Inkjet Ink Characterisation Practical Course

Viscosity, dispersions, jetting & surfaces

17-20 April 2023

Meteor Inkjet Laboratory, Harston, Cambridge, UK

COURSE FOCUS

Development of high quality inks and fluids for inkjet applications requires state-of-the-art characterisation equipment and techniques. From fundamental ink properties such as viscosity and surface tension, which have a crucial impact on jetting performance, through analysis of particulates dispersed within the ink, understanding these properties is key to getting the best out of an ink development project. In addition, it is vital to understand how the developed ink actually behaves, both on ejection from the printhead and when landing onto the substrate of choice.

The Inkjet Ink Characterisation Practical course gives an excellent hands-on introduction to these essential areas of study, presented by industry experts from leading suppliers in the field. The course will give you the basic foundations as well as a more detailed understanding of the vital equipment and techniques, while allowing you to understand how the key characterisation equipment works and see it in action.

The course also allows you to bring your own ink samples and get the resident experts to help you with particular characterisation problems you may be having.


Monday 17 April 2023

08:00 - 09:00 Registration

09:00 Session begins

Ink characterisation in printhead channel & in-flight jetting conditions
Tri Tuladhar, TriJet

  • Novel measurement of high shear viscosity properties

10:30 - 11:00 Coffee break

Drop visualisation, waveform optimisation - Theory
Meteor Inkjet

  • Drop/jet analysis, waveform optimisation

12:30 - 13:30 Lunch

13:30 Session begins

Ink characterisation in printhead channel & in-flight jetting conditions - Practical
Tri Tuladhar, TriJet

  • TriPAV - high frequency rheometer

  • Trimaster - high speed filament stretching device

Drop/jet analysis, waveform optimisation - Practical
Meteor Inkjet

  • DropWatcher

  • DB400

17:00 Session ends

18.00-20.00 Course dinner

Join us for dinner in a local pub

Tuesday 18 April 2023

09:00 Course begins

Surface tension & contact angle - Theory
KRÜSS

  • Surface tension, static and dynamic measurement

  • Wetting, surface free energy, contact angle and measurement

10:40 - 11:10 Coffee break

Particle size, dispersion stability, polymer characterisation - Theory
Malvern Panalytical

  • Monitoring and controlling pigment particle size

12:30 - 13:30 Lunch

13:30 Session begins

Surface tension & contact angle - Practical
KRÜSS

  • Bubble Pressure Tensiometer (BPT Mobile)

  • Ayríís

15:00 - 15:30 Coffee break

  • Mobile Surface Analyzer (MSA)

Particle size, dispersion stability, polymer characterisation - Practical
Malvern Panalytical

  • Mastersizer (measuring particle size and analysing data)

17:00 Session ends

 

WEDNESday 19 April 2023

09:00 Session begins

Particle size, dispersion stability, polymer characterisation - Theory
Malvern Panalytical

  • Evaluating and improving dispersion stability

10:20 - 10:50 Coffee break

  • Characterising the molecular weight, structure and intrinsic viscosity of polymers used in inkjet

Rheology - Theory
Netzsch

  • Bulk rheology and rheological analysis

12:20 - 13:30 Lunch

13:30 Session begins

Particle size, dispersion stability, polymer characterisation - Practical
Malvern Panalytical

  • Zetasizer (measuring size and zeta potential of ink dispersions)

15:00 - 15:30 Coffee break

Rheology - Practical
Netzsch

  • Kinexus Prime (rheology)

17:00 Session ends

Thursday 20 April 2023

09:00 Open lab session begins

Optional Open Lab Session

10:30 - 11:00 Coffee break

Optional Open Lab Session Continued

12:30 - 13:30 Lunch

13:30 Open lab session ends


COURSE LEADERS

Matthew Pullen, Product Manager – Drop Watching Solutions
Meteor Inkjet, UK

Matt is a veteran of the inkjet industry with more than 15 years’ experience in a wide array of digital print applications including optoelectronics, additive manufacturing, ceramics, labels and packaging.  His work has included formulation and process development for inks and coatings, process scale-up and printhead waveform development.  In 2017, Matt joined Meteor to work on pre-sales technical engagement and customer support.  He now manages Meteor’s DropWatcher and Waveform Development efforts with a keen interest in accelerating OEM time from lab to fab. Prior to Meteor Inkjet, Matt worked for Xaar, Solar Press, Cambridge Display Technology, Plasmon and Huntsman in a variety of technical and customer-facing roles.  He is a chemist by training and holds a Six Sigma Green Belt. 

 

Dr Tri Tuladhar
TriJet, UK

Tri Tuladhar studied Chemical Engineering from RMIT, Australia and received a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Cambridge, UK. He has over 20 years’ experience in R&D in academia and industry in several scientific fields. Since 2005, he has focussed on complex rheology of inkjet printing ink and developed novel techniques to link fluid rheology to jetting behaviour. He heads Trijet Limited, a consulting firm specialising in all aspects of inkjet printing, speciality paints and enamels for glass processing, and providing bespoke solutions in formulations, optimisations of inkjet inks and paints, complex rheological characterisations, jetting optimisation and developing customised rheological and visualisation tools for such applications.

 

Kyle Aldridge, Technical Sales Representative UK & Ireland
KRÜSS, Germany

Kyle Aldridge has a previous background in X-ray Crystallography and Raman Spectroscopy and now supports KRÜSS customers in the UK in regards to their surface science needs. Kyle joined KRÜSS in 2021 as a Technical Sales Representative and is the first point of contact in the UK for anyone wishing to discuss KRÜSS products or applications.

 

Dr Serena Agostini, Product Technical Specialist – Separations
Malvern Panalytical, UK

Dr Serena Agostini is a Product Technical Specialist for separation, GPC/SEC for polymers, at Malvern Panalytical. She studied Industrial Chemistry in Italy at the University of Pisa and continued her studies in UK, where she obtained her PhD in polymer chemistry at Durham University. During her studies she developed an interest in polymer synthesis and characterisation. She exploited several polymerisation techniques, such as living anionic polymerisations, and she characterised the polymers she synthesised by using, among several characterisation techniques, SEC and TGIC. After spending most of her time in academic research, she is now finding new interests in customer support and product development.

 

Dr Nelli Chourmouziadi-Laleni, Application Specialist
Malvern Panalytical, UK

Dr Nelli Laleni is an Application Specialist based in Malvern Panalytical’s headquarters in the UK. She completed her PhD from Birmingham University, UK in 2022. During her doctorate, she investigated the use of multifaceted role of propolis particles in aqueous dispersions and oil-in-water emulsions. Nelli joined Malvern Panalytical in 2022. Her specialty is in the characterisation of nanoparticles, providing technical support to customers, application advice, method transfers and other areas of expertise.

 

Dr Ben Lynch, Application Specialist
Malvern Panalytical, UK

Dr Benjamin Lynch is an application specialist for laser diffraction and dynamic light scattering at Malvern Panalytical. He studied chemistry in the UK at Cardiff University before continuing his studies in France, undertaking a PhD where he investigated oxide nucleation and growth mechanisms of stainless steels, with the aim of improving resistance to corrosion. In Paris, Ben developed his analytical skills within the fields of chemistry and material science and is now using his expertise in a customer support role.

 

Dr Shona Marsh, Application & Product Marketing Manager Rheology
Netzsch, UK

Dr Marsh is the Applications and Product Marketing Manager for Rheology at NETZSCH, based in the UK. She has had more than 10 years’ experience working with rheometry, thermal analysis and other analytical techniques having completed a PhD in Polymer Science investigating the miscibility of biodegradable polymers. Previously, as a technical specialist in rheometry, Shona has been providing international support to customers with her extensive experience in a variety of industries, including the measurements of foods, pharmaceuticals, polymers, inks, paints, coatings, emulsions, asphalt and bitumen. In 2018 Shona was invited to become a council member of the British Society of Rheology.


Find out more about the presenting companies:

Meteor Inkjet

TriJet

KRÜSS

Malvern Panalytical

Netzsch