Laser pretreatment UV ink jet printer

Abstract

The utility model discloses a laser pretreatment UV ink jet machine which comprises a machine frame, a conveying belt rotatably arranged on the machine frame, a laser irradiation mechanism movably arranged above the conveying belt and located at one end, and a laser pretreatment UV ink jet machine capable of conducting etching on the surface of a workpiece which is placed on the conveying belt, conveyed to the position below the conveying belt and made of a PP material so that the surface of the workpiece can be roughened. The ink jetting mechanism is movably arranged above the conveying belt and located behind the ink jetting mechanism and can jet UV ink to the surface of the etched workpiece, and the curing mechanism is arranged above the conveying belt and located behind the ink jetting mechanism and can irradiate the UV ink on the surface of the workpiece after ink jetting so that the UV ink can be cured; before the UV ink is sprayed, the surface of the PP material workpiece is etched through the laser irradiation mechanism to be roughened, and the adhesive force between the UV ink and the surface of the workpiece can be enhanced; the conveying belt achieves continuous conveying of workpieces, and the machining efficiency is improved; the ink jetting mechanism and the curing mechanism are matched with each other to complete ink jetting and ink curing of the workpiece, and the printing processing flow is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of polymer material surface treatment technology, and in particular relates to a laser pretreatment UV inkjet printer. Background Technology

[0002] Polypropylene (PP) materials are widely used in many fields due to their lightweight and chemical resistance; however, their low surface energy and weak polarity result in poor adhesion of UV inkjet printing to their surfaces. Current traditional improvement methods, such as corona treatment, chemical priming, or plasma treatment, have several shortcomings. For example, chemical treatments generate volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are not environmentally friendly; corona treatment effects decay over time, resulting in insufficient durability; and these methods require multiple steps, leading to complex processes and increased production costs. Furthermore, existing technologies for improving UV inkjet adhesion largely rely on formulation optimization, such as adding specific photoinitiators or resins, but fail to effectively address the surface inertness of the PP substrate. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an efficient and environmentally friendly physical-chemical synergistic treatment method to improve the poor UV inkjet adhesion of PP materials. Utility Model Content

[0003] (I) Purpose of the utility model

[0004] To overcome the above shortcomings, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a laser pretreatment UV inkjet printer to solve the technical problem of poor UV inkjet adhesion on the surface of polypropylene (PP) material workpieces.

[0005] (II) Technical Solution

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution provided in this application is as follows:

[0007] A laser pretreatment UV inkjet printer includes: a frame; a conveyor belt rotatably mounted on the frame; a laser irradiation mechanism movably mounted above the conveyor belt and located at one end, capable of etching and roughening the surface of a workpiece made of PP material placed on the conveyor belt and conveyed below it; an inkjet mechanism movably mounted above the conveyor belt and located after the inkjet mechanism, capable of spraying UV ink onto the etched workpiece surface; and a curing mechanism mounted above the conveyor belt and located after the inkjet mechanism, capable of irradiating the UV ink on the surface of the inkjet-sprayed workpiece to cure it.

[0008] Before spraying UV ink, the surface of the PP material workpiece is roughened by laser irradiation mechanism, which can enhance the adhesion between UV ink and workpiece surface; the conveyor belt enables continuous transport of workpiece, improving processing efficiency; the inkjet mechanism and curing mechanism work together to complete inkjet spraying and ink curing of workpiece, realizing a complete printing process.

[0009] In some embodiments, it further includes: a sensing device disposed above the conveyor belt and located between the laser irradiation mechanism and the inkjet mechanism, capable of sensing in real time whether there is a workpiece being conveyed towards the inkjet mechanism below;

[0010] The sensor can prevent the inkjet mechanism from spraying ink ineffectively when there is no workpiece, thus saving UV ink; it can also precisely control the inkjet timing, ensuring that the ink is accurately sprayed onto the workpiece surface, thereby improving inkjet quality and processing accuracy.

[0011] In some embodiments, it further includes: a two-way adjustment mechanism symmetrically arranged on both sides of the frame, which can push the two sides of the workpiece located below the laser irradiation mechanism to adjust the workpiece to a predetermined direction;

[0012] This ensures the workpiece is in the correct orientation during laser etching and inkjet printing, preventing inaccurate etching and inkjet printing positions due to workpiece placement deviations, and improving processing consistency and accuracy.

[0013] In some embodiments, the laser irradiation mechanism includes: a first guide rail that spans over the conveyor belt and is connected at its lower end to the frame, and a pulsed fiber laser that slides with the first guide rail;

[0014] The first guide rail provides a stable sliding support for the pulsed fiber laser, allowing the pulsed fiber laser to move flexibly above the transmission belt. This enables etching at different positions on the workpiece, expanding the processing range and improving the applicability of the equipment.

[0015] In some embodiments, the laser irradiation mechanism includes: a second guide rail that spans over the conveyor belt and whose lower end is connected to the frame; a third guide rail that slides with the second guide rail and extends vertically; a print driver board that slides with the third guide rail; and an inkjet system module connected to the print driver board.

[0016] The second and third guide rails enable the print driver board and inkjet system module to move in multiple directions above the conveyor belt. The print driver board can precisely control the inkjet action of the inkjet system module, enabling flexible inkjet printing and improving the accuracy and versatility of inkjet printing to meet different printing needs.

[0017] In some embodiments, the curing mechanism includes: a heat insulation cover connected to the frame at both ends and an ultraviolet lamp disposed inside the heat insulation cover;

[0018] The heat insulation cover can reduce the heat loss generated by the ultraviolet lamp, provide a stable temperature environment for UV ink curing, improve the curing effect, and at the same time prevent ultraviolet leakage, protecting the safety of operators. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the laser pretreatment UV inkjet printer of this utility model;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a top view of the laser pretreatment UV inkjet printer of this utility model;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the laser irradiation mechanism in the laser pretreatment UV inkjet printer of this utility model;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a first-view structural schematic diagram of the inkjet mechanism in the laser pretreatment UV inkjet printer of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a second-view structural schematic diagram of the inkjet mechanism in the laser pretreatment UV inkjet printer of this utility model.

[0024] Figure label:

[0025] 1. Conveyor belt; 2. Laser irradiation mechanism; 201. First guide rail; 202. Pulsed fiber laser; 3. Inkjet mechanism; 301. Second guide rail; 302. Printer driver board; 303. Inkjet system module; 304. Third guide rail; 4. Sensing device; 5. Direction adjustment mechanism; 6. Curing mechanism; 7. Frame. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the present utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these descriptions are merely exemplary and not intended to limit the scope of this utility model. Furthermore, descriptions of well-known structures and technologies are omitted in the following description to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the concept of this utility model.

[0027] This utility model provides a laser pretreatment UV inkjet printer. Its core function is to significantly improve the surface adhesion of polypropylene (PP) materials through laser etching combined with UV inkjet technology. Specifically, the main body of the equipment is supported by a frame 7, and a conveyor belt 1 is horizontally mounted on the frame 7, achieving continuous operation via a motor drive. After the workpiece (such as PP sheet or injection molded part) is placed on the surface of the conveyor belt 1, it passes through the following processing areas in sequence:

[0028] Laser etching area: A laser irradiation mechanism 2 is provided at the beginning of the conveyor belt 1. The workpiece surface is micro-etched by a pulsed fiber laser 202 to form a uniform rough surface (roughness Ra0.5-2.0μm) to increase the specific surface area and mechanical anchoring effect.

[0029] Inkjet area: It is equipped with inkjet mechanism 3, which accurately sprays UV ink onto the surface of the workpiece according to the preset pattern after the workpiece laser etching is completed. Specifically, inkjet mechanism 3 supports multi-color printing and customized requirements for complex patterns.

[0030] Curing Zone: A curing mechanism 6 is provided. After inkjet printing, the workpiece enters the curing zone. The curing mechanism 6 emits high-intensity ultraviolet light (wavelength 395nm), which triggers the photoinitiator in the UV ink to cure rapidly and form a stable coating.

[0031] Furthermore, this application adds a sensing device 4 between the laser etching area and the inkjet area to monitor the workpiece's transport status in real time. Specifically, this device uses an infrared photoelectric sensor. When a workpiece is detected passing through the inkjet area, the inkjet mechanism 3 is triggered to start; if there is no workpiece on the conveyor belt 1, the inkjet action is automatically paused. This design not only avoids ink waste but also ensures that the inkjet action and the workpiece's movement are strictly synchronized, thereby significantly improving printing accuracy (error < ±0.1mm). In practical applications, the sensing device 4 can also be linked with the speed of the conveyor belt 1 to dynamically adjust the inkjet frequency to adapt to the needs of different processing speeds.

[0032] To improve processing consistency, directional adjustment mechanisms 5 are symmetrically installed on both sides of the frame 7. When the workpiece enters the laser etching area and before laser etching, the adjustment mechanisms will extend and move relative to each other according to a preset program, pushing the workpiece's sides to align its centerline with the axis of the conveyor belt 1, and fine-tuning the workpiece (adjustment range ±5mm) to ensure that the subsequent etching and inkjet areas are perfectly matched with the actual position of the workpiece. This function is particularly suitable for applications with irregularly shaped workpieces or high precision requirements (such as printing on electronic product casings), avoiding laser etching errors caused by placement deviations. Specifically, each directional adjustment mechanism 5 includes a limiting plate and a cylinder that drives the limiting plate to extend or retract.

[0033] Specifically, the core component of the laser irradiation mechanism 2 is a pulsed fiber laser 202 (wavelength 1064nm), whose power density can be 10-50W / cm². 2 The scanning speed is adjustable within a range, supporting multiple settings from 100-500 mm / s. The laser spans the conveyor belt 1 via the first guide rail 201 and is driven by a servo motor to achieve lateral sliding, thus covering workpieces of different widths. In actual operation, users can adjust the laser parameters according to the thickness and hardness of the PP material: for example, thicker workpieces require a higher power density of 40 W / cm². 2 For materials with high transparency, the scanning speed needs to be reduced to 200 mm / s to avoid over-etching.

[0034] Specifically, the second guide rail 301 is horizontally mounted above the conveyor belt 1. A third guide rail 304 is vertically mounted on the second guide rail 301, and the third guide rail 304 slides in conjunction with the second guide rail 301. The inkjet mechanism 3 includes a print driver board 302 and an inkjet system module 303, which are mounted on the third guide rail 304. Two servo motors drive the inkjet mechanism 3 to move horizontally and vertically, respectively. Specifically, the print driver board 302 is the control system for inkjet printing. It is a PCB board customized for inkjet printing equipment, equipped with embedded control system software and desktop control software, and performs actions such as dot matrix algorithms, motion control, color management, printhead control, and high-speed processing of large batches of data during the inkjet printing process. The print driver board 302 controls the inkjet system module 303 to achieve inkjet printing.

[0035] Specifically, the inkjet system module 303 supports a variety of UV ink formulations, such as:

[0036] Basic formulation: Contains 30-50 parts acrylate monomer (to reduce volume shrinkage), 20-30 parts prepolymer (to improve curing speed) and compound photoinitiator (such as 184 and TPO combination);

[0037] Enhanced formulation: Add 2-5 parts of nano silica to improve coating hardness, or add 0.1-0.5 parts of polysiloxane leveling agent to improve surface smoothness.

[0038] By changing the ink type or adjusting the height of the inkjet system module 303 (range 5-20mm), the equipment can be adapted to multi-level processing needs, from flat printing to 3D embossing effects.

[0039] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative or explanatory of the principles of this utility model and do not constitute a limitation thereof. Therefore, any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made without departing from the spirit and scope of this utility model should be included within its protection scope. Furthermore, the appended claims are intended to cover all variations and modifications falling within the scope and boundaries of the appended claims, or equivalent forms of such scope and boundaries.

Claims

1. A UV inkjet printer with laser pretreatment, characterized in that, include: A frame (7), a conveyor belt (1) rotatably mounted on the frame (7), a laser irradiation mechanism (2) movably mounted above the conveyor belt (1) and located at one end, capable of etching and roughening the surface of a workpiece made of PP material placed on the conveyor belt (1) and transported below it, an inkjet mechanism (3) movably mounted above the conveyor belt (1) and located behind the laser irradiation mechanism (2), capable of spraying UV ink onto the etched workpiece surface, and a curing mechanism (6) mounted above the conveyor belt (1) and located behind the inkjet mechanism (3), capable of irradiating the UV ink on the surface of the inkjet-sprayed workpiece to cure it.

2. The UV inkjet printer with laser pretreatment according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The sensing device (4) is located above the conveyor belt (1) and between the laser irradiation mechanism (2) and the inkjet mechanism (3), and can sense in real time whether there is a workpiece being transported to the inkjet mechanism (3).

3. The UV inkjet printer with laser pretreatment according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The two-way adjustment mechanism (5) symmetrically arranged on both sides of the frame (7) can push the workpiece on both sides located below the laser irradiation mechanism (2) to adjust the workpiece to a predetermined direction.

4. The UV inkjet printer with laser pretreatment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The laser irradiation mechanism (2) includes: a first guide rail (201) that spans across the conveyor belt (1) and is connected at its lower end to the frame (7), and a pulsed fiber laser (202) that slides in cooperation with the first guide rail (201).

5. The UV inkjet printer with laser pretreatment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inkjet mechanism (3) includes: a second guide rail (301) that spans across the conveyor belt (1) and is connected at its lower end to the frame (7); a third guide rail (304) that slides with the second guide rail (301) and extends vertically; a print driver board (302) that slides with the third guide rail (304); and an inkjet system module (303) that is connected to the print driver board (302).

6. The UV inkjet printer with laser pretreatment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The curing mechanism (6) includes: a heat insulation cover connected to the frame (7) at both ends and an ultraviolet lamp disposed inside the heat insulation cover.

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