Digital Printing Hot Plastic Stoppers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional methods for manufacturing and printing plastic stoppers face challenges such as delayed printing due to incomplete solidification, inflexibility in format changes, and degradation of mechanical characteristics from heating processes, which hinder rapid image changes and efficient production.
Innovation Solution
A plant that includes a transfer device for handling hot stoppers, digital printing, and surface treatment stations for improved ink adhesion, allowing for rapid format changes and printing while stoppers are still hot, using inkjet printing and UV LED cross-linking, along with plasma and corona treatments to enhance ink adhesion on lubricant-covered surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional printing rollers or pads are used to print stoppers, then printing can be performed on stopper surfaces, but the stoppers must be cooled and stored for hours before printing due to incomplete solidification, reducing productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical printing rollers or pads with a digital printing system that uses non-contact inkjet technology. This substitution eliminates the need for high pressure mechanical contact and allows printing to be performed immediately on hot stoppers without requiring cooling or storage time, thereby resolving the contradiction between printing capability and production time loss
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the printing method from mechanical contact printing to digital inkjet printing, and modifies the stopper handling from cooled storage to hot-state processing. By changing these parameters (printing technology and stopper temperature state), the system enables immediate printing without the hours-long cooling and storage period required by traditional methods
2Reliability
If heating by flaming is used to make inks adhere better, then ink adhesion is improved, but the chemical-physical characteristics and mechanical characteristics of the closure bodies deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal-flaming method with a plasma treatment method. This substitution maintains effective ink adhesion promotion while avoiding the excessive heat and chemical degradation caused by flaming, thus preserving the mechanical characteristics of the closure bodies
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the surface treatment parameter from high-temperature flaming to controlled plasma treatment. This parameter change achieves effective ink adhesion enhancement through plasma activation of the surface without the harmful thermal and chemical effects of flaming, thereby maintaining the mechanical integrity of the closure bodies
3Productivity
If traditional printing apparatus with pins and chains is used, then stoppers can be conveyed for printing, but the apparatus is inflexible and requires replacement of pins and printing rollers when format or image changes are needed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal digital printing system that can print various formats and images using the same apparatus. The digital printing technology allows the system to adapt to different printing requirements without requiring physical replacement of pins or rollers, enabling rapid format and image changes while maintaining conveying efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic adaptability to the printing system through digital control. The printing parameters, formats, and images can be dynamically changed through software control without physical reconfiguration, allowing the system to adapt rapidly to different production requirements while maintaining efficient conveyance
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
Enables rapid image changes and efficient printing of stoppers while they are still hot, improving ink adhesion and mechanical characteristics by using digital printing and surface treatments, reducing the need for cooling and increasing production flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
a device (20) for digital printing of the cup-shaped bodies (10)
Implementation Method 2
UV LED cross-linking
Implementation Method 3
plasma and corona treatments to enhance ink adhesion
Implementation Method 4
plasma and corona treatments to enhance ink adhesion
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
A plant (1) for manufacturing and printing cup-shaped bodies, comprising an apparatus (2) for manufacturing cup-shaped bodies (10) that comprise at least one portion made of plastics, a device for positioning the cup-shaped bodies (10) manufactured by the apparatus (2) on a transfer device (3) that can move along a longitudinal transfer direction (100), the cup-shaped bodies ( 10) resting with their lower edge ( 10b) on a resting surface (3a) that is defined by the transfer device (3) with its concavity directed toward the resting surface (3a); the plant (1) comprises, along the extension of the longitudinal transfer direction (100), a device (20) for the digital printing of the cup-shaped bodies ( 10), means being provided for controlling the position of the top edge ( 10a) of the cup-shaped bodies (10) on the resting surface (3a), the control means being connected functionally to the digital printing device (20).