Intermediate transfer member for a digital printing system

A method for operating a system comprising (i) a flexible intermediate transfer member (ITM) having a stack of multiple layers and one or more markers engraved in at least one of the layers, at one or more respective marking locations along the ITM, (ii) one or more sensing assemblies disposed at one or more respective predefined locations relative to the ITM, for producing signals indicative of respective positions of the markers, (iii) one or more light sources associated respectively with at least one of the sensing assemblies, such that each light source is facing the respective sensing assembly or coupled to the respective sensor, wherein each of the light sources is for illuminating the ITM, and (iv) a slit assembly, which is disposed between the ITM and the sensing assembly and having first and second slits, which are formed at a predefined distance from one another for passing, through the slit assembly, one or more light beams emitted from the light source, the method comprising:

• moving the ITM for receiving ink droplets from an ink supply system to form an ink image on the ITM, and transferring the ink image from the ITM to a target substrate;
• producing (i) a first signal when a given marker of the markers is aligned with the first slit, and (ii) a second signal when the given marker is aligned with the second slit, wherein the first signal is indicative of a position of the given marker aligned with the first slit, and the second signal is indicative of the position of the given marker aligned with the second slit;
• controlling a deposition of the ink droplets on the ITM based on the first and second signals;
• and
• detecting a deformation of the ITM based on the first and second signals.