Abstract: A system for printing at least one stretchable ink on a thermoformable substrate including a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The system includes an unwinder, a printing module and a rewinder. The unwinder is arranged to feed the thermoformable substrate from a first roll into a printing module. The printing module includes a flood coater arranged to deposit a coating layer on the first surface of the thermoformable substrate. The rewinder is arranged to receive the thermoformable substrate and to form the thermoformable substrate into a second roll.

Abstract: In a digital inking system having an anilox member that carries a patterned metered layer of ink to a digital imaging member, and a doctor blade that removes excess ink from the surface of the anilox member resulting in the patterned metered layer, an overfill form roller in rolling contact with the anilox member adds an overcoat layer of ink on the patterned metered layer for transfer of both layers of ink to the digital imaging member. The overcoat layer of ink uniformly covers all regions of the anilox member and the mattered metered layer of ink, including lands of the anilox cell walls to make the combined layers of ink pattern-free.

Abstract: A surface treatment system includes a holder configured to secure an object within the holder and a surface treatment device that is configured to treat a surface of the object within the holder with two types of surface treatments. The device is capable of producing a plasma or a flame at its nozzle for surface treatment. By controlling the materials supplied to the device and the way in which is operated, either a flame or plasma is produced. Thus, the surface treatment system is capable of treating a wide range of materials for printing by a direct-to-object printer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for printing directly onto print media including smooth non-absorbent media substrates (e.g., polymer films) inks having a wide range in viscosity, so that flexographic, gravure, and lithographic inks can all be contemplated. The proposed method is able to print with variable data/imaging. Dampening fluid may be patterned onto an imaging roll by coating the imaging roll with a layer of the dampening fluid and selectively evaporating off a patterned portion via a laser imaging device. The imaging roll then contacts the print substrate and transfers the patterned dampening fluid onto the substrate via film splitting. The substrate then passes through an inker station where ink is deposited directly to the substrate for attachment thereto except where rejected by the dampening fluid.

Abstract: A system for printing on a multi-dimensional object includes a plurality of print heads, and a printing chase configured to receive an object holder for an object and provide accurate registration of the object. The system further includes an actuator configured to move the printing chase relative to the print heads. The system is configured to receive information corresponding to an object holder mounted on the printing chase, determine a position of at least one printable area using the retrieved information, receive information relating to print data to be printed on the at least one printable area, use the determined position of the at least one printable area to control a movement of the printing chase relative to the print heads, and operate the print heads to eject marking material onto the at least one printable area to print data on the at least one printable area.

Abstract: A surface treatment system includes a holder configured to secure an object within the holder and a surface treatment device that is configured to treat a surface of the object within the holder with two types of surface treatments. The device is capable of producing a plasma or a flame at its nozzle for surface treatment. By controlling the materials supplied to the device and the way in which is operated, either a flame or plasma is produced. Thus, the surface treatment system is capable of treating a wide range of materials for printing by a direct-to-object printer.

Abstract: A system for printing at least one stretchable ink on a thermoformable substrate including a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The system includes an unwinder, a printing module and a rewinder. The unwinder is arranged to feed the thermoformable substrate from a first roll into a printing module. The printing module includes a flood coater arranged to deposit a coating layer on the first surface of the thermoformable substrate. The rewinder is arranged to receive the thermoformable substrate and to form the thermoformable substrate into a second roll.

Abstract: A printer includes an ultraviolet (UV) curing device having UV light emitting diodes (LEDs) to cure UV curable inks ejected onto a surface after the surface travels past a plurality of printheads in the printer. A UV detector having UV sensors is positioned opposite the UV curing device so the UV sensors and UV LEDs are opposite one another in a one-to-one correspondence. A controller operates the UV curing device to direct UV light into the UV detector and receives electrical signals generated by the UV sensors. The controller compares these electrical signals to a predetermined threshold to identify defective LEDs in the UV curing device. The controller then determines how to move the UV curing device across the path of the surface to irradiate areas of the surface previously opposite the defective UV LEDs.

Abstract: A direct-to-object printer includes an ultraviolet (UV) curing verification subsystem. The verification subsystem includes a ribbon that frictionally engages an image on an object that contains UV curable material. An imaging device generates image data of the ribbon that engaged the image and the image data is processed to determine whether any uncured UV material is present on the ribbon.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus includes an inker roller and an ink source holding ink for the inker roller. The inker roller contacts a reimageable surface of an imaging member downstream of an ink image transfer station that transfers an ink image from the surface to a print sheet, with the surface having residual ink remaining thereon after the transfer of the ink image. The inker roller applies ink from the ink source against the reimageable surface. However, instead of the ink transferring from the inker roller to the surface, the ink stays with the inker roller and removes the residual ink from the surface to clean the surface for a subsequent ink image. The inker roller is not contaminated from removing the residual ink as the inker roller is designed to be coated by ink that adds to its coating of ink via the removed residual ink.

Abstract: A surface treatment system includes a holder configured to secure an object within the holder and a surface treatment device that is configured to treat a surface of the object within the holder with two types of surface treatments. The device is capable of producing a plasma or a flame at its nozzle for surface treatment. By controlling the materials supplied to the device and the way in which is operated, either a flame or plasma is produced. Thus, the surface treatment system is capable of treating a wide range of materials for printing by a direct-to-object printer.

Abstract: A surface treatment system includes a holder configured to secure an object within the holder and a plurality of surface treatment devices. Each surface treatment device is configured to treat a surface of the object within the holder differently than each of the other surface treatment devices in the plurality of surface treatment devices. A controller is configured to operate the surface treatment devices independently of one another so less than all of the devices can be operated to treat an object surface. Thus, the surface treatment system is capable of treating a wide range of materials for printing by a direct-to-object printer.

Abstract: A personalized packaging production system includes an in-feed tray, an out-feed tray, a cutting table disposed intermediate the in-feed tray and the out-feed tray and an interchangeable cutting/creasing assembly. A sheet feeder is positioned between the in-feed tray and the cutting table to feed media sheets from the in-feed tray to the cutting table, and an exit nip is positioned between the out-feed tray and the cutting table to remove media sheets from the cutting table to the out-feed tray.

Abstract: A system for printing on a multi-dimensional object includes a plurality of print heads, and a printing chase configured to receive an object holder for an object and provide accurate registration of the object. The system further includes an actuator configured to move the printing chase relative to the print heads. The system is configured to receive information corresponding to an object holder mounted on the printing chase, determine a position of at least one printable area using the retrieved information, receive information relating to print data to be printed on the at least one printable area, use the determined position of the at least one printable area to control a movement of the printing chase relative to the print heads, and operate the print heads to eject marking material onto the at least one printable area to print data on the at least one printable area.

Abstract: A print system and a method for confirming complete curing of a marking material are disclosed. For example, the print system includes a plurality of printheads arranged in a two-dimensional array, a curing light source, a curing confirmation system, a movable member to hold an object and a controller to control movement of the movable member to move the object past the array of printheads, to operate the plurality of printheads to eject the marking material onto the object as the object passes the two-dimensional array of printheads, to operate the curing light source to cure the marking material and to operate the curing confirmation system to confirm that the curing of the marking material is complete.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus includes an inker roller and an ink source holding ink for the inker roller. The inker roller contacts a reimageable surface of an imaging member downstream of an ink image transfer station that transfers an ink image from the surface to a print sheet, with the surface having residual ink remaining thereon after the transfer of the ink image. The inker roller applies ink from the ink source against the reimageable surface. However, instead of the ink transferring from the inker roller to the surface, the ink stays with the inker roller and removes the residual ink from the surface to clean the surface for a subsequent ink image. The inker roller is not contaminated from removing the residual ink as the inker roller is designed to be coated by ink that adds to its coating of ink via the removed residual ink.

Abstract: A viscosity control unit provides improved and efficient residual ink removal from an imaging member following the transfer of the majority of the ink from the imaging member to a substrate, and prior to the application of a subsequent ink application to the imaging member. The viscosity control unit hardens the residual ink on the imaging member to produce a hardened residual ink. By increasing the viscosity of the residual ink before it is removed by a cleaning station, the removal of the residual ink from the imaging member becomes easier and more efficient.

Abstract: A printer includes an ultraviolet (UV) curing device having UV light emitting diodes (LEDs) to cure UV curable inks ejected onto a surface after the surface travels past a plurality of printheads in the printer. A UV detector having UV sensors is positioned opposite the UV curing device so the UV sensors and UV LEDs are opposite one another in a one-to-one correspondence. A controller operates the UV curing device to direct UV light into the UV detector and receives electrical signals generated by the UV sensors. The controller compares these electrical signals to a predetermined threshold to identify defective LEDs in the UV curing device. The controller then determines how to move the UV curing device across the path of the surface to irradiate areas of the surface previously opposite the defective UV LEDs.

Abstract: A printer is configured with a surface treatment system having a holder configured to secure an object within the holder and a plurality of surface treatment devices. Each surface treatment device is configured to treat a surface of the object within the holder differently than each of the other surface treatment devices in the plurality of surface treatment devices. Thus, the printer is capable of treating a wide range of materials for printing by the direct-to-object printer.

Abstract: Provided is a surface treatment method, including: jetting a first component of a primer composition over a substrate, wherein the first component includes a crosslinking agent; jetting a second component of the primer composition over the substrate, wherein the second component includes a crosslinking activator; and mixing the first component and the second component to form a primer layer, wherein the jetting of the first component and the second component is from at least one printhead.