Inkjet Nozzle Failure Prediction via Offset Trend Analysis

Solution Overview

Problem

Inkjet printing devices face temporary print quality interruptions due to nozzle failures, which are difficult to predict and compensate for, leading to negative impacts on output quality.

Innovation Solution

A controller processing unit that determines offset measurement values over time, predicts the remaining time until nozzle failure, and introduces compensation measures to mitigate the failure before it affects print quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If nozzle failure detection and compensation measures are introduced, then nozzle failure can be compensated, but print quality is temporarily negatively affected until compensation takes effect

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenozzle failure compensationVSAvoidprint quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary monitoring of nozzle characteristics and predicts potential failures before they occur. By analyzing trends in offset measurement values over time, the system proactively identifies nozzles at risk of failure and prepares compensation measures in advance, thereby avoiding temporary print quality degradation that would occur with reactive detection and compensation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If nozzle failure is detected by printing test patterns and checking line patterns, then nozzle failure can be identified, but print quality is temporarily negatively affected during detection and compensation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenozzle failure detectionVSAvoidprint quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors nozzle performance by measuring offset values of ejected ink droplets and compares them against reference values. This real-time feedback mechanism enables continuous assessment of nozzle health without requiring periodic test prints, thereby maintaining print quality while detecting nozzle failures as they develop.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary monitoring of nozzle characteristics and predicts potential failures before they occur. By analyzing trends in offset measurement values over time, the system proactively identifies nozzles at risk of failure and prepares compensation measures in advance, thereby avoiding temporary print quality degradation that would occur with reactive detection and compensation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11338575B2Method and controller for predicting and compensating for a nozzle failure

Publication Date: 2022.05.24 CANON PRODN PRINTING HLDG BV

AI summary

A controller for an inkjet printing device is configured to predict a remaining time period until a failure of the nozzle on the basis of a time curve of offset measurement values with regard to the offset of the ink droplets ejected by said nozzle. A compensation measure may be introduced promptly, before the actual failure of the nozzle on the basis of the prediction in order to have the effect that the compensation measure takes effect at latest at the point in time of the failure of the nozzle, and thus an interruption of the print quality may be prevented.