A printing system 10 configured to generate a product of printing includes: a coater 14 that is a pretreatment machine configured to execute a pretreatment process of performing a predetermined pretreatment on a medium that is a target of the printing; a printer 16 that is a printing device configured to execute a print process of performing the printing by ejecting ink onto the medium after the pretreatment performed by the coater 14; and a controller 12 that is a process management device configured to propose a condition for the pretreatment process based on a condition for the product to be generated.

A content processing apparatus includes a content processing device, a controller and an apparatus memory storing therein a program including an analysis module, a first obtaining module and a second obtaining module. The analysis module causes the apparatus to perform an extraction processing, a first determination processing, a first obtaining processing, a second obtaining processing, a second determination processing, a display processing, a reception processing and an operation instruction processing. The first obtaining module causes the content processing apparatus to perform a transmission processing, a reception processing and a first transfer processing. The second obtaining module causes the content processing apparatus to perform an obtaining processing and a second transfer processing.

Methods are disclosed relating to the operation of a micro-structural fluid ejector in a fluid printing apparatus. The methods include providing an imaging system, capturing a digital image of the micro-structural fluid ejector and its surroundings, and pre-processing the digital image to detect edges. A method of detecting contact of a micro-structural fluid ejector to a substrate includes repeatedly lowering the print head and measuring the length of a detected edge until the currently measured length is determined to be longer than a previously measured length. A method of adjusting contact of a micro-structural fluid ejector to a substrate includes calculating a bending coefficient A of the micro-structural fluid ejector and lowering the print head toward the substrate if the bending coefficient A is less than a minimum threshold value A.sub.min, raising the print head away from the substrate if the bending coefficient A is greater than a maximum threshold value A.sub.max, and making no change to the vertical displacement of the print head if the bending coefficient A is in the range of A.sub.min to A.sub.max. A method of detecting a fault condition in fluid flow from a micro-structural fluid ejector onto a substrate includes analyzing the digital image to determine whether edges are present in a region of interest where fluid dispensed from the micro-structural fluid ejector should be present.

Techniques for improving flexural strength in 3D-printed object. The techniques generally include identifying a portion of a 3D model corresponding to the 3D-printed object to which one or more support posts should be added and adding support post descriptors to the 3D model within such a portion. The support post descriptor defines a position and at least one dimension of a support post cavity and a position and at least one dimension of a support post, both having a height corresponding to at least two layers of 3D-printable material. The model, including the support post descriptors are transmitted to a 3D printer to print the 3D model, which includes a support post cavity and a support post having a height of at least two layers.

Techniques for improving flexural strength in 3D-printed object. The techniques generally include identifying a portion of a 3D model corresponding to the 3D-printed object to which one or more support posts should be added and adding support post descriptors to the 3D model within such a portion. The support post descriptor defines a position and at least one dimension of a support post cavity and a position and at least one dimension of a support post, both having a height corresponding to at least two layers of 3D-printable material. The model, including the support post descriptors are transmitted to a 3D printer to print the 3D model, which includes a support post cavity and a support post having a height of at least two layers.

The card-printing vending machine (10) comprises a processor-based control unit (12), a touch-screen (14) electronically connected thereto, a card-printing unit (16) provided with a card holder (17) for storing a plurality of unprinted plastic cards, and a bank card reading unit (18), which are all arranged in a house. A communication interface (20) for establishing an interconnection with a remote database storing a plurality of card designs is electronically connected to the control unit (12).

A method of manufacturing a multi-material functional article, the method comprising the steps of providing a design module from a database, the design module encoded with physical characteristics, material needs, additive manufacturing equipment required, and performance outputs required for modeling a multi-material functional article, allowing a user access to the design module to integrate the design module into a functional article design, having the design module interface with available additive manufacturing equipment and allowing the user to print the multi-material functional article.

A method for the additive manufacturing of at least one component having defined component properties, comprising the steps of: providing at least one certified data record which contains component-specific parameters and/or system-specific parameters and/or process-specific parameters certified by a provider for an additive manufacturing process of at least one specific component having defined component properties, implementing at least one additive manufacturing process for the additive manufacturing of at least one specific component having defined component properties on the basis of the at least one certified data record.

A method for the additive manufacturing of at least one component (2) having defined component properties, comprising the steps of: providing at least one certified data record (4) which contains component-specific parameters and/or system-specific parameters and/or process-specific parameters certified by a provider for an additive manufacturing process of at least one specific component (2) having defined component properties, implementing at least one additive manufacturing process for the additive manufacturing of at least one specific component (2) having defined component properties on the basis of the at least one certified data record (4).