System and methods for registration alignment accuracy in manufacture of decorative laminates

A method for maintaining alignment of a press plate, the method comprising:

• providing a press including a press plate, the press configured for forming a laminate comprising a decorative layer and a substrate, wherein the press plate is configured for applying a texture design to the laminate, and wherein the texture design is based on a texture design drawing layer;
• retrieving a laminate design file comprising a decorative design drawing layer and the texture design drawing layer, the laminate design file illustrating the decorative design drawing layer overlaid with the texture design drawing layer;
• following manufacture of the laminate with the press, capturing an image of the laminate with a camera, wherein the captured image of the laminate comprises a portion of the texture design;
• comparing a portion of the captured image of the laminate comprising the portion of the texture design to a corresponding portion of the laminate design file to determine a registration quality;
• based on the determined registration quality, determining a misalignment of the decorative layer with the press plate;
• and
• in response to determining the misalignment, triggering an alert.

A computer program product for maintaining alignment of a press plate, wherein the computer program product comprises a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to:

• retrieve a laminate design file associated with a laminate, the laminate design file comprising a decorative design drawing layer and a texture design drawing layer, the laminate design file illustrating the decorative design drawing layer overlaid with the texture design drawing layer;
• following manufacture of the laminate with a press including a press plate, the press configured for forming the laminate, wherein the laminate comprises a decorative layer and a substrate layer, wherein the press plate is configured for applying a texture design to the laminate, and wherein the texture design is based on the texture design drawing layer, capture an image of the laminate with a camera, wherein the captured image of the laminate comprises a portion of the texture design;
• compare a portion of the captured image of the laminate comprising the portion of the texture design to a corresponding portion of the laminate design file to determine a registration quality;
• based on the determined registration quality, determine a misalignment of the decorative layer with the press plate;
• and
• in response to determining the misalignment, trigger an alert.