Direct Digital Printing on Warm Injection-Molded Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for applying information to plastic containers produced by injection molding require cooling to prevent adhesive detachment and bubble formation, limiting the ability to vary or individualize printed images on the fly.
Innovation Solution
A method using a printing device with a movement unit and print head that determines and controls the relative movement between the container and print head based on the print image, allowing for digital printing directly on warm plastic containers immediately after molding, without separate labels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If labels or stickers are adhered to plastic containers after production, then information can be applied to containers, but sufficient cooling is required to prevent adhesive detachment and bubble formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical adhesive bonding system with a digital printing system that applies ink directly to the container surface. This substitution eliminates the need for adhesive materials and the associated cooling requirements, allowing printing to occur on warm containers immediately after molding.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temperature parameter condition for information application. Instead of requiring the container to be cooled to a specific temperature range for adhesive bonding, the digital printing process allows information to be applied across a broader temperature range, including warm containers directly from the molding process.
2Adaptability or versatility
If labels or stickers are used to provide information on plastic containers, then manufacturer-specific design and barcodes can be applied, but the containers cannot be cooled sufficiently and the labels cannot be varied or individualized on the fly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the information application action during the molding process itself or immediately afterward while the container is still warm, rather than waiting for cooling. This preliminary action eliminates the cooling time requirement and enables on-the-fly customization of print images for each container.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic variability to the print images through digital printing technology, allowing different information, barcodes, and designs to be applied to different containers in real-time based on production requirements, rather than using static pre-printed labels.
3Productivity
If plastic containers are cooled to apply labels, then adhesive bonding is reliable, but energy is consumed for cooling and production time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains continuous production flow by eliminating the cooling step that interrupts the manufacturing process. Containers move directly from molding to printing without temperature-based interruptions, keeping the production line continuously active and reducing overall energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the cooling step from the production sequence. By taking out this unnecessary intermediate step (since digital printing doesn't require cooling), the process becomes more efficient with reduced energy consumption and faster production cycles.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for printing a printed image onto a plastic container produced by injection molding using a printing device (1), wherein the printing device comprises a motion unit and at least one printhead, and wherein the method (1) comprises the following steps: - providing a plastic container produced by injection molding (2); - receiving a printed image to be printed onto the plastic container (3); - based on the provided printed image, determining a required relative movement of the plastic container and the printhead by the motion unit, which is necessary to print the printed image onto the plastic container by the printing device (4); and - printing the provided printed image onto the plastic container by the printhead, wherein the printing of the printed image comprises controlling the motion unit based on the determined required movement (5).