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Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Unblocking epsons

From: Russell Shaw <rjshaw@...>
Date: 2006-06-01

Steve wrote:
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Russell Shaw <rjshaw@...> wrote:
>
>>Any idiot can see that relying on the vacuum pump to clean the
>>nozzles is useless if the first nozzle to run freely prevents the
>>other nozzles from being cleaned!
>
> Let's keep it civil.
>
> A peristaltic pump with a hose hundreds of times larger diameter than
> the nozzles... I don't think it's quite that clear cut, if it were
> then the vacuum pump cleaner would be completely useless.

The surface tension is a constant of the fluid. The force required to
form a droplet is independant of nozzle diameter. Therefore, the Pascals
required to form the same surface deflection is proportional to 1/area
or 1/diameter^2. Increasing the peristaltic pump hose diameter will make
no difference whatsoever. The vacuum pump is only for taking away the
fluid and forcing it into that fat dunny-roll inside the printer.