The imagePRESS digital production printing system is an on-demand printer for professional use. It achieves outstanding high-resolution printouts and high productivity that rival offset printing as well as excellent durability, reliability and handling of short-run print jobs.
2018/12/27Featured Technology
Laser printers / laser multifunction printers (MFPs), office multifunction devices (MFDs), and digital production printing systems all employ the same printing principle.
1 Charging
The photosensitive drum surface is negatively charged with a static charge.
2 Exposure
Laser beams scan the photosensitive drum to form an image. Areas exposed to the laser beams lose their electrical charge.
3 Developing
Toner is brought in close proximity to the drum and affixes to non-charged areas.
4 Transfer
The photosensitive drum is brought into contact with the paper* and a positive charge is applied from behind, transferring the toner onto the paper.
5 Fixing
Heat and pressure are applied to fix the toner to the paper.
#Commercial printing#Mechanical engineering#Physics#Chemistry
Canon's imagePRESS handles thick and coated paper through a two-path system employing two fixing units. The paper initially passes through the first fixing unit, which utilizes a fixing roller and a pressure belt, and then through the second fixing unit, which uses fixing and pressure rollers, to realize high-luster printout. Paper that does not require dual fixing, such as thin or recycled paper, passes through the first fixing unit only.
Dual Fixing System
By automatically adjusting the paper path according to the type of paper*, the imagePRESS produces uniform surface luster and maintains a consistent print speed for media types of varying thicknesses.
#Commercial printing#Mechanical engineering
To ensure proper post-press processes, such as paper cutting and book binding, the imagePRESS must realize high-precision image positioning on the paper. Canon uses three Auto-Registration functions for increased image-positioning accuracy.
First, Active Registration uses skew-feed rollers to push fed paper against the side reference plate to ensure proper alignment with the image printing direction.
Active Registration
Next, on the intermediate transfer belt, the Registration Patch sensor detects a patch printed at the leading edge of the transfer image. By controlling the transport timing of the paper, this function ensures accurate print positioning between the leading and trailing edges of the paper.
Overview of 2nd Image Size Reduction
During duplex printing, the paper shrinks slightly due to the heat that is applied to fix the image to the front surface. To prevent paper shrinkage from affecting the printing position, Canon uses 2nd Image Size Reduction to create a slightly smaller image on the back surface so that the printed image size is identical on both the front and back surfaces of the paper.
#Commercial printing#Mechanical engineering
The Canon imagePRESS is capable of printing on assorted types and brands of paper of varying thicknesses. The systems are supported by Air Feeding technologies, which prevent double-feeding and realize stable paper feed.
Air Feeding supplies air from multiple sources to separate sheets and ensure accurate feed. For example, feeding air blows from the direction of the paper feed from a four-fan unit to separate and feed the sheets.
Side air blows from side fans to reliably separate curled or coated paper sticking to other sheets. Air warmed by a heater in the four-fan unit prevents coated paper from sticking together in hot and humid environments. The paper feed belt is also equipped with air suction to achieve fast and stable feeding.
Overview of Air Feeding Technologies in POD Deck
