Universal Base Ink for Direct-Printing Container Changeover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing direct printing machines require significant effort and time to switch between different types of container materials due to the need to change incompatible ink systems, leading to increased setup times and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using a second base ink that is chemically and physically compatible with the first base ink, allowing for mixing without destabilization, reducing the need for flushing and enabling the same color inks to be used across different materials, thus simplifying the changeover process by allowing the first base ink to remain in the system and only switching the ink supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If incompatible ink systems are used for different container materials, then printing quality is maintained for each material type, but setup time and complexity increase significantly when changing materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal base ink system that can be used across multiple container material types. By formulating a base ink with compatible solvents and additives that work with both glass and plastic containers, the system eliminates the need for complete ink system changes when switching materials, thereby reducing setup time while maintaining printing quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical parameters of the base ink formulation to achieve broad compatibility. By adjusting solvent composition, viscosity, and additive packages, the base ink can adhere to different material surfaces (glass, plastic) without requiring complete system changes, thus reducing setup time while preserving print quality.
2Reliability
If complete ink system changes are made when switching container materials, then printing compatibility is ensured, but flushing processes and ink loss increase
Solution Approach 1:
The universal base ink system allows the same ink to be used for multiple container materials, eliminating the need to flush and discard incompatible inks when switching materials. This reduces ink loss while ensuring printing compatibility through the universally compatible formulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables continuous operation by maintaining a compatible base ink in the system throughout material changes. The ink system remains active and useful without interruption for flushing or complete replacement, thereby reducing ink loss while ensuring printing compatibility.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple specialized ink systems are maintained for different materials, then printing quality is optimized for each material, but device complexity and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates multiple specialized ink systems into a single universal base ink system that works with multiple container materials. This reduces device complexity by eliminating the need to store and manage multiple specialized ink systems while maintaining printing quality through the universally compatible formulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functionality of multiple material-specific ink systems into a single base ink formulation. By combining the essential adhesion and printing properties needed for different materials into one universal system, the complexity of managing multiple separate systems is reduced while printing quality is maintained.
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 significantly reduces setup time and complexity when changing between container materials, as the compatible base inks can be mixed and used without affecting stability, allowing for continuous operation with minimal ink loss and quick switching between different materials.
Implementation Method 1
The second base ink is chemically and physically compatible with the first base ink in such a way that both base inks can be mixed into a single phase, so that neither accumulations of color particles nor enlarged color particles are caused
Implementation Method 2
The second base ink is chemically and physically compatible with the first base ink in such a way that both base inks can be mixed into a single phase
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method (100) and a direct-printing machine for printing containers of different material types in a direct-printing process. Containers of a first material type are transported (101) using a transport device and are printed with multiple layers of a first base ink (102) that is compatible with the first material type and at least one colored ink (103) over the base ink by means of multiple printing assemblies using direct-printing heads. According to the invention, the first base ink is replaced with a second base ink which is compatible with a second material type when switching (200, 300, 400) to containers of the second material type, and the containers of the second material type are then coated with multiple layers of the second base ink (105) and the at least one colored ink (106) over the base ink.