A study on the enhancement of printing location accuracy in a roll-to-roll gravure offset printing system

Abstract

This paper presents how to make a design of a roll-to-roll gravure offset printing system and how to control the printing process for the enhancement of printing location accuracy. Factors that cause printing errors include imprecision due to printing components, measurement and control, and printing environment. The suggested concept of design adapts the stop-and-go web feeding mechanism, which is able to avoid lag measurement control and coupled control of speed, tension, and register control. Regarding the control of the printing process, the effect of a synchronization error between the stage and blanket rollers on printing precision was investigated analytically and experimentally. The change of synchronization during the printing process was observed and the measure to compensate the synchronization error automatically was also examined.