystal embedded into a roll at both the inboard and outboard ends. A piezoelectric (PZT) crystal generates a charge when subjected to a load and when the load is released. The PZT generate signal is channeled to the ends of the roller such as with a brush contact to be processed and used within machine control. The duration measure from application and released of the load is indicative of the dwell time and the amplitude PZT generate signal is a function of the pressure. The time and amplitude of the PZT signal can be calibrated to correlate directly to nip width or pressure and tracked in machine control.

Abstract: According to aspects of the embodiments, there is provided an apparatus and method to maintain a clean and effective external heat roll surface in a printing system. The disclosed embodiment's uses a cleaning roller in contact with the external heat rollers designed to dislodge and displace contamination products that would otherwise accumulate on and in the external heat roller rough surface. The cleaning roller rotates concurrently with the heating roller so that the cleaning media cleans the roller from a picking action as opposed to a wiping motion. This provides maximum cleaning action with the undesirable wear and tear of the bristles that would occur with the conventional method of a wiping motion.