Abstract: A system for cleaning a surface of a substrate includes a cleaning element including a resilient compressible material. A liquid source provides liquid directly to the cleaning element, and a squeezing roller engages the cleaning element and applies pressure thereto, to squeeze out excess liquid from said resilient compressible material. A counter element opposes said cleaning element such that the substrate is disposed between the counter element and the cleaning element. The substrate moves between the counter element and the cleaning element such that a surface of the cleaning element, having a suitable amount of liquid absorbed therein, engages and cleans the surface of the substrate without damaging the substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for controlling illumination in a greenhouse, comprising obtaining a geometric model of a greenhouse comprising a grow space segmented to a plurality of grow sections each associated with a respective one of a plurality of dimmable lamps having an illumination area overlapping the respective grow section, computing a shade model for the greenhouse based on the geometric model, the shade model defines, for each of the plurality of grow sections, a respective shading pattern indicative of a level of direct sun light in the respective grow section, enhancing the shade model using one or more machine learning models trained to predict the level of direct sun light in each grow section, and operating one or more of the plurality of dimmable lamps based on the enhanced shade model to illuminate its associated grow section according to one or more illumination rules.

Abstract: A humidifier includes a first housing removably connected to a second housing that includes the majority of the electrical components of the humidifier. The first housing includes a first air inlet for accepting air; a first air outlet; a central chamber for holding water; a piezoelectric transducer installed in the central chamber for atomizing water; and a first electrical connector electrically connected to the piezoelectric transducer. The first housing is configured to discharge humidified air from the first air outlet.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for conditioning a corrugated cardboard stack by causing air to flow through flutes of the stack from an air intake end to an air discharge end of the stack, air moved by an air moving device being confined to flow only, or at least predominantly, through the flutes.

Abstract: A die and counter die system for impressing a relief pattern onto a substrate, including a male die film and at least one female die. The female die includes a female-die contact surface including at least one cavity defining the relief pattern. The male die film includes a flexible male-die contact surface which is featureless in a region thereof opposing the relief pattern on the at least one female die. The system further includes a compression mechanism adapted, when the substrate is disposed between the male die contact surface and the female die contact surface, to move the male die film and the at least one female die towards one another so as to impress the relief pattern on the substrate.

Abstract: A humidifier includes a first housing removably connected to a second housing that includes the majority of the electrical components of the humidifier. The first housing includes a first air inlet for accepting air; a first air outlet; a central chamber for holding water; a piezoelectric transducer installed in the central chamber for atomizing water; and a first electrical connector electrically connected to the piezoelectric transducer. The first housing is configured to discharge humidified air from the first air outlet.

Abstract: A system for cleaning a surface of a substrate includes a cleaning element including a resilient compressible material. A liquid source provides liquid directly to the cleaning element, and a squeezing roller engages the cleaning element and applies pressure thereto, to squeeze out excess liquid from said resilient compressible material. A counter element opposes said cleaning element such that the substrate is disposed between the counter element and the cleaning element. The substrate moves between the counter element and the cleaning element such that a surface of the cleaning element, having a suitable amount of liquid absorbed therein, engages and cleans the surface of the substrate without damaging the substrate.

Abstract: A die and counter die system for impressing a relief pattern onto a substrate, including at least one male die including a contact surface and defining a relief pattern, a compressible counter film including a base layer, a contact layer disposed opposite the contact surface of the at least one male die and spaced therefrom, and a compressible layer disposed between the base layer and the contact layer and attached thereto. The contact layer is featureless in a region thereof opposing the relief pattern on the at least one male die. The compressible counter film has a compressibility, in a direction perpendicular to a broad face of the compressible counter film, in the range of 5-30% at 1.35 MPa. The system further includes a compression mechanism adapted to move the at least one male die and the compressible counter film towards one another in an operative mode.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object from a stack of pre-stripped layers of substrate. Each object layer is formed by (i) providing substrate comprising waste portion(s) and substrate-retained portion(s) that are attached to each other and separated from one another by cut(s) within the substrate; (ii) subsequently, subjecting the subject of each layer to a stripping process which selectively strips away substrate-waste portion(s) from the substrate-retained portion(s). After stripping, the object layer is added to a stack of previously-stacked object layers to grow the stack. This process is repeated to further grow the stack. Object layers of the stack are bonded to each other to build the three-dimensional object therefrom. Apparatus and methods for stripping are also described—any teaching or combination of teaching(s) related to stripping substrate may be employed in any additive-manufacturing process described herein.

Abstract: A multi-orifice nozzle suitable for drawing a plurality of line rules in parallel, line rules disposed in parallel drawn using the multi-orifice nozzle, and systems and methods for using such line rules for impressing a substrate with a plurality of line indentations disposed in parallel.

Abstract: A die and counter die system for impressing a relief pattern onto a substrate, including at least one male die including a contact surface and defining a relief pattern, a compressible counter film including a base layer, a contact layer disposed opposite the contact surface of the at least one male die and spaced therefrom, and a compressible layer disposed between the base layer and the contact layer and attached thereto. The contact layer is featureless in a region thereof opposing the relief pattern on the at least one male die. The compressible counter film has a compressibility, in a direction perpendicular to a broad face of the compressible counter film, in the range of 5-30% at 1.35 MPa. The system further includes a compression mechanism adapted to move the at least one male die and the compressible counter film towards one another in an operative mode.

Abstract: A die and counter die system for impressing a relief pattern onto a substrate, including a male die film and at least one female die. The female die includes a female-die contact surface including at least one cavity defining the relief pattern. The male die film includes a flexible male-die contact surface which is featureless in a region thereof opposing the relief pattern on the at least one female die. The system further includes a compression mechanism adapted, when the substrate is disposed between the male die contact surface and the female die contact surface, to move the male die film and the at least one female die towards one another so as to impress the relief pattern on the substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object from a stack of pre-stripped layers of substrate. Each object layer is formed by (i) providing substrate comprising waste portion(s) and substrate-retained portion(s) that are attached to each other and separated from one another by cut(s) within the substrate; (ii) subsequently, subjecting the subject of each layer to a stripping process which selectively strips away substrate-waste portion(s) from the substrate-retained portion(s). After stripping, the object layer is added to a stack of previously-stacked object layers to grow the stack. This process is repeated to further grow the stack. Object layers of the stack are bonded to each other to build the three-dimensional object therefrom. Apparatus and methods for stripping are also described—any teaching or combination of teaching(s) related to stripping substrate may be employed in any additive-manufacturing process described herein.

Abstract: Negative-working, IR-sensitive printing plates utilize a radiation-sensitive composition having a component polymerizable by a free-radical mechanism, at least part of which comprises or consists essentially of a non-particulate, aliphatic urethane acrylic oligomer that is infinitely water-dilutable but not water-soluble.

Abstract: A layered printing plate that attains a high degree of clarity and improved clean out. The printing plate may include an oleophilic substrate, a laser absorbing imaging layer and an oleophobic silicon layer. One embodiment utilizes an amine resin rather than a traditional polymer as the basic organic matter of the imaging layer, adds of colloidal silica into the imaging layer to improve the cleanout properties, and utilizes a substrate that absorbs IR radiation rather than reflects it.

Abstract: Wet lithographic printing members for imaging by an inkjet printer using pigment-based aqueous ink and method for calibrating the amount of the inkjet ink to be injected in solid areas of an image are disclosed. An exemplary printing member can comprises a base substrate and a top hydrophilic coating layer having a thickness in the range of 2 to 10 microns above the base substrate. A volume of less than 10 nl/mm2 of inkjet ink is used in order to image areas in which the image is solid. Areas of the top hydrophilic coating layer, which are imagewise covered by aqueous pigmented inkjet ink, become hydrophobic. In some embodiments after imaging, the surface of the imaged printing member can be treated with acidic colloidal silica solution. Exemplary treatment can comprise wiping the surface of the imaged printing member with the acidic colloidal silica solution.

Abstract: A lithographic precursor includes a hydrophilic layer that presents a surface for lithographic interaction, and which is formulated to receive a pigment-based aqueous ink deposited (e.g., by inkjet) in an “imagewise” pattern. The compatibility between the ink and the hydrophilic layer is such that a baking step is not required for subsequent printing.

Abstract: A water based fluid that can be utilized in a standard inkjet printer to image a lithographic printing plate. The water based fluid may include a polymer that is soluble in an alkaline aqueous media and that is resistant to neutral or acidic aqueous media. In addition, the water based fluid may include a sufficient volume of water soluble material to raise the pH level higher than 8. Further, the water based fluid may include a sufficient volume of humectant co-solvents to prevent the nozzles of an inkjet printer from drying out. The water based fluid may be used to image a lithographic plate that include an inkjet ink accepting hydrophilic layer hydrophilic properties. Various embodiments of the water based fluid advantageously allow a plate to be imaged, and then without baking or adding other chemical treatments, the plate can be immediately used for printing.

Abstract: Following imagewise exposure of a sandwiched photopolymer layer, the outer layers between which the photopolymer is interposed are separated in a manner that leaves some photopolymer on each of the separated layers. The photopolymer remaining on one layer contains the raised pattern that will carry ink, and may be subjected to further exposure to actinic radiation in order to complete the curing process without the need for washing; the photopolymer remaining on the other layer can be removed and reused. As a result, waste is minimized or eliminated.

Abstract: Following imagewise exposure of a sandwiched photopolymer layer, the outer layers between which the photopolymer is interposed are separated in a manner that leaves some photopolymer on each of the separated layers. The photopolymer remaining on one layer contains the raised pattern that will carry ink, and may be subjected to further exposure to actinic radiation in order to complete the curing process without the need for washing; the photopolymer remaining on the other layer can be removed and reused. As a result, waste is minimized or eliminated.