We present an experimental study of drop-on-demand inkjet behavior, with particular
emphasis on the thresholds for drop generation and formation of satellite drops, using inks
covering a range of fluid properties. Drop behavior can be represented as a “phase
diagram” in a parameter space bound by the dimensionless number Z (the inverse of the
Ohnesorge number) and the Weber number of the fluid jet prior to drop formation, We j.
Stable drop generation is found to be bounded by a parallelogram with minimum and …