Patent ID: 8208174

Claim:
A method to reduce a deviation from a predetermined desired pitch that occurs between at least two points of at least one print image in a print direction, comprising the steps of: in a printing step, generating at least one print image, that comprises at least two points, on a substrate with at least one print head of a printing device with a relative movement between the at least one print head and the substrate; in a determination step preceding the printing step, from an initial image selected from the group consisting of a theoretical image and a test printed image automatically determining an initial deviation in said initial image from a desired pitch between two points in the initial image corresponding to the two points in said print image and, from said initial deviation, automatically determining correction information to reduce the initial deviation from the determined initial deviation; in the printing step, generating control signals for the at least one print head depending on the correction information to generate the at least one print image; and applying a time delay to at least one of the control signals dependent on the correction information that reduces an actual deviation from said desired deviation between said two points in said print image.