Representative for all our inkjet technology we prepared a seven step explanation on how to install our Trial Kit for Rental. The commissioning is done in a few hours and doesn't require inkjet specific know how.
What is the Trial Kit for Rental?
The Trial Kit for Rental is our smallest configuration of a print system. It consits of one Print Module and can therefore print with one colour (or print fluid type) 108 mm wide. The Trial Kit is suitable to test a wide range of UV-inks, waterbased inks, solvent inks, oil inks, functional inks (...) or binders.
The Trial Kit is rentable on a weekly basis for print process development and to test industrial inkjet in a production line or a printer. The findings of this trial period can be transferred to a production system with Print Modules one-to-one, since the exact same inkjet technology is used for our industrial production solutions.
The following components are part of the Trial Kit for Rental:
The Parts:
(9) Aluminium Profile Frame with (3) Alignment Plate: The Aluminium Profile Frame fixes the components of the Trial Kit above the substrate conveyor. The Alignment Plate, that is attached to the frame, makes the Print Module easy to mount and align to the substrate feeding.
(1) Print Module with mounting frame: The Print Module is an independent small-format industrial printer. One Print Module can print 108 mm wide with one colour (or one type of print fluid). It contains the print head, the fluid supply and the controller.
(2) Adapter Module with bottle holder: The Adapter Module is the interface between the Print Module, the Gateway Module, the encoder signal and the power supply. It has connections for data and encoder signals as well as for the power supply.
(4) Gateway Module: The Gateway Module is the interface to PLCs, peripherals and individual modules of the print system. It runs the User Interface, distributes the data to the Print Module, reads the sensor values and passes on commands.
(8) Roll-encoder: The roll-encoder tracks the movement of the substrate and translates it to impulses for the Print Module.
Power supply, ethernet cable, cable encoder: The power supply for the Print Module, the Gateway Module, the ethernet cable to connect the Print Module with the Gateway Module, the encoder adapter cable to connect the roll-encoder with the Print Module are always included.
(11) Print fluid container and (10) waste fluid container: Both containers have a capacity of 500 ml and come with the neccessary tubing for their connection. The Print fluid container has an additional filter to avoid impurities getting into the Print Module.
(7) Purge, (5) cleaning and (6) capping station, special lint-free cloth: With the cleaning station the print head of the Print Module can be cleaned with a rubber wiper. The purge station collects the fluid jetting trough the print head (for example when purging). The capping station protects the print head when the print Module is idle for a longer period of time. A lint-free cloth is included for manual wiping of the print head.
Installation
The Trial Kit for Rental can be easily installed in seven steps – no digital printing experience required.
When renting the Trial Kit for Rental, you can acces our staff via phone or remote support and dicuss specific questions for the best possible set up. A four hour remote support session is always part of the rental process.
Step 1: Installation of the aluminium profile frame
Parts:
9 Aluminium Profile Frame 3 Alignment Plate
The Aluminium Profile Frame fixes the components of the Trial Kit above the substrate conveyor. The Alignment Plate, that is attached to the frame, makes the Print Module easy to mount and align to the substrate feeding.
What to do:
The first step is to attach the aluminium profile frame parallel and at a 90° angle over the substrate conveyance. You can use any kind of frame or bridge to mount the aluminium profile over the material handling. This is a step that needs to match your production line, substrate conveyor and application and is therfore very individual.
On the side of the frame the print and substrate direction are indicated, they need to be considered when mounting the frame. The print direction defines the direction in which the print is performed. The substrate transport direction defines in which direction the substrate passes under the Alignment Plate (both are therefore always opposite directions). The optimum distance in which the frame should be mounted depends on the substrate, the respective application as well as the print fluid used – usually it's between 1–5 mm.
Please Mind:
Thinking ahead is important fo this step: Mind the print distance and think about what to do for purging, wiping and capping the print head. When adapting the print distance, always consider the highest point of the substrate, because a collision of the substrate with the print head can cause serious damages or even its destruction.
After finding the best solution for the specific production conditions, fix the frame tightly into space with 4 screws.
You can always have a phone or videocall to discuss what could be the best solution for your specific circumstances. We can help with our experience to find the best way for mounting the Trial Kit.
Step 2: Installation of the Print Module
Parts:
1 Print Module
The Print Module is an independent small-format industrial printer. One Print Module can print 100 mm wide with one colour (or one type of print fluid). It contains the print head, the fluid supply and the controller.
What to do:
The Print Module is easily attached to the Alignment Plate using two thumb screws. The sensitive part of the Print Module, the print head, is protected by the transport capping during this process.
Step 3: Installation of the Adapter Module to the Print Module
Parts:
2 Adapter Module
The Adapter Module is the interface between the Print Module, the Gateway Module, the encoder signal and the power supply. It has connections for data and encoder signal as well as for the power supply.
What to do:
The Adapter Module is attached to the Print Module by just carefully placing it on top and fixing it in place with screws.
Step 4: Mounting of the fluid and waste container
Parts:
10 Waste Container 11 Print Fluid Container
Two 500 ml containers are part of the Trial Kit for Rental. One has an added filter in its tube connection. This container must be used for the print fluid, because every fluid that enters the Print Module needs to be filtered to avoid clogging and damage.
What to do:
The two containers need to be placed in the holders that are attached to the Adapter Module. The slots and containers are labeled to avoid accidentally mixing them up. It is easier to fill the container with the print fluid first before inserting it in the holder.
Step 5: Connecting the fluid and waste container
What to do:
Now it's time to connect the tubes from the print fluid and waste container with the Print Module by using the CPC connectors. Before connecting, the sealing plugs from the connections “fluid in” and “waste out” on the Pint Module must be removed. Store the sealing plugs safely because they are needed for the return of the Trial Kit for Rental.
Step 6: Connecting roll-encoder, data and power supply
Parts:
4 Gateway Module 8 Roll-Encoder Ethernet Cables Encoder Cable
The Gateway Module is the interface to PLCs, peripherals and individual modules of the print system. It runs the User Interface, distributes the data to the Print Module, reads the sensor values and passes on commands.
The-roll encoder tracks the movement of the substrate and translates it into impulses.
What to do:
The roll-encoder needs to be mounted on the substrate conveyer. It should track the movement of the substrate without slipping or skipping. The roll-encoder, the power supply and the Gateway Module then need to be connected to the Adapter Module.
The Gateway Module has its own LTE Module for Remote Support. It can also be connected to the local network to access data or to the the facilitie's internet connection. A PC in the same network as the Gateway Module can access the webbased User Interface with a Browser. It is also possible to connect a PC via Ethernet cable to the Gateway Module.
Step 7: Removing the transport capping and the teflon tape
What to do:
After finishing the installation and before the first print, the transport capping and the teflon tape need to be removed. The teflon tape is directly attached on the nozzle plate of the print head, so the transport capping needs to be removed first. Store the transport capping and teflon tape safely because they are needed for the return of the Trial Kit for Rental.
Done. You are now ready to print.
As you can see mounting our inkjet technology is very easy and done in a couple of hours. You can get in touch with us to discuss your specific set up and requirements at any time.