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Background
In 1989, not wanting to adopt the developments of other companies, Epson developed its own piezoelectric printing technology, Micro Piezo, for its inkjet printers.
For the invention of Epson Micro Piezo technology, its developer, Mr. Minoru Usui, was awarded the Perkin Medal in 2006, which is awarded for unique contributions to the development of color technology.
In 1993, the first model of the Epson Stylus 800 printer was released, based on Epson Micro Piezo technology.
The maximum print resolution of this device was 360 dpi, the minimum size of the formed ink drop was 90 pl. Modern Epson inkjet printing devices operate with a resolution of up to 5760 dpi, the minimum droplet size reaches 1.5 pl.
What is the essence of Epson Micro Piezo technology?
It is believed that in a piezoelectric print head, the ejected ink drops are affected by the piezoelectric element itself. In fact this is not the case. The piezoelement is structurally connected to a vibrating plate called a diaphragm or meniscus. It is this that affects the ink, pushing it out of the nozzles and then drawing it out of the cartridge.
Working principle of piezoelectric print head
When exposed to an electrical pulse, the piezoelectric element is deformed, thereby changing the position of the diaphragm, which in turn reduces or increases the volume of the microcavity underneath, pushing ink through the multi-channel print head system. Thus, the work of the meniscus resembles the work of a piston, thanks to which the entire process of ink passage through the channels is controlled.
Epson Micro Piezo Thin Film Piezo Printhead
Epson Micro Piezo technology is based on a piezoelectric print head, which has the same name. The technology considered as standard includes 3 components:
- active meniscus control;
- Ultra Micro Dots microdrop printing technology;
- Variable Sized Droplet Technology (VSDT).
These components perform the function of optimizing such parameters as maximum productivity and speed of work. They also allow you to achieve a wide range of resolutions - from 720 to 5760 dpi.
Active meniscus control
Active meniscus control
The fundamental point of the Micro Piezo technology is the return movement of the meniscus, designed to ensure the retraction of satellite droplets formed when the main drop is fired. The use of active meniscus control provides the following printing benefits:
Meniscus control technology plays a fundamental role in the precise placement of ink dots on the media. Which, in turn, determines such significant characteristics as speed and quality.
In addition, the use of this system eliminates the formation of unplanned droplets-splashes, which negatively affect the quality of the produced print. The reverse stroke of the diaphragm ensures that the ink following the detached droplet is drawn back into the print head nozzle, which eliminates the formation of a cloud of satellite droplets, keeping silent about their sending to the media.
The ink supply method is not the only factor that affects the parameters of the drop and the shape of the dot on the media. When an ink particle is formed, the configuration of the print head nozzles is quite important. In thermal inkjet technology, the standard way to reduce the size of the ink particle is to reduce the diameter of the nozzle. In piezoelectric, the droplet size is reduced through the use of meniscus control.
Consistent droplet size
The correct application of ink drops is affected by temperature changes during operation of the device and their relationship with the viscosity of the ink.
In the MicroPiezo print head, unlike thermal inkjet printing devices, significant heating does not occur. But when you turn on the device and after long-term continuous operation, the temperature in the print head differs significantly. To monitor these changes, the Epson print head is equipped with a built-in temperature sensor that records the thermal state at set points. In accordance with a certain temperature regime, the necessary adjustments are made to the voltage supplied to the piezoelectric element. By modifying the force on the diaphragm, all operational deviations caused by temperature changes are compensated.
Ultra Micro Dots printing technology
To hide the dot structure of the printed image, Ultra Micro Dots technology was developed, which makes it possible to print with very small droplets of only a few picoliters. When using Ultra Micro Dots technology, the printing device applies drops of 1.5, 3, 4 or 5 pl.
This technology makes it possible to reproduce high-quality images with high detail and smooth color transitions.
The minimum ink particle volume of 1.5 picoliters is used when printing small details, highlights, skin tones, folds of clothing, etc.
Despite the many advantages of microdroplet imaging technology, it is not always acceptable. If you apply small drops over the entire image, it will take a lot of time. Not every user will sacrifice a lot of time even to get the best result. This prompted the company's engineers to find a compromise between applying large and small drops. This compromise is the technology of printing drops of variable size.
Variable Sized Droplet Technology(VSDT)
Formation of various droplets in one pass
The essence of variable sized droplet printing technology, called Variable Sized Droplet Technology (VSDT), is to use larger droplets to fill solid areas, and smaller ones to truly convey halftones and color gradations.
The advantages of the technology are obvious - it allows you to apply dots of various sizes in one pass of the print head, and also helps to optimize the speed of the device.
The best results are achieved through the use of an intelligent system for forming ink particles designed for different areas: in one pass, Micro Piezo Thin Film Piezo™ forms large droplets to fill dark and solid areas, and microdroplets to convey elegant color gradations. As a result, the resulting print has high quality, close to photographic, with minimal time spent.
Inkjet printer with built-in CISS - Epson M100
The print head of the device is equipped with many microscopic holes, called nozzles, or nozzles, through which ink gets onto the paper, plastic or other material. The PG moves along a stationary sheet without touching its surface and shoots droplets of dye.
The concept of inkjet printing dates back to the 19th century, and in 1951 Siemens patented an inkjet printer based on Continuous Ink Jet technology.
The method is based on constantly pushing paint through nozzles with a high-pressure pump. At the nozzle level, the ink jet is broken into many droplets by an acoustic wave created by a piezoelectric crystal. At the same time, drops that should not fall on the paper are deflected by an electrostatic system and returned through a special reservoir. The printing process uses a relatively small number of drops, the bulk of which is returned for reuse.
Technology has certain advantages:
- the nozzles do not dry out, since ink passes through them constantly;
- the droplet ejection force is high and printing is possible at a considerable distance from the print head to the paper;
- adding volatile solvents to the ink allows the drop to fly to the desired location and dry quickly.
Such printers continue to be used in medicine as recorders, and in industry for marking goods and packaging. But they also have significant flaws:
- the solvent included in the ink evaporates during continuous circulation through the nozzles and return through a special chute, and the dye becomes viscous, which requires constant monitoring and dilution;
- Printers are bulky and very expensive.
Delivery on demand
Employees from Siemens, Canon, and HP have been developing technology for several years to make the printer not so complicated and large. The problem they wanted to solve was to allow a drop of ink to flow through the nozzle only when it was actually needed. All three teams were successful.
Siemens was the first to introduce its PT-80 printer in 1977. According to the developed technology, ink droplets fell onto the paper at the right time using piezoelectronic tubes. Two years later, Canon completed the development of a method for heating the dye with thermal elements and called it BubbleJet, or the gas bubble method. Almost simultaneously, HP completed the project and used the same principle in its research. But the technology is somewhat different and, naturally, the team came up with a different name: drop-on-demand.
BubbleJet
The method is based on the use of thermal elements that heat up to 500 °C when an electric current passes through them. The ink boils, and the resulting gas bubble squeezes a drop of ink through the nozzle. After heating stops, the bubble drops and a new portion of dye enters the chamber.
The high quality of printing text, lines, histograms, but a somewhat blurry graphic image in the area of solid filling, is explained by the presence of splashes escaping from the nozzle accompanying the main drop of ink. The thermal principle of operation of an inkjet printer imposes certain requirements on the composition of the ink:
- compatibility with the materials from which other parts of the print head are made;
- an aqueous base that allows gas bubbles to form;
- the ability to withstand heating temperatures and not delaminate, not leave soot, and not ignite.
Drop-on-demand
The heating element is located directly opposite the nozzle, gas bubbles move in the same direction with the ink, and do not squeeze the dye to the side, as with the BubbleJet method.
This is not the only difference. The thermal element here is heated to a temperature of 650° C, which causes the ink to boil and escape through the nozzle in a gaseous state. These vapor clouds make printing clearer in the solid fill area, which is a clear advantage over gas bubble technology.
A significant drawback of both methods: the print head quickly fails as a result of constant exposure of the parts to high temperatures. The size and cost of the heating system are small, which allowed manufacturers to combine GHG and cartridge. Consumers are asked to throw away the consumables when they run out of ink.
Many users refill cartridges themselves or install CISS, but one cannot expect much durability of the head precisely because of the printing method. It is especially important for owners of thermal inkjet printers produced by Canon, HP, Lexmark to monitor their ink levels. It is the dye that acts as a coolant, and when printing with an empty cartridge, the PG will most likely fail beyond repair.
Piezoelectric method
Epson has developed its own technology based on the expansion of a piezocrystal under the influence of electric current. Having received an impulse, the piezoelectric element is deformed and activates a vibrating plate, or diaphragm, which exerts pressure on the ink chamber, squeezing a drop through the nozzles. At the same time, the temperature does not change significantly, which contributes to the long service life of the print head. This is important, since the PG is complex and is an integral part of the device. Of course, the print head of any inkjet printer can dry out if it has not been used for a long time, or the cartridges have been filled with the wrong ink. But for Epson printers, the probability of successful part recovery is very high.
The color image is sharper and more contrasty, which is due to the way the inkjet printer works with a piezoelectric ink circuit. Immediately after the membrane pushes the drop through the nozzle, the piezoelectric crystal receives an opposite impulse, causing the vibrating plate to bend in the opposite direction. The ink chamber increases, which allows not only to let in the next portion of ink from the cartridge, but also to draw back the ink that follows the drop and prevent the formation of satellite droplets. It is these unscheduled splashes of ink following the main burst that cause the printing of solid graphic images with thermal inkjet printers to appear slightly blurry.
Photo print quality improves as the drop size decreases. In thermal heads, this problem is solved by changing the size of the nozzles. For piezoelectric technology, the diameter of the nozzle is not important; it is enough to control the current strength so that the appropriate volume of dye is ejected. Printing an entire image in 1-picoliter microdroplets, as is the case with thermal inkjet printers, takes a long time.
Piezo technology allows you to use drops of different sizes as needed: when printing, areas of continuous filling are large, for small details or shades - small. Three sizes of droplets can be ejected in one carriage pass, which significantly increases printing speed.
The production of a piezoelectric print head is much more expensive than a thermal one, but the technology allows for a long service life and high print quality.
Have fun typing.
Today, Epso n is one of the largest manufacturers of inkjet printers, and the emergence of new products and technologies from one of the trendsetters always attracts attention. In this article we will look at some features of Epson inkjet printing technology, and also get acquainted with new printer models that will appear on the Russian market in October.
Constant competition forces inkjet printer manufacturers to continuously improve technology and improve print quality. Today, Epson Stylus Photo series printers using a six-color printing system have achieved a resolution of 2880 dpi. To ensure high clarity and detail of the image, the AcuPhoto Halftoning rasterization system and variable size droplet technology (VSDT, Variable Size Droplet Technology) are used, which by changing the voltage supplied to the piezoelectric element allows the formation of drops of three different sizes. The minimum volume of a drop of ink applied to the surface of paper is only 4 picoliters, and its diameter is half the thickness of a human hair.
The changes also affected cartridges: they now have a microchip installed that stores information about ink consumption (previously, this information was stored in the printer’s memory and was lost when the cartridge was removed). New Intellidge cartridges can be removed and installed repeatedly without worrying about the accuracy of the on-screen information about the amount of ink remaining.
Attention is also paid to such important aspects as the drying speed of the ink and its resistance to sunlight and gases contained in the air (in particular, ozone). The cartridges of new Epson printer models use proprietary quick-drying QuickDry Ink, which, when printed on Epson Matte Paper - Heavyweight, provides light resistance of about 20 years. In August of this year, the production of a new type of photographic paper was launched - Epson ColorLife Photo Paper, which has increased moisture, light and gas resistance. According to independent studies, Epson ColorLife Photo Paper ensures that prints remain virtually unchanged for 25-27 years.
PRINT Image Matching - a step towards digital photography
One of the most pressing problems currently encountered by users of digital cameras is the inadequate reproduction of the resulting images when printed on various printers. To solve this problem, Seiko Epson Corporation, in collaboration with a number of well-known digital camera manufacturers (such as Casio, Konica, Kyocera, Minolta, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, Ricoh, Sanyo, Sony and Toshiba), has developed PRINT Image Matching technology, the use of which allows minimize the differences between the image captured by a digital camera and the print produced by a printer. Of course, to achieve this idyll, both the camera and the printer (or at least its software) must support PRINT Image Matching.
The main idea of this technology is the processing of the printed image based on data about the parameters of a specific digital camera and the settings specified by the user when shooting. Today, in most cases, images taken with a digital camera are first downloaded to a computer, then processed using some kind of software, and only then sent for printing. In this case, distortion of color rendering is inevitable due to the recalculation of the color coordinates of image pixels from one color space to another. The problem lies in the difference in the color gamut of the spaces used by the digital camera and the computer operating system (Fig. 1). As a result, the color of pixels whose values lie outside the color gamut of the srgb space is inevitably distorted, and information about the original color is irretrievably lost (Fig. 2). The effects of this transformation are most noticeable in shades of blue and green.
When using PRINT Image Matching technology, information about the color space used by a particular digital camera and about the settings made by the user is stored inside the image file (more precisely, in its header) and is subsequently used to control the printing process (Fig. 3). This allows you to obtain prints that are as close as possible to the original without resorting to additional color correction.
The file header can contain user-selected settings for brightness, contrast, color balance, saturation, sharpness, etc.
If we talk about the implementation of PRINT Image Matching technology, it is currently implemented in many models of digital cameras, in particular:
- Sony Cyber-shot DSC P30, DSC P50, DSC S75, Mavica MVC-CD300, Mavica MVC-CD200;
- Casio QV-3500EX, QV-2900UX, QV-2400UX;
- Nikon COOLPIX 995;
- Minolta Dimage 7, Dimage 5, Dimage 304;
- Ricoh RDC-i500;
- Pentax Optio 330;
- Kyocera FineCam S3;
- Sanyo DSC-MZ1;
- Epson PhotoPC 3100Z.
The list of printers that support PRINT Image Matching is currently much more modest. At the time of writing, two models were presented that provide full support for the new technology: Epson Stylus Photo 895 and Epson Stylus Photo 810 (for more information about this model, see below). In addition, when using the proprietary EPSON PhotoQuicker 3.0 utility (it can be downloaded from the website http://www.epson.ru/), software support for PRINT Image Matching is provided for the Epson Stylus Photo 890 and Epson Stylus Photo 1290 models (about these printers described in detail in the article on testing photo printers, published in ComputerPress No. 9'2001).
New items for October
At the end of August, three new models of inkjet printers were announced, which will appear in retail sales in Russia almost simultaneously with the release of this issue of the magazine, in October. But before moving on to their description, it is necessary to draw the attention of readers to the change in the name of the Epson Stylus Color line - now it is called Epson Stylus C.
The younger entry-level model, the Epson Stylus Color 480, is being replaced by two new printers: Epson Stylus C20X and Epson Stylus C40UX. Unlike their predecessor, these models are equipped with a folding output tray and two control buttons (the absence of which in the Epson Stylus Color 480 caused complaints from many users). These models provide full-color printing in 4 colors; as before, two cartridges are used: one with color and the other with black ink. Variable Size Droplet Printing Technology (VSDT) is used and the minimum droplet volume is 6 picoliters. Externally, the C20X and C40UX are easily distinguished by the cover covering the printing mechanism - in the C40UX it is made of translucent plastic. However, there are other differences between them that are not noticeable at first glance. In particular, the C20X model is equipped with an IEEE-1284 parallel interface, while the C40UX is connected via USB. In addition, the C40UX has greater resolution (1440x720 dpi) and higher performance. The suggested retail prices for these models look very attractive: $63 for the C20X and $69 for the C40UX. Technical characteristics of both models are given in the boxes.
The line of photo printers has been replenished with a younger model - the Epson Stylus Photo 810 (Fig. 4), which replaced the Epson Stylus Photo 790. This printer is addressed mainly to amateur photographers, as well as home users who are interested in high quality printing at a relatively low price. It is possible to print borderless on 100×150 mm and A4 format media. Like the Stylus Photo 895 announced a month earlier, the Stylus Photo 810 supports PRINT Image Matching technology. Printing, as in other Epson Stylus Photo series printers, is carried out in six colors. Variable size droplet technology (VSDT) is used, and the maximum resolution reaches 2880 dpi. Along with this, the Stylus Photo 810 boasts high performance, which reaches 12 ppm in monochrome mode and 11.7 ppm in color. The suggested retail price for this model is $150.
A look into the future
In conclusion, we note the most interesting new products that will soon appear in Epson inkjet printers.
In the very near future, Epson plans to move to the use of separate ink tanks: instead of the current color cartridges containing three or five containers of ink of different colors, now a separate cartridge will be used for ink of each of the basic colors. This solution allows you to use ink more economically. After all, it’s no secret that when printing, ink of different colors is consumed differently, and the exhaustion of ink of even one of the colors forces you to completely replace the color cartridge, throwing away the remaining ink of other colors along with it. The system of separate cartridges will allow you to use the resource of each of them completely, replacing, if necessary, only the cartridge that is currently out of ink.
At the end of September, the Epson Stylus C80 printer (Fig. 5), equipped with separate ink cartridges for each of the four basic colors, has already gone on sale (though so far only in the United States). The printer's maximum resolution is 2880x720 dpi, and the use of new DuraBrite pigment inks allows you to produce prints with rich colors and very clear text.
In terms of the company's longer-term plans, Epson is currently developing a special sensor to automatically detect the type of paper being used, which could appear in mass-produced products within the next two years.
In preparing the article, materials provided by the Moscow representative office of Seiko Epson Corporation were used.
ComputerPress 10"2001
- high reliability and durability of the print head;
- precise control over the size and placement of the ink drop - for the highest print quality;
- flexibility in the use of water-soluble, pigment, solvent and other types of inks - adaptation for use in numerous fields.
Innovations brought by Epson Micro Piezo technology to inkjet printing: inkjet photo printing, borderless photo printing, separate cartridges, CD/DVD printing, pigment inks of all colors.
Facts about Epson Micro Piezo technology
- Epson Micro Piezo printing technology was developed by Epson for its inkjet printers in 1989.
- The inventor of Epson Micro Piezo technology is Mr. Minoru Usui. In 2006, Minoru Usui was awarded the prestigious Perkin Medal for creating Epson Micro Piezo technology. This award recognizes outstanding contributions to the advancement of color technology. Since the prize's inception in 1901, only 22 awards have been given. In 2008, Minoru Usui was appointed president of Seiko Epson Corporation.
- The piezo element installed in the print head of printers based on Epson Micro Piezo changes shape when electrical voltage is applied to it and thus creates pressure that pushes ink out of the print head nozzles. Epson's Micro Piezo technology is fundamentally different from the thermal inkjet printing technology used by other inkjet printer manufacturers, which uses heat to push ink out.
- The first commercial printer based on Epson Micro Piezo printing technology, the Epson Stylus 800, was released in 1993.
- The maximum print resolution of the Epson Stylus 800 is 360 dpi, the minimum ink drop size is 90 pl (picoliters). Modern Epson printers print with a resolution of up to 5760 dpi, the minimum droplet size is 1.5 pl.
- Modern Epson Micro Piezo technology allows up to 43,000 ink drops to be positioned on the media every second and with the highest accuracy.
- Epson Micro Piezo technology is used in all Epson inkjet printers.
- Epson Micro Piezo technology works in solutions for industrial and commercial printing from manufacturers such as Noritsu, Mimaki, Roland, Robustelli and some others.
- The unique characteristics of Epson Micro Piezo, reliability and compatibility with various inks and substances, make it possible today to widely use the technology not only for home and professional printing, but also in various industries: for “printing” microcircuits with liquid silicon, for printing on fabric, and also in the production of color filters for large LCD panels and LCD panels for Epson projectors. Such production facilities are compact, have extremely low consumption of energy and other resources, and have the potential to become economically and environmentally efficient “factories of the future.”
- The latest generation of Epson Micro Piezo Thin Film Piezo™ (TFP) print heads, the production of which is based on an innovative methodology for processing thin films (TFP - thin-film-piezo), has the highest nozzle density for piezoelectric technology - 360 dpi, which allows significantly Increase print speed while maintaining precise droplet size and positioning.
- For optimal results, we recommend printing at least once a month.
At its core, the principle of inkjet printing is to apply droplets of ink onto paper - in the right place and the right diameter.
This has remained the same since the invention of inkjet printing.
Yet the details of this process (so seemingly simple) are constantly changing and improving.
Printer manufacturers themselves often refer to a change as a new printing technology.
Sometimes such innovations really add something significant to the user, sometimes the untrained eye simply will not notice the difference.
At the same time, it is in the field of inkjet photo printing that the most interesting competitive battle between the titans of the world printer industry is now flaring up, because the quality required for color printing of documents is a stage that has long been passed.
Let’s start with the question: “How do drops get on paper?”
Through the print head nozzles, you answer.
What pushes the drops out of the nozzles?
Currently, two technologies are used to “spit out” drops of ink during printing.
The first is thermal jet.
Each nozzle contains a small but powerful heating element.
If necessary, it instantly heats a portion of paint, and it, expanding in volume, flies out of the nozzle.
The second is piezoelectric.
Substances called piezoelectrics change their volume under the influence of electrical voltage.
A piezoelectric plate inside the nozzle, obeying an electrical impulse, changes its volume and pushes a drop of ink out.
Piezoelectric printing is used by Epson.
Drops of ink, mixing, being absorbed by the paper and spreading over it, form an image.
For inkjet printing we use two types of ink: soluble and pigment.
Soluble - this means that the dye and additives that ensure its durability are dissolved in water.
In pigment inks, even if they are very small, they still remain particles and are not dissolved in water, that is, pigment ink is a suspension of finely dispersed but not dissolved dye - an emulsion.
Of course, in addition to the dye, pigment ink contains substances that prevent the deposition of solid particles, protect them from sticking together, and others.
For us, as users, the following fundamental point is very important: when printing, soluble ink penetrates into the paper, coloring its top layer, and pigment ink sticks to the paper from above without being absorbed, so when printing, pigment ink can produce more saturated shades.
On the other hand, images printed with pigment inks are less resistant to abrasion.
Among users, I have encountered many prejudices against soluble inks.
For example, many people still believe that soluble inks are not waterproof.
But let me remind you: after your print comes out of the printer and the ink has dried, a few drops of water falling on the print will not ruin it.
Moreover, wet hands will not spoil it, so you can completely calmly take the photo without fear of getting dirty.
The situation with CD printing is different, and more on that a little later.
The next point is resolution.
Let’s be honest (like this, it’s always easier to tell the truth for someone), since manufacturers will never tell us this - increasing the resolution of printers, or rather, the resolution indicated in dpi at the moment should be considered as a marketing ploy - less or more successful .
In fact, the print resolution stated by vendors is about 4800 dpi, that is, drops should fall on the paper with a pitch of 0.0053 mm.
However, with a volume of 2 picoliters declared by the manufacturers, the diameter of the drop is 0.018 mm, that is, 3 times the printing pitch!
So, can we say that the resolution specified in the printer specification simply does not physically exist in nature?
This is also not quite the correct point of view.
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