Xaar 1002 Amp printhead
The Xaar 1002 AMp printhead for advanced manufacturing.
Leading inkjet technology developer Xaar has launched a printhead that has been optimised for advanced manufacturing applications.
The Cambridge-headquartered company unveiled the Xaar 1002 Amp printhead at InPrint, marking the first in a new line of piezoelectric drop-on-demand printheads. The device has been designed so it is ideal for depositing miniscule fluid drops on an industrial scale and is capable of jetting droplets consistently at sizes as minute as 1 pL for the production of fine features, patterns and coatings.
This highly accurate ability to produce very small drops consistently enables the industrialisation of advanced manufacturing processes in sectors such as display, PCB, semiconductors and photovoltaics.
David Chapman, who is responsible for developing Xaar's Advanced Manufacturing business, commented: "Developing inkjet as an advanced manufacturing process is hugely challenging. Every application is unique with its own functional fluids and exacting print demands.
"What you can achieve in a lab is often almost impossible to replicate in a high efficiency manufacturing environment. The new Xaar 1002 AMp printhead is built on a proven high performance industrial inkjet platform and is supported by Xaar's unique experience in fluid handling and equipment integration to help our partners develop bespoke manufacturing solutions."
Chapman and Xaar's expertise were instrumental in bringing high-speed polymer sintering technology FACTUM - a project led by University of Sheffield spin-out FaraPack Polymers - to fruition. When describing the project, he said that inkjet technology has the power to "radically change the way we think about manufacturing, introducing new designs and business models that we cannot even imagine today".
Many advanced manufacturing applications require the strict regulation of coating thicknesses, precise patterns and management of substrate surface characteristics. The Xaar 1002 AMp combines highly accurate drop placement, consistent drop volume and high frequency jetting with variable drop size capability to deliver the precise fluid control essential for these processes.
Incorporating Xaar’s innovative inkjet technology, the Xaar 1002 AMp delivers maximum production performance with minimum operator intervention. The 1000 Optimised Geometry nozzles ensure accurate jetting and consistent drop volume across the printhead, even with fluids that have a high solids content, including metallic particulates. Xaar’s TF Technology ensures a uniform temperature across the whole printhead for consistent drop formation and repeatable fluid deposition. In addition XaarDOT optimises drop size, drop formation and fluid performance to achieve the best combination of quality and speed required. It also enables variable drop volumes within a single pattern to control coating thickness and avoid potential optical effects such as banding and Mura.
The versatile Xaar 1002 AMp printhead has been developed to give system manufacturers maximum flexibility. Supported by the modular and slimline HPC3 and XUSB drive electronics, plus the Hydra ink delivery system, the printhead is easy to integrate and, if required, multiple Xaar 1002 AMp printheads can be configured into large jetting arrays.
