Systems and methods for high speed variable printing

A method for producing a printed sheet using a printing deck, wherein the printing deck has an ink receptive surface, the method comprising the steps of:

• applying ink to the ink receptive surface of the printing deck;
• selectively applying an aqueous solution to a sheet to define non-image and image areas thereon, wherein, before the aqueous solution is applied, both the non-image and image areas of the sheet are receptive to the aqueous solution and ink, and wherein the aqueous solution is applied substantially only to the non-image was area;
• and
• contacting the non-image area having the aqueous solution and the image was area with the ink applied to the ink receptive surface of the printing deck whereby ink is transferred substantially only to the image area of the sheet to produce the printed sheet comprising ink on the sheet, wherein the sheet is other than an element of the printing deck and the aqueous solution substantially prevents transfer of ink to the non-image area.

A method of producing printed paper using a printing deck, wherein the printing deck has a cylindrical ink receptive surface and an impression cylinder wherein a paper path is disposed between the cylindrical ink receptive surface and the impression cylinder, the method comprising the steps of:

• applying lithographic ink to the ink receptive surface of the printing deck;
• applying an aqueous solution to paper on a controllable point-by-point basis using at least one ink jet head to define non-image and image areas thereon, wherein the image area is substantially free of the aqueous solution, and, before the aqueous solution is applied, both the non-image and image areas of the paper are receptive to the aqueous solution and ink;
• and
• passing the paper having aqueous solution applied thereon through the paper path to contact the non-image area having the aqueous solution and the image area with the lithographic ink applied to the ink receptive surface of the printing deck wherein lithographic ink is transferred substantially only to the image area of the paper to produce the printed paper, wherein the aqueous solution substantially prevents transfer of the lithographic ink to the non-image area and the paper is other than an element of the printing deck.

A method of producing first and second different printed papers using a printing deck, wherein the printing deck has a cylindrical ink receptive surface and an impression cylinder wherein a paper path is disposed between the cylindrical ink receptive surface and the impression cylinder, the method comprising the steps of:

• applying lithographic ink to the ink receptive surface of the printing deck;
• applying an aqueous solution in liquid form to paper on a controllable point-by-point basis using at least one ink jet head to define non-image and image areas thereon, wherein the image area is substantially free of the aqueous solution, and wherein, before the aqueous solution is applied, both the non-image and image areas of the paper are receptive to the aqueous solution and ink;
• and
• passing the paper having the aqueous solution applied thereon through the paper path to contact the non-image area having aqueous solution and the image area with the lithographic ink applied to the ink receptive surface of the printing deck wherein lithographic ink is transferred substantially only to the image area of the paper to produce the printed paper, wherein the aqueous solution substantially prevents transfer of the lithographic ink to the non-image area and the aqueous solution remains in liquid form when the paper is contacted by the lithographic ink and the paper is other than an element of the printing deck, and wherein at least each of the steps of applying the aqueous solution and passing the paper is undertaken twice to produce first and second different printed papers.