R.J. Schick, L. Markle
Spraying Systems Co., Illinois, United States
Keywords: Precision Coating, Spray-on-Demand, High-Pressure Atomization, Microdroplet Generation, Process Repeatability, Selective Deposition, Droplet Size Control, Advanced Manufacturing, Energy Storage Applications, Semiconductor Fabrication, Battery Electrodes,
Advanced manufacturing increasingly requires highly controlled microscale liquid deposition with exceptional repeatability, minimal waste, and tunable coating performance. These requirements are especially relevant for defense, aerospace, energy storage, electronics, and medical technologies where coating quality directly impacts reliability and manufacturing yield. This work presents the development and validation of the High Precision Injector (HPI), a pulsed microspray atomization platform designed for precision “spray-on-demand” applications. The system combines high-pressure injector architecture with pulse-width-modulated liquid delivery to generate discrete, clean spray pulses with minimal after-injection or dribbling. Operating conditions include pulse durations down to approximately 500 microseconds, frequencies from below 1 Hz to approximately 1000 Hz, and pressures up to 350 bar. Experimental characterization includes droplet sizing, laser sheet imaging, high-speed visualization, flow consistency evaluation, and deposition repeatability analysis to validate the atomizer as fit-for-purpose for advanced manufacturing environments. Results demonstrate stable pulsed operation with controllable micron-scale droplet formation and tunable delivery suitable for selective, repeatable, and material-efficient coating processes relevant to resilient domestic manufacturing and next-generation functional coating technologies.