Roller Mold Nip Control for Printing Pressure Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional printing apparatuses face variations in printing pressure due to nonuniform flatness and cylindricity of printing objects, as well as sliding resistance in guides, leading to inconsistent printing quality.
Innovation Solution
A printing apparatus with a moving resistance reduction device, such as an air blowing device, that floats the slider above the base, and a roller mold nip device controlling nip pressure to maintain uniform printing pressure, combined with a roller mold cleaning member for seamless reverse printing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a constant pressing amount of the printing nip is employed, then the printing pressure should be uniform, but variations in pressing pressure occur due to nonuniform flatness and cylindricity of the printing objects
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs a feedback mechanism where a sensor detects the actual pressing force applied by the roller mold to the blanket cylinder, and this detected value is fed back to a controller. The controller then adjusts the driving force of the positioning actuator to compensate for deviations, thereby maintaining constant pressing force despite variations in object flatness or cylindricity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the conventional mechanical positioning system with an active control system that uses a positioning actuator (such as a servo motor or linear actuator) to dynamically adjust the roller mold position. This substitution allows for real-time compensation of pressing force variations through electronic control rather than relying solely on mechanical precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If constant pressing force of the printing nip is employed, then printing pressure uniformity should be maintained, but sliding resistance in the guide generates variations in printing pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback mechanism detects changes in pressing force caused by sliding resistance in the guide and compensates by adjusting the positioning actuator output, thereby maintaining constant pressing force despite the presence of friction or resistance forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning actuator serves as an intermediary between the control system and the roller mold, absorbing the effects of sliding resistance in the guide by providing additional compensating force to maintain the desired pressing force on the blanket cylinder.
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
The solution significantly reduces variations in printing pressure, enhancing printing quality by minimizing moving resistance and maintaining consistent nip pressure, allowing for high-precision printing.
Implementation Method 1
a moving resistance reduction device that reduces a moving resistance of the slider relative to the base... the moving resistance reduction device may be an air blowing device that floats the slider above the base
Data Source
AI summary
In order to reduce variations in pressing force of a printing nip to make the printing pressure uniform, an apparatus that performs printing on a substrate using a roll-to-roll method according to an aspect of the present application includes: an ink supply member that supplies a printing ink; a blanket cylinder (30) that transfers part of the ink, which has been supplied from the ink supply member and applied on a surface of the blanket cylinder, onto the substrate; a roller mold (40) that removes part of the ink applied on the surface of the blanket cylinder (30); a base (46) on which the blanket cylinder (30) is fixed; a slider (44) that supports the roller mold (40) and moves on the base (46); a moving resistance reduction device (80) that reduces a moving resistance of the slider (44) relative to the base (46); and a roller mold nip device (42) that applies, to the roller mold (40), a nip pressure against the blanket cylinder (30).