Abstract: In a method for printing a digital image in swaths with a swath time corresponding to the width of the digital image on the image receiving medium in the main scanning direction, the print controller issues a trigger that a spitting action for at least part of the printing elements of the print head needs to be performed. A swath time of subsequent swaths is gradually increased until the print head reaches a maintenance tray at a side of the print surface. The print head stays at the maintenance tray until air between the print head and the maintenance tray has approximately reached a standstill. Then, at least part of the printing elements of the print head are spitting marking material in the maintenance tray. After the spitting, the swath time of subsequent swaths is gradually decreased until the swath time is corresponding again with the width of the digital image on the image receiving medium in the main scanning direction. A digital inkjet printer is configured to perform the method.

Abstract: In a method for printing a digital image in swaths with a swath time corresponding to the width of the digital image on the image receiving medium in the main scanning direction, the print controller issues a trigger that a spitting action for at least part of the printing elements of the print head needs to be performed. A swath time of subsequent swaths is gradually increased until the print head reaches a maintenance tray at a side of the print surface. The print head stays at the maintenance tray until air between the print head and the maintenance tray has approximately reached a standstill. Then, at least part of the printing elements of the print head are spitting marking material in the maintenance tray. After the spitting, the swath time of subsequent swaths is gradually decreased until the swath time is corresponding again with the width of the digital image on the image receiving medium in the main scanning direction. A digital inkjet printer is configured to perform the method.

Abstract: In a method of controlling a digital inkjet printer, the digital printer is arranged to operate in a selected first print mode which includes a first speed in a main scanning direction. A digital image and a print setting that the digital image is planned to be printed in an enhanced adhesion print mode are received. A time period needed for a pass in the main scanning direction is extended by lowering a speed from the first speed to a second speed, and by enlarging the pass width up to a maximum medium width and/or by temporarily stopping the printer at an end of the pass. Marking material is ejected during the pass on the image receiving medium by a print head at the second speed within the extended time period, and is cured by a UV curing device at the second speed within the extended time period.

Abstract: A color printer includes a media transport system arranged to feed print media along a media transport path; a print engine disposed at the media transport path; a controller arranged to calculate an amount of coverage for each pixel and for each process color of an image to be printed on the media, and to control the print engine on the basis of the calculated amount of coverage; a temperature sensor; and a color correction module arranged to determine a correction of the amount of coverage on the basis of a temperature detected by the temperature sensor. The temperature sensor is arranged at the media transport path upstream of the print engine for detecting the temperature of the media as they reach the print engine.

Abstract: A color printer includes a media transport system arranged to feed print media along a media transport path; a print engine disposed at the media transport path; a controller arranged to calculate an amount of coverage for each pixel and for each process color of an image to be printed on the media, and to control the print engine on the basis of the calculated amount of coverage; a temperature sensor; and a color correction module arranged to determine a correction of the amount of coverage on the basis of a temperature detected by the temperature sensor. The temperature sensor is arranged at the media transport path upstream of the print engine for detecting the temperature of the media as they reach the print engine.

Abstract: A printing method for printing an image exceeding an available size constraint of a printer comprises the steps of: providing a digital raster image comprising a plurality of pixels, the raster image comprising color and height information for each pixel; providing an algorithm for determining an optimal division of the digital image into a plurality of parts based on the information of the plurality of pixels of the raster image; image processing of the raster image comprising the step of applying the algorithm to the raster image to obtain a plurality of partial images defined by a plurality of accompanying contours; providing a substrate; printing an obtained partial image; cutting a panel from the substrate in accordance with an accompanying contour of a partial image. The present invention further relates to a printed object manufactured with the invented method and to a printer comprising a controller configured for performing the invented method.

Abstract: A method of controlling a digital printer having a reciprocating print head with an array of printing elements, the printer being arranged to operate in a selected one of a plurality of print modes, the printer having a failure detection system arranged to detect malfunctioning printing elements and a failure compensation system arranged to compensate a malfunction of a printing element by activating another printing element, the method comprising the steps of: a) establishing a list of print modes sorted by decreasing productivity; b) selecting an initial print mode; c) simulating a print operation in the currently selected print mode; d) counting a number of incidents in which a malfunction of a printing element cannot be compensated; e) if the count result is below a given threshold value: keep the selected print mode; f) if not: select the next print mode in the list and repeat steps (c) to (f) for that print mode.

Abstract: A method for generating a relief print on a substantially flat substrate, wherein palpable differences exist between a height of various parts of the relief print, by a printer configured to print a relief print in a number of passes includes defining a rasterized relief image, comprising customary color channels for indicating a color of each pixel and a height channel for indicating a height of each pixel of the rasterized relief image, determining a low spatial frequency height component in the height value of a pixel of the rasterized relief image, subtracting the determined low spatial frequency height component from the relative height value of a pixel of the rasterized relief image, resulting in a relative reduced height value, and printing the rasterized relief image by using the relative reduced height value. A printing system is configured to execute the method.

Abstract: A method is provided for processing a relief raster image, comprising customary color channels for indicating a color of each pixel and a height channel for indicating a height of each pixel into several pass images that are printed using a printer with several colorants including a white colorant. For each pixel a relief part, a white part and a skin part are discriminated in order to combine the demands for height and color variation across the surface of the image. The skin part comprises pixels for which a colorant composition based on the color channels of the relief raster image is established. In order to print a color in the skin part that is independent of a height of the pixel, the relief part comprises an arbitrary colorant composition and the white part comprises mainly white colorant.

Abstract: A method for generating a relief print on a substantially flat substrate, wherein palpable differences exist between a height of various parts of the relief print, by a printer configured to print a relief print in a number of passes includes defining a rasterized relief image, comprising customary color channels for indicating a color of each pixel and a height channel for indicating a height of each pixel of the rasterized relief image, determining a low spatial frequency height component in the height value of a pixel of the rasterized relief image, subtracting the determined low spatial frequency height component from the relative height value of a pixel of the rasterized relief image, resulting in a relative reduced height value, and printing the rasterized relief image by using the relative reduced height value. A printing system is configured to execute the method.

Abstract: A method is provided for controlling the ejection of ink drops from an inkjet printhead. The printhead comprises an array of ink chambers with nozzles arranged for applying a row of ink dots on a receiving medium using a control signal. The method comprises the steps of labeling a nozzle as a functioning nozzle if the nozzle, upon activation by a control signal, ejects an ink drop within predefined specifications, otherwise labeling the nozzle as a failing nozzle, and distributing a control signal associated with a failing nozzle to a neighboring nozzle to maintain a local optical density, wherein said control signal associated with a failing nozzle is not distributed to a neighboring nozzle, if a neighboring nozzle of said failing nozzle is also labeled as a failing nozzle.

Abstract: A method is provided for processing a relief raster image, comprising customary color channels for indicating a color of each pixel and a height channel for indicating a height of each pixel into several pass images that are printed using a printer with several colorants including a white colorant. For each pixel a relief part, a white part and a skin part are discriminated in order to combine the demands for height and color variation across the surface of the image. The skin part comprises pixels for which a colorant composition based on the color channels of the relief raster image is established. In order to print a color in the skin part that is independent of a height of the pixel, the relief part comprises an arbitrary colorant composition and the white part comprises mainly white colorant.

Abstract: A method is provided for processing a rasterized relief image, comprising customary color channels for indicating a color of each pixel and a height channel for indicating a height of each pixel into several pass images that are printed using a printer with several colorants including a white colorant. For each pixel a relief part, a white part and a skin part are discriminated in order to combine the demands for height and color variation across the surface of the image. The skin part comprises pixels for which a colorant composition based on the color channels of the rasterized relief image is established. In order to print a color in the skin part that is independent of a height of the pixel and independent of the colorant composition of a neighboring pixels, pass images are composed that include only neighboring pass pixels that do not disturb the color forming of a pass pixel contributing to a skin part.

Abstract: A method is provided for processing a rasterized relief image, comprising customary color channels for indicating a color of each pixel and a height channel for indicating a height of each pixel into several pass images that are printed using a printer with several colorants including a white colorant. For each pixel a relief part, a white part and a skin part are discriminated in order to combine the demands for height and color variation across the surface of the image. The skin part comprises pixels for which a colorant composition based on the color channels of the rasterized relief image is established. In order to print a color in the skin part that is independent of a height of the pixel and independent of the colorant composition of a neighboring pixels, pass images are composed that include only neighboring pass pixels that do not disturb the color forming of a pass pixel contributing to a skin part.