Inkjet Print Head Nozzle Clogging Prevention via Selection Mask
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printing of wood patterns for decorative panels faces issues with nozzle clogging due to environmental factors like dust, temperature, and drying, leading to production delays and quality defects in the rendered wood pattern.
Innovation Solution
A method that uses a selection mask to identify and manage nozzle activity, jetting droplets based on the wood pattern and selection mask to prevent clogging, while maintaining the background color and hue of the wood pattern, by determining inactive nozzles and adjusting droplet volume and waveform to keep nozzles wet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If spitting method is used to prevent nozzle clogging by keeping nozzles wet during non-printing, then nozzle reliability is improved, but production timing increases and production capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary identification of inactive nozzles before they become clogged, using a selection mask to predict which nozzles will be inactive based on the wood pattern geometry. This allows targeted prevention actions only for identified nozzles, avoiding unnecessary spitting for all nozzles and maintaining production capacity while ensuring nozzle reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying a uniform spitting approach to all nozzles, the system applies different treatments based on local conditions - only nozzles identified as inactive receive additional droplets. This localized approach prevents clogging where needed while maintaining efficient production for active nozzles, resolving the contradiction between reliability and productivity.
2Reliability
If pseudo-random spitting is used to prevent nozzle clogging, then nozzle reliability is improved, but color consistency of the wood pattern deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The selection mask is generated in advance to identify exactly which nozzles will be inactive, allowing the system to pre-calculate the precise locations where additional droplets are needed. This preliminary planning ensures that prevention droplets are placed exactly where needed without affecting the overall color balance or pattern quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters of specific droplets (volume, placement location) based on the identified inactive nozzles, rather than applying uniform pseudo-random spitting. By adjusting only the necessary parameters for affected nozzles, the system maintains color consistency while preventing clogging.
3Reliability
If additional droplets are jetted to prevent clogging of inactive nozzles, then nozzle reliability is improved, but the complexity of the printing process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The selection mask is generated in advance from the wood pattern, identifying inactive nozzles before printing begins. This preliminary step simplifies the actual printing process by providing a clear map of which nozzles need attention, avoiding the need for complex real-time monitoring and decision-making during printing.
Solution Approach 2:
The selection mask acts as a simplified copy or representation of the wood pattern that highlights only the critical information needed for nozzle management. This copying approach separates the complexity of pattern analysis from the printing execution, making the overall process more manageable.
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 enhances the reliability of wood pattern rendering by reducing nozzle clogging, maintaining color consistency, and allowing continuous production without noticeable changes in the final decorative surface, thus improving the efficiency and quality of wood simulation decorative panels.
Implementation Method 1
jetting droplets on a substrate by the plurality of nozzles according with the supplied wood pattern
Implementation Method 2
jetting droplets on the substrate from the determined set of nozzles according with the supplied selection mask
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A method of manufacturing decorative panels comprising the steps of selecting a paper with a paper weight between 50 g/m2 and 130 g/m2 and a porosity according to Gurley's method between 8 and 20 seconds; and selecting a wood pattern; and generating a selection mask, representing one or more wood nerves; one or more wood pores and/or one or more wood imperfections from said wood pattern, by image-analysing said wood pattern; and a) supplying said wood pattern and said selection mask to an inkjet print head unit for forming a decorative layer; b) impregnating said decorative layer with a thermosetting resin; and c) heatpressing said impregnated decorative layer together with a core layer for forming a decorative panel; and wherein said inkjet print head unit comprises a plurality of nozzles for jetting a pigmented aqueous inkjet ink; and further comprising a step of determining a set of nozzles from said plurality of nozzles based on inactivity of a nozzle by calculating inactivity-duration for said nozzles and by comparing the calculated inactivity-duration to a threshold value; and wherein said decorative layer is formed by: jetting droplets from said pigmented aqueous inkjet ink on said paper by said plurality of nozzles for forming said wood pattern; and jetting droplets from said pigmented aqueous inkjet ink on said paper for preventing clogging of said determined set of nozzles by forming a part of said selection mask with said determined set of nozzles.