Abstract: A printing system and method of forming a three-dimensional printed part in a printing system is disclosed, including forming a three-dimensional printed part in a printing system includes depositing a first print material onto a substrate or a partially formed three-dimensional metal part, depositing a second print material may include an oxidizing agent onto the partially formed three-dimensional part, and forming an oxidized layer on a top surface of the partially formed three-dimensional part.

Abstract: A method of forming a three-dimensional printed part is disclosed, including ejecting a drop of print material from an ejector for a printing system in a substantially vertical trajectory, directing a stream of inert gas toward the drop of print material from a first direction, and diverting the drop of print material from the substantially vertical trajectory prior to the drop of print material landing onto a surface. The method includes directing a stream of inert gas toward the drop of print material from other directions. A printing system includes at least a first channel oriented in a first plane parallel to the substrate and positioned between the substrate and the ejector, and a gas supply connected to the first channel.

Abstract: Printing methods and devices identify distortable ink colors in a print job. These distortable ink colors interact with one another when printed in the same printing pass on the same area of a sheet. These methods and devices control printheads and sheet feeders to separately print the distortable ink colors in different print passes.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus is equipped with a vessel having a receptacle that holds melted metal. The vessel has one or more electrical coils positioned at an upper end of the vessel near an inlet for solid metal that is melted within the receptacle. AC electrical current is passed through the one or more electrical coils to produce traveling magnetic fields in the melted metal at the upper end of the receptacle in the vessel to stir the melted metal and attenuate the formation of dross in the melted metal.

Abstract: A removable raised tray system for a printing system generally includes a removable tray operatively arranged to receive print media thereon. The removable tray includes an upper tray surface having an electrically conductive material, a lower tray surface, and at least one tray leg that is connected to the removable tray, which is configured to support the removable tray at a position that is raised relative to a platform surface of a printer feeder or stacker. The at least one leg includes a releasable fastening assembly, such as a rare earth magnet, that releasably secures the removable tray to the platform surface thereby allowing the tray to easily attached and removed from the printer feeder or stacker. The electrically conductive material of the tray surface and the platform surface are electrically conductively connected to one another so as to prevent the build-up of static electricity.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus is equipped with a movable directed energy source to melt hardened metal drops and form an oxidation layer. A metal support structure can be formed over the oxidation layer, an object feature can be formed over the oxidation layer, or both a metal support structure and an object feature can be formed over oxidation layers located at opposite sides of a metal support structure. The oxidation layers weakly attach the metal support structure to the object feature supported by the metal support structure so the support structure can be easily removed after manufacture of the object is complete.

Abstract: A method of automatically diagnosing media handling defects on sheets, the method including receiving a first image of a first sheet, determining that the first image includes a detected media handling defect, determining that the detected media handling defect matches one or more known media handling defects in a database, and displaying a rectifying action.

Abstract: A method of operating a printer identifies image areas in ink image content data that are likely to affected by airflow disturbances to produce ink blur within an ink image. Inkjets farthest from these areas are selected to eject ink drops into these areas to form portions of an ink image. The image areas identified as being likely to produce ink blur are the leading edge, trailing edge, and side edge of the ink image content data. The ink drops ejected by these selected inkjets and their satellites are less likely to be affected adversely by the airflow disturbances.

Abstract: Methods and systems obtain, using a computer, a space layout having areas. The areas maintain display structures, and the display structures are adapted to maintain display items. Such methods and systems obtain, using the computer, item data related to the display items. The item data is formatted to be printed on item signs that are adapted to be attached to the display structures in locations corresponding to the display items. Each of the item signs is different from the other item signs and each of the item signs is specific to the corresponding display items. These methods and systems: determine, using the computer, for each of the areas, an area-specific number of item signs to be printed based on the display items in each of the areas; obtain, using the computer, bundle rules; and organize, using the computer, the item signs into sign bundles according to the bundle rules.

Abstract: A method of operating a printer evaluates the effect of printing a print job with two different orientations of the image content data for the print job. The orientation that produces the least increase in the cross-process direction displacement error for the inkjets in the printer is selected for printing the print job. By attenuating the increase in cross-process direction displacement error, the interval between printhead maintenance operations is increased.

Abstract: A dross extraction system for a printer is disclosed, which includes an ejector defining an inner cavity associated therewith, the inner cavity retaining a liquid printing material. The dross extraction system also includes a first inlet coupled to the inner cavity of the ejector, a probe external to the ejector, which is selectably positionable to contact the liquid printing material to attract dross thereto, thereby extracting dross from the liquid printing material when the probe is withdrawn from the liquid printing material. A method of extracting dross from a metal jetting printer is also disclosed, which includes pausing an operation of the metal jetting printer, advancing a probe into a melt pool within a nozzle pump reservoir in the metal jetting printer, extracting dross from the metal printing material and onto the probe, retracting the probe from the nozzle pump reservoir, and resuming the operation of the metal jetting printer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for cooling paper within a printer assembly that includes at least one misting assembly designed to mist an aqueous solution onto an unprinted surface of paper stock after a first side is printed. At least one convection accelerator assembly is designed to accelerate evaporation of the aqueous solution before the printed paper stock arrives at the at least one printing station for printing on the unprinted surface. At least one or more of a paper temperature, machine temperature, printhead temperature, and humidity sensor are operationally coupled to at least one controller assembly programmed to control at least one or more of misting, humidity, and airflow. The at least one controller assembly is designed to determine the heat to be dissipated into the airflow from the printed paper stock to obtain a targeted paper temperature and, therefore, the amount and placement of aqueous solution misted.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus is equipped with two solid metal moving mechanisms that are independently operated to move two different metals into the receptacle of a vessel in a melted metal drop ejecting apparatus. The ejector is operated to form object features with melted metal drops of one of the two different metals and to form support features with melted metal drops of the other of the two different metals. The thermal expansion coefficients of the two metals are sufficiently different that the support features easily separate from the object features after the object and support features cool.

Abstract: A printing system is disclosed, including a metal ejecting apparatus, which may include a structure defining an inner cavity to receive a metal printing material, and a nozzle orifice in connection with the inner cavity and configured to eject one or more droplets of a liquid metal may include the metal printing material. The printing system also includes a first print material feed system configured to supply a first print material into the inner cavity. The printing system also includes a second print material feed system may include a second print material configured to measure a level of metal printing material in the inner cavity, where the second print material is a wire. A method of sensing and controlling level in a metal jetting apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: A printing system comprises a print fluid deposition assembly, a media transport device, and an air flow control system. The print fluid deposition assembly comprises a carrier plate and a printhead arranged to eject a print fluid through an opening of the carrier plate to a deposition region. The media transport device holds a print medium against the movable support surface by vacuum suction and transports the print medium through the deposition region. The air flow control system comprises an air supply unit comprising air flow guide structure extending into the opening of the carrier plate between the carrier plate and the printhead to flow air through the opening. The air flow control system controls the air supply unit to selectively flow the air based on a location of a print medium relative to the printhead.

Abstract: A method of operating an inkjet printer identifies a thermal load that will be imposed on the printheads in the inkjet printer during execution of a print job and identifies a remedial action to reduce the thermal load if the thermal load increases the temperature of the printheads above an upper threshold of a predetermined temperature range. The thermal load is identified from the ink image content data for the print job, the print job parameters for the print job, and environmental condition measurements received from sensors in the printer. The remedial actions include manipulation of the print job queue, alteration of print job parameters, and active cooling to remove heat from the printheads or media within the printer.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) printer is configured to introduce a liquid metal onto a first part and a second part while the first part and the second part are in contact with one another. The liquid metal subsequently solidifies to join the first part and the second part together to produce an assembly.

Abstract: A method of operating a printer identifies image areas and image features in ink image content data that are likely to produce ink blur within an ink image. The ink image content data for these areas and features is modified to attenuate the appearance of ink blur. The image areas identified as being likely to produce ink blur are the trailing edge and the side edges of the ink image content data. The modification of the ink image content data for the features and predetermined areas improves the quality of the printed ink image.

Abstract: A multi-sheet cooling buffer suitable for use in a printing device and a method of sheet processing with the cooling buffer are described. The cooling buffer includes an inlet and an outlet and a sheet cooling mechanism. An array of cooling stations, intermediate the inlet and the outlet, are each configured to receive print media sheets independently from the inlet and direct cooled sheets towards the outlet. In the cooling buffer, multiple print media sheets are able to be cooled contemporaneously in respective ones of the cooling stations.

Abstract: A method of operating a printer evaluates the effect of printing a print job with two different orientations of the image content data for the print job. The orientation that produces the least increase in the cross-process direction displacement error for the inkjets in the printer is selected for printing the print job. By attenuating the increase in cross-process direction displacement error, the interval between printhead maintenance operations is increased.