"Print marks settings" tab for non-digital label presses

The available marks options are matched to the label presses. This means that "Support Bar", "Color Marks", "Sensotec Mark", "Punch Mark" and "Info Text" types of marks are offered for selection.

Support Bar

Support bars are special marks that are required for label printing.

You define the lateral offset of the support bars (in mm) to the segment margin with offset in X direction. In addition, you can set the width (in mm) and the area coverage for the support bars. The width of the support bars is always changed symmetrically, in other words, the centerline of the support bars is not displaced.

Color marks

This is where you can set that register marks and spot color patches will be printed.

Use the "X" and "Y" values to set the offset of the register marks and/or the spot color strips to the subjects in horizontal and vertical direction. The position refers to the segment margin.

Register marks

The register marks for Labelfire presses are designed so that a color depicted as a cross on a bounding circle of the color occurring first is shown, which allows the registration to be corrected. The marks are placed on the side of the subject. You set the number and position of the marks in the "Marks per Side" and "Position" list boxes. You have the following options:

​•​One mark at the top left (Machine side)

​•​One mark at the top right (Operator side)

​•​Two marks at the top left and bottom left (Machine side)

​•​Two marks at the top right and bottom right (Operator side)

​•​Four marks, one each at the top right and left and at the bottom right and left (On both sides)

"Labeling" option

If you enable this option, the marks are labeled with a color code of the color concerned (C,M,Y,K).

In the example, two marks per side with "On both sides" as position are enabled:

Spot Color Patches

When you enable this option, control strips made up of spot color patches are printed. You can print spot color strips together with register marks or on their own. You can set the offset of the spot color strip to the register marks if register marks and spot color patches are both enabled. This is the offset of the lower edge of the spot color strip to the top edge of the lower right register mark. In other words, the spot color strip lies above the lower right register mark.

Register marks and spot color strips are placed one below the other in a straight line. The size of a color patch is 6mm by 6mm.

"Sensotec Mark" mark type

Sensotec marks are special marks that are used for automatic register control. Sensotec marks are placed by default on the machine side (top left).

Use the "X" and "Y" values to set the offset of the Sensotec marks to the subject in horizontal and vertical direction.

"Also on Operator Side" option

If you enable this option, Sensotec marks are also placed on the operator side, diagonally to the Sensotec marks on the machine side (bottom right).

"Negative Output of Master" option

When you enable this option, the Sensotec mark is handled as "knockout" in the color defined as "Master".

"Punch Mark" mark type

A special mark is needed for punch synchronization in a label press. It is a box whose height, width and position can be set. By default, this mark is a square with an edge length of 1 cm at the position [0.0] (top left corner).

If needed, you can define the area coverage for the punch mark.

Use the "X" and "Y" values to set the offset of the punch marks to the subject in horizontal and vertical direction.

You define the size of the punch marks with "Height" and "Width".

"Position" list box

The positioning of Sensotec marks is always measured relative to the edge of the subject, while punch marks are normally positioned relative to the material edge of the substrate. If, for example, both mark types are used at the same time, the X and Y position values of the punch marks must be manually adjusted to the subject position.

To make this adjustment easier, you can select the “Subject” entry in the “Position” selection list instead of the standard “Material” setting. The X-Y position values of the punch marks then refer to the edge of the subject - as with the Sensotec marks.

X and Y position values

Use the "X" and "Y" values to set the offset of the register marks and/or the spot color strips to the subjects in horizontal and vertical direction. The position refers to the segment margin.

In the "Marks per Side" box, you set the number of register marks on the left and on the right of the substrate. A maximum of two register marks per side can be output. In the example, two marks per side are enabled.

In the "Marks per Side" box, you set the number of register marks on the left and on the right of the substrate. In the example, two marks per side are enabled.

"Info Text" mark type

You can use this option to define special text marks by entering the appropriate text in the edit box. For example, you can enter information on specific output options, or comments on finishing.

"Extended order information" option

Enabling this option for marks type "Info Text" lets you include additional information on the print job such as information on the printed documents, colors, and special effects in the slugline.

Offsets X and Y

In the "X" and "Y" boxes you define the offsets of the mark to the reference point in the bottom left corner of the subject. If register marks, for example, are also defined, the reference point shifts to the top margin of the register marks.

Note: The angle for info text marks is set by default to 90° (in anticlockwise direction) for label presses. This is to avoid the info text mark from inadvertently running across the 1up.

Mark components

An info text mark contains the following components:

​•​Job Number

​•​Job type (in the example "Records" because it is a PDF/VT document)

​•​Date, time

​•​Output condition

​•​Text of the "Info Text" box

The marks are placed on the right margin of the subject. If color marks and Info Text are not arranged on a joint vertical line, the Info Text mark will be placed on the lower segment margin.

The font size is set automatically so that the text automatically utilizes the available space.