Systems and methods for printing on a polymeric film web are disclosed in which first and second adjacent printhead holders slidably are disposed on at least one rail and a projection extends from the first printhead holder toward the second printhead holder. A linear actuator is operated to cause the printhead holders to move between a first position in which the projection contacts the second printhead holder and a second position in which the projection is not in contact with the second printhead holder and the first and second printhead holders are separated by predetermined distances.

A method for printing a digitally-stored image on the surface of a cylindrical object comprises the steps of axially moving the object along a line of travel that is aligned with the object's long axis until it is underneath one or more printheads, each of which have a plurality of ink nozzles that may be arranged in one or more columns while simultaneously rotating the object with respect to the printheads and simultaneously causing a pre-determined number of nozzles to eject ink onto the surface of the object.

A liquid discharge device includes: a liquid discharge head; a nozzle array disposed on the head in a conveyance direction; a movement driver that moves the head to discharge liquid from the nozzle array in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction in a reciprocating manner; a discharge driver that causes the head to discharge the liquid; a conveyor that conveys an object; and a controller that acquires an amount of conveyance of the object by the conveyor over a period during which the head moves from a predetermined position to a position where the head is to discharge the liquid to a target pixel, and determines, on which reciprocating travelling of the head to discharge the liquid and from which nozzle in the nozzle array to discharge the liquid, based on the amount of conveyance.

The present teachings disclose various embodiments of a printing system for printing a substrate, in which the printing system can be housed in a gas enclosure, where the environment within the enclosure can be maintained as a controlled printing environment. A controlled environment of the present teachings can include control of the type of gas environment within the gas enclosure, the size and level particulate matter within the enclosure, control of the temperature within the enclosure and control of lighting. Various embodiments of a printing system of the present teachings can include a Y-axis motion system and a Z-axis moving plate that are configured to substantially decrease excess thermal load within the enclosure by, for example, eliminating or substantially minimizing the use of conventional electric motors.

An imaging apparatus includes a print engine having a printhead that generates ink drops, and a printhead carrier that carries the printhead in a first direction and in a second direction. A controller determines an initial print direction based on ink drop information obtained by printing patches in the first direction and in the second direction. The controller is operatively coupled to the print engine to print an image based on the initial print direction.

A printer includes a controller configured to perform a through-up printing process to print at least a part of a page while accelerating a conveyance speed of a print medium from zero at a particular acceleration, a constant-speed printing process to print at least a part of the page while maintaining a maximum conveyance speed after the conveyance speed reaches the maximum conveyance speed via the through-up printing process, a through-down printing process to print at least a part of the page while decelerating the conveyance speed at a particular deceleration after performing at least one of the through-up printing process and the constant-speed printing process, and a maximum speed setting process to set the maximum conveyance speed in accordance with a print amount of print data stored in a storage.

A printer includes a print head fastening facing a medium support surface; a scanning print carriage being movable along a guide in a scanning direction (Y); and a transporter for transporting the medium in a transport direction (X). The printer includes a suspension structure connecting the print head fastening to the scanning print carriage while allowing movement of the print head fastening with respect to the scanning print carriage in a direction (X) parallel to the transport direction. The suspension structure is elastically deformable to allow for the movement in said direction (X).

The present teachings disclose various embodiments of a printing system for printing substrate, in which the printing system can be housed in a gas enclosure, where the environment within the enclosure can be maintained as a controlled printing environment. A controlled environment of the present teachings can include control of the type of gas environment within the gas enclosure, the size and level particulate matter within the enclosure, control of the temperature within the enclosure and control of lighting. Various embodiments of a printing system of the present teachings can include a Y-axis motion system and a Z-axis moving plate that are configured to substantially decrease excess thermal load within the enclosure by, for example, eliminating or substantially minimizing the use of conventional electric motors.

The present teachings disclose various embodiments of a printing system for printing substrate, in which the printing system can be housed in a gas enclosure, where the environment within the enclosure can be maintained as a controlled printing environment. A controlled environment of the present teachings can include control of the type of gas environment within the gas enclosure, the size and level particulate matter within the enclosure, control of the temperature within the enclosure and control of lighting. Various embodiments of a printing system of the present teachings can include a Y-axis motion system and a Z-axis moving plate that are configured to substantially decrease excess thermal load within the enclosure by, for example, eliminating or substantially minimizing the use of conventional electric motors.

A method for reducing horizontal banding in a printed image printed with an inkjet print engine includes printing on a print media sheet a first test patch with a first inkjet printhead being moved by the printhead carrier in a first print direction; printing on a print media sheet a second test patch with the first inkjet printhead being moved by the printhead carrier in a second print direction; determining a first characteristic of the first test patch; determining a second characteristic of the second test patch; comparing the first characteristic of the first test patch with the second characteristic of the second test patch; and selecting, based on the comparing, an initial print direction of the first inkjet printhead for a first printing pass that reduces horizontal banding in generating the printed image.