Low Energy Printing

P1004: Open Source / Open Architecture

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Printing Architecture

Input(Energy)

Central Processing Unit

Paper Feed

Printer Head

Printer Driver

Output(Printed Paper)

Interface

Xerography Thermal Inkjet

Piezoelectric Inkjet

On-DemandContinuous

Data Stream

Who?

• Team Members– Dean Culver– Shawn Hoskins– Derek Meinke– Tim Salter

• Stakeholders– John Knapp, Research Fellow, Xerox Corp. – Marking Elements &

Integration Lab– Rochester Institute of Technology– End user: Party that needs printing technology, but has very little

electrical infrastructure to support it

• Faculty Guides– Gerry Garavuso– Bill Nowak– Dr. Marcos Esterman

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What?

• Optimize Performance; Minimize Consumption• Identify areas of significant power consumption• Innovate and Substitute

• Key Terminology• Xerography (Electrophotography)• Piezo Applications• Injet Printing

• Challenges• What has already been done before?

• Fuser Test Beds and Optimization• Electrophotographic Transfer Station

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Where?

• Previous Locations of Research• Past MSD projects stored on EDGE• Prototype and test fixtures at RIT

• Current Technology Development• Continuing research at manufacturer locations and

academic institutions• Research performed by company employees and students

alike

• Widespread knowledge base• Universities• Research facilities

When?

• Utilization– End product could be utilized immediately– Growing demand for technology in less developed countries with little

infrastructure

• Previous Projects– P09503: Electrophotographic Development and Transfer Station

(2008-1 to 2008-2)– P09505: Low-Energy Printing (2008-2 to 2008-3)

• Current Project– P10505: Concurrent Low-Energy Printing (2009-1 to 2009-2)

• Innovation & Creativity Festival– May 1, 2010

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Why?

• Importance of Technology Developement• Multidisciplinary involvement (ME, EE, IE)• New product design is the life blood of competing companies• Stakeholder interests: students, manufacturers customers

• Impact on Current Society• Push towards low energy technology• RESOURCES

• RIT• RIT neighbors graphic imaging companies• Involves multiple engineering departments• Opportunity to prepare students for career after graduation• Low-energy is a hot industry

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How?

• Previous approaches to this concept include the following:– Extensive fuser research; measurement and PUGH

analysis

– Attributes of a successful project

– Attributes of an unsuccessful project

– “How to approach our project…”

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Xerography (Electrophotography)

Develop Latent Image

Charge Photoconductor

Image Exposure

Transfer Latent Image to Medium

Fuse ImageRestore Photoconductor

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Xerography (cont.)

• Energy Demands (Standard Xerox 50 ppm Unit)

• Illumination and Document Handling

• Controls and Solonoids

• Internal Losses

• Electronics

• User Interface

• Mechanical Systems

• Photoconductor and Image Transfer

• Energy Demands (Standard Xerox 50 ppm Unit)

• Illumination and Document Handling

• Controls and Solonoids

• Internal Losses

• Electronics

• User Interface

• Mechanical Systems

• Photoconductor and Image Transfer

Thermal Inkjet Printing

• Print cartridge has 300 to 600 ink nozzles• Each nozzle is electrically heated• The ink is an aqueous solution • The heat causes the ink to boil, which forms a

bubble inside the nozzle• The bubble propels the ink forward out of the

nozzle toward the paper• The contraction of the bubble and the ink’s

surface tension pulls more ink from the reservoir

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Piezoelectric Continuous Printing

• Electrically Reactive Material• Deflection caused by voltage (and vise versa)• Pulse generation (similar to thermal inkjet) causing ink release• Ink droplets charged while exiting nozzle• Continuous stream with interval between droplets; wave effect

• Application of Ink• Continuous discharge, unlike piezoelectric on-demand• Electrically charged ink is deflected by electrical field between

plates• Charge intensity determines placements of ink droplets• Up to ~165,000 drops per SECOND!

• Continuous Ink Discharge• Ink is deflected by plates onto media• Unused droplets are collected by gutter and recycled• Continuous discharge prevents clogging of ink nozzle

Piezoelectric Continuous Printing• Applications

• Wide range of media materials• Ink deflection pattern compensates for different shapes• Often used to print expiration dates, bar codes, labels• Commercial/industrial applications; high-speed printing

The Piezoelectric Process

Piezoelectric Continuous Printing• Benefits

• Prints on many types of materials• Allows for large distance between media and ink nozzle• Prints on materials of different textures and shapes• High speed • Low maintenance (low risk of clogging)

• Disadvantages• High cost of print head• Large size, complexity• Limited print resolution• ENERGY: Only a small fraction of ink droplets are applied to

media • Unused ink droplet ejection• Ink return pump

Piezoelectric On-Demand Printing

• Piezoelectric materials deform under electric potentials– Process can be reversed

• Uses up to 600 nozzles, similar to thermal inkjet• Piezoelectric material sits inside ink chamber• Material vibrates and deforms under electric

potential• Ink becomes forced out of nozzle• Many different inks can be used• Epson currently holds patent on printing

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Low Energy Printing Projects

• P09505– Fusing System– Low-Power, Non-Thermal– Conclusion: Conventional Fusing System Optimized

• P10505– In Progress– Conclusion: Collaboration Mutually Advantageous

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Experimental Printing Test Fixture• P07501: Laser Fuser Test Bed

– Continuously variable to simulate different conditions– Test reactions of toners– Effects of speed, pressure, and temperature– All aspects combined determine image quality

• Issues and Resolutions– Unable to accurately measure applied toner

temperature– Bring toner temperature to equilibrium before

application– Accurate pressure profile curve concerns– Use linearly actuated cam to vary pressure

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Experimental Printing Test Fixture• P08501: Roller Fuser Test Bed

– Goal: Develop methods to improve current printing systems

– Combine research and development from past project– Rollers resemble current in-use printers

• Control Conditions– Vary pressure, temperature and speed of rollers– Test fusibility of toner under different conditions– Difficult to precisely control roller pressure– Suggest more refined linear actuators

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The MSD “State of the Art”

• Fuser Optimized as of ’09

• Electrophotography Attributes Not Yet Investigated

• Typical Ink Application Systems (i.e. jet interruption) Not Yet Investigated *P09505: Low Energy Printing (Xerox), Joshua Jones and Team