Abstract: Fire control and containment for a production printing system that includes a dryer unit, an air intake fan, and an exhaust fan. A fire control and containment system includes an enclosure surrounding the dryer unit. The enclosure includes controllable doors, a temperature sensor, and an air pressure sensor in the enclosure. The fire containment and control system also includes a controller operable to detect a fire event based on changes in air pressure and air temperature in the enclosure detected by the air pressure and air temperature sensors. In response to detecting the fire event, the controller closes the doors of the enclosure to prevent the print medium from entering, controls the air intake fan and the exhaust fan to reduce the air pressure in the enclosure, and controls the dryer unit to reduce temperature in the enclosure to suppress fire.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide ink recirculation capabilities for Drop-On-Demand (DOD) printing systems. One embodiment comprises a system that includes a controller, a DOD print head, an ink tank, an ink pump, and a recirculation cap. The ink pump transports ink from the ink tank to the DOD print head, and the recirculation cap captures ink ejected by the DOD print head. The recirculation cap also transports the capture ink to the ink tank. In response to detecting a start of an ink recirculation cycle, the controller collocates the recirculation cap proximate to nozzles of the DOD print head, and directs the DOD print head to begin ejecting ink through the nozzles into the recirculation cap for transport of the captured ink to the ink tank. The controller detects an end to the ink recirculation cycle, and directs the DOD print head to stop ejecting ink into the recirculation cap.

Abstract: Fire control and containment for a production printing system that includes a dryer unit, an air intake fan, and an exhaust fan. A fire control and containment system includes an enclosure surrounding the dryer unit. The enclosure includes controllable doors, a temperature sensor, and an air pressure sensor in the enclosure. The fire containment and control system also includes a controller operable to detect a fire event based on changes in air pressure and air temperature in the enclosure detected by the air pressure and air temperature sensors. In response to detecting the fire event, the controller closes the doors of the enclosure to prevent the print medium from entering, controls the air intake fan and the exhaust fan to reduce the air pressure in the enclosure, and controls the dryer unit to reduce temperature in the enclosure to suppress fire.

Abstract: Fire control and containment for a production printing system that includes a dryer unit, an air intake fan, and an exhaust fan. A fire control and containment system includes an enclosure surrounding the dryer unit. The enclosure includes controllable doors, a temperature sensor, and an air pressure sensor in the enclosure. The fire containment and control system also includes a controller operable to detect a fire event based on changes in air pressure and air temperature in the enclosure detected by the air pressure and air temperature sensors. In response to detecting the fire event, the controller closes the doors of the enclosure to prevent the print medium from entering, controls the air intake fan and the exhaust fan to reduce the air pressure in the enclosure, and controls the dryer unit to reduce temperature in the enclosure to suppress fire.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for predictively compensating for frequency-based shifts of the position of a web of print media in a continuous-forms printer. The system comprises a sensor and a controller. The sensor is able to detect lateral shifts of the web of print media traveling through the continuous-forms printer. The controller is able to identify a frequency of the lateral shifts of the web, and to steer the web based on the frequency.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for aligning printheads of a printing system. The system comprises a sensor and a controller. The sensor is able to detect changes in a lateral position of a web of print media traveling through a continuous-forms printing system, and the controller is able to adjust a lateral position of a printhead while the printing system is operating to compensate for the detected changes in web position.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for predictively compensating for frequency-based shifts of the position of a web of print media in a continuous-forms printer. The system comprises a sensor and a controller. The sensor is able to detect lateral shifts of the web of print media traveling through the continuous-forms printer. The controller is able to identify a frequency of the lateral shifts of the web, and to steer the web based on the frequency.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for aligning printheads of a printing system. The system comprises a sensor and a controller. The sensor is able to detect changes in a lateral position of a web of print media traveling through a continuous-forms printing system, and the controller is able to adjust a lateral position of a printhead while the printing system is operating to compensate for the detected changes in web position.

Abstract: Fire control and containment for a production printing system that includes a dryer unit, an air intake fan, and an exhaust fan. A fire control and containment system includes an enclosure surrounding the dryer unit. The enclosure includes controllable doors, a temperature sensor, and an air pressure sensor in the enclosure. The fire containment and control system also includes a controller operable to detect a fire event based on changes in air pressure and air temperature in the enclosure detected by the air pressure and air temperature sensors. In response to detecting the fire event, the controller closes the doors of the enclosure to prevent the print medium from entering, controls the air intake fan and the exhaust fan to reduce the air pressure in the enclosure, and controls the dryer unit to reduce temperature in the enclosure to suppress fire.

Abstract: An printer, such as a state of the art a high performance, electro-photographic printer. The printer includes at least one smart material sensor enclosed in the printer enclosure that monitors for the presence of a contaminant (e.g., toner or developer) above a selected threshold. Each smart material sensor is coupled to a control unit by a sensor driver coupling. When a smart material sensor finds that a contaminant is present the control unit may indicate the finding on a printer display and/or change operating mode.

Abstract: A method is disclosed. The method includes receiving an overlay having a flushing pattern to flush nozzles of an inkjet print head, printing a page of print data and flushing the nozzles of the inkjet print head during the printing of the page of print data as indicated by the flushing pattern. The flushing of a nozzle does not occur at a data point of the flushing pattern corresponding to a data point of the page of print data.

Abstract: A method is disclosed. The method includes measuring a first mass of an ink container supported by a printer support device, converting the first mass to a first volume, printing a first print job, measuring a second mass of the ink container after printing the first print job and converting the second mass to a second volume.

Abstract: An printer, such as a state of the art a high performance, electro-photographic printer. The printer includes at least one smart material sensor enclosed in the printer enclosure that monitors for the presence of a contaminant (e.g., toner or developer) above a selected threshold. Each smart material sensor is coupled to a control unit by a sensor driver coupling. When a smart material sensor finds that a contaminant is present the control unit may indicate the finding on a printer display and/or change operating mode.

Abstract: A method and system for a printing device is disclosed. The method and system comprise printing a test pattern on a print medium and generating a digital image of the printed test pattern by an imaging device. The method and system include analyzing an interference pattern to measure for distortion of the print medium and calibrating the printing device based upon the measured distortion. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention utilizes the reticle patterns, which are printed in the margins of the paper, which are measured real-time during printing. The interference or Moiré patterns created by superimposed reticles may be used to measure image distortion, process direction misalignment, and misregistration caused by web distortion.

Abstract: An ink jet pump is switched from a mechanically off or idle state to a mechanically on or active state with no drift in pressure output by maintaining the pump at the same point in its force-temperature characteristic when it is on and off. This is accomplished by driving the pump in both the active and idle states with signals that dissipate the same amount of power in the pump. The frequency of the idle state signal is high enough that the pump can not mechanically respond. The power dissipations in the active and idle states are matched by adjusting the current build-up and current decay through the coil of the pump during the idle state. When the RMS current through the coil in the active state equals the RMS current in the idle state, the power dissipations are matched.