Digital and Rotary-Cylinder Print Alignment Using Camera Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital and analog printing systems face challenges in aligning images accurately, particularly at high speeds, due to construction tolerances and misalignments between digital printers and rotary cylinders, which affect the quality of multi-color prints.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that uses cameras to capture images of digital and analog markers on a substrate, measure their positions, calculate errors, and adjust the digital printer, rotary cylinder, or belt speed to align the images by compensating for misalignments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If digital printing and rotary cylinder printing are used together, then multi-color printing capability is improved, but alignment precision deteriorates due to construction tolerances and misalignments between the two systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where markers are printed on the substrate, captured by a camera, and processed to calculate alignment errors between digital and rotary cylinder printing systems. The system uses this feedback information to adjust and compensate for misalignments, ensuring precise registration of multi-color images despite construction tolerances in the printing equipment.
2Productivity
If printing speed is increased, then productivity is improved, but alignment precision deteriorates due to construction tolerances and misalignments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by printing markers on the substrate before the actual multi-color printing process. These markers serve as reference points that are captured and processed in advance to calculate alignment errors. This preliminary measurement allows the system to compensate for misalignments during high-speed printing operations, maintaining precision even at increased printing speeds.
3Manufacturing precision
If automated alignment system is implemented, then alignment precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional cameras and processing equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an intermediary approach by introducing markers as simple reference objects that bridge the digital and rotary cylinder printing systems. These markers are easily printed on the substrate and captured by a camera, providing a straightforward mechanism for alignment measurement without requiring complex alignment equipment. The markers act as mediators that simplify the alignment process while maintaining high precision.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for aligning images printed with digital printer and rotary cylinders include measuring a position of a substrate on a belt, capturing by a camera a digital image of the substrate, transmitting by camera the digital image to a processing device, performing digital image processing on the digital image to identify two shapes, determining the positions of each of the two shapes using the measured position of the substrate, measuring a distance between the determined positions of each of the two shapes, calculating an error, where the error is the difference between the measured distance and a predetermined distance of the two shapes, and adjusting either a digital printer, a speed of a rotary cylinder, or a speed of the belt, based on the error.