The performance of an ink-jet head depends not only on the mechanical construction of the head but also on the inks and the control of the driving signal of transducers. For a given print-head, the latter two parameters should be considered simultaneously in order to optimize the ejection of the droplet in terms of formation, velocity and size.In this study, we focus on the design of the electronic control of transducers and the improvement of the Print Quality Optimization Apparatus (PQOA) which helps to investigate in detail the influence of the driving signal. On one hand, the computer controlled frequency function/amplifier has a versatile architecture and can be used to drive various print-heads between −30 and 200 Volts peak-to-peak. On the other hand, the upgrading of the PQOA allows to perform advanced signal processing both on the drive waveform and on the surface profile of the ejected filament.In the course of our experiments, we have tested extensively the influence of the driving voltage for a given waveform thanks to the versatility of the generator. The results that we have obtained concern the size of drop, the length of the filament tail and the velocity of the droplet. They provide a better understanding of the relationships that exist between the initial perturbation and drop formation process.
P. Pierron, E. Auboussier, C. Schlemer, N. Galley, "Influence of Transducer Control in DOD Printing" in Proc. IS&T Int'l Conf. on Digital Printing Technologies (NIP16), 2000, pp 56 - 60, https://doi.org/10.2352/ISSN.2169-4451.2000.16.1.art00012_1