Does a Continuous Inkjet Printer Work?

Yes, a continuous inkjet printer (CIJ printer) does work. It is a type of printing technology commonly used for industrial applications and high-speed printing tasks.

The working principle of a continuous inkjet printer involves the creation of small droplets of ink that are then propelled towards the printing surface. Here's a simplified explanation of how it works:

Ink Supply: The printer contains an ink reservoir or system that supplies ink to the printing process. The ink is typically a conductive liquid that can be electrically charged.

Droplet Formation: The ink is forced through a small nozzle or orifice at high pressure, creating a continuous stream of ink. At a specific point in the printer, a piezoelectric crystal or an electromechanical actuator creates pressure waves, causing the stream of ink to break up into individual droplets.

Droplet Charging: As the ink droplets break away from the continuous stream, they pass through an electric field. This field selectively charges the droplets, either positive or negative, based on the printing requirements.

Deflection and Collection: The charged droplets then pass through an electrode system that applies an electric field to deflect the droplets. By varying the electric field, the printer can control which droplets are deflected and which ones continue straight to the printing surface. The deflected droplets are collected and recycled back into the ink supply.

Printing Surface: The charged droplets that are not deflected continue their trajectory toward the printing surface. By selectively charging and deflecting droplets, the printer creates patterns of charged and uncharged droplets