Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Powder and inkjet printing
macellan
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2019 12:36 pm

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by macellan »

Hi guys,

I met all these posts when searching for a kind of industrial inkjet printer for a coating application in our lab. I' m curious if I can use different materials as "ink", like organic compounds and polymers dissolved in aseton and/or koloroform in XAAR 128 printhead. Probably instead of compounds here cloroform and aseton are the key factors.

The available devices are great expensive like several 10k$. Thus I' m searching for an alternative way to coat gold surfaces.

Thanks in advance...
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dragonator
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Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by dragonator »

Hello and welcome,

There are a few people on this forum who have personal experience with the Xaar printhead. I was hoping one of them would be around to reply. I myself do not have experience with the Xaar printhead, nor with any printhead handling aggressive substances. The Xaar documentation also fails to mention what solvents it can handle, and what solvents it cannot. It only mentions inks.

What is it you are trying to coat onto a gold surface?

-Yvo
Wonko
Posts: 110
Joined: Sat Aug 15, 2015 8:13 pm

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by Wonko »

I'd be interested in the PCBs mentioned earlier.
Last edited by Wonko on Sun Jan 27, 2019 5:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
davidk
Posts: 77
Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2017 6:48 pm

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by davidk »

Solvents for inks usually can't evaporate quickly. If you want to use acetones or cloroform, these could dry too fast leaving nozzles full of more viscous liquid or even clog. I tested some heads with isopropyl but I couldn't use it as solvent because it dries too fast. Solvent for original ink looks oily.
3dprinter
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Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2018 12:25 pm

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by 3dprinter »

wonko did some testing with the printhead iirc, what ink did you use for testing purposes?
Wonko
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Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by Wonko »

I used some unbranded oil based ink. Water, that I first used for testing and drove me crazy, because nothing worked, well, water does not work. Just search the net for "xaar 128 compatible ink": https://www.independentink.com/a01017bk.html for example'
david
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Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2016 8:43 pm

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by david »

Is it possible to mix oil/solvent based ink with acetone? and the powder could be PVC powder + PMMA power. The acetone will melt them and hopefully forms solid 3D shape?
Braden
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Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2018 5:42 pm

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by Braden »

Hey guys,

I was wondering if anyone had any advice on best practices printing with ink? I don't have any capping system set up so my plan was to print with ink then use a syringe to pump IPA through the head to clean it after tests so that ink doesn't dry inside the head, does this sound reasonable? Also, does anyone know of any recourses for designing capping or maintenance systems (vacuum wiping, pressure purge, ext) for the print head? I am using a XJ128/200.

Thanks!
davidk
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Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2017 6:48 pm

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by davidk »

I'm still testing my setup and I'll come back with conclusions and photos in a few days! I'm almost done.
davidk
Posts: 77
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Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by davidk »

Hi,

This is my project. For now I don't have the Y axis, so I can print only one pass. I use Triangle INX "MLD Magenta" ink. The capping is milled for this project and as sealant I use gasket RTV as in pictures. It seems it doesn't dissolve in ink or solvent. The ink tube is also silicone.
For now, I wipe manually before print, if I need it.
In the first photo you can see the capping with the RTV Silicone gasket.
I use an Epson DX4 damper, as you can see in the second photo.
In the third photo you can see the priming and waste ink pump and waste ink reservoir (don't look at the label, it's from a desktop refill ink)
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