Cylindrical Inkjet Printing Alignment for Single-Pass Color Output
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Solution Overview
Problem
Printing machines face challenges in adapting to different cylindrical substrate formats without compromising productivity and print quality, leading to uneven ink drying and quality defects.
Innovation Solution
A digital inkjet printing machine with adjustable printheads and spindles that maintain a consistent distance and alignment with the substrate, allowing for precise ink application and uniform print quality across varying substrate sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If printheads make several passes over the cylindrical substrate to deposit ink of each color, then the machine can print cylindrical substrates of different formats, but productivity is penalized and print quality suffers from adjustment defects at overlapping areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a movable printing station that can be positioned at different angular positions around the cylindrical substrate, allowing the printheads to print all colors in a single pass. The printing station's ability to dynamically adjust its position eliminates the need for multiple passes while maintaining adaptability to different substrate formats through the adjustable spindle configuration.
2Adaptability or versatility
If printheads make several passes over the cylindrical substrate, then different formats are supported, but print quality deteriorates due to adjustment defects in overlapping work areas
Solution Approach 1:
The movable printing station with adjustable angular positioning allows all colors to be printed in a single pass, completely eliminating overlapping areas and the associated adjustment defects. The system dynamically adapts to different substrate formats by adjusting the spindle position while maintaining consistent printhead-to-substrate distance and alignment.
3Adaptability or versatility
If ink is applied at different times in successive passes, then different substrate formats can be printed, but uneven drying occurs causing printing defects
Solution Approach 1:
By enabling all colors to be printed simultaneously in a single pass through the movable printing station, the system eliminates the time delay between ink applications. This ensures uniform drying conditions across all printed areas while maintaining the ability to adapt to different substrate formats through positional adjustment.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the distance between spindle axis and printheads is adjusted for different substrate formats, then adaptability improves, but maintaining alignment becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a universal adjustment mechanism that simultaneously controls both the distance and angular position of the printing station. This multi-functional system allows a single set of adjustment means to handle both radial distance adjustment and angular positioning, simplifying the overall alignment process while maintaining adaptability to various substrate formats.
Data Source
AI summary
Digital inkjet printing machine printing on cylindrical substrates, comprising a conveyor table conveying a cylindrical substrate and a printing station equipped with printheads having a parallel longitudinal axis. The table has a vertical rotation axis and supports a spindle supporting the cylindrical substrate. The spindle has an axis radially oriented with respect to the vertical rotation axis, and is actuatable in rotation about its axis. The conveyor table is configured to stop the spindle below the printheads, so the printheads have its axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the printheads. The spindle axis stopped below the printheads belongs to main planes in which the printheads lie. The printheads are equidistant from the axis of the spindle. A first adjustment means adjusts the distance between the axis of the spindle and the printheads and a second adjustment means adjusts the orientation of the main planes in which the printheads lie.