Movable Vacuum Table for Digital Printing Format Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing machines processing tabular substrates with suction tables face challenges in automation and rapid format adjustment, leading to inefficiencies and suboptimal processing quality, especially in digital printing where air flows from suction openings can disrupt inkjet processes.

Innovation Solution

A movable suction table with adjustable slides and actuators allows for automated format adjustment and reduced air flow disruptions, enabling faster format changes and improved processing quality by closing suction openings outside the panel surface, especially for variable panel sizes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the suction table uses a large surface area with multiple slides to cover variable substrate formats, then the adaptability to different substrate sizes is improved, but the device complexity and guide requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to different substrate sizesVSAvoidguide requirements for slides

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The suction table employs movable slides that can be dynamically repositioned along the substrate feed direction. The slides are adjustable to different positions depending on the substrate format, allowing the suction table to adapt to various sizes without requiring complex fixed guide structures for all possible positions. The guides simply need to accommodate the range of motion, not every specific position.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the suction table maintains all suction openings active for maximum substrate coverage, then the substrate fixation is improved, but harmful air currents disrupt inkjet droplet flight and reduce print quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubstrate fixationVSAvoidair currents affecting droplet flight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The suction table selectively activates suction openings only in the regions where substrate is currently positioned. Slides can be repositioned to close off suction openings in areas outside the current substrate format, creating local variations in suction activity. This ensures reliable fixation where needed while preventing harmful air currents in regions where no substrate is present, thereby maintaining print quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Device complexity

If manual adjustment of slides is used for format changes, then the device complexity is reduced, but the productivity and setup time decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadjustment mechanismVSAvoidformat adjustment speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The suction table integrates actuators (such as pneumatic or electric cylinders) to automatically reposition the slides during substrate format changes. This replaces manual mechanical adjustment with automated control, significantly reducing setup time and increasing productivity. The actuators can quickly move slides to predetermined positions corresponding to different substrate sizes, eliminating the time-consuming manual adjustment process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Adaptability or versatility

If the suction table is designed for maximum format coverage, then the versatility is improved, but the moving mass increases when using movable slides

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveformat coverage rangeVSAvoidmoving mass of slides

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The suction table divides the substrate support surface into multiple independent slide sections. Each slide is a separate, relatively lightweight component that can be independently repositioned. This segmentation allows the system to achieve versatile format coverage through combinatorial positioning of multiple light slides rather than using a single large, heavy movable structure. The total moving mass is distributed across multiple smaller components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 solution automates the adjustment process, reduces disruptive air flows, and enhances print quality by stabilizing droplet flight, particularly at the substrate edges, allowing for efficient processing of sheet-shaped substrates in digital printing machines.

Implementation Method 1

a suction table (7) with a surface (7s) for supporting the substrate and with suction openings (25) arranged in rows and columns on the suction table (7) below the surface (7s), which are connected via a hollow chamber (not visible in the drawings) to a source of negative pressure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectNegative pressure: Vacuum

Data Source

PatentEP3720715B1Machine for processing a tabular substrate with a movable vacuum table

Publication Date: 2023.10.04 KOENIG & BAUER METALPRINT GMBH

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AI summary

The invention relates to a vacuum table (7) of a machine which processes a tabular substrate, wherein the vacuum table (7) has suction openings (25) which are arranged in rows and columns and are connected to a vacuum generator. A plurality of rows of suction openings (25) are assigned in each case slides (26) for opening and closing the suction openings (25) and/or a plurality of columns of suction openings (25) are assigned in each case slides (27) for opening and closing the suction openings (25).