Reducing marks in print agents on substrates
In an example, a method includes identifying a contact area of a substrate within which an apparatus will make contact with the substrate and defining a boundary area of the substrate between the contact area and a remaining area of the substrate. Print agent may be printed on the substrate, wherein the print agent is printed at a first coverage in the remaining area, a second coverage less than the first coverage in the contact area; and a gradually reducing coverage across the boundary area from the first to the second coverage.
1. A method comprising:
identifying a contact area of a substrate within which an apparatus contacts the substrate;
defining a boundary area of the substrate between the contact area and a remaining area of the substrate; and
printing a print agent on the substrate, wherein the print agent is printed at:
(i) a first coverage in the remaining area;
(ii) a second coverage less than the first coverage in the contact area; and
(iii) a gradually reducing coverage across the boundary area from the first to the second coverage.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the print agent is a transparent or translucent varnish or finishing print agent.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein defining the boundary area comprises defining a first edge of the boundary area bordering the remaining area and a second edge of the boundary area bordering the contact area, the boundary area being defined between the first and second edges.
4. A method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein defining the boundary area comprises defining at least one of the first and second edges as a non-linear edge.
5. A method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein defining the boundary area comprises defining at least one of the first and second edges as at least one of: jagged, zig-zag, and curved.
6. A method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein defining the boundary area comprises defining a boundary area coverage proximate the first edge to be substantially similar to the first coverage and defining a boundary area coverage proximate the second edge to be substantially similar to the second coverage.
7. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein printing the print agent on the substrate at a gradually reducing coverage across the boundary area comprises printing the coverage across the boundary area to reduce coverage:
(i) linearly across the boundary area;
(ii) in a stepwise manner across the boundary area; or
(iii) exponentially across the boundary area.
8. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein printing the print agent on the substrate at the first coverage comprises printing at a coverage of approximately 99% or 100%, and printing the print agent on the substrate at the second coverage comprises printing at a coverage of approximately 20% or 0%.
9. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a suction cup or a gripping tool for moving the substrate after the printing.
10. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the identifying comprises identifying a plurality of contact areas;
the defining comprises defining a boundary area respective to each contact area identified or a boundary area around the plurality of contact areas; and
the printing comprises printing at the second coverage in the plurality of contact areas, and at a gradually reducing coverage in the plurality of boundary areas or the boundary area.
11. A method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising printing a pigmented print agent onto the substrate prior to printing the print agent on the substrate.
12. A method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising, after printing the print agent on the substrate, moving the substrate by contacting the apparatus with the substrate in the contact area.
13. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the method is a method of reducing marks in a print agent on a substrate.
14. A printer system comprising:
a substrate contact apparatus;
an identifier to identify a contact area of a substrate within which the substrate contact apparatus interacts with the substrate;
a defining module to define a boundary area of the substrate between the contact area and a remaining area of the substrate; and
a printing apparatus to:
(i) print a print agent on the remaining area at a first coverage;
(ii) print the print agent on the contact area at a second coverage less than the first coverage; and
(iii) print the print agent across the boundary area at a progressively decreasing coverage between the first coverage to the second coverage.
15. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by a processor, the machine-readable storage medium comprising:
instructions to identify a handling area of a substrate within which an apparatus touches the substrate;
instructions to define a border area of the substrate between the handling area and a non-handling area of the substrate;
instructions to print a print agent on the non-handling area at a first coverage;
instructions to print the print agent on the handling area at a second coverage less than the first coverage; and
instructions to print the print agent across the border area at a gradually decreasing coverage from the first coverage to the second coverage.