Ink Discharge Evaluation

Services and Support

Ink Discharge Evaluation
We will verify whether the ink is discharged correctly from the inkjet printhead.
Print Evaluation
We will verify whether circuitry and patterns are printed correctly onto the substrate by the inkjet printing device.
Prototyping
We will use inkjet printing to jointly prototype the desired circuitry, biosensors and the like.
Contract Manufacturing
Based on the prototyping results, the manufacturing of the product may be outsourced to us starting from small lots.

Different aspects of the service

A one-stop ink discharge evaluation service

An ink discharge evaluation service to bring inkjet printing to a wider range of applications.
From receiving the ink to running ink discharge tests and writing reports, Elephantech provides a one-stop service.

Ink evaluation using a cutting edge Inkjet machine for R&D

Using Epson's PrecisionCore inkhead, performance indicators for printing onto substrates and such are evaluated with inkjet printing equipment used for cutting edge R&D.
If necessary, we will also perform waveform adjustments and Print Evaluation.

Conditions regarding the evaluation

This service is provided by Elephantech under license from Epson. The evaluation results will be shared with Epson.
In general, we will offer the fees for the initial ink discharge evaluation service for free. There may be cases where we cannot progress to the evaluation following a safety data sheet (SDS) check.

Outline of Epson’s Inkjet machine for R&D purposes

Ink evaluation using a cutting edge Inkjet machine for R&D

Manufacturer	Seiko Epson Corporation
Printhead	PrecisionCore
Ink viscocity guide	1-10 mPaS (Please contact us if not within this range.)
Minimum required ink volume	50 mL
Observation functions	Ink droplet flight Printing
Printing function	Print on 100mm square stage
Ink type	Water-based and solvent-based inks
Evaluation	Evaluated by Elephantech under commission from Epson

Flow of the ink discharge evaluation

In addition to the one-stop ink discharge evaluation, we also provide characteristic improvement proposals and consultations based on our experience in mass production.

Application and initial meeting

We will hold a meeting with clients who apply for the service.

Memorandum of understanding

An MoU on ink evaluation will be concluded.

Provision of SDS and ink

The client will provide us with SDS and ink. The SDS must be provided.

Ink evaluation and improvement proposals

We will evaluate the ink. At the same time, we will propose improvements to ink characteristics and such.

Report submission

We will submit a report to the client once the evaluation is complete.

Results provided by the ink discharge evaluation service

Test items	Description of items
Initial ink filling	We will evaluate the initial fill characteristics on an inkjet nozzle. We will mainly judge whether the characteristics as a fluid are good.
Intermittent stability	We will evaluate the stability in situations where ink is discharged intermittently. We will mainly judge ink discharge stability and resistance to drying.
Droplet volume followability	We will evaluate whether the volume of the droplet follows changes in voltage. Higher followability will allow for finer control.
Drop velocity followability	We will evaluate whether the drop velocity follows changes in voltage. High-speed flight will stabilize the landing position and allow for high-precision printing.
Frequency characteristics	We will evaluate suitability for high-frequency printing. We will determine how far the printing throughput can be increased to.

FAQs

What is the relationship between Elephantech and Epson?

Epson is a shareholder of Elephantech and we have a capital and business alliance. (We are not an equity method affiliate.)

What is the relationship between Elephantech and Epson regarding the ink discharge evaluation service using Epson’s Inkjet machine for R&D?

Epson has set up a research and development base called “Inkjet Innovation Lab Hatchobori Satellite” inside the Elephantech Hatchobori Head Office, and Elephantech is entrusted by Epson to conduct research and development work such as ink evaluation.

The Inkjet machine for R&D at Hatchobori Satellite is an Epson R&D asset.

Can the ink discharge evaluation be done without having the results shared with Epson?

We regret to inform you that the ink evaluation is done using Epson assets, and so the R&D inkjet printing device cannot be used to evaluate the ink discharge without the results being shared with Epson.

Can we ask Epson directly for an evaluation?

It will depend on the resources at Epson's disposal, but it is possible. There is no specific need to go through us.