Fuji Dimatix printer for emulsion coating?

[Sean]

Looks interesting and possible? Probably not a cheap piece of equipment but as with all tech the price will likely drop and consumer models may appear. If it could print a photographic emulsion I am assuming the emulsion would bleed into a thin uniform coating. Maybe potential for the creation of micro-brew style film & paper companies doing small batch runs..

http://www.dimatix.com/divisions/mat..._cartridge.asp



"The DMP-2800 series printer allows the deposition of fluidic materials on an 8x11 inch or A4 substrate"

"The most unique feature of this table top printing system is the printhead itself - a world first! FUJIFILM Dimatix has created a MEMS-based cartridge-style printhead that allows users to fill their own fluids and print immediately with the DMP in their own laboratory. To minimize waste of expensive fluids, each cartridge reservoir has a capacity of 1.5 ml. Cartridges can easily be replaced to facilitate printing of a series of fluids. Each single-use cartridge has 16 nozzles linearly spaced at 254 microns with typical drop sizes of 1 and 10 picoliters."

[Sean]

P.S. Ron, maybe Fuji will loan you a demo unit?

[David A. Goldfarb]

I think with this sort of technology, the problem is keeping the gelatin from cooling and clogging the nozzle.

My impression is that these are designed for things like depositing biological cultures on films and such.

[arigram]

Dear Sean,
you must be new here.
In APUG we don't discuss such technologies.
You should check out www.hybridphoto.com
Welcome to APUG though!

(seriously, this looks very interesting and may well be our future for DIY photography)

[tim_walls]

I think with this sort of technology, the problem is keeping the gelatin from cooling and clogging the nozzle.

My impression is that these are designed for things like depositing biological cultures on films and such.

From the datasheet for the device:

Cartridge:
Type: Piezo-driven jetting device with integrated reservoir and heater

It also states that the vacuum-holder for the paper incorporates a thermostatically controlled heater, up to 60C, so keeping the stuff warm has obviously been a consideration.

It helps that the printheads are disposable as well!

[David A. Goldfarb]

Hmmm...well that's a possibility then, though it's probably pretty slow.

[Kirk Keyes]

Cartidges better be dirt cheap as I forsee it taking a lot of them to get things set up.

And people thought Ron's coating blades were expensive...

[glbeas]

I would think something as low tech as a high mesh count silkscreen would do for applying a print emulsion. Anyone ever try it?

[Photo Engineer]

The Fuji unit would probably work, but at 12 ml / square foot it would need a rather big capacity cartridge, IDK for sure.

As for silk screen, sure it would work, but it is wasteful of emulsion and leaves an uneven silk type pattern quite unlike coating on silk paper IIRC. It leaves a lot of emulsion on the applicator and on the screen which must be washed down the drain or somehow saved. Saving it seems unlikely to me.

PE

[Jordan]

The Dimatix is for printing "specialty" inks -- electronic materials, biomaterials, jetted coatings and overcoats, lab-on-a-chip devices, etc. It could probably handle emulsions, but is probably overkill for the job...