High-Fidelity Sensing Modality for Anomaly Detection in Inkjet Printing

Inkjet three-dimensional (3D) printing has emerged as a transformative manufacturing technique, finding applications in diverse fields such as biomedical, metal fabrication, and functional materials production. It involves precise deposition of materials onto a moving substrate through a nozzle, achieving submillimeter scale resolution. However, the dynamic nature of droplet deposition introduces uncertainties, challenging consistent quality control. Current process monitoring, relying on image-based techniques, is slow and limited, hindering real-time feedback in erratic droplet ejection. In response to these challenges, we present the zero-dimensional ultrafast sensing (0-DUS) system, a novel, cost-effective, in situ monitoring tool designed to assess the quality of drop-on-demand inkjet printing. The 0-DUS system leverages the sensitivity of the light-beam field interference effect to rapidly and precisely detect and analyze localized droplets. Two core technical advancements drive this innovation: first, the exploration of integral sensing of the computational light-beam field, which allows for efficient extraction of temporal and spatial information about droplet evolution, introducing a novel in situ sensing modality; second, the establishment of a robust mapping mechanism that aligns sensor data with image-based data, facilitating accurate estimation of droplet characteristics. We successfully implemented the 0-DUS system within a commercial inkjet printer and conducted a comparative analysis with ground truth data. Our experimental results demonstrate a detection accuracy exceeding 95%, even at elevated speeds, allowing for an impressive in situ certification throughput of up to 500 Hz. Consequently, our proposed 0-DUS system meets the stringent quality assurance requirements, thereby expanding the potential applications of inkjet printing across a wide spectrum of industrial sectors.