Systems and methods for laser assisted deposition of a material includes a printing unit configured to print individual dot-like portions of a material from a donor substrate onto a receiving substrate, and a vacuum shuttle configured to be positionable in two or three dimensions between the printing unit and the donor substrate and to engage the donor substrate upon application of a vacuum to the vacuum shuttle. The printing unit may include a coating system and a laser. The vacuum shuttle includes a vacuum channel about its periphery and an open window through which the laser irradiates the donor substrate. The vacuum channel is fluidly coupled to a vacuum inlet for receiving a vacuum suction, thereby to engage the donor substrate and hold it taught against the bottom of the vacuum shuttle in operation. The vacuum shuttle may also include one or more distance measuring sensors and fiducial markers.

A machine arrangement sequentially processes sheet-like substrates with multiple different processing stations each having a substrate-guiding unit and a substrate-processing unit. At least one of the processing stations has, as a substrate-processing unit, at least one non-impact printing device which prints on the substrate. The processing station with the at least one non-impact printing device has a printing cylinder. Each non-impact printing device is arranged at the circumference of the printing cylinder. The printing cylinder is triple-sized or quadruple-sized. A double-sized or a triple-sized transfer drum, or a corresponding feed cylinder, is arranged directly upstream of this printing cylinder. Alternatively, a double-sized or a triple-sized transfer drum, or a corresponding transfer cylinder, is arranged directly downstream of this printing cylinder.

A method and device for carrying out a reel splice to avoid the fluttering of tails makes it possible to allow the tail to also adhere across its entire length, in particular on a web with high mechanical strength. When using a fluid-repelling substrate, an adhesive-free liquid is applied to a new roll and/or to at least a portion of the side of the tail facing the web. The method and device can be used in reel splicers which process fluid-repellent substrates, such as for example plastic films, metal films or laminated laminates, so that a sticking out or fluttering of the tail is avoided.

A method and device for carrying out a reel splice to avoid the fluttering of tails makes it possible to allow the tail to also adhere across its entire length, in particular on a web with high mechanical strength. When using a fluid-repelling substrate, an adhesive-free liquid is applied to a new roll and/or to at least a portion of the side of the tail facing the web. The method and device can be used in reel splicers which process fluid-repellent substrates, such as for example plastic films, metal films or laminated laminates, so that a sticking out or fluttering of the tail is avoided.

A machine arrangement sequentially processes sheet-like substrates with multiple different processing stations each having a substrate-guiding unit and a substrate-processing unit. At least one of the processing stations has, as a substrate-processing unit, at least one non-impact printing device which prints on the substrate. The processing station with the at least one non-impact printing device has a printing cylinder. Each non-impact printing device is arranged at the circumference of the printing cylinder. The printing cylinder is triple-sized or quadruple-sized. A double-sized or a triple-sized transfer drum, or a corresponding feed cylinder, is arranged directly upstream of this printing cylinder. Alternatively, a double-sized or a triple-sized transfer drum, or a corresponding transfer cylinder, is arranged directly downstream of this printing cylinder.

The present disclosure discloses print-medium buffering systems that have a set of print-medium-buffer flags (25) which, in one position, maintain a print medium in a guided path (G) as it passes through a print-medium buffer zone. A drive mechanism (30) is provided to move the set of print-medium-buffer flags away from the guided path, to a second position.

The present disclosure discloses print-medium buffering systems that have a set of print-medium-buffer flags (25) which, in one position, maintain a print medium in a guided path (G) as it passes through a print-medium buffer zone. A drive mechanism (30) is provided to move the set of print-medium-buffer flags away from the guided path, to a second position.

The present disclosure provides a screen printing device, including a printing screen having a printing mesh and a mesh frame, and a squeegee blade, wherein the printing mesh has first and second longitudinal ends, first and second blank areas, and a printing portion with printed patterns between the first and second blank areas, which being movably connected to the mesh frame by a tension adjusting mechanism respectively and being provided with at least one tension sensor respectively approximate to the printing portion, wherein the device further has a control means for receiving a tension measurement value from the tension sensor and compare it with a reference value so as to control the tension adjustment mechanism to adjust the tension in the printing mesh. The disclosure further provides a method for adjusting the tension of the printing mesh of the screen printing device.

The present disclosure provides a screen printing device, including a printing screen having a printing mesh and a mesh frame, and a squeegee blade, wherein the printing mesh has first and second longitudinal ends, first and second blank areas, and a printing portion with printed patterns between the first and second blank areas, which being movably connected to the mesh frame by a tension adjusting mechanism respectively and being provided with at least one tension sensor respectively approximate to the printing portion, wherein the device further has a control means for receiving a tension measurement value from the tension sensor and compare it with a reference value so as to control the tension adjustment mechanism to adjust the tension in the printing mesh. The disclosure further provides a method for adjusting the tension of the printing mesh of the screen printing device.

The invention relates to a cylinder (10) comprising a cylindrical body (11). In the case of this cylinder a first proportion of the circumferential face (48) of the cylindrical body (11) is of porous and gas-permeable configuration and a second proportion of the circumferential face (48) of the cylindrical body (11) is of gas-impermeable configuration, where the porous, gas-permeable first proportion of the circumferential face (48) is in communication with at least one gas supply line and where the first proportion of the circumferential face (48) amounts to at least 0.1% and at most 50%.

Further aspects of the invention relate to a corresponding adapter sleeve (10) and to a corresponding printing forme cylinder.