Meteor Inkjet launches advanced DropWatcher optics

Meteor Inkjet, supplier of industrial inkjet printhead driving solutions, has announced the launch of its advanced DropWatcher optics, citing a significant enhancement to its current dropwatching systems. The new optics enable more precise visualisation and measurement of ink droplets, enabling users to analyse and improve print quality with greater confidence and control.

The company supplies drive electronics and software to leading industrial inkjet manufacturers, working with partners such as FUJIFILM Dimatix, which provides the PDS-2SF600 system that powers the SKYFIRE SF600 printhead. It has also collaborated with additive manufacturing specialist AMIS and supported the Xerox M Series printheads.

Previous generations of Meteor DropWatchers operated by synchronising the strobe with the printhead firing frequency, using a long exposure. This technique produced high-contrast images representing the average drop position and velocity; however, any variation (jitter) in drop velocity or trajectory would blur droplet edges, making it difficult to accurately calculate drop volume or analyse dynamic behaviours such as ligament break-up, meniscus oscillation, and mist generation. As a result, measurement precision relied heavily on consistent drop behaviour.

The new DropWatcher optics overcome these limitations. Featuring a high-intensity strobe with addressable pulse outputs and a fixed objective camera lens, the system dramatically improves image quality and resolution. It offers precise control over both strobe and camera exposure timings, enabling the user to observe the formation of an inkjet drop and elements of its creation that affect print quality.

Single-event frame capture reveals how each nozzle and firing cycle can yield dynamic differences in drop and satellite formation. These differences depend on the print frequency, nozzle duty and the chemical composition of the formulation. The enhanced optics enable users to visualise the tiniest femtolitre (fL) drop sizes, making it possible to observe and reduce misting through waveform optimisation. By minimising mist formation, users can prevent nozzle plate wetting and obscuration, therefore reducing print deviations and missing nozzle artefacts.

The new optics are also capable of analysing the first ejected drops after any idle period, whether it’s microseconds, minutes, or hours. During these inactive periods, the ink may dry in the nozzles, or the nozzles may not fill with ink. If these issues are detected, a tickle pulse or pre-pulse can be added to the waveform to address them. Overcoming these faults can reduce the need for maintenance and cleaning cycles, drastically cutting down on substrate wastage and making the operation significantly more sustainable and cost-effective.

Jonathan Wilson, Meteor’s Vice President of Sales, says, “With our new DropWatcher optics, you can see and measure droplet behaviour with a level of precision that simply wasn’t possible before. This breakthrough enables our customers to fine-tune their print systems with unprecedented accuracy, leading to measurable improvements in print quality, process reliability and efficiency.”