A method for aligning print heads of a printer that deposit inks onto web paper, comprising: A. calibrating alignment of said print heads by; a) printing a registration test pattern as a series of dashes printed from each print head; b) determining lateral alignment between said print heads from said test pattern by sensing said series of dashes with a full width image contact sensor; c) actuating motors connected to said print heads to move said print heads into alignment based upon said lateral alignment determination; d) measuring initial skew of said web paper derived from c) by measuring an absolute position of an edge of said web paper relative to a predetermined absolute reference at each point along a print process path of said printer; and e) resetting a cumulative motors move log; and then B. monitoring lateral alignment of said print heads by; a) printing a registration test pattern as a series of dashes printed from each print head; b) determining lateral alignment between said print heads from said test pattern by sensing said series of dashes with a full width image contact sensor; c) actuating motors connected to said print heads to move said print heads into alignment based upon said lateral alignment determination; d) updating said cumulative motor move log by adding motor movement in c); e) extracting relative skew from said cumulative motor move log; and f) adding said relative skew to said initial skew to obtain absolute skew. A. calibrating alignment of said print heads by; a) printing a registration test pattern as a series of dashes printed from each print head; b) determining lateral alignment between said print heads from said test pattern by sensing said series of dashes with a full width image contact sensor; c) actuating motors connected to said print heads to move said print heads into alignment based upon said lateral alignment determination; d) measuring initial skew of said web paper derived from c) by measuring an absolute position of an edge of said web paper relative to a predetermined absolute reference at each point along a print process path of said printer; and e) resetting a cumulative motors move log; and then a) printing a registration test pattern as a series of dashes printed from each print head; b) determining lateral alignment between said print heads from said test pattern by sensing said series of dashes with a full width image contact sensor; c) actuating motors connected to said print heads to move said print heads into alignment based upon said lateral alignment determination; d) measuring initial skew of said web paper derived from c) by measuring an absolute position of an edge of said web paper relative to a predetermined absolute reference at each point along a print process path of said printer; and e) resetting a cumulative motors move log; and then B. monitoring lateral alignment of said print heads by; a) printing a registration test pattern as a series of dashes printed from each print head; b) determining lateral alignment between said print heads from said test pattern by sensing said series of dashes with a full width image contact sensor; c) actuating motors connected to said print heads to move said print heads into alignment based upon said lateral alignment determination; d) updating said cumulative motor move log by adding motor movement in c); e) extracting relative skew from said cumulative motor move log; and f) adding said relative skew to said initial skew to obtain absolute skew. a) printing a registration test pattern as a series of dashes printed from each print head; b) determining lateral alignment between said print heads from said test pattern by sensing said series of dashes with a full width image contact sensor; c) actuating motors connected to said print heads to move said print heads into alignment based upon said lateral alignment determination; d) updating said cumulative motor move log by adding motor movement in c); e) extracting relative skew from said cumulative motor move log; and f) adding said relative skew to said initial skew to obtain absolute skew.