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How Inkjet Printers Work
A 'very informative' and useful series of articles. Reprinted with authorization from Image Specialists.
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Jump To:
Origins
Thermo-Technology
Piezo-Electric Technology
Color Perception
Creating Color
Print Quality
Color Management
Ink
Paper
Manageability & Costs |
 Epson's proprietary inkjet technology uses a Piezo crystal at the rear of the ink reservoir. This is rather like a loudspeaker cone that flexes when an electric current flows through it. So whenever a dot is required, a current is applied to the Piezo element which then flexes and, in so doing, forces a drop of ink out of the nozzle.
There are several advantages to the Piezo method. The process permits greater control over the shape and size of the released ink droplet. The minuscule fluctuations in the crystal allow for smaller droplet sizes and hence higher nozzle density. Unlike thermal technology, the ink does not have to be heated and cooled between each cycle. This saves time, and the ink itself is geared more for its absorption properties than its ability to withstand high temperatures. This enables greater freedom in developing new types of inks.
Epson's newest mainstream inkjets have black print heads with 128
nozzles and color print heads with 192 nozzles (64 for each color), addressing a native resolution of 720 by 720dpi. Because the Piezo process can deliver small and perfectly formed dots with extreme accuracy, Epson is able to offer an enhanced resolution of 1440 by 720dpi (although this is achieved by the print-head making two passes, with a consequent reduction in print speed). The inks that Epson has developed for use with its Piezo technology are solvent-based and extremely quick drying. They penetrate the paper and maintain their shape rather than spreading out on the surface and causing dots to interact with one another. The result is extremely fine print quality, especially on coated or glossy paper.
Next - Color Perception...
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