3D Textile Texture Printing with Droplet-Spacing Height Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current textile printing technologies struggle to achieve precise control over the height of three-dimensional textures due to limitations in ink activation time and resulting height distribution, making it difficult to set a defined height profile.
Innovation Solution
The method involves applying volume-changing ink droplets at specific distances to control the expansion area and height of the texture layer, allowing for precise adjustment of the texture height by varying the distance between ink droplets and using programmable control units to manage ink distribution and volume increase.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If liquid ink is applied to the entire surface of the textile and activated to foam, then a three-dimensional texture is created, but the height distribution is statistical and cannot be precisely controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the continuous liquid ink application into discrete ink droplets applied at specific locations. Each droplet is individually positioned and activated, allowing precise control over the height and location of each texture element rather than creating a statistical height distribution across the entire surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies different properties to different parts of the textile by controlling ink droplet placement, size, and activation timing locally. Each droplet can be independently adjusted to create varying heights and densities in different regions, enabling precise local height control while maintaining overall process simplicity.
2Reliability
If a minimum activation time is required to make the ink permanent, then the ink becomes stationary on the textile, but only a small time margin remains for adjusting texture height
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies ink droplets to specific locations before activation occurs. By pre-positioning the droplets at exact locations and calculating the required activation time in advance, the system ensures both ink permanence and precise height control within the available time margin, eliminating the need for last-minute adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a programmable control unit to calculate and manage the activation time based on droplet characteristics and desired texture parameters. This feedback mechanism ensures that activation occurs at the optimal moment to achieve both permanence and precise height control.
3Area of stationary object
If ink droplets are applied at larger distances, then the area available for expansion in the plane increases, but the directed expansion in height decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention dynamically adjusts the distance between ink droplets based on the desired texture characteristics. By varying the spacing between droplets in different regions, the system optimizes the balance between planar expansion area and height development, allowing flexible control over the final texture geometry.
4Manufacturing precision
If the distance between ink droplets is set to control expansion area, then the height of the texture layer can be set precisely, but the device complexity increases with programmable control requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The programmable control unit serves multiple functions: it calculates droplet placement positions, determines optimal distances between droplets, manages activation timing, and stores expansion characteristics of different inks. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate systems into a single control device, managing complexity while maintaining precision.
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 approach enables the creation of three-dimensional textures with precise height control and varied surface profiles, allowing for reproducible and customizable texture formation with enhanced precision and flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
the applied ink droplets being activated, as a result of which a predefined increase in volume of the ink droplets is generated
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for producing a defined three-dimensional texture on a textile, in which the texture is provided on a textile with a defined base area and a defined height, the texture is formed with at least one texture layer, wherein the height and the base area of the texture are set by at least one defined height and at least one defined base area of the at least one texture layer, at least one volume-variable ink in the form of individual ink droplets is applied to the textile, wherein a plurality of ink droplets are provided on the textile according to the base area of the texture, and the applied ink droplets are activated, thereby generating a predefined increase in volume of the ink droplets and forming the at least one texture layer on the textile.To provide the defined height of the at least one texture layer between the applied ink droplets of the texture layer, at least one defined distance is set, which is less than and/or equal to the diameter of activated ink droplets of the texture layer. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a three-dimensional texture for a textile with a base area and a height, and at least one texture layer formed from at least one volume-variable ink in the form of individual ink droplets, which can be applied to the textile and activated for a defined increase in volume. The ink droplets of the at least one texture layer are provided with a distance from each other that is less than or equal to the diameter of activated ink droplets.