De-contented fluid ejection

Abstract

In example implementations, a system is provided. The system includes at least one fluid ejection apparatus, a heater and an energy source. The at least one fluid ejection apparatus dispenses a de-contented fluid onto a substrate during conveyance of the substrate. The heater is arranged after the at least one fluid ejection apparatus along a substrate conveying path. The heater removes a liquid from the de-contented fluid on the substrate such that the particles of the de-contented fluid remain on the substrate. The energy source is arranged after the heater along the substrate conveying path. The energy source applies energy to the substrate during the conveyance of the substrate to heat the substrate to a temperature that is approximately a melting temperature of the substrate to fuse the particles on the substrate to the substrate.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a fluid ejection apparatus to dispense a de-contented fluid onto a plastic substrate;   a heater to remove a liquid from the de-contented fluid on the plastic substrate such that particles of the de-contented fluid remain on the plastic substrate;   an energy source to apply energy to the plastic substrate; and   a processor to control the fluid ejection apparatus to dispense the de-contented fluid, to control the heater to heat the de-contented fluid to remove the liquid from the de-contented fluid, and to control the energy source to apply the energy to the plastic substrate until the plastic substrate is heated to a temperature that is approximately a melting temperature of the plastic substrate to create imperfections on a top surface of the plastic substrate, wherein particles that are melted are fused to the plastic substrate via the imperfections.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid ejection apparatus comprises a plurality of fluid ejection apparatuses. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of fluid ejection apparatuses corresponds to a width of the plastic substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein each one of the plurality of fluid ejection apparatuses dispenses a different colored de-contented fluid. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the energy source comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), wherein the plurality of LEDs emits energy at different wavelengths in accordance with an absorption percentage of a respective color of the de-contented fluid on the plastic substrate. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the processor is to control the plurality of LEDs to turn on and off to control the amount of energy that is applied and to direct the plurality of LEDs towards a specific area of the plastic substrate to provide targeted heating. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the melting temperature of the plastic substrate is below 150 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , where the plastic substrate comprises poly vinyl chloride, polycarbonate, polypropylene, or polytehylene. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the de-contented fluid comprises a jettable ink that does not contain any binders. 
     
     
         10 . A system, comprising:
 a primer applying apparatus to apply a primer onto a plastic substrate;   a fluid ejection apparatus to dispense a de-contented fluid onto the primer that has been applied to the plastic substrate;   a heater to remove a liquid from the de-contented fluid on the plastic substrate such that particles of the de-contented fluid remain on the plastic substrate;   an energy source to apply energy to the plastic substrate; and   a processor to control the primer applying apparatus to apply the primer onto the plastic substrate, to control the fluid ejection apparatus to dispense the de-contented fluid, to control the heater to heat the de-contented fluid to remove the liquid from the de-contented fluid, and to control the energy source to apply the energy to the plastic substrate until the plastic substrate is heated to a temperature that is approximately a melting temperature of the plastic substrate to create imperfections on a top surface of the plastic substrate, wherein particles that are melted are fused to the plastic substrate via the imperfections.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the melting temperature of the plastic substrate is greater than 150 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the primer comprises a thermally fusible primer, wherein a melting temperature of the primer is less than 150 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the fluid ejection apparatus comprises a plurality of fluid ejection apparatuses. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein each one of the plurality of fluid ejection apparatuses dispenses a different colored de-contented fluid. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the energy source comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), wherein the plurality of LEDs emits energy at different wavelengths in accordance with an absorption percentage of a respective color of the de-contented fluid on the plastic substrate. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the primer is dried on the plastic substrate before the plastic substrate is conveyed to the fluid ejection apparatus. 
     
     
         17 . A method, comprising:
 controlling, via a processor, a fluid ejection apparatus to dispense a de-contented fluid onto a plastic substrate to print an image;   controlling, via the processor, a heater to heat the de-contented fluid to remove water from the de-contented fluid such that particles of the de-contented fluid remain on the plastic substrate; and   controlling, via the processor, an energy source to apply energy from a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) to the plastic substrate to heat the plastic substrate to a temperature that is approximately a melting temperature of the plastic substrate to create imperfections on a top surface of the plastic substrate, wherein particles that are melted are fused to the plastic substrate via the imperfections.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein controlling the fluid ejection apparatus comprises:
 controlling, via the processor, the fluid ejection apparatus to eject a plurality of different colored de-contented fluids on the plastic substrate.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of LEDs is controlled such that each LED emits a different wavelength of energy based on an absorption percentage of a color of the plurality of different colored de-contented fluids on the plastic substrate. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the melting temperature is approximately 150 degrees Celsius and the temperature is less than 150 degrees Celsius.