A piezoelectric inkjet printer is a type of inkjet printer that uses the piezoelectric effect to propel ink droplets onto the paper. The working principle involves the precise control of piezoelectric materials to create pressure pulses that expel ink through small nozzles, forming the printed image on the paper. Here's a step-by-step explanation of its operation:
Ink Reservoir: The printer contains an ink reservoir that holds the liquid ink. This ink is usually a mixture of pigments or dyes dissolved or suspended in a solvent.
Piezoelectric Material: Inside the printer's ink cartridge or printhead, there are tiny chambers made of piezoelectric material. Piezoelectric materials are crystals or ceramics that have the unique property of generating an electric charge when subjected to mechanical stress and, conversely, undergoing mechanical deformation when an electric field is applied to them.
Nozzles: Each chamber in the printhead has a tiny nozzle at one end. These nozzles are responsible for dispensing the ink droplets onto the paper.
Applying Electric Field: When the printer receives a command to print a particular section of the image, it sends an electrical signal to the piezoelectric material in the chamber corresponding to that part of the image. The electric signal causes the piezoelectric material to change shape slightly, either expanding or contracting, depending on the material's type.
Ink Ejection: As the piezoelectric material changes shape, it exerts pressure on the ink in the chamber. When the pressure is high enough, it forces a tiny droplet of ink through the nozzle onto the paper. The size of the droplet can be controlled by adjusting the voltage applied to the piezoelectric material and the duration of the electric pulse.
Formation of Image: By precisely controlling the voltage applied to different chambers and coordinating the timing, the printer can deposit ink droplets in the appropriate positions on the paper. As the paper moves through the printer, the printhead scans back and forth, depositing droplets and building up the complete image.
Printing Speed: The piezoelectric inkjet printer can achieve high printing speeds because it doesn't rely on heating the ink to form droplets (as in thermal inkjet printers). Additionally, it allows for greater control over droplet size, resulting in sharper and more detailed prints.
Overall, the piezoelectric inkjet printer's working principle is based on the precise manipulation of piezoelectric materials to generate pressure pulses that eject ink droplets through nozzles, forming the desired image on the paper.