3D Tile Relief via Digital Inkjet Resist and Brushing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for adding 3D relief to tiles, such as digital and analog processes, face limitations including subtle relief effects, use of toxic heavy metals, high costs, and limited design variability due to the need for expensive stamping molds and labor-intensive mold changes.
Innovation Solution
A digital inkjet technology process that applies binder ink to form a protective layer on tiles, followed by a brushing process to remove unprotected areas, creating 3D relief without the need for expensive molds, allowing for greater design variability and alignment with digitally printed color designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If digital processes (additive or subtractive) are used to add 3D relief to tiles, then the relief effect can be achieved, but the relief is subtle and poorly defined
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a wax-like resist material as an intermediary substance applied via digital inkjet technology. This resist material protects specific areas from the ceramic fluxing material during the glazing process, enabling precise 3D relief definition without requiring complex direct additive or subtractive manufacturing of the relief itself
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the glazing process by introducing a ceramic fluxing material that reacts differently in protected versus unprotected areas. This chemical parameter change enables well-defined relief boundaries and varied relief depths through controlled material removal during firing
2Adaptability or versatility
If analog stamping processes are used to add 3D relief to tiles, then well-pronounced relief patterns are achieved, but design variability is limited due to expensive stamping molds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical stamping molds with digital inkjet-printed wax-like resist patterns. This digital copying approach eliminates the need for expensive physical molds while maintaining the ability to produce well-defined relief patterns, allowing unlimited design variability through digital file changes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the mechanical stamping mold system with a digital inkjet printing system. This replacement eliminates the need for physical mold fabrication and changing, reducing device complexity and cost while enabling rapid design changes and unlimited variability
3Productivity
If analog stamping processes are used to add 3D relief to tiles, then relief patterns can be applied, but mold changes are time and labor intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses digital inkjet printing to create resist patterns directly from digital files, eliminating the need for physical mold changes. Design changes are achieved by simply updating digital files rather than fabricating and changing physical molds, dramatically reducing changeover time and labor
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the static mold system into a dynamic digital printing system. The inkjet printer can rapidly adapt to different designs by changing digital files on demand, enabling flexible, real-time design changes without physical reconfiguration and improving production responsiveness
4Manufacturing precision
If subtractive processes using ceramic fluxing material are used, then 3D relief is achieved, but toxic heavy metals are used
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a wax-like resist material as an intermediary that protects specific areas during the glazing process. This resist layer controls where the ceramic fluxing material is applied and where relief is formed, enabling precise relief definition while allowing for the use of safer, non-heavy metal fluxing materials
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 eliminates the use of toxic heavy metals, reduces production costs, and enhances design flexibility by enabling efficient production of varied relief patterns that match digitally printed colors, improving overall design quality and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
applying binder ink to a portion of a surface of a substrate using an inkjet process
Implementation Method 2
a brushing process is applied to remove unprotected portions of the substrate, thereby forming the 3D relief in the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A technique is described for the application of three-dimensional (3D) relief to a substrate such as a ceramic tile using digital inkjet technology. In an example embodiment, the introduced technique includes application of binder ink to a portion of the surface of a substrate using a digital inkjet process. This binder ink forms a barrier layer which protects the portion of the surface of the substrate. Next, a brushing process is applied to remove unprotected portions of the substrate, thereby forming the 3D relief in the substrate.