Nozzle Servicing Module for Continuous Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printheads can become blocked or obstructed due to ink residue hardening, leading to print quality issues, especially when nozzles are not properly serviced during printing operations, and existing solutions require stopping the printing process for servicing.
Innovation Solution
A printing system with an auxiliary carriage and printhead that allows for nozzle redundancy, enabling the nozzle servicing module to service printheads without interrupting the printing process by diverting nozzle firing data to the auxiliary printhead, which temporarily replaces the nozzles being serviced.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If printhead nozzles are serviced by moving them to a service station, then nozzle cleaning effectiveness is improved, but printing productivity deteriorates due to process interruption
Solution Approach 1:
The printhead array is segmented into multiple independent printheads, allowing individual nozzles to be serviced without taking the entire printing system offline. The servicing mechanism can target specific nozzle groups while other printheads continue printing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous printing operation by implementing a servicing sequence where nozzles are cleaned in groups during brief intervals between substrate passages. The printing process continues uninterrupted with substrates being fed continuously while nozzle servicing occurs in the background.
2Productivity
If printhead servicing is performed during printing, then productivity is improved by avoiding interruptions, but print quality may worsen due to potential servicing errors
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where print quality is monitored and serviced nozzles are identified based on actual printing performance. This ensures that only nozzles requiring service are targeted, and servicing is validated by subsequent print quality checks.
Solution Approach 2:
Nozzle servicing is performed in advance during brief intervals before the nozzles are needed for printing. The servicing sequence is planned beforehand to ensure all required cleaning operations are completed before substrates requiring those nozzles are processed.
3Manufacturing precision
If nozzles are serviced frequently to maintain print quality, then print quality is improved, but loss of time increases due to repeated servicing interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs nozzle servicing continuously during printing operations by utilizing brief intervals between substrate passages. Multiple nozzles are serviced in sequence during these intervals, converting what would be interruptions into continuous background operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The nozzle array is divided into multiple serviceable groups that can be serviced independently and in parallel. This segmentation allows frequent servicing of individual nozzle groups without requiring complete system shutdowns, reducing overall servicing time loss.
Data Source
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Figure 3
Figure 4a~4d
AI summary
According to one example, there is provided a printing system having a print bar on which are installable multiple printheads. The system comprises a nozzle servicing module moveable across the length of the print bar to selectively perform a nozzle servicing operation on a group of printhead nozzles.