Abstract: A substrate unloading system comprising a gripper mounted on a slanted plane and movable along the slanted plane, and a platen onto which the substrate is attached, the platen configured to be moved down in a vertical direction and away from the gripper in a horizontal direction, the gripper and the platen configured to move simultaneously so that the substrate remains substantially horizontal.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method comprising depositing a pre-determined pattern of curable adhesive on a substrate by a printer; pre-curing the pattern of curable adhesive by at least one first energy source positioned between the printer and at least one nip roller; pressing by the at least one nip roller a foil, fed from a spool, to the substrate with the pattern of curable adhesive deposited thereon; wherein at least one of the at least one nip roller having an inner volume and comprising a portion constructed from a material to enable passage of energy; generating, by at least one second energy source, energy directed at the pattern of curable adhesive to cause a curing process of the adhesive to occur; wherein the at least one second energy source is disposed within the inner volume of the at least one nip roller; at least one of absorbing and removing heat from the at least one nip roller, by a cooling mechanism; and peeling away excess foil.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods, including a method that includes depositing a curable adhesive onto a first surface of a substrate in a pre-determined pattern, placing topping material onto the substrate with the deposited adhesive, and applying UV energy to the substrate including the deposited adhesive and the placed topping material to cause curing of the deposited adhesive.

Abstract: An authentication system comprising: at least one electronic communication device; and an authentication system server; wherein said at least one electronic communication device and said authentication system server are configured to communicate bi-directionally with each other; said at least one electronic communication device comprising a camera and a LED flash; said at least one electronic communication device configured to run a user application; said user application configured to authenticate a product unit via a variable code printed thereon with a transparent polymer comprising at least one pigment.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods, including a method that includes depositing a curable adhesive onto a first surface of a substrate in a pre-determined pattern, placing topping material onto the substrate with the deposited adhesive, and applying UV energy to the substrate including the deposited adhesive and the placed topping material to cause curing of the deposited adhesive.

Abstract: A substrate unloading system comprising a gripper mounted on a slanted plane and movable along the slanted plane, and a platen onto which the substrate is attached, the platen configured to be moved down in a vertical direction and away from the gripper in a horizontal direction, the gripper and the platen configured to move simultaneously so that the substrate remains substantially horizontal.

Abstract: A method of adaptive overprinting of a first digital image over a pre-printed second image comprising at least one feature, the method comprising: capturing an image of a substrate pre-printed with said second image and with at least one registration mark; automatically computing: one or more offsets from intended pre-determined properties of the at least one registration mark; and one or more compensation adjustment values to be applied to properties of the at least one feature, based on said one or more computed offsets; applying said computed one or more compensation adjustment values to said first digital image to create a corrected digital image; and printing said corrected digital image over said second image.

Abstract: A method of adaptive overprinting of a first digital image over a pre-printed second image comprising at least one feature, the method comprising: capturing an image of a substrate pre-printed with said second image and with at least one registration mark; automatically computing: one or more offsets from intended pre-determined properties of the at least one registration mark; and one or more compensation adjustment values to be applied to properties of the at least one feature, based on said one or more computed offsets; applying said computed one or more compensation adjustment values to said first digital image to create a corrected digital image; and printing said corrected digital image over said second image.

Abstract: A method of adaptive 3D metallic overprinting of a first digital image over a pre-printed second image including at least one feature, the method captures an image of a substrate pre-printed with the second image and with at least one registration mark. The substrate includes at least two layers, a paper layer and a metallic layer. The method automatically computes one or more offsets from intended predetermined properties of the at least one registration mark and one or more compensation adjustment values to be applied to properties of the at least one feature, based on the one or more computed offsets. The computed one or more compensation adjustment values is applied to the first digital image to create a corrected digital image. The corrected digital image is printed over the second image.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods, including a method that includes depositing a curable adhesive onto a first surface of a substrate in a pre-determined pattern, placing topping material onto the substrate with the deposited adhesive, and applying UV energy to the substrate including the deposited adhesive and the placed topping material to cause curing of the deposited adhesive.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, machines and products for producing foil relief. The system includes apparatuses for placing a foil on a curable adhesive deposited on a substrate when the curable adhesive is substantially non-tacky, and applying energy to the adhesive deposited on the substrate while pressing the foil to the adhesive to cause the adhesive to become tacky and to adhere to the foil. The adhesive becomes substantially fully cured prior to completion of the pressing of the foil to the adhesive deposited on the substrate. In some embodiments, the system may further include one or more energy sources for pre-curing the curable adhesive prior to placing the foil on the adhesive to initiate the curing process of the adhesive and manipulate a viscosity level of the adhesive, with the pre-cured adhesive remaining substantially non-tacky. The curable adhesive includes one or more of, for example, a radical type adhesive and/or a cationic adhesive.

Abstract: A printing system comprising a load station to load one or more substrates, a first platen to receive the substrates movably connected to a first side of the system, a second platen to receive the substrates, movably connected to a second side of the system opposite the first side, a platen transport system operatively connected to the load station, the platen transport system moving the first and second platens in the system, an alignment station which aligns the one or more substrates on the first and second platens, a print station which prints the one or more substrate on the first and second platens, and an unload station which unloads the one or more substrates nom the first and second platens, the transport system comprising means to move the platens in a horizontal and vertical direction.

Abstract: Disclosed are nip rollers, machines, systems, and methods, including a nip roller that includes a hollow roller to press materials, at least a portion of the hollow roller being constructed from a material configured to enable passage of energy, and at least one energy source disposed within an inner volume of the hollow roller to generate energy, at least some of the energy being directed through the at least the portion of the hollow roller constructed from the material configured to enable passage of energy to cause curing process for a curable adhesive, deposited on a substrate and pressed against a layer material, to occur.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods, including a method that includes depositing a curable adhesive onto a first surface of a substrate in a pre-determined pattern, placing topping material onto the substrate with the deposited adhesive, and applying UV energy to the substrate including the deposited adhesive and the placed topping material to cause curing of the deposited adhesive.

Abstract: An adaptive overprint system for providing an overprint upon a substrate; the substrate comprising a plurality of registration markers at predetermined locations thereon and at least one pre-printed feature; the system comprising: an imager for capturing a digital image of said substrate with said registration markers and said feature; a printing platform upon which the substrate resides during overprinting; a printing mechanism for stamping said overprint upon said pre-printed feature; a controller operatively connected to said imager and said printing mechanism; and a handling device to move the substrate in and out of the printer; wherein said controller is adapted to identify and calculate the shift in said pre-printed feature based on said image of the substrate received from said imager, and to calculate a correlating compensation or correction shift to be electronically applied to the overprinted image.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, machines and products, including a method for producing foil relief. The method includes placing a foil on a curable adhesive deposited on a substrate when the curable adhesive is substantially non-tacky, and applying energy to the adhesive deposited on the substrate while pressing the foil to the adhesive to cause the adhesive to become tacky and to adhere to the foil. The adhesive becomes substantially fully cured prior to completion of the pressing of the foil to the adhesive deposited on the substrate. In some embodiments, the method may further include pre-curing the curable adhesive prior to placing the foil on the adhesive to initiate the curing process of the adhesive and manipulate a viscosity level of the adhesive, with the pre-cured adhesive remaining substantially non-tacky. The curable adhesive includes one or more of, for example, a radical type adhesive and/or a cationic adhesive.