Multi-Printhead Color Consistency via Pressure Calibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
In multi-printhead printing systems, maintaining color consistency across printheads is challenging due to variations in ink pressure, nozzle shape, and drop formation frequency, which affect print density and optical density.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves printing color patches at different pressures with each printhead, measuring their print density, and adjusting the ink pressure to compensate for density differences to achieve uniformity across all printheads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple printheads are used to increase printing capacity, then productivity is improved, but color consistency and print density uniformity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning individual pressure control to each printhead, allowing each one to be optimized independently for its specific print density characteristics. This enables each printhead to operate at its optimal pressure level while maintaining overall color consistency across the multi-printhead system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback through automated measurement of print density for each printhead and use of this data to adjust pressure levels. The system continuously monitors and adjusts pressure based on measured performance, ensuring consistent color output across all printheads while maintaining high productivity.
2Manufacturing precision
If ink pressure is increased to improve print density, then manufacturing precision is improved, but ink flow characteristics and drop formation consistency worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making ink pressure adjustable and variable rather than fixed. Each printhead can dynamically adjust its pressure level to optimize print density while maintaining stable ink flow characteristics, allowing the system to adapt to different printing conditions and requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A printing system using multiple printheads maintains color consistency between the printheads by printing a first color patch (102) with a first color with a plurality of printheads (30) at a first pressure and with a first pixel fill coverage. A second color patch (104) is printed with the first color with the plurality of printheads at a second pressure with the first pixel fill coverage. The print density of the first patch and the second patch is measured for each of the plurality of printheads and the print density for each of the plurality of printheads is compared. A pressure for each of the plurality of printheads is adjusted to compensate for differences in density between the first patch and the second patch for each of the printheads.