Micro technology Produces High-Accuracy Low-Cost Ink-Jet Nozzles


4th December - 2006

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.

UK Company contact
David Worsdell,
Marketing Manager,
Tecan, Tecan Way,
Granby Ind. Est.
Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 9TU.
Tel: 01305 765432.
Fax: 01305 780194.
d.worsdell@tecan.co.uk
www.tecan.co.uk

USA Company contact
Noel Cherowbrier,
VP International Development,
Tecan,
30021 Tomas Street, Suite 300,
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688, USA.
Tel: 1-877-998-3226 (toll free).
Fax: 1-877-990-4700 (toll free).
sales@tecan-inc.com
www.tecan-inc.com

Brian Butler,
Butler PR,
6 Dereham Way,
Poole, Dorset, BH12 1LZ.
Tel/Fax: 01202 736644.
bj.butler@virgin.net

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