Liquid discharge apparatus and linear-medium processing system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid discharge apparatuses face inefficiencies in discharging liquid, particularly in ensuring consistent ink distribution and preventing clogging due to varying thickening speeds and non-discharge issues across nozzles, which affects the quality of linear-medium processing systems like embroidery.
Innovation Solution
A liquid discharge apparatus with a control unit that utilizes droplet-count distribution tables based on environmental information, such as thickening speed and humidity, to optimize ink discharge from multiple nozzles, ensuring each nozzle discharges the appropriate number of droplets to prevent clogging and maintain efficient ink flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If liquid is discharged from multiple nozzles simultaneously, then productivity is improved, but non-discharge and clogging occur due to varying thickening speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit determines thickening speeds for each nozzle before discharge and pre-calculates the optimal discharge sequence and timing. By performing preliminary assessment of thickening characteristics, the system can schedule discharge operations to prevent clogging while maintaining high productivity across all nozzles.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts discharge timing and frequency for each individual nozzle based on its specific thickening speed characteristics. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize performance for each nozzle while maintaining overall system productivity, preventing clogging in nozzles with faster thickening speeds.
2Reliability
If discharge control is performed to prevent clogging, then reliability is improved, but productivity decreases due to dummy discharge operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary determination of thickening speeds and pre-plans discharge schedules that inherently prevent clogging. By anticipating potential clogging issues before they occur and building prevention into the discharge plan, the system eliminates the need for subsequent dummy discharge operations, thereby maintaining high productivity while ensuring reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit continuously monitors discharge conditions and thickening speeds, using this feedback to optimize discharge timing in real-time. This feedback mechanism allows the system to maintain reliable operation without requiring excessive dummy discharge operations, as the system adapts to actual conditions and prevents clogging proactively.
3Manufacturing precision
If environment information is acquired for each nozzle, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit serves multiple functions: it controls discharge timing, determines thickening speeds, acquires environment information, and optimizes discharge sequences. By making the control unit multi-functional, the system achieves precise ink distribution across all nozzles without adding separate dedicated measurement and control devices for each nozzle, thereby managing device complexity while improving manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
Each nozzle effectively performs self-assessment of its thickening speed characteristics, and the control unit uses this self-provided information to optimize discharge for that specific nozzle. This self-service approach allows precise customization of discharge parameters for each nozzle without requiring complex external measurement systems, achieving high manufacturing precision with manageable device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge surface (12) and a control unit (500). The liquid discharge surface (12) has a plurality of liquid discharge ports (11). The control unit (500) generates a drive waveform and controls discharge of liquid from the plurality of liquid discharge ports based on the drive waveform. The control unit (500) includes a plurality of droplet-count distribution tables (507a) in which information on a number of times of droplets to be discharged from each one of the plurality of liquid discharge ports is set. The control unit (500) forms the drive waveform by using a droplet-count distribution table selected from the plurality of droplet-count distribution tables based on information on a use environment of the plurality of liquid discharge ports acquired before starting a discharge operation of the liquid.