Robot Inkjet Printing Timing Adjuster for Ejection Precision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ink jet printing devices using robots face challenges in accurately controlling the ejection timing of the ink head due to constraints on the control cycle of the robot controller.
Innovation Solution
A printing device that includes a head for ejecting liquid, a robot for changing the relative positions of the work and the head, a positional information output unit for providing positional information, and a timing adjuster that adjusts the ejection timing based on the positional information to ensure accurate ink placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the robot controller uses a fixed control cycle to manage the ink jet head, then the control system remains simple and stable, but the ejection timing cannot be accurately adjusted to match the actual head position
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into two independent parts: the robot controller that manages overall robot movement with its fixed control cycle, and the head controller that independently manages ink jet head ejection timing. This segmentation allows each controller to operate optimally without being constrained by the other's control cycle, resolving the contradiction between timing accuracy and system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
A timing adjuster acts as an intermediary component between the robot controller and head controller. It receives position information from the robot controller, calculates the appropriate ejection timing based on the head's movement state, and generates timing adjustment signals. This intermediary enables precise ejection timing control without requiring the robot controller itself to be modified, maintaining system simplicity while achieving high precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If the control cycle of the robot controller is shortened to improve ejection timing accuracy, then timing precision improves, but the control cycle constraint prevents achieving desired timing
Solution Approach 1:
The timing adjuster performs preliminary calculations of the required ejection timing in advance, based on predicted head position information. By pre-calculating the optimal ejection timing before the actual ejection occurs, the system can achieve precise timing control without being constrained by the robot controller's fixed control cycle, effectively overcoming the time loss issue.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the timing adjuster continuously monitors the head's position information from the robot controller, compares it with the desired position, and dynamically adjusts the ejection timing accordingly. This feedback loop enables the system to compensate for timing deviations caused by the fixed control cycle, achieving high precision without shortening the control cycle.
3Manufacturing precision
If the head controller operates independently with high-frequency control, then ejection timing accuracy improves, but coordination with the robot controller becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The timing adjuster serves as an intermediary that bridges the head controller and robot controller. It translates position information from the robot controller into precise timing commands for the head controller, enabling the head controller to operate independently at high frequency while maintaining seamless coordination with the robot controller through a standardized interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces complex mechanical synchronization between controllers with an electronic information processing approach. The timing adjuster uses electronic calculations and signal processing to coordinate the head controller's high-frequency operations with the robot controller's lower-frequency position updates, eliminating the need for complex mechanical timing mechanisms and reducing coordination complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A printing device includes a head that ejects liquid to a work; a robot that changes relative positions of the work and the head; a positional information output unit that outputs positional information regarding a position of the robot; and a timing adjuster that adjusts, based on the positional information, an ejection timing of ejecting the liquid from the head. When a timing of acquiring first positional information as the positional information by the timing adjuster is a first acquisition timing, a timing of acquiring second positional information as the positional information by the timing adjuster after the first acquisition timing is a second acquisition timing, and the ejection timing after the second acquisition timing is a first ejection timing, the timing adjuster adjusts the first ejection timing based on the first positional information and the second positional information.