Modeling of an inkjet printhead for Iterative Learning Control using bilaterally coupled multiports

Modeling an inkjet printhead usually comprises a trade-off between high accuracy and small computational load. In face of the control purpose in mind, this paper presents a modeling strategy that breaks this boundary. For that purpose, an inkjet printhead is modeled as series connection of bilaterally coupled multiports using first principles only. By experimental validation, it is shown that the adopted model structure and parameters result in an accurate fit of the actual system. Next, the resulting model and the accompanying physical insight are used to improve the actuation of an inkjet printhead. The successful implementation of ILC based on the obtained model not only shows the model’s applicability to control, but also provides new input pulses that enable higher jetting frequencies.