Continuous Inkjet Printer Speed Control for Print Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Continuous inkjet printers face challenges in maintaining print quality at maximum speed due to elongation of printed images caused by increased production line speed, leading to unnecessary alerts and potential overload of software systems.
Innovation Solution
A method that allows users to define an allowable amount of stretch in the print direction, using a speed sensing facility to compare target gaps between strokes with actual gaps, and generating alerts only when the actual stretch exceeds this limit, thereby providing a more controlled and meaningful warning of print quality degradation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the production line speed is increased to maximize productivity, then the print speed capability is improved, but the print quality deteriorates due to elongation of printed images
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the stroke timing based on real-time substrate speed measurements. The time-of-flight system continuously calculates the actual speed of the substrate and modifies the stroke onset timing accordingly, allowing the printer to maintain print quality across varying production line speeds without being constrained by a fixed maximum speed limit
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the timing parameter of stroke execution based on measured substrate speed. By continuously monitoring substrate speed and adjusting the stroke onset timing parameter in real-time, the system compensates for speed variations and prevents image elongation, enabling high productivity while maintaining print quality
2Measurement precision
If traditional stretch detection is used to monitor print quality, then print quality monitoring is improved, but software system complexity increases due to unnecessary alerts and potential overload
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from the time-of-flight measurement to proactively adjust stroke timing before quality degradation occurs. By continuously measuring substrate speed and adjusting timing in real-time, the system prevents stretch from occurring in the first place, eliminating the need for complex post-processing alert systems and quality control software
Solution Approach 2:
The system takes preliminary action by adjusting stroke timing based on predicted substrate position. The time-of-flight system calculates where the substrate will be when each stroke should occur and pre-adjusts the timing accordingly, preventing quality issues before they happen rather than detecting and responding to them after the fact
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 reduces unnecessary alerts and allows users to manage print quality effectively by specifying an acceptable level of elongation, enabling better decision-making and minimizing software overload while maintaining high print speeds.
Implementation Method 1
an electrostatic facility to deflect the charged droplets away from their original trajectory and onto a substrate
Implementation Method 2
A printer includes a charge electrode to charge selected droplets, and an electrostatic facility to deflect the charged droplets
Implementation Method 3
Ink, together with entrained air, is generally returned to the printer housing under vacuum, the vacuum being generated by a pump in the gutter line
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
A printer (5) operable to print a message in strokes on a substrate (7) passing in a print direction (8) along a moving line (6), wherein the printer is operable (15) to receive an indication of an allowable increase in length in the print direction of a message due to an increase in length in the print direction of gaps between successive strokes printed by the printer, to receive (14) an indication (9) of a speed of movement in the print direction of a moving line, to determine from the indication of the speed of movement of the moving line whether an increase in length in the print direction of a message printed by the printer is greater than the allowable increase in length and, if so, to generate an alert,