An image-processing apparatus generates data to be outputted to formation unit which form a shaped article on a recording medium. An acquisition unit acquire first shape data that represents a shape of unevenness. A first generation unit generates edge data that represents a shape of an edge of the unevenness, based on the first shape data. A second generation unit generates first recording amount data that represents a recording amount of a first recording material that is used to form at least a part of the edge in the edge data on the recording medium, or first dot arrangement data that represents dot arrangement of the first recording material on the recording medium, based on the edge data.

A method pretreats a printing material used for ink printing to influence the spreading of ink print dots on the printing material. The spreading behavior is influenced in such a way that the ink print dots spread in an anisotropic way. The anisotropic spreading advantageously allows undesired quality losses in the print that are caused by a failed ink nozzle to be reduced or avoided. The influencing of the spreading behavior may be achieved by an anisotropic application of a liquid, in particular a primer or varnish, to the printing material, or by an anisotropic embossment or print on the printing material or by an anisotropic treatment of the printing material with charged particles, in particular by a plasma or a corona, or with electromagnetic radiation, in particular laser radiation.

A method pretreats a printing material used for ink printing to influence the spreading of ink print dots on the printing material. The spreading behavior is influenced in such a way that the ink print dots spread in an anisotropic way. The anisotropic spreading advantageously allows undesired quality losses in the print that are caused by a failed ink nozzle to be reduced or avoided. The influencing of the spreading behavior may be achieved by an anisotropic application of a liquid, in particular a primer or varnish, to the printing material, or by an anisotropic embossment or print on the printing material or by an anisotropic treatment of the printing material with charged particles, in particular by a plasma or a corona, or with electromagnetic radiation, in particular laser radiation.

An apparatus for marking a component by applying readable identifying information is provided. The identifying information has at least one identifying feature, in particular an identifying symbol. The apparatus includes a detection device which is designed to detect, on the basis of an eddy current measurement, identifying information applied or to be applied to a component by way of the apparatus.

An embossing system designed to mark metal marker plates. The embossing system includes a feeder system that presents a marker plate, a drive sub assembly secured to the feeder system, and a gripper system that grips the marker plate from the feeder system. The feeder system has a fixed side wall secured to a base plate and a moveable side wall positioned a distance from the fixed side wall. Marker plate guides are secured to the side walls for providing support to a stack of marker plates positioned in the feeder system. Adjustable feed gates are secured to the sidewalls to accommodate adjustments for maker plate thickness variations.

A method for producing reliefs through digital printing and a digital printing machine is disclosed by method providing a substrate having a first digital print on one of the faces; applying a coating on the face of the substrate with the first digital print; partially drying the coating until a gelled state is obtained; depositing drops of ink to produce a second digital print; applying pressure to the gelled coating using an embossing roller to obtain a three-dimensional structure, the embossing roller configured to receive the second digital print and produce the three-dimensional structure; and completely drying the coating on which the three-dimensional structure has been obtained.

A method for producing reliefs through digital printing and a digital printing machine is disclosed by method providing a substrate having a first digital print on one of the faces; applying a coating on the face of the substrate with the first digital print; partially drying the coating until a gelled state is obtained; depositing drops of ink to produce a second digital print; applying pressure to the gelled coating using an embossing roller to obtain a three-dimensional structure, the embossing roller configured to receive the second digital print and produce the three-dimensional structure; and completely drying the coating on which the three-dimensional structure has been obtained.

A stamping device includes a stamping data generator configured to create stamping data to form a stamp image on a surface of a processing target, a positioning data generator configured to create positioning data to position the processing target, and a controller configured or programmed to control an operation of the processing tool. The controller includes a first controller configured or programmed to control the processing tool such that stamping is performed, based on the positioning data at a first stamping energy, on the processing target including a protective sheet attached thereto in a predetermined area including a stamping area where the stamp image is to be formed, and a second controller configured or programmed to control the processing tool such that stamping is performed, based on the stamping data at a second stamping energy equal to or different from the first stamping energy, on the processing tool in a state of having the protective sheet peeled off therefrom.

An embossing stamp for embossing an identifying mark on a motor vehicle component includes an embossing wheel assembly. The embossing wheel assembly can be set individually for the motor vehicle component being embossed depending on the identifying mark to be stamped. The embossing wheel assembly includes a negative representation of the identifying mark to be stamped. A transmission device is provided to transmit an identification signal characterizing the embossed identifying mark and the motor vehicle component marked with the identifying mark to a computer device external to the embossing stamp.

An embossing stamp for embossing an identifying mark on a motor vehicle component includes an embossing wheel assembly. The embossing wheel assembly can be set individually for the motor vehicle component being embossed depending on the identifying mark to be stamped. The embossing wheel assembly includes a negative representation of the identifying mark to be stamped. A transmission device is provided to transmit an identification signal characterizing the embossed identifying mark and the motor vehicle component marked with the identifying mark to a computer device external to the embossing stamp.