Method for locally adjusting gloss while printing an image
A method for locally adjusting the glossiness of a printed image includes printing an image onto a recording medium in multiple swaths and locally adjusting the ink volume for each swath. A printer for printing an image onto a recording medium includes a control unit configured to perform the method.
1. A method for printing an image onto a recording medium in n swaths in accordance with an image file comprising a gloss map, n being an integer of at least 2, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
determining a total ink volume to be printed on a first area of the recording medium, thereby determining the total thickness of the ink layers to be printed for said first area;
determining a gloss level for said first area from the gloss map;
determining an ink layer thickness profile for said first area based on the determined gloss level;
setting an ink volume to be printed for each swath for said first area, thereby setting an ink volume distribution for said first area;
jetting an ink with a first volume in a first swath for said first area;
jetting an ink with a second volume in a second swath for said first area, wherein the second volume may be different than the first volume;
jetting an ink with a third volume in m swaths, wherein m=n−2, and wherein the third volume may be different from the first volume and/or the second volume; and
curing the jetted ink,
wherein the sum of the first volume, the second volume and the third volume equals the total ink volume.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first volume in the first swath is lower than the second volume in the second swath.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the jetted ink is cured after the first swath is jetted and before the second swath is jetted.
4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the jetted ink is cured after the first swath is jetted and before the second swath is jetted.
5. A printer for printing an image onto a recording medium, wherein the printer comprises:
a printhead for jetting an ink composition onto a recording medium;
a radiation source for curing the ink composition jetted onto the recording medium by the printhead; and
a control configured to perform the method according to claim 2 .
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first volume in the first swath is higher than the second volume in the second swath.
7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the jetted ink is cured after the first swath is jetted and before the second swath is jetted.
8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the jetted ink is cured after the first swath is jetted and before the second swath is jetted.
9. A printer for printing an image onto a recording medium, wherein the printer comprises:
a printhead for jetting an ink composition onto a recording medium;
a radiation source for curing the ink composition jetted onto the recording medium by the printhead; and
a control configured to perform the method according to claim 6 .
10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first volume in the first swath is essentially the same as the second volume in the second swath.
11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the jetted ink is cured after the first swath is jetted and before the second swath is jetted.
12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the jetted ink is cured after the first swath is jetted and before the second swath is jetted.
13. A printer for printing an image onto a recording medium, wherein the printer comprises:
a printhead for jetting an ink composition onto a recording medium;
a radiation source for curing the ink composition jetted onto the recording medium by the printhead; and
a control configured to perform the method according to claim 10 .
14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the jetted ink is cured after the first swath is jetted and before the second swath is jetted.
15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the jetted ink is cured only after jetting the n th swath.
16. A printer for printing an image onto a recording medium, wherein the printer comprises:
a printhead for jetting an ink composition onto a recording medium;
a radiation source for curing the ink composition jetted onto the recording medium by the printhead; and
a control configured to perform the method according to claim 1 .
17. The printer according to claim 16 , wherein the radiation source for curing the ink composition is a UV radiation source.
18. The printer according to claim 17 , wherein the UV radiation source is a UV LED lamp.
19. A method for printing an image onto a recording medium in n swaths in accordance with an image file comprising a gloss map, n being an integer of at least 2, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
determining a total colored ink volume to be printed on a first area of the recording medium, thereby determining the total thickness of the ink layers to be printed for said first area;
determining a gloss level for said first area from the gloss map;
determining an ink layer thickness profile for said first area based on the determined gloss level;
setting a colored ink volume to be printed for each swath for said first area, thereby setting an ink volume distribution for said first area;
jetting a colored ink with a first volume in a first swath for said first area;
jetting a colored ink with a second volume in a second swath for said first area, wherein the second volume may be different than the first volume;
jetting a colored ink with a third volume in m swaths, wherein m=n−2, and wherein the third volume may be different from the first volume and/or the second volume; and
curing the jetted ink,
wherein the sum of the first volume, the second volume and the third volume equals the total ink volume.