Digital Printing for Variable Packaging Graphics

Method for accurately aligning dynamic prints on packaging materials with static prints. The method involves removing the static print in predefined sections to reveal the underlying packaging material, creating a negative of the dynamic print inside the static print. A camera detects reference geometries from the static print and the manufactured negative to evaluate quality features like alignment and readability. This ensures proper positioning of dynamic prints despite packaging material variations.

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A high-speed system for converting sheet material into custom-sized packaging templates and boxes with features like printing, cutting, creasing, and erecting. The system has separate components for each conversion function arranged in sequence. This allows customization options like dynamic printing placement and size variation based on box size, while minimizing throughput limitations from complex repositioning movements between functions. The system also enables features like box erection and automated transfer.

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Digital printing on the inside of flexible packaging to add unique codes, promotional content, or varying patterns on the inner layers of flexible packaging using a separate digital printing process before lamination. This involves digitally printing on the laminated film rolls before combining them in the lamination process to create the final flexible packaging. A compensator roll is added to the lamination machine to adjust for the thickness variation from the digital printing. This allows precise, customizable inner printing that can vary per package while remaining regular and safe for products.

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Method to manufacture multilayer packaging films with digital printing that enables fast, reliable and cost-effective production of small quantity customized packaging. The method involves printing on the outer layer of an unprinted multilayer film using digital printing, treating the printed surface with corona discharge, heat laminating with an adhesive layer, and rapid cooling. This sequence reduces defects and time compared to conventional methods. The digital printing step involves corona treating the surface before printing, and secondary corona treatment on the printed surface. The lamination step uses an EVA adhesive layer between the printed film and protective film. Rapid cooling after lamination prevents film deformation. The tension sequence is first before printing, second after lamination, and higher during cooling. This prevents wrinkles and bubbles.

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Packaging with curved dot patterns that can be printed late in the manufacturing process to enable flexible curved product identification. The dots have non-integer spacing offsets between them, which creates curved dot patterns when viewed as a whole. This is achieved by selectively adjusting the spacing of adjacent dots beyond integer multiples of the dot diameter. The curved dot patterns can be printed using equipment that allows custom drop spacing.

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Digital printing apparatus for packaging machines that enables customization of packages without reducing production speed. The digital printing apparatus is integrated into a packaging machine for pourable products like juice. It allows printing customized content onto the packages as they are being formed and filled. This allows customization of some or all of the packages without slowing down the packaging line. The digital printing apparatus is designed to work with high-speed packaging machines and does not impact production rates. It allows customization of packages like juice cartons without needing separate customization lines.

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Display body like packaging film that can be printed using lasers. The display body has a white printing layer that allows laser printing. The printing layer has a printed region where laser irradiation has occurred and a nonprinted region. Key properties include: - Difference in color L* values between printed and nonprinted regions should be 1.0-10.0. Lower values make printing hard to see, higher values require more laser power. - Total luminous transmittance of nonprinted regions should be 8%-50%. Lower values provide better concealment but can cause void content and laser pigment exceeding thresholds. - Fractional decrease in thickness of printed region vs nonprinted region should be 1%-80%. Lower values provide less visual contrast, higher values risk holes and fractures.

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A method for producing high-quality, flat printed packaging material using an assembly with improved reliability and quality compared to conventional methods. The method involves printing the packaging material using inkjet printers and drying it using near-infrared (NIR) radiation. The key innovation is transporting the thin material through the drying station using a thermally-conductive carrier roller with adjustable temperature. This allows precise control of the material temperature during drying to prevent quality issues. The carrier roller can have negative pressure or electrostatic attraction to grip the material without tension. This allows transport by roller rotation only. Multiple printers can print each color separately with dedicated drying stations or a single station for high temp materials. The assembly can also have separate white printing and drying stages.

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Frame to install a cheese packaging film printer directly on the cheese packaging machine to enable continuous printing and packaging of cheese using the same machine. The frame has features like a printer mount, film supply, film support, and tension maintenance to connect the printer, supply film, support printed film, and maintain tension during transfer. It prevents printer tilting during film feeding by sensing magnetic height differences and tilting the printer back. This allows continuous printing and packaging of cheese in a single space.

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Optimized packaging box processing system that improves workability, productivity, and quality by adapting to the specifications of different sized boxes. The system uses variable guides, recognition of work info, repositioning, and priority printing to handle boxes of varying sizes. The system has guide parts that adjust width based on box size. It reads IDs to recognize work info. It can reposition boxes secondarily to correct errors. It prioritizes printing patterns based on ink usage. This allows customized handling of boxes with different dimensions and contents.

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Retortable flexible packaging that can withstand high temperatures during sterilization without deteriorating printed graphics. The packaging uses a specific process to digitally print on the inner layer of the packaging and then crosslink the ink with electron beam radiation. This creates a retort-proof digital print that does not delaminate or fade during sterilization. The crosslinked digital print is laminated onto the middle barrier layer to form part of the multilayer packaging structure. The crosslinking converts the ink into a stable, retort-resistant form that maintains print quality after sterilization.

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Printing on packaging materials such as corrugated boards with good results, whilst avoiding or reducing the need for high opacity inks and white inks. The printing includes changing the image data of the image file taking into account that the colour of the side of the packaging material is substantially white; combining the changed image data with image data for the one or more second image areas to obtain the print data; and folding and optionally gluing the packaging material into multiple packaging products.

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Enhancing customer experience in e-commerce packaging by using digital printing on the boxes to personalize and engage customers. The method involves digitally printing custom designs, promotions, and messages on the packaging boxes based on customer data and preferences. This provides a personalized unboxing experience and can also upsell related products. The boxes are printed using digital techniques rather than traditional printing methods.

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A method to accurately position dynamic prints on packaging materials like cartons, that have pre-printed static designs. The method involves using a marking station with a camera to remove the static print in specific sections and reveal the underlying packaging material. This negative of the dynamic print is then placed inside the static print. The camera detects reference geometry of the static print and the removed sections to ensure correct positioning. The camera also checks quality features like code readability. This allows accurate dynamic prints even as the packaging dimensions vary.

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Improving printing accuracy for digital printing of packaging material used for containers holding liquid food products like milk cartons. The method involves identifying and aligning registration marks on the pre-printed area of the packaging web to precisely locate the unprinted area. Sensors detect the marks, processing determines positions, and an adjustment device moves the web to align with the printer bars for printing the unprinted area. This ensures accurate alignment and registration between the pre-printed and printed areas of each package blank.

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Display materials and packaging with printing that can be done by laser. The materials have a layer that allows printing when irradiated with a laser. The printing layer contains pigments that change color when excited by laser light. The pigments can be metals like bismuth oxide. The layer thickness for visible laser printing is 5-200 microns. The pigments are mixed with other resins to form the printing layer. The mixing is done in a way to prevent segregation of the pigments during extrusion. This ensures consistent pigment distribution for uniform printing. The materials are laminated and formed into display packages using techniques like vacuum deposition to create gas barriers. The lamination and forming steps are optimized to minimize shrinkage and deformation. The packaging can have a printed logo or text that is visible through the transparent material. The laser printing is distinct from the unprinted areas due to the pigments changing

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A system for ordering customized flexible packaging that ensures the design data provided by the customer is suitable for printing on the specific packaging shape. The system receives orders with packaging shape information from the customer. It provides them with format data matching that shape to create designs that will print correctly. This prevents issues like misaligned images when trying to use generic design templates. The system also holds material information associated with each packaging model, allowing accurate instructions for manufacturing.

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Printing system for packaging materials like flexible films used in packaging applications that ensures accurate and continuous alignment of printed images on the moving material. The system has a feature detection unit to continuously monitor a known feature on the packaging material. A control unit uses the detected feature position to calculate the correct image placement. It then activates specific printing nozzles to print the image at the calculated position. If the material shifts, the feature detection updates the image placement calculation to compensate. This allows compensating for misalignment and maintaining accurate image placement even if the material moves during printing.

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Method for producing flexible packaging containers using inkjet printing for small lots and variety of products while avoiding residual solvents and improving environmental issues compared to traditional methods. The method involves using water-based inkjet ink for printing patterns and images on the packaging film. This is followed by applying a primer layer and using water-based white ink for a final printing step. The finished packaging container is made by laminating a heat-sealable film onto the printed layers. This allows precise water-based printing with improved adhesion and printing quality for flexible food packaging.

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Improving the accuracy of digital printing on packaging material like cartons for food products like milk cartons. The method involves using sensors to identify registration marks on the pre-printed area of the packaging web, then determining the position of the second, unprinted area based on those marks. The web is then adjusted relative to the printer bars to accurately print the second area. This ensures the printed design lines up precisely with the pre-printed area.

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