Image control system and can decorator employing same

A can decorator comprising:

• an ink application system including:
• a blanket wheel including a wheel frame and a plurality of printing blankets disposed on the radial surface of said wheel frame;
• and
• a number of ink station assemblies each including a printing plate cylinder assembly including an axial adjustment assembly and a circumferential adjustment assembly,
• wherein each ink station assembly is structured to apply a portion of an image to a printing blanket and wherein each printing blanket is structured to apply an image to a can body wherein each can body has an applied image;
• an image control system including:
• an electronic can decorator control assembly;
• a mechanical can decorator control assembly structured to be operatively coupled to said printing plate cylinder assembly axial adjustment assembly or said printing plate cylinder assembly circumferential adjustment assembly;
• said electronic can decorator control assembly structured to be operatively coupled to said mechanical can decorator control assembly;
• and
• wherein said electronic can decorator control assembly is structured to send a signal to said mechanical can decorator control assembly so as to adjust at least one of said printing plate cylinder assembly axial adjustment assembly or said printing plate cylinder assembly circumferential adjustment assembly,
• wherein said mechanical can decorator control assembly includes a number of actuators with at least one actuator operatively coupled to at least one of said printing plate cylinder assembly axial adjustment assembly or said printing plate cylinder assembly circumferential adjustment assembly,
• wherein said at least one actuator includes an air motor and a reducer assembly,
• wherein said at least one actuator is structured to provide a fine adjustment of at least one of said printing plate cylinder assembly axial adjustment assembly and said printing plate cylinder assembly circumferential adjustment assembly by moving said printing plate cylinder assembly axial adjustment assembly or said printing plate cylinder assembly circumferential adjustment assembly in increments of less than 0.001 inches, and
• wherein said at least one actuator is structured to provide the fine adjustment of at least one of said printing plate cylinder assembly axial adjustment assembly and said printing plate cylinder assembly circumferential adjustment assembly in response to the signal from said electronic can decorator control assembly.