CPC B41J 2/0057 (2013.01) [B41J 2/01 (2013.01); B41J 11/007 (2013.01); B41J 13/08 (2013.01); B41J 15/048 (2013.01); B41J 15/16 (2013.01); B65G 17/323 (2013.01); G03G 15/1615 (2013.01); B41J 2002/012 (2013.01)] | 16 Claims |
1. A method for preventing condensation on print heads of print bars in a printing system comprising an intermediate transfer member (ITM), a first print bar including a first plurality of print heads spaced from said ITM by a first gap and having mounted thereon a first blowing mechanism, and a second print bar including a second plurality of print heads spaced from said ITM by a second gap and having mounted thereon a second blowing mechanism said second print bar being disposed downstream of said first print bar, the method comprising:
while the ITM is in-motion at a defined speed beneath the print bars, and while print heads of the first plurality of print heads emit droplets of ink onto the ITM, performing the following:
blowing, from said first blowing mechanism into said first gap in a print direction, a first gas flow having a first flow rate, thereby to prevent condensation on said first plurality of print heads, wherein the first blowing mechanism is controlled such that a gas speed of the first gas flow both (i) exceeds the defined speed of the in-motion ITM and (ii) matches a speed required to cause satellite droplets of ink to catch up with their parent droplets without overtaking said parent droplets; and
blowing, from said second blowing mechanism into said second gap in said print direction, a second gas flow having a second flow rate, said second flow rate being different from said first flow rate, thereby to prevent condensation on said second plurality of print heads.
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