A system for printing at least one stretchable ink on a thermoformable substrate including an unwinder arranged to feed the thermoformable substrate from a first roll into a web drive subsystem, a surface energy modification device arranged to alter a substrate surface energy to enhance wetting and adhesion of the at least one stretchable ink to the thermoformable substrate, at least one full width printhead array arranged to deposit the at least one stretchable ink on the thermoformable substrate, at least one radiation curing device arranged to cure the at least one stretchable ink on the thermoformable substrate, a full width array sensor arranged to monitor the at least one stretchable ink on the thermoformable substrate, and a rewinder arranged to receive the thermoformable substrate and to form the thermoformable substrate into a second roll.

An ink jet recording method includes a step of ejecting a radiation curable ink jet composition on a recording medium and a step of emitting radiation rays to the recording medium, the ink jet composition contains a colorant and a thioxanthone-based photopolymerization initiator, the colorant includes neither a yellow-based colorant nor a black-based colorant, and emission energy of the radiation rays is set to 900 mJ/cm.sup.2 or more per one emission.

The present invention provides a process for manufacturing a security feature for securing a value document, wherein said security feature exhibits a blue color upon viewing in transmitted light and a metallic yellow color upon viewing in Incident light. The manufacturing process comprises the following steps: a) printing a specific UV-Vis radiation curable ink on a transparent or partially transparent region of a substrate of a value document; b) heating the ink layer obtained at step a) at a temperature of about 55° C. to about 100° C. for at least one second so that the ink layer exhibits a metallic yellow color upon viewing in incident light; and c) UV-Vis curing the ink layer obtained at step b) to form the security feature. The manufacturing process according to the present invention enables the expedient production of security features exhibiting a blue color upon viewing in transmitted light and a metallic yellow color upon viewing in incident light and is particularly useful for industrial printing of value documents.

An inkjet ink for a glass substrate can enable formation of an aesthetic image with high concealability on the surface of the glass substrate. The inkjet ink disclosed here can include: an inorganic solid including an inorganic pigment that develops black and a glass frit; a monomer component having a photocuring property; and a photoinitiator. In the inkjet ink, a volume ratio of the inorganic solid in a case where an ink total volume is 100 volume% can be 35 volume% or less, a volume ratio of the inorganic pigment in the case where a total volume of the inorganic solid is 100 volume% can be 15 volume% or more and less than 90 volume%, and a volume ratio of the inorganic pigment to the photoinitiator can be 6 times or less.

Systems and techniques for improving ink jet ink durability and adhesion to a substrate. The techniques may include applying a varnish to the surface of the substrate, curing, in an initial curing step, the varnish with an ultraviolet (UV) lamp, and applying a pigmented ink to at least a portion of the substrate. The initial curing step may comprise pinning the varnish with the UV lamp in a low-power state. The techniques may additionally or alternatively include applying a layer of pigmented ink and varnish at substantially the same time, allowing the pigmented ink and varnish to at least partially mix, then pinning or curing the ink/varnish combination.

A multi-layered polymeric checkstand conveyor belt of the type used in grocery stores that is printed to display advertising information to engage the shopper at the point of sale and coated with a durable and impervious antimicrobial-containing surface coating. The inclusion of a QR code on the printed belt enables a shopper to easily access the information with a QR code reader app on the shopper's cell phone which directs to the store's website. The advertising and information content on the website can be easily changed and updated by the store so that the information content, including store promotions and special events are kept current. The antimicrobial agent in the surface coating is a quaternary ammonium organosilane compound that kills microbes on contact and has long-lasting residual effects to destroy and prevent the proliferation of microbes such as bacteria, viruses, mold, and the like. However, the cleanliness of the antimicrobial checkstand conveyor belt must be maintained by regular, and preferably at least daily, cleaning with an all-purpose cleaner and application of an antimicrobial surface protectant that inhibits the growth of bacteria the conveyor belt surface for an extended period of time. Compliance with the cleaning procedure is facilitated and ensured by the provision of an App downloaded to a tablet PC, for example, that has a detailed dashboard and accessible data to remind, report, and confirm cleaning of the belt.

A radiation-curable ink jet ink composition contains polymerizable monomers A including at least one monofunctional monomer B and at least one multifunctional monomer C. The polymerizable monomers A include at least one polymerizable monomer A1 whose homopolymer has a glass transition temperature of 50° C. or more in a proportion of 20% by mass or more relative to the total mass of the polymerizable monomers A. Homopolymers of the polymerizable monomers A have glass transition temperatures whose average weighted by the proportions by mass of the individual polymerizable monomers A is 25° C. to 40° C. The amount of at least one monofunctional monomer B is 50% to 80% by mass relative to the total mass of the polymerizable monomers A. The at least one multifunctional monomer C includes a specific vinyl group-containing (meth)acrylate C1.

A printing apparatus includes: an ejection head that prints an image on a recording medium supported by a support member by ejecting liquid from a nozzle formed in a portion facing the support member; and an irradiation section that includes a housing which is open toward the support member, and a light emitting section housed in the housing and emitting light to cure the liquid, the irradiation section being configured such that light emitted from the light emitting section is irradiated onto the recording medium supported by the support member via the opening, wherein the housing includes an inclined section which extends from the opening toward the ejection head such that a distance from the inclined section to the support member decreases toward the ejection head, and the inclined section is provided so that θ2>θ1 is established.

The present invention provides a process for manufacturing a decorative article, typically in the form of a sheet or web, by providing the substrate with a pore pattern layer which is then dried using a first energy curable water-based ink or coating composition which is essentially free of a curing or cross-linking agent and contains a repellant and subsequently applying a topcoat layer over the pore pattern layer using a second energy curable water-based ink or coating composition which is also essentially free of a curing or cross-linking agent.

A method is disclosed for applying an antibacterial coating onto a substrate having one or more layers of print. In a printing press, one or more layers of print are applied to a substrate in a printing step. A finishing composition is applied over the layers of ink by a finishing stage in a finishing step to form a continuous outer protective layer. The finishing composition is applied to the substrate by a roller. The printing step and the finishing step are performed simultaneously. The finishing composition includes an antibacterial additive.