Problem: Customer printer generates poor quality print sample. Customer returns printhead which performs fine on manufacturer's test equipment. Manufacturer sends customer new printheads even though customer printer is most likely responsible for print gap out of tolerance.
Solution: High precision test platform capable of driving any printhead on the market and producing consistent print samples measured to iso quality specification with micrometer scale optical analysis.
Features:
Here are some drawings and photos of the carriage assembly:
A dot matrix printer works by shuttling an impact printhead back and forth as it hammers ink from a ribbon against a piece of paper. Solenoids are energized with a 200 microsecond pulse allowing print wires to actuate thousands of times per second. Printheads contain 9 to 24 wires and can fire up to a billion times without failure.
Dot matrix printers are most commonly used in point of sale and banking applications because the impact force enables them to produce multiple carbon copies. These rugged mechanical printheads are also ideal for use in harsh environments such as extreme humidity and temperature.
Bandit and Akoya are two separate satellites: Akoya serves as the parent satellite to Bandit and is responsible for its deployment through a proprietary docking system developed by ASL engineers. Bandit's mission is to demonstrate independent operation of a lightweight service vehicle, with an emphasis on its docking, image capture, and navigation.
It was my task to run finite element analysis on the satellite models using COSMOSWorks and locate the maximum deflection and Von Mises stress they would experience in the launch vehicle.