A digital print head, a digital printing machine having the head, and a method for digital printing on substrates using the head, the digital print head having an ejector for ejecting a product onto the substrate; a drying element for acting on the product ejected onto the substrate such that it is dried; and shielding element to prevent the ejected product from directly reaching the drying element by spray. Likewise, the drying element is located with respect to the ejector in such a way that when the product is ejected it may be subjected to the drying that may be provided by the drying element.

Provided is a light source device in which the housing is not full of heat, and the risk of inhaling dust in the housing or the risk of reduction of life of the fan device becomes reduced. In an aspect, a light source device according to the present disclosure includes a light source; a light source control unit for controlling turning on/off and a quantity of light of the light source; a cooling fan for cooling the light source; and a fan control unit for controlling a number of revolutions of the cooling fan, wherein the fan control unit is configured to: control the number of revolutions of the cooling fan to become a first number of revolutions depending on the quantity of light of the light source when the light source is turned on, and control the number of revolutions of the cooling fan to become a second number of revolutions lower than the first number of revolutions by waiting for a predetermined waiting time when the light source is turned off.

A system for printing at least one stretchable ink on a thermoformable substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the system 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 of the first surface to enhance wetting and adhesion of the at least one stretchable ink to the thermoformable substrate, at least one first full width printhead array arranged to deposit a first portion of the at least one stretchable ink on the first surface of the thermoformable substrate, at least one second full width printhead array arranged to deposit a second portion of the at least one stretchable ink on the first surface of the thermoformable substrate, at least one radiation pinning device positioned proximate the first surface and arranged to partially cure the first portion of the at least one stretchable ink on the thermoformable substrate prior to the second portion of the at least one stretchable ink being deposited 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.

Provided is an ink jet recording method including: discharging an ultraviolet ray-curable ink, which has a viscosity at 20° C. of 25 mPa.Math.s or less and an average equivalent of polymerizable unsaturated double bond of 100 to 150, from a head onto a recording medium at a discharge temperature of 30° C. to 40° C.; and irradiating the ultraviolet ray-curable ink, attached onto the recording medium, with ultraviolet rays emitted from a light source to cure the ultraviolet ray-curable ink.

An inkjet printing method is provided. A smear-free printed matter superior in glossiness can be obtained. The inkjet printing method includes: a second ink layer forming step of discharging a second ink on a first ink layer formed on a recording medium and drying the discharged second ink, and a third ink layer forming step of discharging a third ink on the second ink layer and drying the discharged third ink. A drying time during the second ink layer forming step is shorter than a drying time during the third ink layer forming step.

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.

A base plate for supporting a plurality of interlocking building bricks includes a planar sheet having a top surface and a bottom surface, with a plurality of nodes projecting from the top surface. The plurality of nodes includes a node having a vertical cylindrical wall and a horizontal top wall, the vertical cylindrical wall tapering along its vertical height; the node also having a bevel extending around a circumference of the node at an edge where the vertical cylindrical wall transitions to the horizontal top wall. A method of assembling a composite base plate includes securing two component base plates to one another via a common backing material. A method of printing on a base plate includes applying ultraviolet ink to at least the top surface of the base plate from an ultraviolet light printer, the base plate having a plurality of studs or nodes projecting from the top surface.

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 printer includes a platen, a head which ejects light-curable ink to a printing object placed on the platen, a lamp which irradiates the printing object, on which the light-curable ink ejected from the head is adhered, with light, a carriage which supports the head and the lamp and which moves the head and the lamp in a main scanning direction, an ink recovering mechanism which faces a predetermined position within a predetermined area where the head is movable with movement of the carriage and which recovers the light-curable ink ejected from the head, and a controller which controls the head, the lamp, the carriage, and the ink recovering mechanism.

Examples described herein include method for calibrating LED modules in a curing engine. The method of calibrating UV curing modules includes receiving an uncured calibration image and initiating a curing operation that includes operating the curing modules according to a plurality of corresponding initial power level settings to apply radiant energy to the uncured calibration image to generate a cured calibration image. The method further includes receiving user input or information about an image characteristic of the cured calibration image from a user. The method then includes analyzing the user input to generate adjustments to the corresponding initial power level settings, and then applying the adjustments to the corresponding initial power level settings to generate a plurality of corresponding adjusted power level settings.