A system (20) and method for printing on clear polymeric film web (24) are disclosed. A first stationary inkjet print unit (44, 60, 70, 82) has first ejection nozzles that span a width of the clear polymeric film web and a second stationary inkjet print unit (44, 60, 70, 82) has second ejection nozzles that span the width of the clear polymeric film web. A web transport conveys the clear polymeric film web past the stationary inkjet print units. First and second print controllers operate the first and second and stationary inkjet print units to deposit drops of a first and a second material on the clear polymeric film web at a first and a second resolution, respectively. In addition, dimensions and position of a page element to be printed on the clear polymeric film web are adjusted to compensate for distortion that may occur to the printed page element due to shrinking of the clear polymeric film web.

A system (20) and method for printing on clear polymeric film web (24) are disclosed. A first stationary inkjet print unit (44, 60, 70, 82) has first ejection nozzles that span a width of the clear polymeric film web and a second stationary inkjet print unit (44, 60, 70, 82) has second ejection nozzles that span the width of the clear polymeric film web. A web transport conveys the clear polymeric film web past the stationary inkjet print units. First and second print controllers operate the first and second and stationary inkjet print units to deposit drops of a first and a second material on the clear polymeric film web at a first and a second resolution, respectively. In addition, dimensions and position of a page element to be printed on the clear polymeric film web are adjusted to compensate for distortion that may occur to the printed page element due to shrinking of the clear polymeric film web.

A method of printing an image using a printing system having first and second printheads supplied with a same ink. The method includes the steps of: allocating first lines of the image to the first printhead; allocating second lines of the image to the second printhead; dithering the first lines of the image using a selected first dither mask; dithering the second lines of the image using a selected second dither mask; printing the dithered first lines of the image using the first printhead; and printing the dithered second lines of the image using the second printhead. The first and second dither masks are selected based on a relative alignment of the first and second printheads.

A printing system comprises a transport apparatus adapted to transport a flexible web (24) along a process direction and first and second individually controllable inkjet imager units (44, 60, 70, 82) offset from one another along the process direction. Each of the first imager unit and the second imager unit includes a first portion (226) operable to print on a first portion of the web and a second portion (228) operable to print on the second portion of the web wherein each of the first portion and second portion of the first and second imager units is stationary along the process direction and the lateral direction.

A method of printing an image with a printhead having spatially offset groups of drop ejectors, each group having a plurality of drop ejectors that are aligned substantially along a scan direction, includes enabling simultaneous firing of drop ejectors that are corresponding members of a first set of groups. Drop ejectors within each group of the first set are sequentially fired until each member of each group has had opportunity to fire. Corresponding drop ejectors of a second set of groups are simultaneously fired, and drop ejectors within each group of the second set are sequentially fired. Any additional groups of drop ejectors are likewise fired until all drop ejectors have had opportunity to fire during a first stroke. Drop ejectors are fired in subsequent strokes similar to the first stroke as the recording medium is moved relative to the printhead along the scan direction until printing is completed.

An inkjet printhead including: an elongate fluid manifold having a base comprising a plurality of fluid delivery compartments, each compartment having a fluid outlet and a bubble-venting cavity; and one or more printhead chips attached to the base, each printhead chip receiving printing fluid from one or more fluid outlets. Each fluid outlet is aligned with a respective printhead chip and each bubble-venting cavity is offset from the respective printhead chip.

There is provided a printer including first to fourth head chips, and first and second rollers. The first to fourth head chips are arranged at intervals in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction. A nozzle, of nozzles arranged in a second head chip N and used for printing, which is positioned closest to the one side in the second direction is referred to as a nozzle A. A nozzle, of nozzles arranged in a fourth head chip N and used for printing, which is positioned closest to the one side in the second direction is referred to as a nozzle B. The nozzle A is arranged closer to the one side in the second direction than the nozzle B and the first roller is arranged closer to the other side in the second direction than the second roller.

The controller: upon receiving a print job, determine whether only one of a first printer and a second printer is under cleaning; upon determining that the only one of the first printer and the second printer is under cleaning, analyze whether a print processing based on the print job is a first print processing in which printing is executable by any of the first printer and the second printer or a second print processing in which printing is to be executed by both the first printer and the second printer; and upon analyzing that the print processing based on the print job is the first print processing, drive the other one of the first printer and the second printer which is not under cleaning to execute the first print processing.

The controller: upon receiving a print job, determine whether only one of a first printer and a second printer is under cleaning; upon determining that the only one of the first printer and the second printer is under cleaning, analyze whether a print processing based on the print job is a first print processing in which printing is executable by any of the first printer and the second printer or a second print processing in which printing is to be executed by both the first printer and the second printer; and upon analyzing that the print processing based on the print job is the first print processing, drive the other one of the first printer and the second printer which is not under cleaning to execute the first print processing.

The methods and apparatuses herein relate to inkjet printing a substrate at a desired print resolution. A substrate advances at a first speed under the first printhead and the second printhead such that a desired print resolution exceeds the maximum print resolutions of a first printhead and a second printhead. When the substrate is advancing at the first speed, the first printhead ejects ink onto the advancing substrate at a first firing frequency to create a first printed zone, and the second printhead ejects ink onto the advancing substrate at a second firing frequency to create a second printed zone. In turn, the first printed zone and the second zone together define a printed region having the desired print resolution.