The invention relates to a stencil for forming surfaces structures by etching, a method for producing a stencil for forming surfaces structures by etching, a printing machine for producing a stencil for forming surface structures by etching, and a method for forming surface structures by etching. A known stencil for forming surface structures by etching includes an etching-resistant stencil layer. The stencil layer can be transferred to the surface to be structured, and the stencil layer can after an etching treatment be partially removed from the surface to be structured, and is elaborated and developed in that the stencil layer includes at least two partial regions and that at least two partial regions can be removed independently of one another from the surface to be structured.

The invention relates to a stencil for forming surfaces structures by etching, a method for producing a stencil for forming surfaces structures by etching, a printing machine for producing a stencil for forming surface structures by etching, and a method for forming surface structures by etching. A known stencil for forming surface structures by etching includes an etching-resistant stencil layer. The stencil layer can be transferred to the surface to be structured, and the stencil layer can after an etching treatment be partially removed from the surface to be structured, and is elaborated and developed in that the stencil layer includes at least two partial regions and that at least two partial regions can be removed independently of one another from the surface to be structured.

Methods of printing nanoparticulate ink using nanoporous print stamps are disclosed. A nanoporous print stamp can include a substrate, a patterned arrangement of carbon nanotubes disposed on the substrate, and a secondary material disposed on the carbon nanotubes to reduce capillary-induced deformation of the patterned arrangement of carbon nanotubes when printing nanoparticulate ink. Some methods include loading a nanoporous print stamp with nanoparticulate colloidal ink such that the nanoparticulate colloidal ink is drawn into microstructures of the patterned arrangement of carbon nanotubes via capillary wicking. Nanoparticulate colloidal ink can include nanoparticles dispersed in a solution. The method also includes contacting a nanoporous stamp to a target substrate to form nanoscale contact points between the target substrate and the patterned arrangement of carbon nanotubes of the nanoporous print stamp so that nanoparticulate colloidal ink is drawn out of the nanoporous print stamp and onto the target substrate to form a pattern.

Methods of printing nanoparticulate ink using nanoporous print stamps are disclosed. A nanoporous print stamp can include a substrate, a patterned arrangement of carbon nanotubes disposed on the substrate, and a secondary material disposed on the carbon nanotubes to reduce capillary-induced deformation of the patterned arrangement of carbon nanotubes when printing nanoparticulate ink. Some methods include loading a nanoporous print stamp with nanoparticulate colloidal ink such that the nanoparticulate colloidal ink is drawn into microstructures of the patterned arrangement of carbon nanotubes via capillary wicking. Nanoparticulate colloidal ink can include nanoparticles dispersed in a solution. The method also includes contacting a nanoporous stamp to a target substrate to form nanoscale contact points between the target substrate and the patterned arrangement of carbon nanotubes of the nanoporous print stamp so that nanoparticulate colloidal ink is drawn out of the nanoporous print stamp and onto the target substrate to form a pattern.

A substrate is printed with front side and back side markings. The front side when viewed with reflected light includes: a first marking printed with a first gradient of two colors; a second marking printed with a second gradient of two colors; a first symbol printed with a third gradient of two colors; a second symbol printed with a fourth gradient of two colors; a third symbol printed with a fifth gradient of two colors; and a fourth symbol printed with a sixth gradient of two colors. The back side when viewed with reflected light includes: a third marking printed with the fourth gradient; a fourth marking printed with the third gradient; a fifth symbol printed with the second gradient; a sixth symbol printed with the first gradient; a seventh symbol printed with the sixth gradient; and an eighth symbol printed with the fifth gradient.

There is described a multicolor letterpress printing press, in particular a numbering press, comprising a printing group (50) with at least a first letterpress (e.g. numbering) cylinder (51) and a second letterpress cylinder (52) which are inked by an associated inking system (60, 71, 72, 81, 81 a, 81 b, 82, 82a, 82b). The inking system (60, 71, 72, 81, 81 a, 81 b, 82, 82a, 82b) comprises (i) a first inking device (81) supplying ink to a first chablon cylinder (71), (ii) at least a second inking device (82) supplying ink to a second chablon cylinder (72), and (iii) an ink-collecting cylinder (60) contacting the first and second chablon cylinders (71, 72) and the first and second letterpress cylinders (51, 52). The ink-collecting cylinder (60) collects a first ink pattern (A, D) from the first chablon cylinder (71) and a second ink pattern (B, C) from the second chablon cylinder (72). As a result, a first multicolor pattern of inks (A-D) is formed on the ink-collecting cylinder (60), which first multicolor pattern of inks (A-D) is transferred onto the first letterpress cylinder (51). The ink-collecting cylinder (60) further collects a third ink pattern (A, D) from the first chablon cylinder (71) and a fourth ink pattern (B, C) from the second chablon cylinder (72), thereby forming a second multicolor pattern of inks (A D) on the ink-collecting cylinder (60), which second multicolor pattern of inks (A D) is transferred onto the second letterpress cylinder (52).

There is described a multicolor letterpress printing press, in particular a numbering press, comprising a printing group (50) with at least a first letterpress (e.g. numbering) cylinder (51) and a second letterpress cylinder (52) which are inked by an associated inking system (60, 71, 72, 81, 81 a, 81 b, 82, 82a, 82b). The inking system (60, 71, 72, 81, 81 a, 81 b, 82, 82a, 82b) comprises (i) a first inking device (81) supplying ink to a first chablon cylinder (71), (ii) at least a second inking device (82) supplying ink to a second chablon cylinder (72), and (iii) an ink-collecting cylinder (60) contacting the first and second chablon cylinders (71, 72) and the first and second letterpress cylinders (51, 52). The ink-collecting cylinder (60) collects a first ink pattern (A, D) from the first chablon cylinder (71) and a second ink pattern (B, C) from the second chablon cylinder (72). As a result, a first multicolor pattern of inks (A-D) is formed on the ink-collecting cylinder (60), which first multicolor pattern of inks (A-D) is transferred onto the first letterpress cylinder (51). The ink-collecting cylinder (60) further collects a third ink pattern (A, D) from the first chablon cylinder (71) and a fourth ink pattern (B, C) from the second chablon cylinder (72), thereby forming a second multicolor pattern of inks (A D) on the ink-collecting cylinder (60), which second multicolor pattern of inks (A D) is transferred onto the second letterpress cylinder (52).

A device one of adjusts and changes a dampening medium profile, which extends in the direction of a printing width, in a printing unit comprising at least one printing unit cylinder, at least one inking unit which inks the printing unit cylinder, and at least one dampening unit which interacts with one of the printing unit cylinder and the printing unit. A drying device, which extends over the printing width, is provided with a number I(I, 0>1) of drying elements, the influence of which, on a printing unit surface to be treated, allows moisture to be removed from a number of n(n, n>1) axial portions a.sub.j(j=1, . . . , n) that are offset relative to one another in the direction of the printing width. One of an extent of the influence of the drying device with respect to the axial direction (a.sub.j) and the operating state of the drying device can be varied independently of one another. The drying elements are designed and arranged in the printing unit such that at least 20% of the width (b.sub.j), when seen in the direction of the printing width, of multiple or all of the axial portions (a.sub.j), which are designed as active portions (a.sub.j) with an active width (b.sub.j) of the drying elements in the printing unit, over the extension of those portions, overlaps with an adjacent axial portion of the axial portions (a.sub.j), which are axially offset relative to one another in the direction of the printing unit. A controller and one of a switching and an adjusting device, which are connected to the controller for signaling purposes, are provided. The controller and the one of the switching and adjusting devices are used to operate multiple or all of the drying elements during a stationary active operating state such that each of the drying elements is pulsed, i.e. is individually clocked between an off switching state and an on switching state.

An ink station assembly is for a can decorator machine structured to decorate a plurality of cans. The ink station assembly includes a first oscillator roll and a second oscillator roll each having a longitudinal axis and being structured to oscillate back and forth along the longitudinal axis, a printing plate cylinder including a printing plate, and only one single form roll cooperating with the printing plate cylinder to apply a supply of ink to the printing plate, the single form roll cooperating with the first oscillator roll and the second oscillator roll.

Examples are directed toward anticounterfeit markings printed on a substrate. The substrate has a front side and a back side and is printed with front side markings on the front side and back side markings on the back side. The front side markings and the back side markings have dimensions in a micrometer range. The front side when viewed with reflected light comprises first portions of a plurality of characters. The back side when viewed with reflected light comprises second portions of the plurality of characters. The first portions and the second portions are printed, when viewed with transmitted light, to show the plurality of characters as whole characters having dimensions in the micrometer range, as a transmitted light security feature.