Piezo inkjet drop-on-demand experimentation platform manufactured with rapid prototyping techniques enabling future technologies

Abstract

A novel experimentation platform, which is based on a piezoelectrically driven inkjet printhead and on a support plate, is presented. A huge number of fluids has to be ejected due to the large variety of possible applications for inkjet printheads. Each fluid with its special characteristics usually requires a redesign of the printhead to be able to be ejected. This inkjet printhead is manufactured in a batch process with rapid prototyping techniques in order to be able to be adapted to new boundary conditions in a time saving manner. The manufacturing time only amounts less than 30 minutes. The inkjet printhead is inserted into a support plate. Here, it is electrically as well as fluidically connected without any soldering or gluing processes. Heating elements, temperature as well as pressure sensors, and a fluid reservoir are integrated. The reproducibility of experiments is thereby given. Furthermore, printing fluids with solid-liquid phase transition is possible. The inkjet printhead can be changed within only one minute.