Methods and apparatus for contacting printing via electrostatic force. In one example, an apparatus for contact printing using an ink includes a substrate, a conductive layer disposed on the substrate, and a group of microstructures disposed on the conductive layer. Each microstructure includes a group of conductive porous medium extending from the conductive layer. The apparatus also includes a dielectric layer conformally disposed on the microstructures and configured to electrically insulate the microstructures from the ink during use. The conductive layer is configured to apply a voltage on the group of microstructures to facilitate the loading and dispensing of ink.

The invention relates to a system and a method for manufacturing a medical package, in particular a foil bag made of plastic. A print image with variable information comprising blank spaces is first applied by means of a thermal transfer printer. The blank spaces are filled by means of a hot stamp printing process.

A printing plate for monotype prints includes a viscoelastic gel composition having a viscoelastic polymer selected from a hydrogenated poly-isoprene/butadiene polymer, poly(styrene-butadiene-styrene), poly(styrene-butadiene).sub.n, poly(styrene-isoprene-styrene), poly(styrene-isoprene).sub.n, poly(styrene-ethylene-propylene), poly(styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene).sub.n, poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene).sub.n, poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene), poly(styrene-ethylene-propylene).sub.n, poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene).sub.n, polystyrene, polybutylene, poly(ethylene-propylene), poly(ethylene-butylene), polypropylene, polyethylene, polyurethane and silicone, and a combination thereof, and a plasticizing oil. The viscoelastic gel composition has a smooth surface and is formed as a sheet and shaped for use as a printing plate. A method for using the elastomeric gel printing plates of the present invention is also provided.

A printing system (200) including a printing roll (220) is provided. The printing roll (220) includes an elastically deformable and compressible inner layer (224) and a thin outer shell (222) to cover the inner layer (224). The thin outer shell (222) includes a pattern of raised print features (223) to receive ink material thereon. The inner layer (224) is softer and thicker than the thin outer shell (222), and optionally, the thin outer shell (222) is removable from the inner layer (224). The inner layer (224) of the printing roll (220) has a thickness, a compression force deflection value and an elastically-deformable compressibility such that the raised print features (223) of the printing roll (220) do not slide or deform with respect to the printed web (2) in an amount to generate a substantially visible dot gain.

A manufacturing method comprises: a printing step printing on an outer peripheral surface of a cylinder part of a cylinder body; a necking step deforming the cylinder body after the printing step to form a tapered part in which a diameter is reduced upward from the cylinder part and a small-diameter part extending to an upper side of the tapered part; and a mouth part forming step deforming the small-diameter part to form the mouth part including a swelled part and a male thread part. In the printing step, ink is coated on a third coating region to be the cylinder part, a fourth coating region to be the tapered part, and a first coating region to be the swelled part. An apply amount of the ink per unit area on the first coating region is less than that of the ink per unit on the third coating region.

A manufacturing method comprises: a printing step printing on an outer peripheral surface of a cylinder part of a cylinder body; a necking step deforming the cylinder body after the printing step to form a tapered part in which a diameter is reduced upward from the cylinder part and a small-diameter part extending to an upper side of the tapered part; and a mouth part forming step deforming the small-diameter part to form the mouth part including a swelled part and a male thread part. In the printing step, ink is coated on a third coating region to be the cylinder part, a fourth coating region to be the tapered part, and a first coating region to be the swelled part. An apply amount of the ink per unit area on the first coating region is less than that of the ink per unit on the third coating region.

A beverage use can includes a cylindrical can main body. The can main body includes a round opening at its upper portion. The can main body further includes a bottom at its lower portion. The can main body further includes an outer circumferential surface. Inkjet printing is performed over the entire outer circumferential surface of the can main body to form inkjet-printed images thereon. Then, plate printing is performed on these inkjet-printed images to form thereon images including characters. This improves quality of images formed on an outer circumferential surface of a beverage use can.

A beverage use can includes a cylindrical can main body. The can main body includes a round opening at its upper portion. The can main body further includes a bottom at its lower portion. The can main body further includes an outer circumferential surface. Inkjet printing is performed over the entire outer circumferential surface of the can main body to form inkjet-printed images thereon. Then, plate printing is performed on these inkjet-printed images to form thereon images including characters. This improves quality of images formed on an outer circumferential surface of a beverage use can.

A method and a jig for forming a pattern, the method and the jig being capable of realizing various and unique pattern designs due to magnetic particles included in the magnetic ink being distributed in various densities according to intensity of the magnetic force. The method includes: preparing a jig which generating magnetic force, applying magnetic ink on a surface of a substrate to form a print layer, disposing the substrate configured with the print layer above the jig, forming a magnetic pattern on the print layer by applying magnetic force generated from the jig, and drying the print layer.

A method and a jig for forming a pattern, the method and the jig being capable of realizing various and unique pattern designs due to magnetic particles included in the magnetic ink being distributed in various densities according to intensity of the magnetic force. The method includes: preparing a jig which generating magnetic force, applying magnetic ink on a surface of a substrate to form a print layer, disposing the substrate configured with the print layer above the jig, forming a magnetic pattern on the print layer by applying magnetic force generated from the jig, and drying the print layer.