IJ4000 Impulse Jet
Appendix B: Theory of Operation
5765-018 Operations Manual Rev J
Page 57
S
MART
-
IDS (Ink Delivery System)
System Features
1.
S
MART
-IDS.
Ink is pumped from one location through a single tubing line that is subsequently teed downstream to all print heads in the sys-
tem. As the print heads demand more ink, the liquid pump delivers ink to the requesting print head. Although the ink line is pressurized, a
print head will not receive the ink unless its intake solenoid is opened. Each print head controls its own ink level in its own reservoir.
2.
Ink supply "low" detection.
When the S
MART
-IDS detects ink low via the float in the ink reservoir, it disables the ink pump, leaving a safe
amount of ink. The S
MART
-IDS then alerts the operator by turning on the attached beacon light, and by sending a signal via I/O to the IJ4000-
HMI Controller.
3.
Ink supply "out" detection.
If the ink supply bottle is not replaced in a timely fashion, the next time that a print head requests ink, a timer in the
print head will start. If the ink supply has not been replaced within five minutes, print will be disabled on all print heads, and a signal will be
sent to the S
MART
-IDS that will cause a slow flashing of the beacon.
4.
S
MART
-IDS vacuum and ink waste collector
. Like the ink, vacuum is supplied to all the print heads via a single tubing line that is subsequently
teed. The S
MART
-IDS is equipped standard with a heavy-duty vacuum pump to assist in the Automatic Cleaning System (ACS). Additionally,
it will assist in the removal of waste ink while bleeding the tubing.
5.
Ink capacity.
Both the 500 mL and 1 L bottles are accommodated by the S
MART
-IDS.
6.
Safety.
The on-board microcontroller will prevent an excessive duty cycle on the liquid pump. It also disables the liquid pump when ink is low,
and both pumps when any ink anomaly is encountered such as ink out or ink faults.
Startup Operation
After all plumbing and electrical connections have been made, toggling the power switch will initiate the S
MART
-IDS. The system only responds to
input from the I/O connection to the IJ4000. This I/O connection is essentially a pass through connection to the print head bus. In other words, the
print heads control the ink pump and vacuum pump on/off states. If the print heads are not requesting ink for reservoir refill or vacuum from an
ACS cycle, then the S
MART
-IDS will remain idle.