Printhead performance technologies

aQ Power Technology

Xaar’s aQ Power is a combination of ground-breaking technologies:

  • A redesigned internal architecture which is optimised for aqueous fluids
  • New materials compatible with aqueous fluids and working range of acceptable pH levels extended
  • Revolutionary new drive system enabling optimum drop ejection for aqueous fluids, significantly extending nozzle open time, increasing lifespan and durability

Sure Flow - ultrasonic self-cleaning printhead mode

Sure Flow enables users to clear and prevent nozzle blockages without the need to remove the printhead, maximising operational print time for optimum productivity. Enabled by software, users simply activate the mode as required by adjusting the settings and loading a command file. This drives each channel to work at maximum power and frequency to create ultrasonic waves that produce controlled vibrations of the channel walls without pausing production or the need to remove the printhead.

Tuned Actuator Manufacturing

Actuator performance in each printhead is optimised with Xaar’s Tuned Actuator Manufacturing. This process ensures full scalability with a simple and quick set up, streamlining printhead replacement, and achieves consistent print quality across long print bars with multiple printheads, at different greyscale levels.

AcuDrp

AcuDrp Technology delivers a number of advantages unique to Xaar including dynamic sub drop tuning for every nozzle in the printhead by waveform and voltage. This helps minimise drop volume and drop speed variation across the printhead, and from printhead to printhead. Therefore banding and colour density variations are minimised and changes in nozzle performance over time are managed effectively. Cold switching ensures heat generation within the printhead is minimised avoiding any impact on printing performance from associated fluid viscosity changes.

AcuChp

Xaar AcuChp provides voltage trimming for uniform drop volume and velocity. It improves drop uniformity within printheads and between printheads resulting in less installation and setup time.

XaarDOT

Xaar offers a wide variety of printheads which cover 3 different drop configurations or three different modes of drop formation. Xaar’s customers, therefore, have the flexibility to choose the right printhead for the application. XaarDOT (Xaar Drop Optimisation Technology) encompasses a range of drop formation options, each with specific features. In a variable drop printhead, XaarDOT is incredibly flexible in giving customers the choice of what drop size or sizes to use for a job, both in terms of image quality and substrate flexibility. The drop size determines the image resolution and actual dots-per-inch (dpi). By tuning the options, printer manufacturers can design the printer to produce small drops for high quality photographic results for close-up viewing or larger droplets for high speed coverage on billboards or other signage. The choice really is yours – and the range of drop sizes means you can manage dot gain to enable printing on a wide variety of media from glossy paper to other materials, such as card, vinyl etc.

XaarSMART

The Xaar 2001+ family of printheads incorporates XaarSMART technology which reports ink temperature and printhead status in real time so that printer performance can be easily adjusted to deliver consistent print quality throughout a production run.

XaarGuard

The XaarGuard is a nozzle guard made from nickel alloy increasing the robustness of the printhead and protecting against mechanical impact. It provides a safe channel for electrostatic discharge rather than through internal electronics. Ink build up on the nozzle plate is minimized to reduce maintenance intervals. Nozzles are recessed 250μm below the nozzle guard surface to protect from impact to maximise life, uptime and print quality.