Solution Proposal from Mitutoyo

Inkjet Head Evaluation

Inkjet printers are commonly used both personally and professionally.

inkjet technology serves a broad range of industrial applications, including the production of labels, wallpaper, regenerative medicine, and electronic devices.  One of the primary advantages of inkjet technology is its ability to precisely apply accurate amounts of material to a targeted location.  However, even minor displacements during application can have a significant impact on the accuracy and quality of the output. To address this challenge, Mitutoyo's Vision Measuring Machine offers an innovative solution. 

Common Issues with Measuring Inkjet Heads

Consequences of Missed Landing Positions

• Low image quality from blurred text and images.

• Illegible labels and inoperable barcodes.
  

• Defects can occur in circuit patterns of electronic devices.

Causes of Missed Landing Positions

• Placement of inkjet nozzle holes.

• Uneven diameter on each nozzle hole.

• Contamination of nozzle holes leading to defective processing.

• Drive Backlash

• Non-uniform film formation from uneven liquid distribution.

Main Diagnostics Using Precision Instruments

[Direct] Inkjet nozzle evaluation

 [Indirect] Printing evaluation

Common Inkjet Head Measurement Issues

Do you have problems with quality control of the print head affecting accuracy? 

Issue 1: The thin design of the print head causes warpage or deformation, making it time-consuming to achieve proper focus.
 

Issue 2: The position and diameter of nozzle holes are directly linked to printer head performance, requiring inspection of all holes during the manufacturing process.                         However, the process involves too many inspection steps, making it inefficient.

Issue 3: Visual inspection for deformation in the nozzle hole is needed, but the magnification capability of your measuring machine is insufficient.

Issue 4: During the final inspection of the nozzle head, you aim to improve the position detection accuracy for different ink colors on printed material.

　Solution 1: Automatic tracking of warpage and deformation on the print head

Issue 1: The thin design of the print head causes warpage or deformation, making it time-consuming to achieve proper focus.

The tracking auto-focus function (TAF) allows the focus to follow the warpage and deformation on the print head, which greatly reduces the time and effort required to focus. The reduced inspection time per print head will contribute to increased production overall. 

Reduction of measurement time using TAF (tracking autofocus)

　Solution 2: Reducing measurement time on complete hole inspection

Issue 2: The position and diameter of nozzle holes are directly linked to printer head performance, requiring inspection of all holes during the manufacturing process.                         However, the process involves too many inspection steps, making it inefficient.

Unlike conventional CNC Vision measuring machines, Mitutoyo's CNC Quick Vision Pro can perform nonstop measurement continuously.

By performing full-hole inspection, we can reduce the cost of not sending defective products to the next process and improve reliability by strengthening quality control.

Complete hole inspection is made possible by drastically reducing overall measurement time.

　 Solution 3: High-magnification visual inspection of nozzle holes for deformation and defects

Issue 3: Visual inspection for deformation in the nozzle hole is needed, but the magnification capability of your measuring machine is insufficient.

"Quick Vision Pro" utilizes the defect inspection software DDPAK.

It is possible to perform high-magnification inspection of nozzle hole shape deformation and machining defects with two functions.

Mitutoyo's QV Pro can analyze numerical values for defective nozzle positions and make high-precision measurements. It is also useful for analyzing the cause of nozzle machining defects and preventing defective outflow.

Machining defect inspection with Quick Vision Pro

　Solution 4: Improved priniting capability for evaluating printed material

Issue 4: During the final inspection of the nozzle head, you aim to improve the position detection accuracy for different ink colors on printed material.

During the final inspection of printed material, does the automatic measurement stop due to different ink colors?
 
The Quick Vision Pro is equipped with four color LED's that change the color of light emitted for different ink colors, ensuring automatic measurements can be performed continuously.

Reducing the stoppages needed for evaluating different ink colors

Need help solving a measurement problem? Contact us anytime!

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