The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for preventing oxidation or contamination during a circuit printing operation. The circuit printing operation can be directed to OLED-type printing. In an exemplary embodiment, the printing process is conducted at a load-locked printer housing having one or more of chambers. Each chamber is partitioned from the other chambers by physical gates or fluidic curtains. A controller coordinates transportation of a substrate through the system and purges the system by timely opening appropriate gates. The controller may also control the printing operation by energizing the print-head at a time when the substrate is positioned substantially thereunder.

A pretreatment liquid for an impermeable medium is a pretreatment liquid including water, a resin, and an organic acid, in which a ratio of a content of the resin to a content of the organic acid is greater than 0 and less than 4 on a mass basis, and the organic acid is a compound represented by Formula 1. In Formula 1, l represents 1 or greater, m represents 0 or 1, n represents 1 or greater, and l+m+n is 2 or greater. R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, and R.sub.4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, a carboxy group, an amino group, or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms.

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A pretreatment liquid for an impermeable medium is a pretreatment liquid including water, a resin, and an organic acid, in which a ratio of a content of the resin to a content of the organic acid is greater than 0 and less than 4 on a mass basis, and the organic acid is a compound represented by Formula 1. In Formula 1, l represents 1 or greater, m represents 0 or 1, n represents 1 or greater, and l+m+n is 2 or greater. R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, and R.sub.4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, a carboxy group, an amino group, or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms.

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Water-based nanoparticle inks may be formulated to be compatible with printed electronic direct-write methods. The water-based nanoparticle inks may include a functional material (nanoparticle) in combination with an appropriate solvent system. A method may include dispersing nanoparticles in a solvent and printing a circuit in an aerosol jet process or plasma jet process.

Water-based nanoparticle inks may be formulated to be compatible with printed electronic direct-write methods. The water-based nanoparticle inks may include a functional material (nanoparticle) in combination with an appropriate solvent system. A method may include dispersing nanoparticles in a solvent and printing a circuit in an aerosol jet process or plasma jet process.

The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for preventing oxidation or contamination during a circuit printing operation. The circuit printing operation can be directed to OLED-type printing. In an exemplary embodiment, the printing process is conducted at a load-locked printer housing having one or more of chambers. Each chamber is partitioned from the other chambers by physical gates or fluidic curtains. A controller coordinates transportation of a substrate through the system and purges the system by timely opening appropriate gates. The controller may also control the printing operation by energizing the print-head at a time when the substrate is positioned substantially thereunder.

The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for preventing oxidation or contamination during a circuit printing operation. The circuit printing operation can be directed to OLED-type printing. In an exemplary embodiment, the printing process is conducted at a load-locked printer housing having one or more of chambers. Each chamber is partitioned from the other chambers by physical gates or fluidic curtains. A controller coordinates transportation of a substrate through the system and purges the system by timely opening appropriate gates. The controller may also control the printing operation by energizing the print-head at a time when the substrate is positioned substantially thereunder.

An image is formed on a can body by use of plural image formation units. A printing device (500) is provided with a moving unit (550) that moves while supporting can bodies (10). Additionally, the printing device (500) is provided with a printing unit (520) that includes plural inkjet heads (11W), (11C), (11M), (11Y), (11K) and that performs printing on the can bodies (10) supported by the moving unit (550). Further, the printing device (500) is provided with a moving mechanism (560) that causes the moving unit (550) to move by using a linear mechanism.

An image is formed on a can body by use of plural image formation units. A printing device (500) is provided with a moving unit (550) that moves while supporting can bodies (10). Additionally, the printing device (500) is provided with a printing unit (520) that includes plural inkjet heads (11W), (11C), (11M), (11Y), (11K) and that performs printing on the can bodies (10) supported by the moving unit (550). Further, the printing device (500) is provided with a moving mechanism (560) that causes the moving unit (550) to move by using a linear mechanism.

A printing method includes determining the upper limit of the amount of the ink to be discharged based on a color saturation suppression upper limit, and at least one of an overflowing suppression upper limit, a bleeding suppression upper limit, and an aggregation suppression upper limit. The determining of the upper limit of the amount of the ink to be discharged includes setting in advance priorities among the suppressing of the color saturation of the ink and at least one of the overflowing of the ink, the bleeding of the ink, and the aggregation of the ink, and determining the upper limit of the amount of the ink to be discharged based on the priorities.