Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Powder and inkjet printing
aengel
Posts: 40
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2018 2:05 pm

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by aengel »

Here is schedule 3
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aengel
Posts: 40
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2018 2:05 pm

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by aengel »

Here is schedule 1. Hyperlinks to vendors of these parts was posted in an earlier forum posting.
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isaac
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2018 10:08 am

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by isaac »

Hi everybody
I set up the head but I do not know why the ink does not go rightly to the head. When I test the head, the head only fires the solvent where it remains to be washed. I have connected the ink source to the head description on page 38. If you can help me. thank you
isaac
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2018 10:08 am

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by isaac »

Thank you so much aengel
If you can help me connect the ink source to the header printer?
Thank you
aengel
Posts: 40
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2018 2:05 pm

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by aengel »

Xaar authorized dealers sell a head cleaning solution / spitting solution. I will prime my new Xaar head with it.

In general, the ink should be filtered using a 0.2 micron or 0.4 micron filter, teflon filter.

The ink can be easily degassed using a simple vacuum chamber.

I like silicone hose, precleaned hose for my use. I have a clean space to fill the ink bottle, hose, etc. It has HEPA filtered air. I presume a layman would call the clean space a Class 10,000 clean space.

Xaar approved inks should work without difficulty. Custom made inkjet inks can be extremely difficult to jet out of any inkjet printhead.

The Xaar can jet a wider latitude of inks than many other manufacturers. The ink formulator needs to balance the viscosity, surface tension, and solids carefully to successfully jet a custom made ink.

In general, I guess that the Xaar will handle an ink up to 15 centipoise, 25-30 dynes, 1.5% solids, non-ionic, neutral ph inks, filtered to 0.2 micron.

Sometimes the Xaar needs a negative pressure to properly jet. There are Xaar approved vacuum pumps for sale, and other vacuum pumps available at Ebay.
davidk
Posts: 77
Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2017 6:48 pm

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by davidk »

Or you could place the ink reservoir so the ink level would be 1 inch lower than the nozzle plane. This is a good vacuum any xaar128 should work.
hunterhach
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed May 23, 2018 4:19 pm

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by hunterhach »

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Last edited by hunterhach on Tue Jul 10, 2018 8:46 pm, edited 3 times in total.
hunterhach
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed May 23, 2018 4:19 pm

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by hunterhach »

Does anyone have a good source for 5 micron filters?

My ink doesn't seem to flow through my 0.45 micron ones very well and I cant seem to find 5 micron ones in < 100 packs.

Thank you all!
aengel
Posts: 40
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2018 2:05 pm

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by aengel »

Sterlitech of Auburn Washington USA, my home town, manufactures very high quality control syringe filters, in a variety of packs and pore sizes, including 50 per pack. I have usd their Made in the USA and Made in China filters and they are excellent quality. They also manufacture and distribute many other types of filters and membranes.

They have excellent customer service, and they actually answer their phones for small orders.

They also make very high quality absolute metal membranes as well.

Here is an example. Good luck.

https://www.sterlitech.com/cellulose-ac ... 25050.html
hunterhach
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed May 23, 2018 4:19 pm

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by hunterhach »

Thank you very much Aengel!
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