Inkjet Tile Relief Printing Using Binder Protection and Brushing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for adding 3D relief to tiles, such as additive and subtractive digital processes, result in subtle relief effects and require expensive, toxic materials, while analog stamping processes limit design variability and are labor-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A digital inkjet technology is used to apply binder ink as a protective layer on a substrate, followed by a brushing process to remove unprotected regions, forming 3D relief, which eliminates the need for expensive molds and allows for more design variability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If existing digital processes (additive or subtractive) are used to add 3D relief to tiles, then relief can be applied digitally, but the relief effect is subtle and requires expensive toxic materials
Solution Approach 1:
The process segments the relief formation into two distinct stages: first applying a protective binder layer digitally, then using mechanical brushing to remove unprotected areas. This segmentation allows the digital process to achieve pronounced relief effects previously only possible with analog stamping, while maintaining digital design flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite approach combining digital inkjet application of binder material with subsequent mechanical brushing. This composite process integrates the precision of digital application with the pronounced relief capability of mechanical removal, eliminating the need for expensive toxic materials while achieving strong relief definition.
2Manufacturing precision
If analog stamping processes are used to add 3D relief, then well-pronounced relief patterns are achieved, but design variability is limited and the process is labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the traditional mechanical stamping mold with a digital inkjet printing system that applies binder material. This substitution eliminates the need for physical molds, enabling unlimited design variability while maintaining pronounced relief effects through the subsequent brushing process. The digital system can be reprogrammed for different designs without changing physical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The process changes the fundamental parameter of how relief is created: instead of using a fixed mold geometry, the binder material application pattern is controlled by digital data. This allows dynamic adjustment of relief patterns, depths, and designs by changing digital parameters, achieving unlimited adaptability while maintaining strong relief definition through the brushing step.
3Manufacturing precision
If analog stamping processes are used to add 3D relief, then relief patterns are applied, but the process is labor-intensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The binder material applied digitally serves a dual function: it acts as both the protective layer and the template for relief formation. During the brushing step, the binder naturally remains in areas where relief is desired while being removed from areas where material should be eliminated. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for separate masking or alignment steps, significantly improving productivity while maintaining relief definition.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the protective layer application and relief pattern definition into a single digital printing step. The binder material simultaneously protects areas that should retain material and defines the relief pattern. This consolidation of functions eliminates multiple separate operations required in traditional stamping, reducing labor intensity and increasing production efficiency while maintaining pronounced relief effects.
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. A computer system receives information defining a relief pattern for forming the 3D relief using a digital inkjet printer. From the information, a feature vector is extracted comprising one or more features describing the 3D relief. A machine learning model is used to generate control commands based on the feature vector. The machine learning model is trained to generate the control commands to configure the digital inkjet printer to apply binder ink to a first region of a surface of the substrate. The applied binder ink is configured to form a protective layer over the first region of the surface of the substrate. The digital inkjet printer is configured to apply solvent ink to the surface of the substrate.