Printer Calibration Using Opaque White Ink Base Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current printer technologies face challenges in calibrating printing materials on various substrates, particularly due to the variability in substrate characteristics, which affects the accuracy and consistency of ink deposition and color representation.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a printer apparatus with a controller, actuator, and sensor apparatus that uses white ink with an opacity of at least 55% to calibrate and print non-white inks, allowing for automatic calibration on a single substrate by adjusting the calibration data based on sensed ink characteristics, thereby minimizing the impact of substrate variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional calibration methods are used on various substrates, then the printing process can accommodate different media types, but the calibration accuracy and color consistency deteriorate due to substrate variability
Solution Approach 1:
A white ink layer with at least 55% opacity is introduced as an intermediary between the substrate and the non-white ink layers. This white ink layer serves as a standardized base that masks substrate variations, providing consistent optical properties for color calibration. The sensor measures the optical properties of the white ink layer rather than the substrate directly, eliminating substrate variability from the measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The method changes the optical parameters of the printing system by using a white ink layer with specific opacity characteristics (at least 55%). This parameter change transforms the measurement target from variable substrate surfaces to a controlled white ink layer with known optical properties, enabling consistent calibration across different substrate types.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple substrates are used for calibration, then versatility is improved, but the calibration process complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The white ink layer is printed as a preliminary layer before the non-white ink layers. This preliminary action creates a standardized measurement surface that remains consistent across all substrate types, allowing calibration to be performed on this uniform layer rather than adapting to each substrate's unique properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The white ink layer serves multiple functions: it acts as an opaque base layer, a calibration reference surface, and a color standard. This multi-functionality allows the same calibration approach to be universally applied across different substrate types without requiring substrate-specific calibration procedures.
3Adaptability or versatility
If substrate variations are accommodated, then adaptability is improved, but the color consistency and printing precision deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The white ink layer acts as an intermediary that decouples the substrate from the color measurement process. By measuring the optical properties of the white ink layer rather than the substrate, the system achieves color consistency independent of substrate variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The white ink layer provides localized optical uniformity on top of variable substrates. This local quality control ensures that the measurement area has consistent optical properties regardless of the underlying substrate characteristics, thereby maintaining color consistency.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus to calibrate a printer. The apparatus comprises a controller to: control deposition of white printing material on media, the white printing material having an opacity of at least 55%; control deposition of non-white printing material on the white printing material; receive data for at least one sensed characteristic of the non-white printing material; and calibrate the printer using the received data for the at least one sensed characteristic of the non-white printing material.