Silicon Micro-Electro-Mechanical (MEMS) processing provides the foundation for a new drop-on-demand ink jet technology from Spectra, a Dimatix Division. Miniature features, piezoelectric actuators, and monolithic silicon construction create a robust platform for the development of an entirely new family of high precision printheads for a variety of printing applications. This paper will present an investigation of the performance of a 304 jet, 10 picoliter jet module, known as the Spectra™ M-300/10. Formed from single crystal silicon wafers, the M-Class jetting structure has been designed to provide very high frequency response with very low crosstalk interactions. The basic output parameters such as uniformity, straightness, and crosstalk will be analyzed. The relationships between drive pulse, drop mass, and drop velocity, which define the typical operating window for this jet module will be investigated. Opportunities to expand the operating window by utilizing the flexibility of the jet and electronics package to create larger drops will be presented. By packaging the M-300/10 in a variety of configurations, many operating scenarios can be realized.
Amy L. Brady, Marlene M. McDonald, Scott N. Theriault, Bailey Smith, "The Impact of Silicon MEMS on the Future of Ink Jet Printhead Design and Performance" in Proc. IS&T Int'l Conf. on Digital Printing Technologies (NIP21), 2005, pp 264 - 267, https://doi.org/10.2352/ISSN.2169-4451.2005.21.1.art00075_1