ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC.

Apparatuses, methods, and systems for achieving uniform density in solid areas of an image printed by multiple printheads having multiple nozzles are disclosed. A printing system receives a print job that includes solid color areas associated with uniform color values. An array is determined, where the array maps the uniform color values to density values measured using a spectrophotometer. Using this array, a template is obtained from a raster image processor of the printing system to map the density values to intensity values for the printer nozzles. The template is used to determine the intensity value for each nozzle based on the corresponding uniform color value's density. The printing system prints the image according to the determined intensity values, achieving uniform color distribution across the printed image.

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for water-based inkjet printing with multiple layers of primer are disclosed. A water-based inkjet printing system is configured to deposit and/or apply alternating layers of inkjet primer and water-based inkjet ink on a substrate. The system includes a printing apparatus comprising one or more primer printheads and one or more ink printheads. The system is configured to cause the printing apparatus to deposit a first layer of primer onto a substrate, apply a first layer of ink onto the first layer of primer, deposit a second layer of primer onto the first layer of ink, and apply a second layer of ink onto the second layer of primer. In some embodiments, all of the layers of primer and ink are dried contemporaneously with each other after the system has finished depositing and/or applying primer and ink.

An improved method for a digital printing process of fabrics with reactive dye and acid, characterized by comprising a sequence of operating steps defined by a first step comprising a sequence of operations defined by a preparation of the fabric that uses a chemical bath not containing urea, a printing of the fabric and a subsequent drying of the printed fabric, a second step comprising an operation for fixation of the dye transferred with the printing of the first step and a third washing step, the first step prepared on a single machine composed of a digital printing machine.

Apparatuses, methods, and systems for localized printhead cleaning of a printing system are disclosed. A printing system performs a printhead health check operation for a printhead of the printing system. The printhead health check operation includes identifying and recording a set of nozzle defects within the printhead's nozzles, which can include any of clogs, misfires, and inconsistencies. Based on the printhead health check operation, the printing system determines a set of nozzle degradation metric values for the printhead, indicating the extent and nature of the nozzle defects. Using the set of nozzle degradation metric values, the printing system generates a set of actions for a carrier associated with the printhead. The set of actions adjusts at least one parameter of the cleaning device, such as its speed, motion profile, vacuum level, or wiper pressure, and defines a printhead actuation strategy. The printing system performs the cleaning of the printhead in accordance with the generated actions.

A single vacuum source is used for multiple high flow rate subsystems in an inkjet printer to control the dispersal of satellite droplets during ink ejection while printing and ensuring that the substrates are sufficiently flat for the printing process. This reduces cost and layout requirements, provides a simplified control structure, and allows integration of a centralized liquid removal system and a single vacuum source. Accordingly the printing quality, robustness, and versatility of inkjet printers is improved.

Apparatus, methods, and systems for a vacuum conveyor for inkjet printing with adjustment to the covered area are disclosed. In some embodiments, a controller of a vacuum conveyor expands first one or more actuators of multiple first actuators of a substrate transportation system to decrease a suction width of an area of suction provided by the vacuum conveyor in accordance with a substrate width of a substrate being inkjet printed using the vacuum conveyor. A second one or more actuators of the multiple first actuators being retracted. The controller retracts multiple second actuators of the vacuum conveyor to increase the suction length of the area of suction while the substrate transportation system moves the substrate along the vacuum conveyor for inkjet printing of the substrate. The controller expands the retracted actuators of the multiple first actuators to increase the suction length as the substrates exit the vacuum conveyor.

Apparatus, methods, and systems for a vacuum conveyor for inkjet printing with adjustment to the covered area are disclosed. In some embodiments, a controller of a vacuum conveyor expands first one or more actuators of multiple first actuators of a substrate transportation system to decrease a suction width of an area of suction provided by the vacuum conveyor in accordance with a substrate width of a substrate being inkjet printed using the vacuum conveyor. A second one or more actuators of the multiple first actuators being retracted. The controller retracts multiple second actuators of the vacuum conveyor to increase the suction length of the area of suction while the substrate transportation system moves the substrate along the vacuum conveyor for inkjet printing of the substrate. The controller expands the retracted actuators of the multiple first actuators to increase the suction length as the substrates exit the vacuum conveyor.

In a digital to garment printer having a rotary printing motion one or more T-shirt carriers are arranged on a fixed radius and rotate around a central column which houses one or more rotary tables. Each carrier is independent of the others but shares the same radius of rotation about the central column. All T-shirt carriers may share the same plane of rotation or be offset vertically and move to the printing plane with the up-down motion of the central column. On the same radius there are a series of fixed stations for printing as well as pretreatment, drying, and post treatment. The printing motion is achieved through the rotation of the T-shirt carrier that swipes under the print heads. The stepping motion can be achieved through the radial motion of the T-shirt carrier or the movement of the print head carrier.

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for passively retaining a printing substrate on a printing conveyer belt are disclosed. In some embodiments, an adhesive apparatus is positioned on top of a printing conveyer belt. The apparatus adheres and/or couples to a printing substrate on a top surface and adheres and/or couples to the printing conveyer belt on a bottom surface. The apparatus is configured with a first plurality of adhesion elements on the top surface, which are configured to adhere to the substrate. In some embodiments, the bottom surface is configured to adhere and/or couple to the conveyer belt via a second plurality of adhesion elements. In some embodiments, the adhesion elements are concave discs and/or convex projections configured to provide a force to the substrate and/or conveyer belt (e.g., suction force, friction force, electrostatic force, Van der Waals force, etc.).

Systems and methods for dynamically modifying digital images based on ink and printing characteristics for printable images are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method includes obtaining a digital source image, identifying one or more modification areas including a plurality of pixels where each pixel is correlated with one or more ink drops, determining an expected ink spreading value of each of the ink drops based at least in part on the color of the ink drops, modifying the plurality of pixels, and modifying the correlated ink drops. In some embodiments, the expected ink spreading value is based at least in part on the distance between ink channels and a curing station, the speed of the printing conveyor, the type of printing substrate, and the time each ink drop spends uncured on a printing substrate.