Print Unit Suction Box Segmentation for Material Flatness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printing processes, particularly with water-based ink, often result in deformation of printing materials due to ripples, which can damage print heads and lead to poor print quality due to varying drop flight times of printing fluid.
Innovation Solution
A printing unit with multiple inkjet print heads arranged in a sequence, featuring a protective cover with stepping surfaces for operator access and suction boxes with inlet and outlet openings that extend over a significant portion of the working width, ensuring consistent material flow and minimizing deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If suction boxes extend over the entire working width of the printing unit, then material flatness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The suction box is divided into multiple independent suction sections arranged side by side in the transverse direction. Each suction section can be independently adjusted in its suction strength, allowing localized control over material flatness without requiring a single complex uniform suction system across the entire working width.
Solution Approach 2:
The suction strength of each suction section is made independently adjustable, transforming a static uniform suction system into a dynamic adaptable one. This allows the suction characteristics to be optimized for different sections of the material width and adjusted according to specific printing requirements.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple suction sections with independent adjustment are implemented, then printing precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A common suction line serves all suction sections, providing a unified air supply pathway. This multi-functional design allows the single suction line to distribute suction force across multiple independently adjustable sections, simplifying the overall structure while maintaining precise control capabilities.
3Stability of the object's composition
If suction boxes are fixed across the entire working width, then material stability is improved, but adaptability to different printing requirements deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Dividing the suction box into multiple independent suction sections enables different suction strengths to be applied to different transverse sections of the material. This segmentation allows the system to adapt to various printing requirements such as handling materials with different weights, thicknesses, or susceptibility to deformation in different areas.
Solution Approach 2:
Each suction section can be independently adjusted to provide localized suction characteristics optimized for specific sections of the material. This allows different parts of the material to receive appropriate suction force according to their specific requirements, enhancing both stability and adaptability.
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 configuration enhances print quality by maintaining material flatness, reducing the risk of damage to print heads, and improving the consistency of drop application, thereby enhancing printing precision and speed.
Implementation Method 1
a suction box (240), in particular a common suction box (240), which has a plurality of inlet openings (241)
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a print unit (200) which has a transport path for stock (02), said transport path defining a direction of transport. The print unit (200) comprises at least two suction boxes (247), each having inlet openings (243) which at least partly point in the direction of the transport path provided for the stock (02). The inlet openings (243) of the at least two suction boxes (247) together extend along an inlet length in a transverse direction (A) 80% of which correspond to a working width of the print unit (200). The at least two suction boxes (247) are arranged next to each other in the transverse direction (A) and these at least two suction boxes (247) can be removed from the print unit (200) individually and independently of others of the at least two suction boxes (247) that are arranged next to the respective other of the at least two suction boxes (247) in the transverse direction (A); and/or the at least two suction boxes (247) are each connected to the same common suction line (258) via flow connections.