There is described a combined printing press (10; 10*) for the production of security documents, in particular banknotes, comprising a screen printing group (2; 2*) and an intaglio printing group (3) adapted to process substrates in the form of individual sheets or successive portions of a continuous web. The screen printing group (2; 2*) is located upstream of the intaglio printing group (3) and comprises at least one screen printing unit (20; 20*) designed to print a pattern of optically-variable ink onto one side of the substrates, which optically-variable ink contains flakes that can be oriented by means of a magnetic field. The screen printing group (2; 2*) further comprises a magnetic unit (24; 24*) located downstream of the screen printing unit (20; 20*), which magnetic unit is designed to magnetically induce an optically-variable effect in the pattern of optically-variable ink applied by the screen printing unit (20; 20*). The screen printing group (2; 2*) further comprises at least one drying/curing unit (25, 28; 25*, 28*) designed to dry/cure the pattern of optically-variable ink in which the optically-variable effect has been induced by the magnetic unit (24), prior to transfer of the substrates to the intaglio printing group (3).

There is described a combined printing press (10; 10*) for the production of security documents, in particular banknotes, comprising a screen printing group (2; 2*) and an intaglio printing group (3) adapted to process substrates in the form of individual sheets or successive portions of a continuous web. The screen printing group (2; 2*) is located upstream of the intaglio printing group (3) and comprises at least one screen printing unit (20; 20*) designed to print a pattern of optically-variable ink onto one side of the substrates, which optically-variable ink contains flakes that can be oriented by means of a magnetic field. The screen printing group (2; 2*) further comprises a magnetic unit (24; 24*) located downstream of the screen printing unit (20; 20*), which magnetic unit is designed to magnetically induce an optically-variable effect in the pattern of optically-variable ink applied by the screen printing unit (20; 20*). The screen printing group (2; 2*) further comprises at least one drying/curing unit (25, 28; 25*, 28*) designed to dry/cure the pattern of optically-variable ink in which the optically-variable effect has been induced by the magnetic unit (24), prior to transfer of the substrates to the intaglio printing group (3).

The present invention provides a foil applicator assembly for a screen printing press having a support arm extending along a first line. The assembly has a carriage having a leading edge and a trailing edge and is mounted for reciprocating translational motion along the first line. A press roller is mounted to the carriage and has a first axis of rotation generally orthogonal to the first line. A film supply roller is mounted proximate the press by a member that is stationary with respect to the carriage and provides a second axis of rotation parallel to the first axis of rotation and has a first outer surface. A film guide member is mounted on the carriage and is spaced from the press roller along the first line.

A method and related automatic production plant are disclosed for the silk-screen printing of inks or conductive pastes on photovoltaic cells or wafers, with an integrated handling system of the LSM moving coils drive type, wherein multiple shuttles with on-board coils act on a rail with permanent magnets in an independent but coordinated way, synchronous and/or asynchronous with respect to each other, to simultaneously perform missions different from each other in such a way as to advantageously carry out the printing operating steps provided by the method. Each shuttle is provided with an equipped tray of the removable type which is specifically configured to carry out the automated processing of the single cell, it also being intended to interact with the plant.

A method and related automatic production plant are disclosed for the silk-screen printing of inks or conductive pastes on photovoltaic cells or wafers, with an integrated handling system of the LSM moving coils drive type, wherein multiple shuttles with on-board coils act on a rail with permanent magnets in an independent but coordinated way, synchronous and/or asynchronous with respect to each other, to simultaneously perform missions different from each other in such a way as to advantageously carry out the printing operating steps provided by the method. Each shuttle is provided with an equipped tray of the removable type which is specifically configured to carry out the automated processing of the single cell, it also being intended to interact with the plant.

A multi-spectrum screen exposure system for curing printing emulsions, including an enclosure with a platen that is transmissive to at least some ultraviolet wavelengths of light, a cover shiftable between an open orientation wherein the platen is accessible to an operator and a closed orientation wherein the platen is covered and inaccessible to the operator, a light emitting diode illumination (LED) light source assembly supported within the enclosure and oriented to direct illumination toward the platen, the light emitting diode illumination light source assembly emitting at least some light in the ultraviolet wavelengths, and a control unit operably coupled to the light emitting diode illumination light source assembly by which the light emitting diode illumination light source assembly can be operated in a controlled fashion.

A multi-spectrum screen exposure system for curing printing emulsions, including an enclosure with a platen that is transmissive to at least some ultraviolet wavelengths of light, a cover shiftable between an open orientation wherein the platen is accessible to an operator and a closed orientation wherein the platen is covered and inaccessible to the operator, a light emitting diode illumination (LED) light source assembly supported within the enclosure and oriented to direct illumination toward the platen, the light emitting diode illumination light source assembly emitting at least some light in the ultraviolet wavelengths, and a control unit operably coupled to the light emitting diode illumination light source assembly by which the light emitting diode illumination light source assembly can be operated in a controlled fashion.

A fabric holder includes a platen to hold a portion of a fabric to be printed, and a peripheral cover including a frame to sandwich the fabric between the platen and the frame. The fabric holder is detachably attachable to a heating device that heats the fabric, and the peripheral cover includes a heat insulator having a thermal conductivity lower than a thermal conductivity of the peripheral cover.

Steam-treating printed fibrous sheet material to fix ink printed on the material includes conveying the printed material into a steam chamber on a conveyor with a surface containing condensed water. At least some of the condensed water is transferred to the sheet material on the conveyor.

Steam-treating printed fibrous sheet material to fix ink printed on the material includes conveying the printed material into a steam chamber on a conveyor with a surface containing condensed water. At least some of the condensed water is transferred to the sheet material on the conveyor.