Printer Climate Zones for Wrinkle-Free Digital Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Printing paper used in digital printing applications for flat components often experiences irregular wrinkling due to hygroscopic properties, leading to inconsistent print results and making reproducibility difficult, as it absorbs moisture and grows, even in normal room conditions, affecting the paper feed and causing folds and wrinkles.
Innovation Solution
Creating an in-line printing system with separate climate zones, where the paper feed and discharge are in a low-humidity environment (less than 32% relative humidity) and the printing device is in a higher humidity environment (over 35%), along with heating the printing paper and ink to facilitate rapid drying, eliminating paper growth and wrinkling issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If printing paper is kept in normal room climate conditions, then the paper is readily available and easy to handle, but the paper absorbs moisture and grows causing wrinkles and folds that ruin the print result
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the printing environment into two separate climate zones: a first climate zone for paper storage and feeding with low humidity (below 32% RH) to prevent paper growth, and a second climate zone for the printing device with higher humidity (above 35% RH) to maintain print quality. This spatial segmentation allows each zone to have optimized conditions for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
Different humidity conditions are applied to different parts of the printing system. The paper feed area operates in a low-humidity environment to prevent moisture absorption, while the printing device operates in a higher humidity environment. This local differentiation of environmental conditions resolves the contradiction between paper stability and print quality.
2Ease of operation
If printing paper absorbs moisture from the air, then the paper becomes more flexible and easier to process, but the paper width increases causing wrinkles and making reproducible printing difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by controlling the humidity environment before the paper enters the printing process. Paper is stored and fed in a low-humidity climate zone that prevents moisture absorption and dimensional changes in advance, ensuring stable paper dimensions when it reaches the printing device.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the humidity parameter of the environment in which the paper is stored and processed. By maintaining relative humidity below 32% in the paper feed zone, the paper's moisture content and dimensional stability are controlled, preventing the hygroscopic expansion that causes wrinkles.
3Manufacturing precision
If separate climate zones are implemented with different humidity levels, then paper growth is restricted and print quality is improved, but the device complexity and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
A climate chamber serves as an intermediary component that creates and maintains the first low-humidity climate zone. This separate enclosed space allows independent humidity control for paper storage and feeding, isolating the paper from the higher humidity environment where the printing device operates.
4Productivity
If heating devices are used to dry the printing ink rapidly, then productivity is improved and paper growth is prevented, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating device performs preliminary drying action on the printing ink immediately after application. By rapidly evaporating the solvent from the ink, the paper is prevented from absorbing moisture, which would cause dimensional changes. This preliminary drying action ensures both quick processing and paper stability.
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 setup restricts paper growth at the paper feed, ensures reproducible results, and achieves high-quality prints without the need for expensive resin treatments or ink-receiving layers, maintaining print quality and reducing production costs.
Implementation Method 1
the printing paper is hygroscopic, ie it absorbs moisture. Paper growth results from the absorption of moisture.
Implementation Method 2
heating the printing paper and ink to facilitate rapid drying
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The printing device has a paper feed (3) for printing paper to be printed on, a printing unit (4) connected downstream of the paper feed, and a paper discharge (5) connected downstream of the printing unit for printed printing paper. The two climate zones having different relative humidity levels are provided in the area of the printing device. The relative humidity of the climate zone in which the paper feed or the paper discharge is disposed is less than the relative humidity in the climate zone in which the printing unit is disposed. An independent claim is also included for a method for printing on printing paper.