An Analysis of Recent Advances in Solid Ink Printer Performance from a Print Head Perspective

摘要

The customer experience of offset solid ink printing systems relies to a large degree upon the performance of four primary components: the print head subsystem, the transfer and fusing (or "transfix") subsystem, the receiver media, and the ink itself. While each of these ingredients plays a crucial role in the performance of the device, over the years the technology within the print head subsystem has been shown unquestionably to drive the greatest increases in offset solid ink printer performance. The following paper begins with an overview of an offset solid ink printing device highlighting the key aspects of this technology. Following this introduction, focus shifts to the print head subsystem, advances in which form the nucleus of a technology set enabling greatly improved print quality at speeds significantly higher than prior color offset solid ink printers.rnKey technology elements of the print head subsystem are discussed, including their impact on system performance in terms of throughput, print quality, cost, and reliability. An architectural description of the subsystem will be presented, contrasting it with those that have come before. Similarly, jetting behavior will be discussed, as will calibration methods for the performance of the subsystem. The paper concludes with a brief look forward to the future of solid ink print head technology.