Inkjet Printer Ball Screw Drive Vibration Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printers face challenges in maintaining print quality when attempting to enlarge the printable region, as elongating the main scanning distance leads to increased weight and vibration of the Y bar, causing deterioration in image quality, especially when printing on three-dimensional objects.
Innovation Solution
The use of a ball screw in the X direction driving section to move the Y direction extending member, along with a platform section and guiding members, helps to reduce vibration and improve print accuracy by refining feed resolution and supporting the Y direction extending member effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the main scanning distance of the inkjet head is enlarged to increase the printable region, then the printable area is improved, but the weight of the Y bar increases causing higher center of gravity and vibration that deteriorates print quality
Solution Approach 1:
A counterweight is provided at the lower end of the guide rail to balance the weight of the Y bar. The counterweight has a weight substantially equal to that of the Y bar, positioning the center of gravity of the Y bar assembly at the midpoint of the guide rail. This reduces vibration during main scanning operations and improves print quality while maintaining the enlarged printable region.
Solution Approach 2:
The counterweight is positioned vertically below the Y bar at the lower end of the guide rail, utilizing the vertical dimension to balance the horizontal scanning motion. This spatial arrangement creates a balanced system where the center of gravity is lowered to the midpoint of the guide rail, effectively counteracting the vibration caused by the extended Y bar length.
2Length of stationary object
If the guide rail length is increased to enable larger printable region, then the printable area is improved, but the Y bar weight increases leading to greater vibration influence
Solution Approach 1:
The counterweight compensates for the increased Y bar weight by providing an equal and opposite moment about the guide rail. This allows the guide rail to be extended for larger printable regions without suffering from excessive vibration caused by the increased Y bar weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The center of gravity position is changed from the upper end (conventional) to the midpoint of the guide rail (invention) by adding the counterweight. This parameter change in center of gravity position fundamentally alters the vibration characteristics, allowing longer guide rails without proportional increases in vibration.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the Y bar is positioned at high location to accommodate maximum height of three-dimensional objects, then the adaptability for 3D printing is improved, but the center of gravity becomes especially high increasing vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The counterweight positioned at the lower end of the guide rail balances the high Y bar position required for 3D object printing. By providing a weight equal to the Y bar at the opposite end, the center of gravity is lowered to the midpoint of the guide rail, stabilizing the system despite the high operational position needed for accommodating three-dimensional objects.
4Area of stationary object
If the main scanning distance is increased to enlarge printable region, then the printable area is improved, but the stopping position accuracy deteriorates due to vibration upon stopping
Solution Approach 1:
The counterweight reduces vibration during acceleration and deceleration of the Y bar by balancing the mass distribution. This vibration reduction maintains stopping position accuracy even when the guide rail is extended to provide a larger printable region, ensuring that the inkjet head stops precisely at the intended positions.
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 configuration enables highly accurate printing on various shapes and sizes of print objects by minimizing vibration and distortion, ensuring high-quality results even with increased printable regions and heavy Y bar weights.
Implementation Method 1
an X direction driving section that moves the Y direction extending member in an X direction orthogonal to the Y direction, wherein upon printing, the inkjet head moves along the Y direction extending member and discharges the ink droplets toward the print object, and the X direction driving section includes a ball screw, and moves the Y direction extending member in the X direction in accordance with a rotation amount of the ball screw
Data Source
AI summary
It aims to provide an inkjet printer and a printing method that appropriately performs printing with high accuracy on print objects having various shapes. As a solution therefor, an inkjet printer is configured to perform printing using an inkjet scheme on a print object and includes an inkjet head that discharges ink droplets, a guide rail that retains the inkjet head by making the inkjet head face the print object and that is a Y direction extending member extending in a predeterminedly set Y direction, and an X direction driving section that moves the guide rail in an X direction and upon printing, the inkjet head moves along the guide rail and discharges ink droplets toward the print object, and the X direction driving section includes a ball screw and moves the guide rail in the X direction in accordance with a rotation amount of the ball screw.