Why is electrostatic inkjet printing so much more powerful than conventional piezo or bubble jet based technology?
The simple answer: in electrostatic printing, droplets are not pushed from the inside of fine nozzle channels but instead are pulled by an electric force from the outside.
Conventional piezo inkjet
Why is electrostatic inkjet printing so much more powerful than conventional piezo or bubble jet based technology?
The simple answer: in electrostatic printing, droplets are not pushed from the inside of fine nozzle channels but instead are pulled by an electric force from the outside.
The energy required for ejection is based on the physical principle of electrohydrodynamics, the fact that basically any liquid is electrically conductive and can be set in motion when exposed to electric fields. This means that the force to create a droplet is generated directly in the liquid. Due to the dynamic equilibrium between liquid movement and electrical force, a liquid meniscus is formed, which concentrates almost all the energy on its tip. Only from this tip droplets are ejected, which are much smaller than the nozzle itself.
Besides enabling up to 100x higher printing resolution, the benefits of electrostatic ejection support a massively increased ink compatibility.
Scrona
Electrostatic inkjet
Printing resolution ~ 0.5µm
Max. viscosity > 10’000 cps
The energy required for ejection is based on the physical principle of electrohydrodynamics, the fact that basically any liquid is electrically conductive and can be set in motion when exposed to electric fields. This means that the force to create a droplet is generated directly in the liquid. Due to the dynamic equilibrium between liquid movement and electrical force, a liquid meniscus is formed, which concentrates almost all the energy on its tip. Only from this tip droplets are ejected, which are much smaller than the nozzle itself.
Conventional
piezo inkjet
Printing resolution ~ 0.5µm
Max. viscosity > 10’000 cps
The energy required for ejection is based on the physical principle of electrohydrodynamics, the fact that basically any liquid is electrically conductive and can be set in motion when exposed to electric fields. This means that the force to create a droplet is generated directly in the liquid. Due to the dynamic equilibrium between liquid movement and electrical force, a liquid meniscus is formed, which concentrates almost all the energy on its tip. Only from this tip droplets are ejected, which are much smaller than the nozzle itself.
MEMS Chip
The proprietary MEMS chip is the core of our printhead and printing technology. Manufactured in our internal microfabrication lab, this component comprises more than a decade of scientific and engineering development. Our current R&D printheads feature 41 easy to use nozzles and are available to users of the Scrona LabPrinter. Printheads for industrial applications will soon be available.