Epson printheads are the most commonly used printheads in the inkjet industry. In this article, we will briefly talk about the Epson piezoelectric printheads.
Epson DX3 Printhead
Main representative printer model: Roland 600. The main features of the Epson DX3 are: an integrated printhead, two-color integrated, and a lifespan comparable to that of the DX4 printhead. However, accuracy and speed cannot keep up with market requirements and are slowly being eliminated.
Epson DX4 Printhead
Main representative printer model: Roland FJ740K. The main features of the Epson DX4 printhead are a separate printhead, one printhead for one color. Double row of nozzles; each row has 180 nozzles; the nozzle size is 4PL; the maximum printing accuracy is 1440DPI; the service life can be up to 3 years; the printhead is highly adaptable and can be used with dye ink, pigment ink, and eco-solvent ink. It was once the most mature and widely used printhead on the market.
Epson DX5 Printhead
Main representative printer model: MIMAKI JV33. The main features of the Epson DX5 printhead are: integrated printhead, 8 rows of nozzles, 180 nozzles in a single row, a total of 1440 nozzles, the minimum nozzle is 4PL. The accuracy and speed are greatly improved compared with the Epson DX4 printhead, but the stability and other aspects cannot be considered too mature. At the same time, the product's price has fluctuated significantly due to repeated encryption, and it is currently used in the market with mixed reviews.
Epson DX6 Printhead
Main representative printer model: EPSON 11880C. Main features: integrated print head, 10 rows of nozzles, 360 nozzles in a single row, a total of 3600 nozzles (9 columns are actually used), the minimum controllability of ink dots can reach 3.5PL, and the highest accuracy can reach 2880DPI. It can achieve ten-color printing and achieve very good results in terms of color range and accuracy. It also uses innovative "automatic nozzle detection technology." However, due to the unstable decryption system, it is not widely used in the domestic market.
Epson DX7 Printhead
Main representative printer model: Mutoh 1624. Main features: There are 7 different ink droplets, the picture is more delicate, and the layers are richer. Epson DX7 printhead uses a new color arrangement principle to avoid the appearance of PASS lines. It adopts a new automatic circulating ink supply system to reduce the problem of ink breakage. The dual-circuit drive and dual-row ink bag symmetrical ink circuit configuration can be regarded as an upgraded version of the DX5.
As mentioned in the previous part, with the continuous development of the wide-format, inkjet, and printing industries, piezoelectric printhead technology is also constantly being updated and changing with each passing day. Next, we will take you to learn about the current hot Epson piezoelectric printheads: the Epson 5113 and 4720 printheads.
Speaking of these two printheads, we must first mention the XP600, the originator of "disassembled printheads." It is precisely because of previous exploration and accumulation that the 5113 printhead exploded in popularity after the Epson WF-5113 desktop model was launched in December 2014 and the 4720 printhead exploded in popularity after the Epson WF-4720 desktop model was launched in August 2017.
Epson 5113 Printhead
Main advantages of 5113 printheads:
8 rows of nozzles, 400 nozzles in a single row (originally called "4*800 printheads"), printhead width 1.3 inches, 4Pass printing can reach 40㎡/hour, and with the development of four-head and eight-head machines, the printing speed is getting faster and faster. It has a greater speed advantage compared to the DX5 and DX7. The minimum ink droplet is 2.5 pl. Compared with Epson piezoelectric printheads DX5 and DX7, the printing accuracy is higher, and the printing effect is also good. At present, the supporting boards, machines, and inks are relatively stable and widely used in the market.
Main disadvantages of 5113 printheads:
The most fatal flaw is that the service life of the printhead is short, usually about 3-6 months (the nozzle is relatively fragile and can easily burn when the voltage is unstable). Due to the limitations of the structure and material, it can only be used with water-based ink. With the encryption of printheads and market speculation, the price of nozzles has been on an upward trend, and the advantage of high cost performance is gradually weakening.
Epson 4720 Printhead
Main advantages of 4720 printheads:
The configuration and parameters are basically the same as those of the 5113 (essentially an encrypted version of the 5113 printhead), so the 5113 has the same advantages as the 4720. It is a multi-purpose corrosion-resistant printhead that can be widely used in water-based (including coatings, sublimation, etc.), solvent, UV, and other applications. The back of the printhead is improved compared to the 5113 printhead, making it easier to use plug-in ink dampers.
Main disadvantages of 4720 printheads:
Judging from the current application, the matching effect with boards, machines, and inks is not very ideal, especially in the application of oil-based inks that have been emphasized; it does not show much advantage. The speed, accuracy, and stability are even lower than the 5113 printhead. At the same time, with the increase in decryption costs and printhead prices, it may not be able to meet previous market expectations.
