Photonic digital printing process wins funding

LumeBar is a new application for LumeJet’s unique, patented photonic printhead technology being developed for high-speed, industrial printing applications. These include ultra-high quality documents such as in-line labeling and packaging, photobooks and plastic electronics. 

Rather than a moving print head traversing the media, as in the current LumeJet S200, LumeBar comprises several thousand individually addressable micron-sized LED emitters to provide a page-wide digital print bar that exposes directly onto designated areas of photo-sensitive media. 

Individual LumeBars are custom-built, tailored for wavelength and spot size, and specifically designed for fast throughput and higher output powers.

Both LumeJet configurations use multiple-parallel independent beams of photons of various wavelengths, spot sizes and power to print, pattern, expose or mark photo-activated media. 

LumeJet’s digital printhead technology comprises a solid-state, multi-LED exposure head, with unique fiber taper optics. It’s roughly the size of an inkjet cartridge, and works in a similar way, but sprays light onto photosensitive media instead of ink onto coated paper.

In the moving head version, light from an array of LEDs is channeled through a custom designed fiber optic taper and focused onto media via a 1:1 relay lens. As the printhead is always the same distance from the media, there is no requirement for complex or expensive optics for flat field correction. Coupled with an accurate mechanism, it prints across any medium at a uniformly high-quality in both directions, edge to edge.

LumeJet’s digital printhead uses 288 LEDs to print a swathe approximately 6mm wide at a resolution of 400 dpi. The LumeJet S200 features two heads mounted side-by-side, with an effective swathe print width of about 12mm.

LumeJet’s research teams are now developing bespoke LumeBar systems for use in joint projects with some of the market leaders in in-line labeling.

This application uses light beyond the visible spectrum (UV and IR) and prints directly onto a substrate made of a clear, castor-oil derivative. The label may have any outline, with no die-cutting required to achieve sharp edges, and the design can contain logos, images and text.

LumeJet said its technology, with its pinpoint accuracy, minute dot size, inkless direct-print process and faultless repeatability is a perfect match for these high-speed, high-volume applications. 

The UK Technology Strategy Board’s Smart program support SMEs with high growth ambition and potential. To be successful, applicants need to show that they have an innovative idea, addressing a real market need, and have the ability to deliver their idea to drive economic growth.

Photonics was recently identified as one of the key enabling technologies (KET) critical to business-led innovation by the EU Commission’s 2020 New Horizon program.

LumeJet said photonic digital printing is fast, clean, micron-accurate and it may be applied to solid objects and flexible media. It goes beyond the capabilities of conventional ink/toner-based print methods and, with further development, will help facilitate many emerging technologies such as OLEDS, OLAE and plastic logic.

Trevor Elworthy, LumeJet CIO and founder, said: ‘We’re delighted. It’s very gratifying to win the maximum Smart award against such stiff competition.’