Lecture

Inkjet Printing: Drop Generation

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Description

This lecture covers the history of inkjet printing, methods of producing micro drops, drop-substrate interaction, drop drying phenomena, and application examples. It explains the oil drop experiment by Millikan, historical milestones in inkjet printing, and the different types of inkjet printing devices. The lecture also discusses the surface tension, drop shapes, drop sizes, and small volume dispensing techniques. It delves into continuous inkjet printing, drop generation by continuous jet, and the methods of producing mono-disperse micro drops. Furthermore, it explores the thermal and piezoactuated inkjet printing methods, drop size modulation by pulse shaping, and the observation of inkjet drops using high-speed cameras. The lecture concludes with discussions on relevant dimensionless numbers, ink printability, surface tension, viscosity, Newtonian and non-Newtonian solutions, and the influence of polymer molecular weight on ink properties.

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Related concepts (26)

Inkjet printing

Inkjet printing is a type of computer printing that recreates a by propelling droplets of ink onto paper and plastic substrates. Inkjet printers were the most commonly used type of printer in 2008, and range from small inexpensive consumer models to expensive professional machines. By 2019, laser printers outsold inkjet printers by nearly a 2:1 ratio, 9.6% vs 5.1% of all computer peripherals.As of 2023, sublimation printers have outsold inkjet printers by nearly a 2:1 ratio, accounting for 9.

Digital printing

Digital printing is a method of printing from a digital-based image directly to a variety of media. It usually refers to professional printing where small-run jobs from desktop publishing and other digital sources are printed using large-format and/or high-volume laser or inkjet printers. Digital printing has a higher cost per page than more traditional offset printing methods, but this price is usually offset by avoiding the cost of all the technical steps required to make printing plates.

Dye-sublimation printing

Dye-sublimation printing (or dye-sub printing) is a term that covers several distinct digital computer printing techniques that involve using heat to transfer dye onto a substrate. The sublimation name was first applied because the dye was thought to make the transition between the solid and gas states without going through a liquid stage. This understanding of the process was later shown to be incorrect, as there is some liquefication of the dye.

Thermal printing

Thermal printing (or direct thermal printing) is a digital printing process which produces a printed image by passing paper with a thermochromic coating, commonly known as thermal paper, over a print head consisting of tiny electrically heated elements. The coating turns black in the areas where it is heated, producing an image. Most thermal printers are monochrome (black and white) although some two-color designs exist. Thermal transfer printing is a different method, using plain paper with a heat-sensitive ribbon instead of heat-sensitive paper, but using similar print heads.

Viscosity

The viscosity of a fluid is a measure of its resistance to deformation at a given rate. For liquids, it corresponds to the informal concept of "thickness": for example, syrup has a higher viscosity than water. Viscosity is defined scientifically as a force multiplied by a time divided by an area. Thus its SI units are newton-seconds per square metre, or pascal-seconds. Viscosity quantifies the internal frictional force between adjacent layers of fluid that are in relative motion.

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