50 µm

Scalable
additive microfabrication

From our very beginning in the research lab, it has been our vision to make the ultra-high resolution capabilities of electrostatic printing scalable in order to bring the technology into high volume manufacturing.
For an inkjet technology that meant nothing less than inventing a way of forming thousands of nozzles on a smallest possible area, because one single capillary-type nozzle as it was used in our lab is simply too slow to gain economics.
Today, the only way to achieve this quantum leap is through MEMS microfabrication technology. While many companies have tried to foster the commercial benefits with their own MEMS-type multi nozzle printhead designs, Scrona is the first to actually make it happen. This success is based on Scrona's thorough physical understanding of the electrostatic printing process in combination with in-house microfabrication experience.

What is
Electro-hydro-dynamic printing?

ULTRA high-resolution

More than 100x than the standard inkjet.

Cost Effectiveness

High quality manufacturing becomes cost effective

New Ideas

What is the next thing that will be printed?

Super scalable

Up to 1000 individually controlled nozzles Superior throughput compared to any other high resolution additive manufacturing technology

Customizable

Nozzle arrays can be fabricated to match pattern on client's substrates

Electrohydrodynamic means that we use electrostatic actuation on the outside of the printhead that pulls the drops out and guides them down to the substrate.
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Electrostatic inkjet printing explained

Pull vs. Push

Electrostatic inkjet

Why is electrostatic inkjet printing so much more powerful than conventional piezo or bubble jet based technology?
The simple answer: in electrostatic printing, droplets are not pushed from the inside of fine nozzle channels but instead are pulled by an electric force from the outside.

Conventional piezo inkjet

In contrast, when a conventional printhead creates pushing mechanical force inside the nozzle, most energy is lost due to the viscous flow resistance of the liquid. This not only limits smallest possible nozzle sizes but also restricts droplets to be of the same size as the nozzle.

Efficient vs. Inefficient

The energy required for ejection is based on the physical principle of electrohydrodynamics, the fact that basically any liquid is electrically conductive and can be set in motion when exposed to electric fields. This means that the force to create a droplet is generated directly in the liquid. Due to the dynamic equilibrium between liquid movement and electrical force, a liquid meniscus is formed, which concentrates almost all the energy on its tip. Only from this tip droplets are ejected, which are much smaller than the nozzle itself.

 Broad material bandwidth vs. thin fluid

Scrona
Electrostatic inkjet

Printing resolution ~ 0.5µm
Max. viscosity > 10’000 cps
With electrostatic printing, the fact that the liquid is both actuator and respondent, allows a dynamic process adjustment to almost any ink. And since ejection takes place in a volume that is not confined by the nozzle walls, also highly viscous inks can be printed, more than 100X higher than with conventional printheads.
Besides enabling up to 100x higher printing resolution, the benefits of electrostatic ejection support a massively increased ink compatibility.

Conventional
‍piezo inkjet

Printing resolution ~ 50µm
Max. viscosity < 100 cps

MEMS Chip

The proprietary MEMS chip is the core of our printhead and printing technology. Manufactured in our internal microfabrication lab, this component comprises more than a decade of scientific and engineering development. Our current R&D printheads feature 41 easy to use nozzles and are available to users of the Scrona LabPrinter. Printheads for industrial applications will soon be available.
Get more information about the Scrona LabPrinter

Smaller than you think

0.1-1 micrometer

EHD NanoDrip
‍droplet size

10-100 micrometers

Standard Inkjet droplet size

The area covered by a single inkjet droplet is huge
This droplet is 100 x smaller diameter of the standard inkjet droplet.

Resolution

Fast parallel printing of line arrays and micro-pixel structures.
Better than 1 micrometer

EHD ULTRA high resolution printing

10-100 micrometers

Conventional inkjet resolution printing

300 dpi is the most common resolution in the industry.

Not just a droplet

The droplet has low amounts of water, making it very dense so when it lands it forms a 3D stackable dome shape.

Dome shaped
NanoDrip™ Droplet

Massive spread with the Conventional Inkjet droplet

Droplets are flattened on the substrate due to their high fluidic content.

Scalability

EHD is Scalable to an array with millions of nozzles

The drop has low amounts of water, making it very dense When it lands it forms a 3D stackable dome shape.
The drop has very high amounts of water, making it spread out on impact.

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