Abstract: A system and method are provided for implementing a process by which printed rolls of substrate material web have additional material layers interleaved between the rolled material web layers to substantially eliminate back transfer or roll offset of printed images on the back sides of the rolled material substrates. In a process for pre-printing thermoforming grade plastic materials to produce rolls of substrate material for use in a thermoforming process, ink compositions, particularly adapted for the thermoforming process, are deposited on substantially continuous webs of substrate material. The webs of substrate material are then re-rolled with separate layers of low surface energy substrate material interleaved between the layers of the printed substrate material in order to substantially eliminate imaging defects produced by back transfer of printed images on to the backs of layers of the printed substrate material stored in rolls.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for implementing a process by which printed rolls of substrate material web have additional material layers interleaved between the rolled material web layers to substantially eliminate back transfer or roll offset of printed images on the back sides of the rolled material substrates. In a process for pre-printing thermoforming grade plastic materials to produce rolls of substrate material for use in a thermoforming process, ink compositions, particularly adapted for the thermoforming process, are deposited on substantially continuous webs of substrate material. The webs of substrate material are then re-rolled with separate layers of low surface energy substrate material interleaved between the layers of the printed substrate material in order to substantially eliminate imaging defects produced by back transfer of printed images on to the backs of layers of the printed substrate material stored in rolls.

Abstract: An apparatus and method that operates a flattener in an ink-based printing apparatus. The printing apparatus can include a media path configured to transport media sheets. The printing apparatus can include a marking module configured to jet ink drops to generate images on the media sheets. The printing apparatus can include a flattener configured to flatten the ink jet drops of the images on the media sheets in a flattener nip. The printing apparatus can include a release agent distributer configured to distribute release agent on a first rotational flattener member. The printing apparatus can include a controller configured to control the printing apparatus to reduce an inter-copy gap distance between a first media sheet and a second media sheet to prevent a first rotational flattener member from contacting a second rotational flattener member between the first media sheet and the second media sheet.

Abstract: A system for media handling and uniformity calibration for an image scanner includes an optical window, an assist roller, an adjustment mechanism, and a calibration strip. The assist roller receives and guides media through a gap between the assist roller and the optical window. The adjustment mechanism is integrated with the assist roller for controlling the distance between the assist roller and the optical window for smooth passage of media. The controlled reflectivity calibration strip connected to the adjustment mechanism facilitates sensor calibration, such as flat field correction. The adjustment mechanism moves to position the calibration strip in alignment with the optical window whenever sensor calibration is desired.

Abstract: A printing system comprises a paper path architecture for parallel printing using multiple marking engines. The media path configuration enables all the media feed trays to be located in one place, relative to the marking engines. A cross-over module is located between marking engines. The cross-over module can interleave media sheets that are being transported away from a first marking engine with the sheets being transported to the second marking engine. The cross-over module also includes a straight through path that enables media sheets to be transported directly to a finishing device without going through either marking engine. The marking engines include internal duplex loops such that media can be supplied to each engine in alternate groups. A merge module selectively merges the media which can then be further processed in a finishing transition module prior to communication to a finishing device.

Abstract: Provided are printing system scheduler methods and systems. Specifically, a shadow scheduler is disclosed which provides alternative modular printing system configurations to execute one or more print jobs, relative to a base modular printing system configuration. According to one exemplary method, a primary scheduler metric value and a shadow scheduler metric value are compared before executing the one or more print jobs.

Abstract: An apparatus and method that operates a flattener in an ink-based printing apparatus. The printing apparatus can include a media path configured to transport media sheets. The printing apparatus can include a marking module configured to jet ink drops to generate images on the media sheets. The printing apparatus can include a flattener configured to flatten the ink jet drops of the images on the media sheets in a flattener nip. The printing apparatus can include a release agent distributer configured to distribute release agent on a first rotational flattener member. The printing apparatus can include a controller configured to control the printing apparatus to reduce an inter-copy gap distance between a first media sheet and a second media sheet to prevent a first rotational flattener member from contacting a second rotational flattener member between the first media sheet and the second media sheet.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems to diagnose modular printing systems having two or more interchangeable modules. In addition, methods and systems are provided to generate instructions for configuring the interchangeable modules within the printing system to produce optimal results.

Abstract: A system for media handling and uniformity calibration for an image scanner includes an optical window, an assist roller, an adjustment mechanism, and a calibration strip. The assist roller receives and guides media through a gap between the assist roller and the optical window. The adjustment mechanism is integrated with the assist roller for controlling the distance between the assist roller and the optical window for smooth passage of media. The controlled reflectivity calibration strip connected to the adjustment mechanism facilitates sensor calibration, such as flat field correction. The adjustment mechanism moves to position the calibration strip in alignment with the optical window whenever sensor calibration is desired.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a printing method and system including two or more integrated image marking engines, wherein the printing system is operated with less than the total number of image marking engines to generate the maximum specified prints per minute associated with the printing system. According to one exemplary embodiment, each image marking engine is controlled to be inactive in a round-robin manner to maintain substantially equal running time on each image marking engine or a substantially equal number of printed sheets on each marking engine.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for media thickness measurement in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include receiving images of a media stack from an imaging device, measuring one or more sheet-to-sheet interfaces in the media stack from the received images, determining the media thickness based on the sheet-to-sheet interface measurements, and adjusting at least one image production device parameter based on the determined media thickness.

Abstract: A printing system comprises a paper path architecture for parallel printing using multiple marking engines. The media path configuration enables all the media feed trays to be located in one place, relative to the marking engines. A cross-over module is located between marking engines. The cross-over module can interleave media sheets that are being transported away from a first marking engine with the sheets being transported to the second marking engine. The cross-over module also includes a straight through path that enables media sheets to be transported directly to a finishing device without going through either marking engine. The marking engines include internal duplex loops such that media can be supplied to each engine in alternate groups. A merge module selectively merges the media which can then be further processed in a finishing transition module prior to communication to a finishing device.

Abstract: A system, method, and resulting resilient belt type sheet compiler with a mixed sheet length mode is provided. The device includes a resilient belt transport for sequentially feeding sheets from a sheet inlet to a compiler tray, the compiler tray having a lead edge stop and a trail edge wall. A monitoring means is positioned proximate to the trail edge wall for detecting a lead end and a trail end of sequentially fed sheets from the sheet inlet to the compiler tray. A sheet brake, responsive to the monitoring means detecting a short sheet, selectively stalls the detected short sheet until a lead end of a subsequent sheet is detected by the sensor or subsequent sheets are absent.

Abstract: A printing system comprises a paper path architecture for parallel printing using multiple marking engines. The media path configuration enables all the media feed trays to be located in one place, relative to the marking engines. A cross-over module is located between marking engines. The cross-over module can interleave media sheets that are being transported away from a first marking engine with the sheets being transported to the second marking engine. The cross-over module also includes a straight through path that enables media sheets to be transported directly to a finishing device without going through either marking engine. The marking engines include internal duplex loops such that media can be supplied to each engine in alternate groups. A merge module selectively merges the media which can then be further processed in a finishing transition module prior to communication to a finishing device.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) and method (1200) that disk stacks and compiles media sheets. The apparatus can include a media sheet transport (120) configured to transport media sheets and a stacker (130) configured to stack the media sheets (110). The apparatus can include a rotatable disk (140) coupled to the media transport, the rotatable disk configured to receive a leading edge (112) of a media sheet and configured to transport the media sheet to the stacker. The apparatus can include a compiler (150) configured to compile a set of a plurality of the media sheets and an ejector (160) configured to eject the set of a plurality of the media sheets from the compiler onto the stacker. One of the rotatable disk and at least a portion of the compiler can be movable (171) relative to each other to switch between the rotatable disk providing media sheets to the stacker and the rotatable disk providing media sheets to the compiler.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for media thickness measurement in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include receiving images of a media stack from an imaging device, measuring one or more sheet-to-sheet interfaces in the media stack from the received images, determining the media thickness based on the sheet-to-sheet interface measurements, and adjusting at least one image production device parameter based on the determined media thickness.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a printing integration system. Specifically, this disclosure provides a means to integrate one or more pairs of substantially vertically aligned marking engines using an intersection transport. The intersection transport includes a media sheet input intersection transport, a single horizontal transport, and a media sheet output intersection transport.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) and method (1200) that disk stacks and compiles media sheets. The apparatus can include a media sheet transport (120) configured to transport media sheets and a stacker (130) configured to stack the media sheets (110). The apparatus can include a rotatable disk (140) coupled to the media transport, the rotatable disk configured to receive a leading edge (112) of a media sheet and configured to transport the media sheet to the stacker. The apparatus can include a compiler (150) configured to compile a set of a plurality of the media sheets and an ejector (160) configured to eject the set of a plurality of the media sheets from the compiler onto the stacker. One of the rotatable disk and at least a portion of the compiler can be movable (171) relative to each other to switch between the rotatable disk providing media sheets to the stacker and the rotatable disk providing media sheets to the compiler.

Abstract: A disk type apparatus is provided for handling sheets of material. The apparatus has a first path for receiving first ones of the sheets from an input highway, a second path for receiving second ones of the sheets from the input highway; and a compiling disk capable of simultaneously receiving the first and second ones of the sheets from the first and second paths. The first and second paths have a common input end, and the first and second paths have a common output end.

Abstract: A merge module suited to use in a printing system in which streams of marked print media arrive at angularly spaced directions from two marking engines includes a first media transport section which receives a first portion of print media and outputs it in a first direction. A second media transport section receives a second portion of print media. The second print media transport section redirects the second portion of print media, optionally rotates it, and outputs it in the first direction. A third media transport section receives a third portion of print media. The third media transport section redirects the third portion of print media, optionally rotates it, and outputs it in the first direction. Print media output from one marking engine may be alternately delivered to the second and third transport sections. An output path receives print media from the three media transport sections.