Printing method, print head unit, and robot system

Abstract

To provide a printing method which can make correction easily while inhibiting influence of removal of an ink coating film on an object even when printing fails, to provide a print head unit and a robot system.SOLUTION: In a printing method, a robot including an ink discharge head and a robot arm which supports and moves the ink discharge head is used to make prints on an object. Further, a peelable ground layer is provided at the object. The printing method includes a step in which the ink discharge head discharges an ink to the ground layer while the robot causes the ink discharge head to scan.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a printing method, a print head unit and a robot system. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Three-dimensional object printing devices are known that perform printing on the surface of a three-dimensional object by moving an inkjet print head using a combination of movements of a plurality of movable parts.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a system for inkjet printing on a three-dimensional object, the system comprising a joint-arm robot, a print head, and a piezoelectric actuator disposed between them. The robot is configured to move the print head along the surface of the object, thereby enabling inkjet printing on non-flat areas. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-202781 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When printing is performed by ejecting ink onto an object, if a printing failure is found, the printing is stopped and a new object is prepared, or the printing is redone. If a new object is prepared, the object will be wasted. On the other hand, if printing is redone, the ink that caused the failure must be removed.

[0006] However, the ink removal process can have a detrimental effect on the printed surface of the object, so there is a need to realize a printing method that allows printing to be redone while minimizing the detrimental effect on the object. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A printing method according to an application example of the present invention includes: A printing method for printing on an object using an ink ejection head and a robot having a robot arm that supports and moves the ink ejection head, comprising: The object is provided with a peelable undercoat layer, and the ink ejection head ejects ink toward the undercoat layer while the robot scans the ink ejection head.

[0008] The print head unit according to the application example of the present invention includes: A print head unit that is supported by a robot arm and scans an object to print, A mounting portion that is attached to the robot arm; a peelable base layer is provided on the target object, and an ink ejection head ejects ink toward the base layer; an inspection device that inspects an ink coating film formed by the ejected ink; a release agent supplying device that supplies a release agent that changes the undercoat layer into a peelable state; Equipped with.

[0009] A robot system according to an application example of the present invention includes: A robot system that prints on an object, A print head unit according to an application example of the present invention; a robot having a robot arm that supports and moves the print head unit; a control device that controls the operations of the ink ejection head, the robot, the inspection device, and the release agent supply device to perform the printing; Equipped with The control device includes: an inspection result acquisition unit that acquires inspection results output from the inspection device; A determination unit that determines whether the inspection result is pass or fail; a stripping processing unit that supplies the stripping agent toward the ink coating film when the inspection result is a failure; has. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of a robot system according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the robot system shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the print head unit shown in FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is a flowchart illustrating a printing method according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] 5 is a diagram for explaining the printing method shown in FIG. 4, and is a diagram for explaining the operation of the robot system in each step shown in FIG. [Figure 6] 5 is a diagram for explaining the printing method shown in FIG. 4, and is a diagram for explaining the operation of the robot system in each step shown in FIG. [Figure 7] 5 is a diagram for explaining the printing method shown in FIG. 4, and is a diagram for explaining the operation of the robot system in each step shown in FIG. [Figure 8] 5 is a diagram for explaining the printing method shown in FIG. 4, and is a diagram for explaining the operation of the robot system in each step shown in FIG. [Figure 9] 5 is a diagram for explaining the printing method shown in FIG. 4, and is a diagram for explaining the operation of the robot system in each step shown in FIG. [Figure 10] 5 is a diagram for explaining the printing method shown in FIG. 4, and is a diagram for explaining the operation of the robot system in each step shown in FIG. [Figure 11] 10A to 10C are diagrams for explaining a printing method according to a second embodiment, and are diagrams for explaining the operation of a robot system in each step of the printing method. [Figure 12]10A to 10C are diagrams for explaining a printing method according to a second embodiment, and are diagrams for explaining the operation of a robot system in each step of the printing method. [Figure 13] 10A to 10C are diagrams for explaining a printing method according to a second embodiment, and are diagrams for explaining the operation of a robot system in each step of the printing method. [Figure 14] 10A to 10C are diagrams for explaining a printing method according to a second embodiment, and are diagrams for explaining the operation of a robot system in each step of the printing method. [Figure 15] 10A to 10C are diagrams for explaining a printing method according to a second embodiment, and are diagrams for explaining the operation of a robot system in each step of the printing method. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a printing method, a print head unit, and a robot system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0012] 1. First embodiment First, a printing method, a print head unit, and a robot system according to a first embodiment will be described.

[0013] 1.1.Robot System Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a robot system 100 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 2 is a functional block diagram of the robot system 100 shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the print head unit 10 shown in Fig. 1.

[0014] The robot system 100 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a robot 200, a print head unit 10 (the print head unit according to the first embodiment), a fixing member 700 that supports and fixes an object Q, and a control device 900.

[0015] The robot 200 is a six-axis vertical articulated robot having six drive axes. The robot 200 has a base 210 fixed to the floor, a robot arm 220 connected to the base 210, and a moving stage 300 attached to the robot arm 220. The moving stage 300 may be provided as necessary and may be omitted. In that case, the print head unit 10 may be directly attached to the robot arm 220. The robot 200 may have more or fewer drive axes than six. The robot 200 may be a horizontal articulated robot, or a multi-arm robot having multiple robot arms.

[0016] The robot arm 220 is a robotic arm in which a plurality of arms 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, and 226 are rotatably connected, and includes six joints J1 to J6. Among these, the joints J2, J3, and J5 are bending joints, and the joints J1, J4, and J6 are torsion joints. The robot arm 220 is also provided with an arm drive mechanism 230 shown in FIG. 2. The arm drive mechanism 230 is composed of a motor M and an encoder E provided at each of the joints J1, J2, J3, J4, J5, and J6 shown in FIG. 1. The motor M is a drive source that drives each of the joints J1, J2, J3, J4, J5, and J6. The encoder E detects the amount of rotation of the motor M (the rotation angle of the arm).

[0017] 1, the print head unit 10 is attached to the tip of the arm 226 via a moving stage 300. The print head unit 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes an attachment portion 11, an ink ejection head 400, an inspection device 500, a stripping agent supplying device 800, and a coating removing device 840.

[0018] The mounting unit 11 is connected to the tip of the arm 226 via a moving stage 300. The mounting unit 11 also supports the ink ejection head 400, the inspection device 500, the stripping agent supplying device 800, and the coating removal device 840. Such a mounting unit 11 is configured, for example, by a plate having sufficient rigidity. This allows the ink ejection head 400, the inspection device 500, the stripping agent supplying device 800, and the coating removal device 840 to be connected to the robot arm 220 while maintaining their relative positions. The configuration of the mounting unit 11 is not limited to this.

[0019] The ink ejection head 400 has a reservoir chamber (not shown), a vibration plate arranged on the wall of the reservoir chamber, and a base agent ejection hole 411 and an ink ejection hole 412 (shown in FIG. 3) connected to the reservoir chamber, and is configured such that the base agent and ink in the reservoir chamber are ejected from the base agent ejection hole 411 and the ink ejection hole 412 by the vibration of the vibration plate. In the following description, ejecting ink is also referred to as "printing". Note that, if a base layer containing a base agent is provided in advance on the printing surface Q1 of the object Q, the base agent ejection hole 411 may be omitted. Also, the configuration of the ink ejection head 400 is not limited to the above configuration.

[0020] The base agent discharged from the ink discharge head 400 is a liquid material containing components that form a base layer on the object Q. The components that form the base layer are components that, after adhering to the printing surface Q1 of the object Q, can be peeled off by a release agent supplied from a release agent supplying device 800, which will be described later. By supplying such components to the position where the ink is discharged, which will be described later, to form a base layer in advance, even if a defect occurs in the ink coating during printing with the ink, the ink coating can be removed by removing the base layer. As a result, even if a printing defect occurs, there is no need to discard the object Q, and printing can be easily redone.

[0021] Examples of the undercoat agent include a pigment-containing liquid containing a pigment and a dispersion medium, and a curable liquid containing a polymerizable monomer, a polymerization initiator, and a dispersion medium. When the undercoat agent is a pigment-containing liquid, dispersoid containing the pigment remains when the dispersion medium is removed from the discharged undercoat agent. This dispersoid becomes the constituent material of the undercoat layer. When the undercoat agent is a curable liquid, a cured film is formed when the discharged undercoat agent is cured, and this cured film becomes the undercoat layer. This allows the formation of a undercoat layer with excellent surface smoothness.

[0022] The ink ejected from the ink ejection head 400 is a liquid material for forming a coating film containing a coloring material on the object Q to obtain a printed result such as a character, an image, a pattern, etc. The ink ejected from the ink ejection head 400 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include curable ink and non-curable ink.

[0023] Curable ink is ink that has the property of undergoing a curing reaction and curing after being ejected in an uncured state. Such curable ink is ejected from the ink ejection head 400, and after landing on the target Q, it is cured and fixed. Examples of curable ink include photocurable ink such as ultraviolet curable ink (UV ink) and heat curable ink such as resin ink. Such curable ink contains a color material, a polymerizable monomer, a polymerization initiator, etc.

[0024] Non-curable ink is ink that contains almost no polymerizable monomer and has no curing properties. After such non-curable ink is discharged from the ink discharge head 400 and lands on the target Q, the coloring material is fixed as the dispersion medium is removed. Examples of non-curable ink include water-based ink containing a coloring material and a water-based dispersion medium, and solvent-based ink containing a coloring material and a solvent-based dispersion medium. Examples of coloring materials include dyes and pigments.

[0025] Curable ink is preferably used as the ink ejected from the ink ejection head 400. By using the curable ink, it is possible to form an ink coating film that has excellent abrasion resistance and has excellent quick-drying properties when subjected to a curing process.

[0026] Although the ink ejection head 400 described above is configured to eject both the base agent and the ink, these may be ejected from separate heads.

[0027] The robot system 100 also includes a print controller 420. The ink ejection head 400 is connected to the print controller 420 as shown in FIG. 2. In the example of FIG. 1, the print controller 420 is attached to the tip of the arm 226 via the moving stage 300, similar to the ink ejection head 400. The print controller 420 controls the operation of the ink ejection head 400 based on a control signal output from the control device 900. As a result, the base agent and ink are ejected onto an area of ​​the printing surface Q1 of the object Q that is based on the printing data. As a result, a base layer and an ink coating are formed.

[0028] The print controller 420 includes, for example, a processor such as one or more CPUs (Central Processing Units), a memory, an external interface, etc. The print controller 420 may include a programmable logic device such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) instead of or in addition to a CPU. The print controller 420 may be incorporated in the control device 900.

[0029] The inspection device 500 shown in Fig. 3 has an imaging unit 510. The imaging unit 510 captures an image of an ink film formed on a printing surface Q1 of an object Q. The ink film can be inspected based on the image captured by the imaging unit 510. In this specification, "inspection" refers to capturing an image of the formed ink film.

[0030] In this embodiment, the inspection device 500 is included in the print head unit 10, but this is not necessarily required. In that case, the inspection device 500 may be provided, for example, at any position on the robot arm 220, or at a position different from the robot arm 220. Examples of positions different from the robot arm 220 include the ceiling, walls, and supports erected on the floor of the space in which the robot 200 is placed.

[0031] The imaging unit 510 is, for example, a camera. Examples of the camera include a monochrome camera, a color camera, and a spectroscopic camera.

[0032] Among these, monochrome cameras and color cameras can capture images that contain at least two-dimensional luminance information. Luminance information is the luminance value of two-dimensional pixels. By using such images, the position and shape of the ink ejected on the target Q can be inspected.

[0033] In addition, the spectroscopic camera can obtain images that include at least two-dimensional luminance information and color information. Color information is the chromaticity and brightness of a pixel. By using images with such color information, it is possible to inspect not only the position and shape of the ink ejected onto the object Q, but also the color of the ink, i.e., the type of ink.

[0034] The release agent supplying device 800 shown in Fig. 3 has a release agent discharging unit 810. The release agent discharging unit 810 supplies the release agent toward the ink coating film formed on the base layer. This allows the base layer provided at the position where the release agent is supplied to be peeled off from the printing surface Q1. As a result, the ink coating can also be removed, making it possible to correct the printing surface Q1 by reprinting.

[0035] The release agent supplying device 800 shown in Fig. 3 is, as an example, a liquid ejection head that ejects the release agent. With such a configuration, the required amount of release agent can be supplied to the ink coating film with high positional accuracy. Note that the positional accuracy at which the release agent is supplied may be lower than that of the ink ejection head 400. For this reason, the release agent supplying device 800 may be replaced with a dispenser, a spray head, or the like.

[0036] In this embodiment, the release agent supplying device 800 is included in the print head unit 10, but this is not necessarily required. In such a case, the release agent supplying device 800 may be provided, for example, at any position on the robot arm 220, or at a position different from the robot arm 220. Examples of a position different from the robot arm 220 include a ceiling, a wall, or a support erected on the floor of the space in which the robot 200 is placed.

[0037] Also, the stripping agent supplying device 800 may be omitted from the robot system 100 depending on the form of the underlayer, such as when the underlayer can be removed without using a stripping agent.

[0038] The release agent supplied from the release agent supplying device 800 is a liquid that makes the underlayer 42, which will be described later, in a state that allows it to be released. Examples of such liquids include organic solvents that swell or dissolve the underlayer 42. Specific examples of such liquids include various thinner-based solvents such as acrylic thinner, urethane thinner, epoxy thinner, melamine thinner, and lacquer thinner, as well as organic solvents such as acetone, isopropyl alcohol, toluene, xylene, and benzene.

[0039] The coating film removing device 840 shown in FIG. 3 has a coating film wiping unit 850. The coating film wiping unit 850 removes the ink coating film and the undercoat layer to which the release agent has been supplied by wiping them off. The coating film wiping unit 850 shown in FIG. 3 has two rollers (not shown) and a circular belt 854 stretched over them. The rollers are rotated by a motor (not shown), and the circular belt 854 rotates accordingly. The circular belt 854 has, for example, a fabric such as a woven fabric or a nonwoven fabric, a brush, or the like on its surface. The coating film wiping unit 850 may be replaced with a device that removes the coating film by a method other than wiping. Examples of the method other than wiping include suction by reduced pressure, washing with a fluid, and scattering with a fluid or powder. Examples of the fluid include gas such as air or gas, and liquid such as water or a solvent, and water is preferably used from the viewpoint of low environmental impact.

[0040] In this embodiment, the coating removal device 840 is included in the print head unit 10, but this is not necessarily required. In that case, the coating removal device 840 may be provided at any position on the robot arm 220, for example.

[0041] Additionally, the coating removal device 840 may be omitted from the robotic system 100 depending on the morphology of the underlayer.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 3, the moving stage 300 has a base 310 connected to the arm 226, a stage 320 that moves relative to the base 310, and a moving mechanism 330 that moves the stage 320 relative to the base 310. As shown in FIG. 3, when the three mutually orthogonal axes are the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, the stage 320 has a Y-stage 320Y that can move in the direction along the Y-axis relative to the base 310, and an X-stage 320X that can move in the direction along the X-axis relative to the Y-stage 320Y. The X-stage 320X and the Y-stage 320Y are linearly guided in the X-axis and Y-axis directions by linear guides (not shown), and can move smoothly. The print head unit 10 is attached to the X-stage 320X. The stage 320 may have a rotating stage that can rotate around the Z-axis relative to the base 310.

[0043] The movement mechanism 330 has a Y movement mechanism 330Y that moves the Y stage 320Y in a direction along the Y axis relative to the base 310, and an X movement mechanism 330X that moves the X stage 320X in a direction along the X axis relative to the Y stage 320Y.

[0044] The Y-moving mechanism 330Y and the X-moving mechanism 330X each have a piezoelectric actuator 340 as a driving source. The piezoelectric actuator 340 vibrates by utilizing the expansion and contraction of a piezoelectric element, and the vibration is transmitted to the X-stage 320X and the Y-stage 320Y to move them. In other words, the moving stage 300 is configured to move the print head unit 10 relative to the robot arm 220 by piezoelectric drive. This allows the moving stage 300 to be made smaller and lighter. In addition, the driving accuracy of the moving stage 300 is improved. Furthermore, the piezoelectric actuator 340 is useful in that it does not require an additional brake because of its large holding torque when stopped, and in that the positional stability of the stage 320 when stopped is high. The driving source may be an actuator other than the piezoelectric actuator 340.

[0045] 1 and 2, the robot system 100 also includes a robot controller 600. The motor M and the encoder E are connected to the robot controller 600. The robot controller 600 controls the operation of the robot 200 based on a control signal output from the control device 900.

[0046] The robot controller 600 has, as functional units, an arm control unit 610, a moving stage controller 620, and a memory unit 630.

[0047] The arm control unit 610 outputs a control signal that controls the operation of the arm drive mechanism 230, thereby controlling the robot arm 220 to a desired posture.

[0048] The moving stage controller 620 outputs a control signal that controls the operation of the moving stage 300, thereby moving the print head unit 10 to a target position relative to the robot arm 220. Note that the moving stage controller 620 may be independent from the robot controller 600.

[0049] The memory unit 630 stores programs necessary for processing by the robot controller 600, data necessary for executing the programs, and the like.

[0050] The robot controller 600 includes, for example, one or more processors such as CPUs, a memory, an external interface, etc. Note that the robot controller 600 may include a programmable logic device such as an FPGA instead of or in addition to a CPU.

[0051] The control device 900 controls the operations of the robot controller 600, the print controller 420, the inspection device 500, the stripping agent supplying device 800, and the coating removing device 840 to execute printing on the target object Q. As shown in Fig. 2, the control device 900 has, as functional units, a print control unit 910 and a memory unit 930. The print control unit 910 includes a print data generating unit 912, an inspection result acquiring unit 914, a determining unit 916, a stripping processing unit 918, and a removal processing unit 920.

[0052] The print data generation unit 912 generates print data and outputs it to the robot controller 600 and the print controller 420. The print data is data constituting characters, images, etc. to be printed on the target Q.

[0053] The inspection result acquisition unit 914 controls the operation of the inspection device 500, and causes the inspection device 500 to capture an image of the ink coating immediately after it is formed on the printing surface Q1 of the object Q. Then, the obtained image is output and acquired as the inspection result.

[0054] The determination unit 916 determines whether the inspection result acquired by the inspection result acquisition unit 914 passes or fails. For example, when the inspection result is an image including two-dimensional luminance information, a method of determining whether a pattern included in the image matches a template image (acceptance standard) registered in advance can be used as a method of determining whether the inspection result passes or fails. In this determination, the pass or fail is determined based on a known template matching processing technique. According to such a method, the pass or fail determination can be performed more efficiently.

[0055] Also, in the case where the inspection result is an image including color information, a method of judging whether or not the chromaticity and brightness consisting of the hue and saturation of the formed ink coating meets a pre-registered pass standard can be used. Specifically, for example, a method of judging whether or not the difference (color difference ΔE) between the color information included in the inspection result and the reference color is within a predetermined range in the L*a*b* color system can be used. Then, the judgment unit 916 judges the color difference ΔE to be pass if it is within the predetermined range, and judges it to be fail if it is not within the predetermined range. By using the color information in this way, it is possible to judge pass / fail based on not only the position and shape of the formed ink coating but also the color of the ink coating. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of color defects in the print result.

[0056] The peeling processing unit 918 controls the peeling process of the base layer by the release agent supplying device 800. Specifically, if the determination by the determining unit 916 is "Fail," the release agent is supplied from the release agent supplying device 800 to the ink coating film in the corresponding area and the base layer thereunder. On the other hand, if the determination by the determining unit 916 is "Pass," the release agent supplying device 800 does not supply release agent to the corresponding area.

[0057] The removal processing unit 920 controls the removal processing of the ink coating film and the undercoat layer by the coating film removing device 840. Specifically, the removal processing unit 920 causes the coating film removing device 840 to remove the ink coating film and the undercoat layer in the area where the stripping agent supplying device 800 has performed the stripping processing.

[0058] The storage unit 930 stores programs necessary for the operation of the control device 900, data necessary for executing the programs, and the like.

[0059] The control device 900 is, for example, configured as a computer, and includes a processor (CPU) for processing information, a memory communicatively connected to the processor, and an external interface. In addition, various programs executable by the processor are stored in the memory, and the processor realizes the above-mentioned functions by reading and executing the various programs stored in the memory. Note that the control device 900 may include a programmable logic device such as an FPGA instead of or in addition to the CPU.

[0060] The configuration of the robot system 100 according to the first embodiment has been described above, but the moving stage 300 may be attached to a position away from the robot arm 220, for example to a fixed member 700, and support the target object Q. In this case, the moving stage 300 may be configured to finely adjust the position of the target object Q in synchronization with the operation of the robot arm 220. The moving stage 300 may also have a function of moving the print head unit 10 so as to cancel out any shaking of the robot arm 220 in, for example, an orthogonal direction D2 perpendicular to the printing direction D1.

[0061] 1.2.Printing method Next, a printing method according to the first embodiment will be described. In the following description, a method using the robot system 100 described above will be described as an example, but the printing method may be a method using a robot system other than the robot system 100.

[0062] Fig. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the printing method according to the first embodiment. Fig. 5 to Fig. 10 are diagrams for explaining the printing method shown in Fig. 4, and are diagrams for explaining the operation of the robot system 100 in each step shown in Fig. 4.

[0063] In the printing method according to the first embodiment, the robot 200 scans the print head unit 10 in a printing direction D1 relative to the object Q while the ink ejection head 400 ejects ink 44 to print on the object Q.

[0064] 4 includes an undercoat layer forming step S100, an ink ejecting step S102, an inspection step S104, a determination step S106, and a coating film removing step S 110. Each step will be described below in order.

[0065] 1.2.1. Underlayer formation step In the base layer forming step S100, the print data generating unit 912 of the print control unit 910 acquires the shape, size, etc. of the printing surface Q1 of the object Q. Then, the operating conditions of the robot 200 on the printing surface Q1 are determined. The operating conditions are not particularly limited, but may include, for example, the attitude, movement path, acceleration, deceleration, and maximum speed of the robot arm 220 on the printing surface Q1, as well as the movement amount and movement speed of the moving stage 300. These operating conditions are set by the print data generating unit 912 based on information previously input to the print control unit 910 and image data input as appropriate.

[0066] Next, in the base layer forming step S100, the print data generated by the print data generating unit 912 is output to the robot controller 600 and the print controller 420. The robot controller 600 controls the operation of the robot 200 based on the print data. The print controller 420 controls the operation of the ink ejection head 400 based on the print data. Then, while the robot 200 scans the print head unit 10 in the print direction D1, the ink ejection head 400 ejects the base agent 40 toward the printing surface Q1 as shown in FIG. 5. The ejected base agent 40 lands in a range (predetermined range) set in the print data to form the base layer 42. The "predetermined range" here refers to, for example, a minimum unit area in which the ink 44 is ejected and inspected in a step described later after the base layer 42 is formed. After the base layer 42 is formed, the ejection and inspection of the ink 44 are repeated for each predetermined range to obtain the desired print result.

[0067] The underlayer 42 in FIG. 5 thus formed overlaps with the ejection area of ​​the ink 44 described later, and therefore serves as the underlayer for the ink coating 46 shown in FIG. 6. The underlayer 42 contains a component that can be peeled off by the action of a stripping agent supplied in the coating removal step S110 described later. Therefore, if a defect occurs in the ink coating 46, the underlayer 42 can be peeled off from the printing surface Q1 by supplying a stripping agent, and the ink coating 46 can also be peeled off accordingly. This allows the printing surface Q1 to be returned to its original state, and printing can be redone. Therefore, the object Q can be used for reprinting without being discarded, etc.

[0068] In addition, since the ink coating film 46 formed in the step described below is fixed via the underlayer 42, even if it is peeled off, it is less likely to damage the printing surface Q1 than if it were fixed directly to the printing surface Q1. Therefore, when reprinting, it can be done on the printing surface Q1 with less damage. This makes it possible to suppress deterioration of print quality when reprinting.

[0069] Furthermore, the undercoat layer 42 also acts to reduce unevenness on the printing surface Q1. By providing the undercoat layer 42, it is possible to increase the smoothness of the surface of the ink coating film 46. This makes it possible to improve the printing quality, such as the uniformity of color development of the ink coating film 46.

[0070] The peelable undercoat layer 42 refers to a coating that changes to a state that can be peeled off from the printing surface Q1 by applying a peeling process such as supplying a release agent, applying a peeling force, applying heat, applying ultrasonic waves, applying electromagnetic waves, etc. Changing to a peelable state means that it is lost from the printing surface Q1, or that it changes to a state that can be easily separated from the printing surface Q1 by adding a removal process such as wiping.

[0071] It is preferable that the above-mentioned peeling treatment is a treatment that makes the underlayer 42 peelable while leaving the printing surface Q1 unchanged. This allows the printing surface Q1 to be restored to the state before printing even when the ink coating film 46 and the underlayer 42 are peeled off and removed. As a result, even if printing is performed again, it is possible to suppress a decrease in print quality compared to before printing. Therefore, it is preferable to select a peeling treatment taking into consideration the effect on the printing surface Q1. Note that an example of a treatment that leaves no change is a treatment in which, in the case of a peeling treatment using a release agent, the release agent is ejected onto the printing surface Q1 made of a material that is permitted to be used in the release agent specifications, etc.

[0072] In addition, the above-mentioned peeling treatment is preferably a treatment that can suppress changes to the ink coating film 46. The suppression of changes to the ink coating film 46 means that, assuming that the ink coating film 46 formed directly on the printing surface Q1 is subjected to the peeling treatment, the degree of change to a peelable state is small compared to the underlayer 42. Specifically, it means that the time required to reach a removable state by the removal treatment is long, etc. As an example, it is preferable that the time required to reach the same state is 1.5 times or more compared to the underlayer 42, and more preferably 2.0 times or more. By selecting the peeling treatment based on such a criterion, even if the peeling treatment is mistakenly performed on a portion other than the area to be peeled, the ink coating film 46 is not affected, and it is possible to suppress secondary printing defects. Therefore, it is preferable to select the peeling treatment by taking into consideration the effect on the ink coating film 46.

[0073] It is preferable that the undercoat layer 42 is provided over the entire area where the ink coating film 46 is to be formed, but the undercoat layer 42 may have chips or pinholes. Even in this case, the ink coating film 46 in the area where there is no undercoat layer 42 is more likely to be peeled off as the surrounding undercoat layer 42 is easily peeled off. In light of this, the undercoat layer 42 is preferably provided over 70% or more of the area where the ink coating film 46 is to be formed, and more preferably over 80% or more.

[0074] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the undercoat layer 42 is selectively formed in the region that serves as the base for the ink coating film 46. In this case, the undercoat agent 40 needs to be ejected only in the necessary region, so the amount of undercoat agent 40 consumed can be reduced. On the other hand, the undercoat layer 42 may be formed over a wide range of the printing surface Q1 including the region where the ink coating film 46 is formed, preferably over the entire surface. In this case, there is no need to consider misalignment between the undercoat layer 42 and the ink coating film 46, so printing can be performed at higher speeds.

[0075] Furthermore, the form of the base layer 42 may be a form other than the coating film of the base agent 40 described above. For example, the base layer 42 may be an attached sheet. In this case, the work of forming the base layer 42 on the entire surface of the printing surface Q1 or an area less than the entire surface can be efficiently performed.

[0076] On the other hand, the underlayer 42 may be a coating formed by a vapor phase deposition method or a liquid phase deposition method, among which examples of the liquid phase deposition method include a dipping method, a dispenser method, a spray method, a screen printing method, a coater application method, and a spin coating method.

[0077] When the base layer 42 contains a pigment as a coloring material, the color of the pigment can be selected according to the color of the printing surface Q1, thereby allowing the color of the base layer 42 to be changed appropriately.

[0078] The color of the pigment is not particularly limited, but is preferably set appropriately according to the color of the printing surface Q1. Specifically, it is preferable to set the color of the pigment to be the same as the color of the printing surface Q1, i.e., the surface on which the base layer 42 of the object Q is provided. This prevents unintended color development even when the ink coating 46 is thin and the base shows through. As a result, deterioration of print quality can be prevented.

[0079] Incidentally, being the same in color means that the following conditions are satisfied. First, the base layer 42 and the ink coating film 46 are each formed on the printing surface Q1. The film thickness is set to 1 μm. Next, the reflected colors of the base layer 42 and the ink coating film 46 are measured with a spectrophotometer to determine the color difference ΔE in the L*a*b* color system. When this color difference ΔE is 20 or less, the colors are said to be the same. Incidentally, the color difference ΔE of the reflected colors of the base layer 42 and the ink coating film 46 is preferably 12 or less, and more preferably 10 or less. This makes it possible to further reduce the effect of the colors showing through.

[0080] The thickness of the underlayer 42 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.05 μm to 30 μm, more preferably 0.1 μm to 10 μm, and even more preferably 0.3 μm to 5 μm. If the thickness of the underlayer 42 is within the above range, the underlayer 42 can be formed without significant interruption. Therefore, the above-mentioned function of the underlayer 42 can be satisfactorily exhibited. Furthermore, even if the printing surface Q1 has unevenness, the underlayer 42 can be obtained with a sufficient effect of reducing the unevenness. The thickness of the underlayer 42 is the average value of the thicknesses of the underlayer 42 measured at five or more points by enlarging and observing the cross section of the underlayer 42.

[0081] Also, if it is possible to obtain the object Q on which the underlayer 42 is already provided, this step may be omitted.

[0082] 1.2.2. Ink ejection step In the ink ejection step S102, the print data generated by the print data generation unit 912 is output to the robot controller 600 and the print controller 420. The robot controller 600 controls the operation of the robot 200 based on the print data. The print controller 420 also controls the operation of the ink ejection head 400 based on the print data. Then, while the robot 200 scans the print head unit 10 in the printing direction D1, the ink 44 is ejected so as to overlap the underlayer 42, as shown in FIG. 6. The ejected ink 44 lands on the underlayer 42 to form an ink coating 46. If the ink 44 is, for example, a curable ink, the ink coating 46 is a coating film in a state in which the ejected ink 44 has dried, that is, in a state before curing. If the ink 44 is, for example, a non-curable ink, the ink coating 46 is a coating film in a state in which the dispersion medium in the ejected ink 44 has been removed by volatilization or the like and the coloring material has been fixed.

[0083] The thickness of the ink coating film 46 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.05 μm to 30 μm, more preferably 0.1 μm to 10 μm, and even more preferably 0.3 μm to 5 μm. If the thickness of the ink coating film 46 is within the above range, the color of the base is less likely to show through, and the decrease in the color development of the ink coating film 46 can be suppressed. Therefore, a high quality print result can be obtained. The thickness of the ink coating film 46 is the average thickness of the ink coating film 46 measured at five or more points by enlarging and observing the cross section of the ink coating film 46.

[0084] Furthermore, if the ink 44 is a curable ink, a provisional curing process may be performed on the ink coating 46 as necessary. The provisional curing process is a process for curing the ink coating 46 to such an extent that the ink 44 is not fully cured. By performing the provisional curing process, the ink coating 46 can be stopped from spreading and moved to the inspection step S104. This makes it possible to prevent printing defects caused by unintended spreading.

[0085] 1.2.3. Inspection steps In the inspection step S104, the ink film 46 formed on the printing surface Q1 is inspected. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 7, an image of the ink film 46 is captured by an inspection device 500. An inspection result acquisition unit 914 of the control device 900 acquires the obtained image as the inspection result. By using the image as the inspection result, the position and shape of the ink film 46 can be efficiently inspected.

[0086] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the inspection device 500 is incorporated in the print head unit 10, the ink coating film 46 can be inspected for each predetermined range. This allows the size of the image for inspection to be small, and the inspection device 500 can be simplified. This allows the inspection step S104 and the determination step S106 to be performed at high speed. Furthermore, since the waiting time for the inspection can be prevented from becoming long, it is possible to prevent the ink coating film 46 from undergoing unintended changes such as spreading.

[0087] Note that instead of performing the inspection immediately after forming the ink coating 46 in a predetermined range, the ink coating 46 may be formed in a plurality of units in a predetermined range, and then the plurality of units of the ink coating 46 may be inspected together. The predetermined range of the ink coating 46 is not particularly limited, and is set in consideration of, for example, the inspection range of the inspection device 500, the drying time of the ink 44, etc.

[0088] 1.2.4. Judgment step In the determination step S106, the determination unit 916 of the control device 900 determines whether the inspection result is pass or fail based on the pass criteria.

[0089] If the test result is a pass, printing of the specified range is terminated. If the ink 44 is a curable ink, a curing process for curing the ink coating 46 may be performed after the test result is determined to be a pass in judgment step S106.

[0090] On the other hand, if the inspection result is a failure, the process proceeds to the coating film removal step S110. This makes it possible to prevent the ink coating film 46 that has failed the inspection result (the ink coating film 46 with printing defects) from being included in the print result within a predetermined range. As a result, it is possible to obtain print results with fewer defects.

[0091] 1.2.6. Paint removal step In this embodiment, the coating removal step S110 includes a stripping agent supplying process and a coating wiping process.

[0092] In the release agent supplying process, a release agent supplying device 800 supplies release agent 50 to the ink coating 46 that has failed the inspection, as shown in Fig. 8. When the release agent 50 is supplied, it permeates the ink coating 46 and passes through gaps, and acts on the base layer 42. This changes the base layer 42 to a peelable state.

[0093] When the undercoat layer 42 is in a state that can be peeled off without using a peeling agent, the peeling agent supplying process may be omitted.

[0094] Furthermore, the release agent 50 may be supplied not only to the ink coating 46 that has failed the inspection, but also to the ink coating 46 that has passed the inspection. In this case, printing can be redone over a wide range including the ink coating 46 that has a printing defect. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of printing unevenness, etc.

[0095] In the coating film wiping process, the ink coating film 46 and the underlayer 42 to which the release agent 50 has been supplied are removed by the coating film removing device 840 as shown in FIG. 9. This allows the object Q to be recycled, and the unnecessary disposal of the object Q can be prevented. After removing the ink coating film 46 and the underlayer 42, the process returns to the underlayer forming step S100, and printing is resumed. In this case, in the underlayer forming step S100 after printing is resumed, the print data is set so that printing is resumed from the part removed in the coating film wiping process. By performing such a coating film removing step S110, there is no risk of printing defects remaining, and a printed matter with excellent quality can be obtained. In addition, the ink coating film 46 with printing defects can be selectively removed by the release agent supplying process and the coating film wiping process in the coating film removing step S110, so that printing defects can be corrected in a short time.

[0096] When the base layer 42 is in a state that can be peeled off without using a stripping agent, instead of the stripping agent supplying process and the coating film wiping process, a process may be performed to remove a part of the base layer 42 or a wide area including a part of the base layer 42, for example, the entire base layer 42. Specifically, when the base layer 42 is a sheet, a process of peeling off the sheet may be performed in this step.

[0097] By repeating the formation of the ink coating 46 by the printing method described above for each predetermined area, it is possible to make the ink coating 46 continuous, as shown in Fig. 10. This makes it possible to obtain a print result that reflects the print data.

[0098] According to such a printing method, for example, the task of sticking a sticker or the like on which characters, images, etc. are printed can be replaced by printing. For example, when attaching a mark to the surface of an object Q such as a helmet, the mark can be printed by the above printing method. With the above printing method, printing can be performed with high precision even if the printing surface Q1 is a curved surface. Furthermore, even if a printing defect such as streaks occurs during printing, it can be corrected without discarding the helmet.

[0099] In the print head unit 10 shown in Fig. 3, the ink ejection head 400, the inspection device 500, the stripping agent supply device 800, and the coating film removal device 840 are arranged in this order, and are scanned as a unit by the robot 200. Therefore, after the ink coating film 46 is formed by the ink ejection head 400, when the print head unit 10 is scanned in the printing direction D1, the inspection device 500, the stripping agent supply device 800, and the coating film removal device 840 move sequentially over the ink coating film 46. This allows the ejection of the ink 44, the inspection of the ink coating film 46, the supply of the stripping agent 50, and the removal of the ink coating film 46 to be performed continuously. As a result, highly accurate printing results can be obtained.

[0100] 2. Second embodiment Next, a printing method and a robot system according to a second embodiment will be described.

[0101] 11 to 15 are diagrams for explaining a printing method according to the second embodiment, and are diagrams for explaining the operation of the robot system 100 in each step of the printing method.

[0102] The second embodiment will be described below, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment and omitting the description of the similarities. Note that in Figures 11 to 15, the same reference numerals are used for the same configurations as the first embodiment.

[0103] The robot system 100 according to the second embodiment is similar to the robot system 100 according to the first embodiment, except that the ink ejection head 400, the inspection device 500, the stripping agent supply device 800 and the coating removal device 840 are attached to different robots 200A, 200B, 200C and 200D.

[0104] 11 and 12, in the second embodiment, a base material 40 and ink 44 are sequentially ejected from an ink ejection head 400 attached to a robot 200A. Then, a base layer 42 and an ink coating 46 are formed on a printing surface Q1.

[0105] Next, the inspection device 500 attached to the robot 200B is moved onto the ink coating film 46. Then, as shown in FIG.

[0106] Next, it is determined whether the inspection result is pass or fail, and if the inspection result is fail, the release agent supplying device 800 attached to the robot 200C is moved to above the ink coating film 46. Then, as shown in FIG. 14, the release agent supplying device 800 supplies release agent 50.

[0107] Next, the coating film removing device 840 attached to the robot 200D is moved onto the ink coating film 46 to which the stripping agent 50 has been supplied. Then, the ink coating film 46 to which the stripping agent 50 has been supplied and the undercoat layer 42 are removed by the coating film removing device 840, as shown in FIG.

[0108] In the second embodiment as described above, the same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained. In addition, in the second embodiment, the timing of inspecting the ink coating 46, the timing of supplying the stripping agent 50, and the timing of removing the ink coating 46 can each be freely adjusted. Therefore, for example, it is possible to wait for the ejected ink 44 and the stripping agent 50 to wet and spread before inspecting or removing them.

[0109] 3. Effects of each embodiment As described above, the printing method according to the embodiment is a printing method for performing printing on an object Q using the ink ejection head 400 and the robot 200. The robot 200 includes a robot arm 220 that supports and moves the ink ejection head 400. The object Q is provided with a peelable base layer 42. This printing method includes an ink ejection step S102. In the ink ejection step S102, the ink ejection head 400 ejects ink 44 toward the base layer 42 while the robot 200 scans the ink ejection head 400.

[0110] According to this configuration, even if printing fails, the base layer 42 is in a peelable state, so that the failure can be easily corrected while minimizing the effect on the object Q of removing the ink coating film 46. Therefore, the object Q can be reprinted without being discarded or the like.

[0111] The printing method according to the embodiment includes an inspection step S104, a determination step S106, and a coating film removal step S110. In the inspection step S104, the ink coating film 46 formed by the ink 44 ejected onto the underlayer 42 is inspected, and the inspection result is output. In the determination step S106, it is determined whether the inspection result is pass or fail. In the coating film removal step S110, if the inspection result is fail, the ink coating film 46 is removed.

[0112] With this configuration, if a printing defect is found as a result of the inspection, the ink coating film 46 that caused the defect can be removed. This eliminates the risk of the printing defect remaining on the target object Q, and makes it possible to obtain a high-quality printed matter.

[0113] In addition, the coating film removal step S110 (step of removing the ink coating film) may include a process of supplying a stripping agent 50 toward the ink coating film 46 (stripping agent supply process) and a process of wiping off the area to which the stripping agent 50 has been supplied (coating film wiping process).

[0114] According to this configuration, the defectively printed ink film 46 can be selectively removed, so that the defective printing can be corrected in a short time.

[0115] In the printing method according to the embodiment, the release agent 50 is discharged from the release agent supplying device 800 which is a liquid discharge head.

[0116] This allows the required amount of release agent 50 to be supplied toward the ink coating film 46 with high positional accuracy.

[0117] The inspection result may include an image obtained by capturing an image of the ink coating film 46. Then, the inspection step S104 (a step for determining whether the inspection result is pass or fail) may include a process for determining whether the image satisfies a pass criterion and determining the image as pass if the image satisfies the pass criterion.

[0118] With this configuration, the position and shape of the ink film 46 can be efficiently inspected.

[0119] Furthermore, the inspection step S104 (a step for determining whether the inspection result is pass or fail) may include a template matching process in which the image is deemed to pass if a pattern contained in the image matches a template image. With this configuration, pass / fail determination can be performed more efficiently.

[0120] Moreover, the printing method according to the embodiment includes an underlayer forming step S100 (a step of forming the underlayer 42) that is provided before the ink ejection step S102 (a step of ejecting the ink 44).

[0121] According to this configuration, the base layer 42 can be selectively formed in the region that serves as the base for the ink coating film 46. In this case, the base agent 40 only needs to be ejected onto the necessary region, so that the consumption amount of the base agent 40 can be reduced.

[0122] The underlayer 42 may also contain a pigment. In this case, the color of the underlayer 42 can be changed appropriately by selecting the color of the pigment.

[0123] Moreover, the color of the pigment is preferably the same as the color of the surface (printing surface Q1) on which the base layer 42 of the object Q is provided.

[0124] This prevents unintended color development even when the ink coating 46 is thin and the underlying color shows through, thereby preventing deterioration of print quality.

[0125] The undercoat layer 42 may also be a coating of a curable liquid containing a polymerizable monomer. In this case, the cured film becomes the underlayer 42. This makes it possible to form the underlayer 42 with excellent surface smoothness.

[0126] The base layer 42 may also be a sheet attached to the object Q. In this case, the work of forming the undercoat layer 42 over the entire surface or a wide area of ​​the printing surface Q1 of the object Q can be carried out efficiently.

[0127] The ink 44 may also be a curable ink that contains a polymerizable monomer. This makes it possible to form an ink coating 46 that has excellent abrasion resistance and, when subjected to a curing process, has excellent quick-drying properties.

[0128] The print head unit 10 according to the embodiment is supported by a robot arm 220 and scans the target object Q to perform printing. The print head unit 10 includes an attachment unit 11, an ink ejection head 400, an inspection device 500, and a release agent supplying device 800. The attachment unit 11 is attached to the robot arm 220. The ink ejection head 400 ejects ink 44 toward the base layer 42. The inspection device 500 inspects the ink coating 46 formed by the ejected ink 44. The release agent supplying device 800 supplies a release agent 50 that changes the base layer 42 to a peelable state.

[0129] With this configuration, even if printing fails, it is possible to obtain a print head unit 10 that inspects the ink coating 46 and supplies the release agent 50 as necessary to change the undercoat layer 42 to a peelable state. With this print head unit 10, if the ink coating 46 is subsequently removed, it is possible to easily correct the printing while minimizing the effect of the removal on the object Q. Furthermore, with this print head unit 10, the object Q can be reprinted without having to be discarded, etc.

[0130] The robot system 100 according to the embodiment is a robot system that performs printing on an object Q, and includes a print head unit 10, a robot 200, and a control device 900. The robot 200 includes a robot arm 220 that supports and moves the print head unit 10. The control device 900 controls the operations of the ink ejection head 400, the robot 200, the inspection device 500, and the stripping agent supplying device 800 to perform printing. The control device 900 also includes an inspection result acquisition unit 914, a determination unit 916, and a stripping processing unit 918. The inspection result acquisition unit 914 acquires the inspection result output from the inspection device 500. The determination unit 916 determines whether the inspection result is pass or fail. If the inspection result is fail, the stripping processing unit 918 supplies the stripping agent 50 toward the ink coating 46.

[0131] With this configuration, even if printing fails, the robot system 100 can be obtained, which inspects the ink coating 46 and supplies the stripping agent 50 as necessary to change the undercoat layer 42 to a peelable state. With this robot system 100, when the ink coating 46 is subsequently removed, it is possible to easily correct the printing while minimizing the effect of the removal on the target object Q. Furthermore, with this robot system 100, the target object Q can be reprinted without being discarded or the like.

[0132] The printing method, print head unit, and robot system of the present invention have been described above based on the illustrated embodiments, but the printing method, print head unit, and robot system of the present invention are not limited to the above embodiments. For example, the printing method of the present invention may be one in which any desired process or operation is added to the above embodiments. Furthermore, the print head unit and robot system of the present invention may be one in which the parts of the above embodiments are replaced with any configuration having the same function, or any configuration may be added to the above embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0133] 10...print head unit, 11...mounting portion, 40...undercoat, 42...undercoat layer, 44...ink, 46...ink coating, 50...release agent, 100...robot system, 200...robot, 200A...robot, 200B...robot, 200C...robot, 200D...robot, 210...base, 220...robot arm, 221...arm, 222...arm, 223...arm, 224...arm, 225...arm 226...arm, 230...arm drive mechanism, 300...moving stage, 310...base, 320...stage, 320X...X stage, 320Y...Y stage, 330...moving mechanism, 330X...X moving mechanism, 330Y...Y moving mechanism, 340...piezoelectric actuator, 400...ink ejection head, 411...undercoat ejection hole, 412...ink ejection hole, 420...print controller, 500...inspection device , 510...imaging unit, 600...robot controller, 610...arm control unit, 620...moving stage controller, 630...storage unit, 700...fixed member, 800...removal agent supplying device, 810...removal agent discharging unit, 840...coating film removing device, 850...coating film wiping unit, 854...circular belt, 900...control device, 910...printing control unit, 912...printing data generating unit, 914...inspection result acquiring unit, 916...determination unit , 918... peeling processing unit, 920... removal processing unit, 930... storage unit, D1... printing direction, D2... orthogonal direction, E... encoder, J1... joint, J2... joint, J3... joint, J4... joint, J5... joint, J6... joint, M... motor, Q... object, Q1... printing surface, S100... undercoat layer forming step, S102... ink ejection step, S104... inspection step, S106... judgment step, S110... coating film removal step

Claims

1. A printing method for printing on an object, comprising an ink ejection head and a robot equipped with a robotic arm that supports and moves the ink ejection head, A printing method characterized in that the object is provided with a peelable base layer, and the robot scans the ink ejection head while the ink ejection head ejects ink toward the base layer.

2. The steps include: inspecting the ink coating film formed by the ink discharged onto the substrate layer and outputting the inspection results; The steps include determining whether the aforementioned test result is a pass or a fail, If the inspection result is unsatisfactory, the step of removing the ink coating is performed. The printing method according to claim 1, including the following:

3. The step of removing the aforementioned ink coating is: A process of supplying a release agent toward the aforementioned ink coating film, A process of wiping the area to which the stripping agent has been supplied, The printing method according to claim 2, which includes the following:

4. The printing method according to claim 3, wherein the release agent is discharged from the liquid discharge head.

5. The inspection results include images obtained by imaging the ink coating film. The printing method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the step of determining whether the inspection result is a pass or a fail includes a process of determining whether the image meets the passing criteria and, if so, determining that it is a pass.

6. The printing method according to claim 5, wherein the step of determining whether the inspection result is a pass or a fail includes a template matching process that determines the result as a pass if the pattern contained in the image matches the template image.

7. A printing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a step of forming the underlayer, which is provided prior to the step of ejecting the ink.

8. The printing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the aforementioned underlayer contains a pigment.

9. The printing method according to claim 8, wherein the color of the pigment is the same as the color of the surface of the object on which the underlayer is provided.

10. The printing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the underlayer is a cured film derived from a curable liquid containing polymerizable monomers.

11. The printing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the base layer is a sheet attached to the object.

12. The printing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the ink is a curable ink containing a polymerizable monomer.

13. A print head unit supported by a robotic arm that performs printing by scanning an object, A mounting part that is attached to the robot arm, The object is provided with a peelable base layer, and an ink ejection head that ejects ink toward the base layer, An inspection device for inspecting the ink coating film formed by the ejected ink, A release agent supply device that supplies a release agent that changes the aforementioned underlying layer into a state in which it can be peeled off, A print head unit characterized by having the following features.

14. A robotic system that prints on an object, The print head unit according to claim 13, A robot equipped with a robotic arm that supports and moves the print head unit, A control device that controls the operation of the ink ejection head, the robot, the inspection device, and the release agent supply device to perform the printing, Equipped with, The control device is An inspection result acquisition unit that acquires the inspection results output from the aforementioned inspection device, A determination unit that determines whether the aforementioned inspection result is a pass or a fail, If the inspection result is deemed unsatisfactory, a peeling treatment unit is provided to supply the peeling agent to the ink coating, A robot system characterized by having the following features.

15. An ink ejection head that ejects ink toward an object having a peelable underlayer, A first robot that supports and moves the ink ejection head, A release agent supply device that supplies a release agent that changes the aforementioned underlying layer into a state in which it can be peeled off, A second robot that supports and moves the aforementioned stripping agent supply device, A robot system characterized by having the following features.

16. An inspection device for inspecting an ink coating film formed by the ink, A coating removal device for removing the aforementioned ink coating and the aforementioned underlayer, It further possesses, The inspection results output from the aforementioned inspection device are acquired, Determine whether the aforementioned test result is a pass or a fail. If the inspection result is unsatisfactory, the release agent is supplied to the ink coating film by the release agent supply device. The robotic system according to claim 15, wherein the coating removal device removes the ink coating and the underlayer to which the stripping agent has been supplied.

17. The robot system according to claim 16, further comprising a third robot for supporting and moving the coating removal device.

18. The robot system according to claim 17, further comprising a fourth robot for supporting and moving the inspection device.

Images