Pre-Coat Ink Formulation for Wet-on-Wet Pattern Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing techniques face challenges in achieving high accuracy, resolution, and optical density on various surfaces, especially curved surfaces, due to sequential layering, misalignment, nozzle blocking, and the need for tailored primers, leading to inefficiencies and defects.
Innovation Solution
A pre-coat formulation comprising functionalized monomers, oligomers, surfactants, and dual photo-initiators that allow for wet-on-wet printing, providing high accuracy and resolution by forming a sticky pre-coat layer on surfaces, which is then fixed with controlled polymerization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If sequential printing and curing of pigmented layers is used, then color mixing is prevented, but printing process time increases and pattern resolution decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple pigmented layers into a single ink formulation containing cyan, magenta, yellow, and black pigments simultaneously. This single-layer approach eliminates the need for sequential printing and curing of multiple layers, thereby reducing printing process time while maintaining pattern resolution through the wet-on-wet printing method that prevents unwanted color mixing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies a pre-coat formulation containing photopolymerizable monomers and oligomers to the substrate before printing. This pre-coat layer is cured in advance to create a stable foundation that enables subsequent layers to be printed and cured in a single pass, reducing overall process time while maintaining high pattern resolution.
2Productivity
If multiple light sources are positioned near print-heads for curing each color, then curing efficiency improves, but nozzle blocking occurs due to reflectance and dispersion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the curing process from the print-head assembly by positioning light sources remotely below the substrate. This separation eliminates the reflectance and dispersion issues that occur when light sources are positioned near the nozzles, preventing nozzle blocking while maintaining curing efficiency through the transparent or translucent nature of the ink layers that allow light to penetrate and cure the formulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a pre-coat layer as an intermediary between the substrate and the ink formulation. This layer acts as a medium that facilitates light transmission for curing while protecting the print-head nozzles from direct exposure to light, thereby preventing nozzle blocking and ensuring reliable nozzle functionality.
3Manufacturing precision
If UV masks are printed directly on photo-polymeric materials, then pattern definition improves, but ink formulation problems occur such as bleeding, strike-through, clustering, or feathering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a pre-coat formulation containing photopolymerizable monomers and oligomers to the substrate before printing the ink formulation. This pre-coat layer is cured in advance to create a stable foundation that prevents ink formulation problems such as bleeding, strike-through, clustering, and feathering, thereby ensuring both pattern definition and ink stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite ink formulation containing a mixture of photopolymerizable monomers, oligomers, and pigments in specific ratios. This composite formulation maintains appropriate viscosity and adhesion properties that prevent bleeding and feathering while enabling precise pattern definition through wet-on-wet printing.
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
Enables high accuracy ink-jet printing with minimized curing cycles, suitable for both flat and curved surfaces, ensuring enhanced adhesion and stability of patterns with reduced defects.
Implementation Method 1
forming a sticky pre-coat layer on surfaces, which is then fixed with controlled polymerization
Implementation Method 2
A pre-coat formulation comprising functionalized monomers, oligomers, surfactants, and dual photo-initiators that allow for wet-on-wet printing, providing high accuracy and resolution by forming a sticky pre-coat layer on surfaces, which is then fixed with controlled polymerization
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are pre-coat formulations, ink formulations, ink systems and printing methods for patterning a surface with a desired pattern.