| A model that simulates the performance of a drop-on-demand ink jet device is developed based on a Method of Characteristics solution to the hydraulic transients in the device. From the hydraulic transients solution at the orifice, a drop formation model is derived using an integral method. The effect of the hydraulic impedance of the orifice is illustrated, as are the effects of fluid properties, pulse width, pulse amplitude, and pulse frequency. Experimental data is compared to the model results and the agreement is qualitatively correct, but somewhat offset in magnitude. The orifice flow is shown to interact strongly with the hydraulic transients in the device. Design guidelines are developed to determine the optimum orifice diameter and nozzle area ratio. |
