Multilayer additive printing on non-white substrate using white opaque ink and translucent colored ink
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional color printing techniques require printing multiple layers of white ink on nonwhite substrates to achieve color accuracy, leading to increased printing time, ink usage, and vulnerability to scratches and abrasions, as they rely on simulating a white substrate for color representation.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the simultaneous printing of white and color inks with varying ratios in multiple layers, allowing intermixing of translucent color and opaque white inks to build opacity and achieve color accuracy without the need for a white substrate, using a CMYK color model for printing on any substrate, including textiles and synthetic materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple layers of white ink are printed on nonwhite substrates to achieve color accuracy, then color representation is improved, but printing time and ink usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the white substrate simulation step from the printing process. Instead of printing multiple layers of white ink to simulate a white substrate, the method directly prints color inks on the nonwhite substrate, accepting the substrate's background color as part of the final color outcome. This eliminates unnecessary printing steps while achieving acceptable color representation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention inverts the conventional approach by not trying to make the substrate appear white through multiple white ink layers. Instead, it directly applies color inks to the nonwhite substrate, working with rather than against the substrate's inherent color properties, thereby reducing printing time and ink consumption.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple layers of white ink are printed on nonwhite substrates to achieve color accuracy, then color representation is improved, but ink usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the redundant white ink printing steps from the process. By extracting the white substrate simulation requirement, the method significantly reduces ink consumption while still achieving acceptable color accuracy by working directly with the nonwhite substrate's color properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the approach parameters from attempting to create a white base layer to directly applying color inks with adjusted formulations and layering strategies that account for the nonwhite substrate's color characteristics, thereby reducing total ink usage.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple layers of white ink are printed on nonwhite substrates to achieve color accuracy, then color representation is improved, but vulnerability to scratches and abrasions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the multiple white ink base layers that create vulnerability to scratches and abrasions. By eliminating these redundant layers and using fewer, more strategically applied color layers, the printed material becomes more resistant to mechanical damage while maintaining color accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies color inks in a preliminary manner that accounts for the substrate's background color, building up color layers that are more durable and less prone to showing scratches and abrasions compared to the conventional approach of stacking multiple white base layers followed by color layers.
4Manufacturing precision
If multiple layers of white ink are printed on nonwhite substrates to achieve color accuracy, then color representation is improved, but printing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the complex multi-layer white ink printing process and replaces it with a simplified approach that directly applies color inks on the nonwhite substrate. This reduction in process steps simplifies the overall printing operation while maintaining acceptable color accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention inverts the conventional wisdom of adding white base layers to achieve color accuracy on nonwhite substrates. By directly printing color inks and working with the substrate's inherent color, the process becomes simpler with fewer steps, less complexity in layer management, and easier operation.
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 the number of printed layers and ink usage while enhancing color durability and abrasion resistance, making the printing process more efficient and cost-effective by maintaining color accuracy even when the surface is scratched or damaged.
Implementation Method 1
allowing intermixing of translucent color and opaque white inks to build opacity
Implementation Method 2
allowing intermixing of translucent color and opaque white inks to build opacity
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of printing a desired color onto a nonwhite substrate by additive printing of intermixed translucent color ink and opaque white ink, comprising: printing at least a first layer of ink onto the nonwhite substrate comprising a first mixture of an opaque white ink and at least one substantially translucent color ink, the first layer of ink having a predetermined first ratio of white ink to color ink being less than or equal to 1:1; and printing at least a second layer of ink onto the nonwhite substrate comprising a second mixture of the opaque white ink and the at least one substantially translucent color ink, the second layer of ink having a predetermined second ratio of white ink to color ink being less than or equal to 1:1. The first ratio and the second ratio are substantially equal. A sum of the first printed layer and second printed layer produces the desired color being optically indistinguishable in the visible spectrum from the same color printed onto a white substrate using opaque color inks.