By Graham K. Rogers

As part of a corporate plan to expand its inkjet printer business, Epson Corporation is reporting an investment of some ¥16 billion to construct two lines in Japan that are to produce the next generation of print heads. The new lines will be located in Epson's Suwa-Minami Plant in Nagano Prefecture and the Sakata Plant in Yamagata Prefecture.

Front end processes, that involve manufacturing the ultra-fine Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) component that forms the core of the print head are to be carried out at the Nagano plant.

Back end processes using Epson's industrial robot technology will complete the assembly. This processing will be carried out at Yamagata. Full automation of the end to end process will ensure major improvements in productivity and quality, Epson claim.

The new print head is of an original, advanced design and will use new materials in the actuator. With its long history of printer development using MEMS technology, the new print head uses Epson's Micro Piezo technology, with a more compact design, giving greater precision and better performance in a more cost-efficient package.

For more information, see the Epson Global website.

Graham K. Rogers teaches at the Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University in Thailand where he is also Assistant Dean. He wrote in the Bangkok Post, Database supplement on IT subjects. For the last seven years of Database he wrote a column on Apple and Macs.