Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag

Heiner Pitz

Bernard Beier

Peter Hachmann

Axel Hauck

Martin Greive

Martin Mayer

Matthias Schloerholz

Uwe Ernst

Alexander Matern

Thomas Wolf

Albert Maul

Rolf Spilger

Michael Schwandt

Rolf Kuendgen

Helge Grandt

Rolf Mueller

Matthias Schlörholz

Pierre Hoynant

Achim Scheurer

Werner Anweiler

Bernhard Mechler

Silvia Worgt

Jessica Gioia

Bernard Dr Beier

Johann Dr Weigert

Wolfram Dr Kolbe

A device for imaging and/or varnishing the surfaces of objects or vehicles, etc. includes adapting a time lag between an application of fluid and further treatment thereof, such as drying ink or varnish, to a spreading behavior of the fluid during the application thereof. The fluid may be applied to the surface of the object in sections, firstly drying the fluid in individual sections before applying it to the next section.

Device for imaging and/or varnishing the surfaces of objects

A method for printing at least one section of a flat or preferably curved surface of an object includes using a relative movement between an inkjet head and the object to move the inkjet head along a first path and print a first track in the process and to move the inkjet head along a second path and print a second track in the process. A first track edge of the first track and a second track edge of the second track meet at a point and enclose an angle between about 1&#xb0; and about 179&#xb0; at the point. The method permits the curved surface to be printed without perceptible track connections.

Methods for printing a curved surface of an object by using an inkjet head

A method for removing solidified ink or varnish from a surface includes applying a cleaning agent to the ink on the surface. The cleaning agent applied to the ink on the surface is substantially solvent-free and water-based and reduces adhesion between the ink and the surface without dissolving the ink. An adhesive side or face of a single-sided or single face adhesive element is applied to the surface. As the adhesive element is removed from the surface, the ink that has been treated with the cleaning agent but is undissolved adheres to the adhesive element and is thus removed from the surface together with the adhesive element without splitting.

Method for removing solidified ink or varnish using adhesive strips

A method for the indirect application of printing liquid onto a printing material provides an intermediate carrier, preferably a circulating belt, a liquid conditioning medium including a first substance applied onto the intermediate carrier and a printing liquid, in particular an inkjet ink, including a second substance applied onto the conditioning medium on the intermediate carrier. The printing liquid is situated as droplets or a layer substantially on the conditioning medium and the droplets or the layer form a contact region on their underside with the conditioning medium. The printing liquid is heated, preferably by way of a dryer and the printing liquid is transferred from the intermediate carrier onto the printing material.

Method for the indirect application of printing liquid onto a printing material

A method and a device for imaging and/or varnishing the surfaces of objects or vehicles, etc. includes adapting a time lag between an application of fluid and further treatment thereof, such as drying ink or varnish, to a spreading behavior of the fluid during the application thereof. The fluid may be applied to the surface of the object in sections, firstly drying the fluid in individual sections before applying it to the next section.

Method and device for imaging and/or varnishing the surfaces of objects

A method prints an object, for example a vehicle and specifically the body thereof, wherein at least one area of the surface of the object is printed. The method includes: providing an image; three-dimensionally measuring at least the area; generating a number of spatial points in correspondence with the area; generating a three-dimensional net corresponding with the area; generating path data, i.e. a three-dimensional path for moving a robot for an inkjet printer head; generating raster data, i.e. a raster matrix, in particular a three-dimensional or higher raster matrix, for actuating the inkjet printer head; moving the robot, for example an articulated arm robot, utilizing the path data; and printing the image by the inkjet printer head utilizing the raster data. The method permits multi-color printing of any image onto so-called 3D surfaces of any shape.

Method for printing an object having at least one non-planar, contoured or three-dimensional surface

In a method for re-imaging a printing form that has been used for printing in a prior printing process a substrate of the printing form is cleaned globally of ink or varnish and the substrate is treated abrasively globally in order to erase a preceding printing image. The substrate to be imaged with a new printing image is treated locally in image regions with a pulsed laser beam and, in the process, a nanoscopic and hydrophobic surface structure is produced locally. The substrate is treated globally with a hydrophilicity intensifier, as a result of which the substrate becomes hydrophilic locally in the previously hydrophobic image regions. An apparatus has a corresponding erasing unit and an imaging unit with a femtosecond laser.

Method and apparatus for re-imaging a previously used printing form

A system for printing an image, preferably a multicolor halftone image, onto at least one non-planar area of a surface of an object, for example a section of a body of a vehicle, includes an inkjet print head having nozzles, a robot, preferably an articulated robot, creating a primary movement, the primary movement including at least two printing paths of the inkjet print head being lateral to each other, and a device creating a secondary movement, the secondary movement being substantially perpendicular to the primary movement and causing the printing paths to laterally adjoin each other. As a result, undesired streaks between the printing paths may advantageously be reduced or prevented.

System for printing on an object

A device for supplying radiant energy onto a printing substrate (), including at least one radiant energy source () whose light () impinges on the printing substrate () on the path () of the printing substrate () through a printing press at a position () downstream of at least one printing nip () in a printing unit. The radiant energy source () emits light () having a peak-to-valley homogeneity of less than 15% in a direction transverse to the direction of the path () of the printing substrate ().

Device for supplying radiant energy onto a printing substrate

An apparatus for printing surfaces, for example of three-dimensionally shaped vehicle body parts, includes movable print heads having actuable, preferably inkjet, nozzles, and at least one printing position and one parking position into which the print heads can be moved or rotated. At least one first and one second print head have mutually different nozzle configurations, sizes or shapes. In a first mode, the first print head is in a printing position and the second print head is in a parking position, and in a second mode, the first print head is in a parking position and the second print head is in a printing position. The print heads can be on a rotation apparatus which can be on a robot arm. Surfaces of any shape, having curvatures and/or undercuts, can be printed in one or multiple colors (in image terms). A system having the apparatus is also provided.

Apparatus for printing surfaces having a plurality of movable print heads and system having the apparatus

A method for drying printing ink containing an inactive active substance enclosed before drying in a reaction-inhibited form in a transport substance, for accelerating the drying of the printing ink on a print medium, includes applying the printing ink to a print medium being dried at a reaction site by supplying energy to the printing ink, and releasing the active substance by an energy supply from the transport substance at the reaction site for activation. A printing ink includes an active substance enclosed before drying in a reaction-inhibited form in a transport substance, for accelerating the drying of the printing ink on a print medium. The active substance is releasable during the drying by an energy supply from the transport substance at the reaction site.

Method for drying printing ink and printing ink

A method for drying a printing ink () on a printing substrate () in a printing press (), and a printing press (). The printing substrate () is moved along a path () through the printing press () and printed on by at least one printing ink () at a first position () of the path (). At a second position () of the path (), in a conditioning apparatus, a treatment agent () is applied to the printing substrate () to accelerate the drying of the printing ink () on the printing substrate () and includes, in particular, an infrared absorber which has an absorption wavelength that is essentially resonant to the wavelength of the light () of the radiant energy source (). The printing substrate () may be dried by the action of radiant energy at a chronologically later point in time, at at least one third position () of the path (), by a drying device, in particular by a narrow-band radiant energy source ().

Method for drying a printing ink on a printing substrate in a printing press, and a printing press

A method for applying printing ink to a printing material, includes producing ink-conducting and ink-repelling areas on an at least approximately flat surface. A plurality of areas with defined color acceptor properties are provided to produce the ink-conducting areas on the surface. The surface is brought into contact with color particles, including a subgroup of dyes, pigments, colored molecules or colored particles. At least one of the subgroups colored molecules and pigments has surface acceptor properties corresponding to the color acceptor properties of the areas. The at least one subgroup colored molecules and pigments is deposited on the areas of defined color acceptor properties of the surface corresponding to the surface acceptor property. The at least one deposited subgroup colored molecules and pigments is transferred from the surface to a printing material. A printing form, an inking unit and a printing machine are also provided.

Printing method and device

A method for drying a printing ink () on a printing substrate () in a printing press (), one printing ink () having one color pigment being used to print on the printing substrate () at one position () of a path () along which the printing substrate is conveyed through the printing press (), and, at a chronologically later point in time, at one further position () of the path (), the printing substrate () being illuminated with light () from a laser light source () having a wavelength of between 350 nm and 700 nm, the wavelength being resonant to an absorption wavelength of the color pigment of the printing ink (). A print unit () for implementing the method is described which has a laser light source () which emits light () of a wavelength of between 350 nm and 700 nm.

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Weinheim, Germany

Heiner Pitz