Method and flatbed printer for creating prints on pieces of media having a different thickness

Abstract

A method for printing by means of a flatbed printer including a flatbed surface for placing a plurality of pieces of media to be printed upon, the plurality of pieces of media having different thicknesses, a control unit for controlling the printing of digital images on the plurality of pieces of media, a gantry constructed to move over the flatbed surface in a first direction and extending in a second direction, a print head configured to eject recording material on the plurality of pieces of media and attached to the gantry, the method including the steps of dividing the flatbed surface into a plurality of strips extending in the second direction over a length of the flatbed surface in the second direction, storing a position of each of the plurality of strips in storage of the control unit, for each strip coupling in storage a thickness range to the strip, the thickness range including a maximum allowed thickness for a piece of media to be placed in the strip on the flatbed surface and a minimum allowed thickness for a piece of media to be printed upon when placed in the strip on the flatbed surface, establishing a position of each piece of media of the plurality of pieces of media in the appropriate strip according to the thickness of the piece of media, moving the print head over the flatbed surface, and ejecting the recording material on the plurality of pieces of media when moving the print head over the flatbed surface, wherein upon the print head reaching a strip when moving over the flatbed surface, adapting the distance from the print head to the flatbed surface according to the thickness range coupled to the strip.