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Overview:
With billions of digital images stored on computers and removable storage devices worldwide, a cost-effective means of getting them off those systems and onto sparkling high-resolution printed images has become an industry priority. Enter the Epson PictureMate Deluxe Edition.
The PictureMate is a toaster-sized box that prints photographs from almost any input source, easing the path to photo-lab-grade prints so winning pictures don't lie around in cold storage. The unit purchased for this teardown cost only $79 and included the printer, ink and starter pack of paper.
Unlike a general-purpose printer, the PictureMate handles only photo-grade 4 x 6-inch paper sheets (glossy or matte). A 2.4-inch QVGA LCD screen is included for image review, and the roughly 3-kilogram design has a carrying handle for portability. Also, rather than dispense ink by heated bubbling, the Epson printhead employs piezoelectric (piezo) micropumps at each nozzle in the 90 x 6 array to eject precise droplets onto paper. Each nozzle has a ceramic piezo element that warps on application of a control pulse, with the piezo displacement ejecting a droplet from the appropriate orifice formed in the front metal plate covering the piezo array.
All told, the PictureMate is a remarkable feat of micromachining, integration and cost-effective manufacturing. Use this OnDemand seminar to find out:
- What components were chosen to minimize cost while achieving performance.
- How the micromachined elements were put together to create such an effective system.
- Why six colors were used and how the microfluidic delivery system works.
- And much more!
Who should attend:
Designers and users of home printing systems.
Presenter:
David Carey
David Carey is President of Portelligent www.teardown.com. The Austin, Texas company produces teardown reports and related industry research on Wireless, Mobile, and Personal Electronics.
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