Xaar has developed a compact supply system that can handle ink and other fluids, which it offers to Original Equipment Manufacturers looking to integrate its inkjet print heads to their devices.
It has a modular design and is said to be easy to mount and install. There are no moving parts inside the tank and no need for an external air source or vacuum pump. It includes a small ink tank capacity and the system can be positioned up to 5 metres away from the printhead using a remote manifold. It can run multiple printheads out of the box as standard. There’s also optional degasser and remote heater units.
The system can control the ink temperature up to 65°C. It can also recirculate the ink within the angled tank, which is essential to avoid heavier pigments such as white from settling. There’s also a failsafe chamber that protects against ink loss during power failure. It uses an integrated hydraulic meniscus measurement system, which automatically compensates the meniscus pressure within the printhead as fluid levels inside the integrated fluid reservoir change during usage.
It takes around 30 minutes to change fluids and starts up in under 15 minutes. It’s suitable for single and for multiple printhead configurations. It’s also compatible with the Xaar 501, Xaar 502, Xaar 1003 family, Xaar 2001 and Xaar 2001+ printheads – all of which incorporate Xaar’s TF Technology ink recirculation system.
There are three variants. The Midas 450 offers up to 450 ml per minute recirculation flow rates, and has a 60 ml ink reservoir. It’s mainly aimed at applications such as advanced manufacturing and direct-to-shape, which tend to involve expensive fluids. The Midas 950C and 950X both have a fluid flow rate of up to 950 ml per minute, with a 150 ml ink reservoir, targeting high volume and high throughput printing.
Alan Mutch, product manager at Xaar, explained: “The Midas range is the ideal choice for OEMs looking to accelerate time-to-market by reducing development requirements and costs, while also delivering the optimal performance for Xaar printheads.”
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