Digital thermal binder and powder printing
A method of forming a digital print on a surface ( 2 ) by applying powder of dry ink ( 15 ) including colorants ( 7 ) on the surface, bonding a part of the dry ink ( 15 ) powder to the surface ( 2 ) by a digital heating print head ( 80 ) such that the digital print is formed by the bonded dry ink colorants ( 7 ) and removing non-bonded dry ink ( 15 ) from the surface ( 2 ).
1. A method of forming a digital print on a surface, wherein the method comprises:
applying a powder of dry ink, the dry ink comprising colourants, on the surface;
bonding a part of the powder of dry ink to the surface by a digital heating print head such that the digital print is formed by the bonded colourants of the dry ink; and
removing non-bonded dry ink from the surface,
wherein the digital heating print head comprises a plurality of heating elements.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the dry ink comprises a heat sensitive resin.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the surface comprises a heat sensitive resin.
4. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the heat sensitive resin is a thermosetting or thermoplastic resin.
5. A method of forming a digital print on a surface, wherein the method comprises:
applying a powder of dry ink, the dry ink comprising colourants, on the surface;
bonding a part of the powder of dry ink to the surface by a digital heating print head such that the digital print is formed by the bonded colourants of the dry ink; and
removing non-bonded dry ink from the surface,
wherein the dry ink comprises a heat sensitive resin which is a thermosetting resin comprising melamine.
6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the digital heating print head applies heat on a heat transfer foil that is in contact with the digital heating print head and the dry ink particles.
7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the heat transfer foil comprises copper or aluminium.
8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the surface is a part of a building panel.
9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the dry ink comprises mineral particles.
10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the dry ink comprises aluminium oxide particles.
11. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the heat transfer foil comprises individual small elements with high thermal conductivity.
12. A method of forming a digital print on a surface, wherein the method comprises:
applying a powder of dry ink, the dry ink comprising colourants, on the surface;
bonding a part of the powder of dry ink to the surface by a digital heating print head such that the digital print is formed by the bonded colourants of the dry ink; and
removing non-bonded dry ink from the surface,
wherein the dry ink comprises wood fibres.
13. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the surface is a part of a building panel.
14. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the dry ink comprises aluminium oxide particles.
15. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the dry ink comprises wood fibres.
16. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the dry ink comprises a heat sensitive resin which is a thermosetting or thermoplastic resin.
17. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the surface comprises a heat sensitive resin.
18. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the surface is a part of a building panel.
19. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the dry ink comprises aluminium oxide particles.
20. The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the dry ink comprises mineral particles.