3D Inkjet Printing Warp Control via Forward Reverse UV Inks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inkjet printing methods struggle to suppress warp in printed materials, particularly in thin media and three-dimensional objects, due to uneven curing and shrinkage of ultraviolet curable inks.
Innovation Solution
The method employs a combination of forward warp ink and reverse warp ink, where the forward warp ink exhibits greater curing and shrinkage on the side irradiated by light, and the reverse warp ink exhibits greater curing and shrinkage on the opposite side, printed in an arrangement that reduces warp, either by mixing droplets or alternating layers, using an inkjet printer with integrated light irradiation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ultraviolet curable ink is used for inkjet printing, then curing speed and adhesion are improved, but warp of the printed matter occurs due to uneven curing and shrinkage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using different ink formulations in different regions of the printed matter. Forward warp ink is used in areas where backward warp needs to be compensated, and reverse warp ink is used in areas where forward warp needs to be compensated. This local differentiation of ink properties allows the curing shrinkage to be spatially controlled, reducing overall warp while maintaining fast curing speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by combining forward warp ink and reverse warp ink in a single printing system. These are specially formulated ultraviolet curable inks with different shrinkage characteristics that work together to balance warp. The composite approach allows the system to achieve both fast curing and reduced warp by leveraging the complementary properties of the two ink types.
2Manufacturing precision
If forward warp ink and reverse warp ink are used in combination, then warp suppression is improved, but ink management and printing process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the inkjet printing system into separate inkjet heads or nozzle groups, each dedicated to dispensing a specific ink type (forward warp ink or reverse warp ink). This segmentation allows independent control and management of each ink type, simplifying the overall ink management process despite using multiple specialized inks. The segmented approach makes it easier to track, replace, and maintain each ink system separately.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively suppresses warp in printed materials by balancing the curing and shrinkage effects of both ink types, ensuring minimal distortion in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional printed objects.
Implementation Method 1
ink, which cures and shrinks when irradiated with light
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are an inkjet printing method and an ink set, in which forward and reverse warp inks are printed in an arrangement that reduces warp. The forward warp ink is the ink in which a warp when cured and shrunk by irradiation of light is a forward warp in which a portion on a side where light is irradiated by a light irradiation device is large in the degree of curing and shrinkage as compared with a portion on an opposite side. The reverse warp ink is the ink in which a warp when cured and shrunk by irradiation of light is a reverse warp in which a portion on a side opposite to a side where light is irradiated by the light irradiation device is large in the degree of curing and shrinkage as compared with a portion on the side where light is irradiated.