Ink jet material deposition is an emerging manufacturing technique in which
ink jet technology is used to deposit materials on
substrate
Substrate may refer to:
Physical layers
*Substrate (biology), the natural environment in which an organism lives, or the surface or medium on which an organism grows or is attached
** Substrate (locomotion), the surface over which an organism lo ...
s. The technique aims to eliminate fixed costs of production and reduce the amount of materials used.
Uses
Anything that is produced using traditional printing techniques is a candidate for ink jet material deposition. In addition, the precision available with ink jet technology may be required for some industrial applications. Examples include:
*
Organic light-emitting diode
An organic light-emitting diode (OLED or organic LED), also known as organic electroluminescent (organic EL) diode, is a light-emitting diode (LED) in which the emissive electroluminescent layer is a film of organic compound that emits light ...
display production.
*
Printed circuit board
A printed circuit board (PCB; also printed wiring board or PWB) is a medium used in electrical and electronic engineering to connect electronic components to one another in a controlled manner. It takes the form of a laminated sandwich str ...
s are typically produced using
screen printing
Screen printing is a printing technique where a mesh is used to transfer ink (or dye) onto a substrate, except in areas made impermeable to the ink by a blocking stencil. A blade or squeegee is moved across the screen to fill the open me ...
, which is not cost-effective for prototyping or small production runs.
Conductive ink
Conductive ink is an ink that results in a printed object which conducts electricity. It is typically created by infusing graphite or other conductive materials into ink. There has been a growing interest in replacing metallic materials with nano ...
can be used to create circuit traces.
Advantages
* Since the underlying technology is digital, startup costs of production are relatively low. Each copy produced may be different from the last.
* Expensive materials may be used more efficiently; no material is wasted by placing it where it doesn't need to go.
Disadvantages
* The material to be jetted must be compatible with the print head used and must have its viscosity within a specific range.
See also
*
Inkjet technology Inkjet technology originally was invented for depositing aqueous inks on paper in 'selective' positions based on the ink properties only. Inkjet nozzles and inks were designed together and the inkjet performance was based on a design. It was used a ...
Further reading
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Inkjet printers
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