Epson develops next-gen inkjet print head

MUMBAI

APRIL 4, 2007

Seiko Epson Corporation announced its success in developing a thin-film piezo
element that boasts the world's highest degree of distortion. Volume production
of next-generation Micro Piezo print heads that feature these elements as
actuators will begin in April 2007.

The Micro Piezo print head is an inkjet print head, which utilizes Epson's
original Micro Piezo technology. This technology uses electrical signals to
change the shape of piezo elements and then fires ink droplets according to the
physical force generated by the change in shape of these elements. Epson's
Stylus Photo and Stylus Pro inkjet printers, which utilize Micro Piezo print
head technology, are photo-quality printers that have consistently played
leading roles in the worldwide inkjet printer market and earned high approval
and trust from customers.

Inkjet systems are currently attracting a great deal of attention as they are
being put to use more and more frequently in printing and manufacturing
processes. Inkjet systems have the advantages of being ideally suited to small
print loads and of being gentler on the environment. Compared to other inkjet
systems, Micro Piezo technology offers superior ink ejection performance,
compatibility with a wide variety of inks, and durability. As a result, this
technology is already being utilized effectively in various commercial and
industrial fields such as photo lab printing, digital printing, textile
printing, and color filter manufacturing. The Micro Piezo print head is not only
suitable for functions ranging from consumer applications to commercial and
industrial applications, but it also offers outstanding cost effectiveness due
to its high degree of reliability and production volume efficiency.

Epson is currently focusing its development efforts on creating a
next-generation Micro Piezo print head to support expansion of the inkjet field
beyond consumer printers and to strengthen its applications for business and
industry. Through these efforts, Epson has achieved the following:

1. Created a Piezo element with the world's highest degree of distortion
through film thickness reduction and materials development.

2. Raised density levels by developing and utilizing innovative thin-film
processing techniques.

3. Designed a high-density ink reservoir through independent MEMS technology
development.

As a result, Epson has managed to develop a nozzle with a density of 360
dpi-the world's highest for an inkjet print head using piezoelectric
technology-while at the same time maintaining the advantages of conventional
Micro Piezo print heads. Epson has also managed to establish a completely
independent manufacturing process by producing the piezoelectric materials
in-house. The installation of these next-generation Micro Piezo print heads in
printers and other devices will make it possible to design speedier and more
compact inkjet equipment than ever before.