Micro technology produces high-accuracy low-cost ink-jet nozzles

Micro-part specialist, Tecan, has developed technology which produces high-performance ink-jet printer nozzles using proprietary Photo-Electro
Forming (PEF) technology.

The PEF nozzles and nozzle arrays feature uniform mirror finish aperture walls which contribute to superior ink deposition. They are easy to clean over the entire nozzle surface and offer long operational lifetimes and high print consistency.

The nature of the cost-efficient PEF process where metal is literally 'grown' molecule by molecule lends itself perfectly to the creation of an ink-jet nozzle aperture. The process has been refined so that as the metal is deposited it forms perfect funnel shaped apertures which can contribute
significantly to printing accuracy and efficiency.

Furthermore, the metal thickness can be selectively increased, beyond 1:1 aspect ratios, to meet exact strength and rigidity requirements. For example, solid portions such as lateral supports can easily be incorporated into the design. The nozzles can also be supplied as complete solutions to individually specified shapes and formats, significantly reducing customer-side processing.

The nozzles offer reliable and robust solutions for all types of print heads, from office machines to industrial labelling, photographic machines and other single and multiple-aperture liquid deposition systems. Typically produced in nickel, the parts can also be plated, for example with gold or palladium, to deal with specific needs such as 'aggressive' ink chemistry.

The company also offers SU-8, a thick, near-UV epoxy which is increasingly being used as an alternative to Photo Electro Formed (PEF) nickel for micro-parts as it offers high chemical, thermal and mechanical stability - advantages which, for example, make it ideal for bio-science applications. The company can produce parts as pure SU8 epoxy, or as hybrid microstructures, manufactured from a combination of material elements, including metals and epoxy, to enable specialized functionality.

The process allows up to 1000 lines per inch with apertures sizes down to 3 microns with tolerances of +/- 0.5 microns. This high line count allows for greater aperture density and nozzle efficiency. The PEF process enables the fabrication of large numbers of components on a single 'sheet', making high-volume particularly cost-effective - millions of parts can be routinely  fabricated in one process. This also allows designers and developers to produce multiple parts with subtle design variations for quick, easy and cost-effective design validation and prototyping.

Tecan
Tecan Way,
Granby Ind. Est. Weymouth,
Dorset.
DT4 9TU.
Tel: 01305 765432
Fax: 01305 780194.
<http://www.tecan.co.uk>