A curl straightening method applied upon printing on a spread medium in a printing step, the method being provided with a first spreading step of spreading the medium fed out from a medium roll between a feeding step of feeding the medium from the medium roll in which the medium made of a textile fabric and having a predetermined width is wound on a roll core, and the printing step of printing on the medium fed out from the medium roll, and in the first spreading step, spreading of the medium is performed in a state where the medium fed out from the medium roll is stretched on an outer circumference of a first spreader roller rotating about a pivotal axis parallel to a pivotal axis of the medium roll, and the medium has its surface side with a curl stretched on the outer circumference of the first spreader roller.

Examples are disclosed that relate to screen printing liquid metal materials. One example provides a method to deposit a metal pattern onto a substrate. The method includes placing a textile over the substrate, the textile having a plurality of pores wettable by a liquid metal. The method further includes forcing the liquid metal through the pores of the textile and onto the substrate, and separating the substrate and textile.

Examples are disclosed that relate to screen printing liquid metal materials. One example provides a method to deposit a metal pattern onto a substrate. The method includes placing a textile over the substrate, the textile having a plurality of pores wettable by a liquid metal. The method further includes forcing the liquid metal through the pores of the textile and onto the substrate, and separating the substrate and textile.

An apparel printing system for printing on regions of tubular fabrics with repeating patterns includes a textile printer having a print head and a tubular platen that includes features on the platen surface to retain and register the tubular fabric on the platen surface during printing.

A universal object holding mechanism for holding three-dimensional objects for printing thereon uses an array of wires connected to one side of a frame that are stretched to an opposite side of the frame of the holding mechanism to thereby trap an object between the wires and a back plate positioned behind and spaced from the frame. A minimum number of wires are used to hold the object against a minimum number of datum pins, so that the maximum amount of object surface is available for printing.

A circulating feeding printer combining screen printing and digital ink jetting, includes a rack. The rack includes an upper rack layer and a lower rack layer, and the two layers are respectively provided with a transmission platen capable of moving relative to the rack. Each transmission platen is provided with a movable printing platen bearing a print medium capable of sliding relative to the transmission platen, a locking device locking the movable printing platen, and the transmission platen is arranged between them. The platen transfer devices capable of transferring the movable printing platen onto the transmission platen at the different layer are disposed on the rack, separately located at two sides of the transmission platens. The rack is further provided with a screen printer and an inkjet printer used for printing separately.

A circulating feeding printer combining screen printing and digital ink jetting, includes a rack. The rack includes an upper rack layer and a lower rack layer, and the two layers are respectively provided with a transmission platen capable of moving relative to the rack. Each transmission platen is provided with a movable printing platen bearing a print medium capable of sliding relative to the transmission platen, a locking device locking the movable printing platen, and the transmission platen is arranged between them. The platen transfer devices capable of transferring the movable printing platen onto the transmission platen at the different layer are disposed on the rack, separately located at two sides of the transmission platens. The rack is further provided with a screen printer and an inkjet printer used for printing separately.

A platen is disclosed. In an example, the platen may include a shirtboard configured to receive a garment. A backing is coupled to the shirtboard by a hinge. The backing and the shirtboard are compressible to selectively compress the shirtboard against the backing during a printing operation. An example of printing on a garment includes threading a garment onto a board so that the board is wearing the garment, supporting the board against a backing during compression, and printing on the garment. In an example, a fabric of the garment is pretreated, heat-pressed, and printed on, all without removing the garment from the board.

A platen is disclosed. In an example, the platen may include a shirtboard configured to receive a garment. A backing is coupled to the shirtboard by a hinge. The backing and the shirtboard are compressible to selectively compress the shirtboard against the backing during a printing operation. An example of printing on a garment includes threading a garment onto a board so that the board is wearing the garment, supporting the board against a backing during compression, and printing on the garment. In an example, a fabric of the garment is pretreated, heat-pressed, and printed on, all without removing the garment from the board.

A method and apparatus for printing on an article are disclosed. An embodiment of a method may include the generation of a virtual mask that can designate areas for printing and/or designate areas to exclude from printing. A method may include utilization of the virtual mask during either 2D or 3D printing such that a print design is printed in areas designated for printing by the virtual mask.