Digital printing process

A method of operating components of a system comprising an intermediate transfer member (ITM), a cleaning station, and a turret assembly disposed downstream of the cleaning station, the ITM comprising a flexible endless belt mounted over a plurality of guide rollers, the turret assembly comprising a turret and a plurality of turret-mounted deflector-objects mounted around a circumference of the turret, the method comprising:

• at the cleaning station, employing a first brush to remove material disposed on an outer surface of the ITM, the first brush being disposed outside of a belt-loop defined by the endless belt;
• thinning an in-motion layer of liquid that is applied, to the outer surface of the ITM, downstream of the first brush, wherein the thinning is performed by a given turret-mounted deflector-object of the plurality of turret-mounted deflector-objects such that (i) the given turret-mounted deflector-object is disposed outside of the belt-loop and (ii) the given turret-mounted deflector-object faces the outer surface of the ITM to deflect, from the outer surface of the ITM, excess liquid to thin the in-motion layer of liquid;
• rotating the turret of the turret-assembly to perform a replacement-operation to replace the given turret-mounted deflector objection with a replacement turret-mounted deflector-object of the plurality of turret-mounted deflector-objects,
• subsequently and at a time when the given turret-mounted deflector-object has ceased to interact with the outer surface of the ITM, further rotating the turret of the turret-assembly to cause the given deflector-object to pass through a group of bristles of a second brush to remove deposits from the given deflector-object;
• and
• subsequently, further rotating the turret of the turret assembly to position the given deflector-object to again interact with the outer surface of the ITM to again deflect liquid therefrom to thin the in-motion layer of liquid.

A method of operating components of a system comprising an intermediate transfer member (ITM), a cleaning station, and a turret assembly disposed downstream of the cleaning station, the ITM comprising a flexible endless belt mounted over a plurality of guide rollers, the turret assembly comprising a turret and a plurality of turret-mounted deflector-objects mounted around a circumference of the turret, the method comprising:

• at the cleaning station, employing a brush disposed outside of a belt-loop defined by the endless belt to remove material disposed on an outer surface of the ITM;
• thinning an in-motion layer of liquid that is applied, to the outer surface of the ITM, downstream of the brush, wherein the thinning is performed by a given turret-mounted deflector-object of the plurality of turret-mounted deflector-objects of the turret assembly working in combination with a backing roller such that:
• (i) the backing roller is disposed inside of the belt-loop and downstream of the brush;
• (ii) the given turret-mounted deflector-object is disposed outside of the belt-loop to and opposite to the backing roller so that the given turret-mounted deflector-object faces the outer surface of the ITM to deflect, from the outer surface of the ITM, excess liquid to thin the in-motion layer of liquid;
• and
• rotating the turret of the turret-assembly to perform a replacement-operation to replace the given turret-mounted deflector-object with a replacement turret-mounted deflector-object, wherein when the given turret-mounted deflector-object is positioned opposite of the backing roller to thin the in-motion layer of liquid, at least one of the following is true:
• (I) the given deflector-object is urged towards the backing roller to press thereon via a portion of the ITM dispose therebetween;
• and/or
• (II) the backing roller is urged towards the given deflector object to press thereon via a portion of the ITM dispose therebetween.

A method of operating components of a system comprising an intermediate transfer member (ITM), a cleaning station, and a turret assembly disposed downstream of the cleaning station, the ITM comprising a flexible endless belt mounted over a plurality of guide rollers, the turret assembly comprising a turret and a plurality of turret-mounted deflector-objects mounted around a circumference of the turret, the method comprising:

• applying layer of liquid to an outer surface of the ITM as the ITM rotates so that the applied layer of liquid is in-motion on the outer surface of the ITM;
• and
• thinning the in-motion layer of liquid, wherein the thinning is performed by a given turret-mounted deflector-object of the plurality of turret-mounted deflector-objects of the turret assembly such that:
• (i) the given turret-mounted deflector-object is disposed outside of the belt-loop and (ii) the given turret-mounted deflector-object faces the outer surface of the ITM to deflect, from the outer surface of the ITM, excess liquid to thin the in-motion layer of liquid, wherein the method is performed so that at least one of a first condition, a second condition, and a third condition is true, and wherein:
• I. according to the first condition, the thinning is performed by a given turret-mounted deflector-object of the plurality of turret-mounted deflector-objects of the turret assembly working in combination with a backing roller such that:
• A. the backing roller is disposed inside of the belt-loop and downstream of the brush;
• B. the given turret-mounted deflector-object is disposed outside of the belt-loop to and opposite to the backing roller so that the given turret-mounted deflector-object faces the outer surface of the ITM to deflect, from the outer surface of the ITM;
• C. at least one of the following is true:
• i. the given deflector-object is urged towards the backing roller to press thereon via a portion of the ITM dispose therebetween;
• and/or
• ii. the backing roller is urged towards the given deflector object to press thereon via a portion of the ITM dispose therebetween;
• II. according to the second condition, the method further comprises:
• rotating the turret of the turret-assembly to perform a replacement-operation to replace the given turret-mounted deflector-object with a replacement turret-mounted deflector-object, wherein during the rotating the given turret-mounted deflector-object does not cease to be functional until the replacement turret-mounted deflector-object commences functioning;
• and
• III. according to the third condition, the method further comprises:
• rotating the turret of the turret-assembly to perform a replacement-operation to replace the given turret-mounted deflector objection with a replacement turret-mounted deflector-object of the plurality of turret-mounted deflector-objects,
• subsequently and at a time when the given turret-mounted deflector-object has ceased to interact with the outer surface of the ITM, further rotating the turret of the turret-assembly to cause the given deflector-object to pass through a group of bristles of a brush to remove deposits from the given deflector-object;
• and
• subsequently, further rotating the turret of the turret assembly to position the given deflector-object to again interact with the outer surface of the ITM to again deflect liquid therefrom to thin the in-motion layer of liquid.