An ultra-high resolution capacitive sensor affixed above an imaging member surface measures the thickness of fountain solution on the imaging member surface in real-time during a printing operation. The sensor is considered ultra-high resolution with a resolution high enough to detect nanometer scale thicknesses. The capacitive sensor would initially be zeroed to the imaging member surface. As fluid is added, the capacitive sensor detects the increase and can measure and communicate with the image forming device to adjust fountain solution flow rate to the imaging member surface and correct for any anomalies in thickness. This fountain solution monitoring system may be fully automated. The capacitive sensor may have a resolution (e.g., as low as about 1 nm resolution) of about 0.001% of the distance/gap that the capacitive sensor is mounted away from the imaging member surface.

A component part for use in printing presses or paper- and substrate-processing machines, wherein the component part has at least one first region made of a first material with first physical properties, and wherein the at least one first region has a functional surface, which is in contact with a web- or sheet-shaped substrate and which is subject to wear. The component part provides a solution, by means of which the reaching of degrees of wear or also of wear limits can be easily determined without using aids. The component part is configured such that adjacent to and/or spaced apart from the at least one functional surface, at least one second region is at least partially enclosed by the first region.

In an example of the disclosure, first and second print jobs are received at a printer. The first and second print jobs each include production frames. The first and second print jobs are printed with a media roll change occurring during printing. A first finishing device information nonproduction (“FDIN”) frame and a second FDIN frame are printed. The first and second FDIN frames include coded information regarding the first print job and the second print job, respectively. The coded information is for reading by a scanner at a finishing device. A press calibration nonproduction (“PCN”) frame that includes a printer calibration diagnostic is printed. A scanner at the printer is caused to capture the printer calibration diagnostic. A calibration operation is performed at the printer utilizing data or attributes captured from the printer calibration diagnostic.

A printing method includes determining a master machine setting by using a master substrate, printing a first test print including test fields, and using a first combination of printing fluid and master substrate, recording test fields of the first test print, and computationally determining and storing a first setting value for a first machine setting as the master setting. Printing a print job is prepared by changing the substrate to a second combination of printing fluid and substrate, printing a second test print including test fields, and using the second combination of printing fluid, substrate and master setting, recording the test fields of the second test print, and computationally determining and storing a second setting value for a second machine setting, the second setting value defined relative to the master setting. The print job is printed by using the second combination of printing fluid, substrate and second machine setting.

Systems and methods are provided for measuring a web. One embodiment is a measurement system that includes rollers which receive a web of print media marked with a printed job, a controller which determines that a segment of the web is stationary at the measurement system, an image measurement device that inspects the printed job, and a repositioning mechanism that repositions the segment within the measurement system relative to the image measurement device while portions of the web external to the measurement system remain stationary.

A method includes the steps of: a) printing a first print job on a printing machine using a printing fluid, a substrate, a specified ICC profile, and a first machine setting; b) preparing the printing operation of a second print job involving a change of the printing fluid and/or of the substrate; and c) printing the second print job using a second combination of printing fluid and substrate. Step b) includes: b1) printing a test print having a plurality of test fields; b2) recording the test fields; b3) computationally determining and saving a quality value based on the test fields; b4) determining and saving an adjustment value for a machine setting; and b5) selectively changing a printing machine setting from the first machine setting to a second machine setting using the adjustment value or keeping the first printing machine setting, and the making a choice based on a quality value.

A method includes the steps of: a) printing a first print job on a printing machine using a printing fluid, a substrate, a specified ICC profile, and a first machine setting; b) preparing the printing operation of a second print job involving a change of the printing fluid and/or of the substrate; and c) printing the second print job using a second combination of printing fluid and substrate. Step b) includes: b1) printing a test print having a plurality of test fields; b2) recording the test fields; b3) computationally determining and saving a quality value based on the test fields; b4) determining and saving an adjustment value for a machine setting; and b5) selectively changing a printing machine setting from the first machine setting to a second machine setting using the adjustment value or keeping the first printing machine setting, and the making a choice based on a quality value.

The present invention relates to a thermal transfer device, and more particularly, to a thermal transfer device with a communication function and a management system thereof which can transfer state information and/or failure information of the thermal transfer device via the communication function, manage the received state information and failure information, and provide them to a user. The thermal transfer device according to the present invention comprises a driving unit provided with at least one motor to perform a conveying or blowing function under the control of a control unit, a heating unit provided with at least one heater to perform a heating operation under the control of the control unit, a communication unit for accessing the network, and the control unit for controlling the driving unit and the heating unit to perform a thermal transfer function and transferring state information related to the operation of the thermal transfer device to a management server through the communication unit.

The present invention relates to a thermal transfer device, and more particularly, to a thermal transfer device with a communication function and a management system thereof which can transfer state information and/or failure information of the thermal transfer device via the communication function, manage the received state information and failure information, and provide them to a user. The thermal transfer device according to the present invention comprises a driving unit provided with at least one motor to perform a conveying or blowing function under the control of a control unit, a heating unit provided with at least one heater to perform a heating operation under the control of the control unit, a communication unit for accessing the network, and the control unit for controlling the driving unit and the heating unit to perform a thermal transfer function and transferring state information related to the operation of the thermal transfer device to a management server through the communication unit.

A method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for altering a digital image for a printing job, the method comprising receiving a requested printing job including the digital image, performing a segmentation on the digital image, extracting values of properties for a segment of the segmented digital image, determining, based on the extracted values of the properties for the segment, whether the segment of the digital image should be altered, and altering the segment of the digital image when it is determined the segment of the digital image should be altered, a resulting altered digital image being transmitted to a printer for printing.