Abstract
The movable printers are now reference robots in construction world that draws lines and text on the floor, translating architects' and engineers' digital plans into real floorplans. This accelerates construction and speeds up their work. Due to cost and simplicity, the movable printers do not include most of the hardware found in standard printers that ensure printhead reliability, extended autonomy, and unlimited power when connected to the electricity network.
As a result, the weight, size, and equipment must be minimized. One of the biggest challenges to take in account is the power supply. During movement and extensive printhead usage, combined with safety limitations, the power available to one or more components is barely sufficient. Specifically, the printhead requires a high amount of energy when the firing frequency and the number of nozzles used are elevated. In the next generation of this robots, it will be possible to use longer printheads or more of the current ones, increasing the energy demand.
A lack of energy can lead to weak print quality or incorrect printhead usage, potentially causing internal damage and visibly poor printing quality. To address this, a new strategy was developed for using electro-mechanical printheads. Using a wave of signals, alternating the nozzles in a coordinated way to avoid exceeding power demand and maintain constant consumption, thereby ensuring consistent image print quality.
This solution will prevent spikes in energy consumption, stabilize the internal printhead fluid pressure, and provide more stability to the results and printhead functionality. The last point is that this disclosure should be used to correct misalignment when the distance between the printhead and the ground is higher than the standard, which can enhance geometrical defects leading to misalignment and incorrect drop placement especially if the robot is required to work over surfaces with little stones, objects or something that should damage the printhead.
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Recommended Citation
INC, HP, "Split firing Algorithm for movable printers", Technical Disclosure Commons, (June 24, 2025)
https://www.tdcommons.org/dpubs_series/8269