Abstract: A method of adjusting stimulation amplitude in continuous ink jet printers to provide satellite-free printing includes the steps varying the stimulation amplitude between the underdrive and overdrive stimulation conditions, charging the resulting ink jet filaments at their break off points with sawtooth voltage of period equal to the stimulation period, detecting and storing the resultant drop charging events and setting the operating stimulation amplitude based on the inception point inflection in the resulting stimulation amplitude versus detected charge relation.

Abstract: A system for adjusting the stimulation amplitude of a continuous ink jet printer to operate in a satellite-free, drop break off region includes a test charge electrode located downstream from the nominal information charging zone, an electrometer for detecting drop charge imported by the test charge electrode and a control circuit for gradually varying stimulation between the underdrive to overdrive regions. An information storage and processing system stores and computes the stimulation amplitude corresponding to the overdrive inception point during such stimulation ramping and a nominal operating stimulation amplitude is selected based on the computed inception point stimulation.

Abstract: In a continuous multi-jet ink jet printing apparatus, it is a problem to accurately adjust the phase of a printing pulse with respect to the drop separation profile. The problem is solved according to the invention by generating a short sample pulse and applying the short sample pulse simultaneously to the drop charging electrodes of all the ink jets, shifting the phase of the short sample pulse with respect to the stimulation cycle, and monitoring the ink jets to determine the drop separation profile. The phase of the printing pulse is then adjusted to bracket the drop separation profile.