Digital Glass Coating via Segmented Particle and Pigment Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The screen printing process for glass and ceramic substrates is inefficient due to the need for stencils, high energy consumption, and instability of inorganic components in inkjet printing, leading to sedimentation and agglomeration issues.
Innovation Solution
A method involving separate dispensing devices for particle and pigment fluids, applied in a coordinated manner to the substrate, allowing for precise mixing and fixation during firing, which prevents sedimentation and agglomeration by mixing only on the substrate, and optimizing fluid properties for stable application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If screen printing process is used, then good printing results are achieved, but production time increases due to stencil production requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the printing paste into two separate components: inorganic particles (flux) and organic pigment. These are applied separately through digital printing technology and only mixed during the firing process on the substrate itself, eliminating the need for pre-mixed pastes and stencil production while maintaining print quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the inorganic particle layer first as a base layer, then applies the organic pigment layer on top. This preliminary separation and sequential application allows digital printing to be used without requiring traditional stencil production, thereby increasing productivity while maintaining manufacturing precision
2Productivity
If inkjet printing is used with low viscosity ink, then printing speed increases, but inorganic components sediment and agglomerate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the traditional mixed printing paste into separate inorganic particle suspensions and organic pigment solutions. Each component is handled separately with appropriate viscosity control, eliminating sedimentation and agglomeration issues that occur when both components are mixed in a single low-viscosity inkjet formulation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the viscosity of each separate fluid component independently - the inorganic particle suspension and organic pigment solution - to ensure stable flow and printing performance without causing sedimentation or agglomeration, thereby maintaining both productivity and composition stability
3Stability of the object's composition
If thermoplastic color paste with high inorganic content is used, then sedimentation is reduced, but energy consumption increases due to heating requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the inorganic flux particles and organic pigment components, applying them in a coordinated sequence. This eliminates the need to heat the entire printing system to maintain viscosity, as each component can be applied at lower temperatures and only undergoes thermal processing during the necessary firing step to achieve the desired glaze effect
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the inorganic particle layer and organic pigment layer at optimized temperatures that minimize energy consumption while ensuring proper adhesion and stability. The separate application allows each layer to be processed at its optimal temperature range rather than requiring uniform high-temperature heating of the entire system
4Manufacturing precision
If separate particle and pigment fluids are applied, then mixing and positioning precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a single digital printing device equipped with multiple print heads or nozzles that can switch between different fluid components (inorganic particles and organic pigments). This multi-functional approach maintains positioning precision through digital control while avoiding the complexity of entirely separate application systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the separate application of inorganic particle suspensions and organic pigment solutions into a single coordinated printing process. The fluids are applied in sequence or simultaneously from the same printing device, ensuring precise spatial registration and mixing only where needed on the substrate, thereby improving positioning accuracy without proportionally increasing device complexity
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 method enables high-quality, energy-efficient digital application of multicolored designs on glass and ceramic substrates with improved sintering and reduced sedimentation, allowing for precise control and stability of inorganic components.
Implementation Method 1
there is a clear tendency towards sedimentation and agglomeration
Implementation Method 2
fired to form a glaze, the pigments being mixed with the particles before firing on the substrate
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a method and a device for coating at least a portion of a glassy and/or ceramic substrate (2). In these devices, dispensing devices (5, 12, 22-25) are associated with an application device (1) controlled by a control device (16). These dispensing devices (5, 12, 22-25) are associated with receiving containers (18, 19) for receiving a particle fluid (8, 26) and a pigment fluid (10, 27). The particle fluid (8, 26) and the pigment fluid (10, 27) are applied to the substrate (2) to be coated in a previously coordinated temporal and spatial sequence.