How to achieve accurate and consistent meniscus pressure control

Stable meniscus pressure control is important to print control

Achieving accurate and consistent meniscus pressure control is critical to getting the best out of industrial inkjet systems as this helps to reduce visual defects in printed images. Too high a meniscus pressure can lead to air ingestion and ink starvation; too low a pressure can result in nozzle plate flooding; and pulsatility in meniscus pressure can lead to periodic effects in print output. Therefore, without accurate and consistent meniscus pressure control it can lead to irregular jetting and compromised print quality.

Many current systems use a motor-driven diaphragm pump to provide the meniscus bias pressure. Such pumps are pulsatile and offer limited controllability, meaning that additional components such as pulsation-dampers and proportional valves are required to achieve acceptable printhead performance. The resulting system size and complexity is a disadvantage, particularly when there is a trend to make systems more modular, (e.g. for ease of servicing, or where tuning of bias pressure is advantageous for a given printhead, or group of printheads).

Just 30mm in diameter, Disc Pumps deliver silent, pulsation-free flow.

TTP Ventus’ range of Disc Pumps solves this problem. Their small size, pulsation-free output, and controllability reduce system complexity and size, increasing design freedom. Now, without the need for additional pneumatic components, it is possible to achieve precise, stable control of meniscus pressure in industrial inkjet systems.

A Disc Pump controlling bias pressure within a fluid reservoir in a series of set-point steps, demonstrating rapid response and controllability.

Disc Pump has already been used in a commercialised industrial digital fluid deposition system. The Endeavour, a new waterless smart dyeing system recently launched by Alchemie Technology makes use of Disc Pumps’ unique attributes in the field of meniscus pressure control. Simon Kew, Managing Director of Alchemie Technology, commented “Our experience shows that TTP Ventus’ pumps work well for inkjet meniscus pressure control, enabling us to achieve improved pressure control within a compact form-factor.”.

James McCrone, Managing Director at TTP Ventus, spoke recently at the IMI Europe Inkjet Ink Developers’ conference in Hamburg. For more information please see www.ttpventus.com.