Inkjet Precoating Temperature Zoning for Blotting Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printing on smooth surfaces like plastic films leads to ink blotting and color mixing due to reduced reactivity between ink and precoating liquid, and excessive heating causes nozzle clogging.
Innovation Solution
An inkjet recording apparatus with a precoating liquid head unit and a heating mechanism that sets different temperatures for the conveying plate under the precoating and ink head units to control ink drying and reactivity, maintaining the precoating liquid at a lower temperature and the ink at a higher temperature to enhance adhesion while preventing nozzle clogging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the precoating liquid is ejected onto the printing base material, then the ink spreading is suppressed, but the temperature of the printing base material decreases and the reactivity between the ink and precoating liquid decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The precoating liquid is applied to the printing base material before the ink is ejected. This preliminary action prepares the surface to suppress ink spreading and blotting, while the heating unit subsequently restores the temperature to ensure proper reactivity between the ink and precoating liquid.
Solution Approach 2:
The temperature of the printing base material is actively controlled by the heating unit to maintain it within a specific range (10°C to 50°C). This parameter control ensures that the reactivity between the ink and precoating liquid is sufficient while preventing excessive temperature rise that could cause other defects.
2Productivity
If the temperature of the printing base material is increased to promote ink drying, then the ink drying is accelerated, but the temperature of the print head increases and nozzle clogging occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The heating function is segmented from the print head and applied only to the printing base material through the conveying plate. This segmentation allows independent temperature control: the print head remains cool to prevent nozzle clogging, while the printing base material is heated to accelerate ink drying and evaporation.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveying plate serves as an intermediary between the heating unit and the printing base material. The heating unit heats the conveying plate, which in turn heats the printing base material from below, indirectly accelerating ink drying without directly heating the print head or causing nozzle clogging.
3Manufacturing precision
If the temperature of the printing base material is increased to improve adhesion between ink and base material, then the adhesion is improved, but the evaporation of moisture in the ink proceeds too much and causes nozzle clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The heating function is segmented from the print head and applied only to the printing base material through the conveying plate. This segmentation allows independent temperature control: the print head remains cool to prevent nozzle clogging, while the printing base material is heated to accelerate ink drying and evaporation.
Solution Approach 2:
The temperature of the printing base material is actively controlled by the heating unit to maintain it within a specific range (10°C to 50°C). This parameter control ensures that the reactivity between the ink and precoating liquid is sufficient while preventing excessive temperature rise that could cause other defects.
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
The solution effectively suppresses ink blotting and color mixing while accelerating ink drying without causing nozzle clogging by optimizing temperature settings for the precoating liquid and ink, ensuring efficient image formation.
Implementation Method 1
The heating part heats the conveying plate. When a temperature of a surface of the conveying plate below the precoating liquid head unit is set to T1, and a temperature of a surface of the conveying plate below the ink head unit is set to T2, the heating part heats the conveying plate such that T1 is lower than T2
Implementation Method 2
a precoating treatment is generally performed in which a precoating liquid for suppressing ink spreading is ejected onto the printing base material before image formation
Implementation Method 3
the inkjet printing apparatus may be provided with a platen for supporting the back surface of the printing sheet and an infrared lamp for heating the printing sheet through the platen. By heating the sheet conveyed on the platen, moisture in the ink is quickly evaporated, and drying of the ink is accelerated
Implementation Method 4
The solvent in the treatment liquid is removed by the treatment liquid drying means, and adhesion between the color material of the ink and the base material is improved
Data Source
AI summary
An inkjet recording apparatus includes an ink head unit, a precoating head unit, a conveying plate, and a heating part. The ink head unit ejects ink to a printing base material conveyed along a predetermined conveying direction. The precoating liquid head unit is disposed on an upstream side of the ink head unit in the conveying direction and ejects precoating liquid to the printing base material. The conveying plate is disposed below the ink head unit and the precoating liquid head unit and on which the printing base material is conveyed. The heating part heats the conveying plate. When a temperature of the conveying plate below the precoating liquid head unit is set to T1, and a temperature of the conveying plate below the ink head unit is set to T2, the heating part heats the conveying plate such that T1 is less than T2.