Control device, simulation method, and laminate manufacturing method

Abstract

To keep a constantly changing coating condition at a constant range.SOLUTION: A control device includes: a viscosity information acquisition part for acquiring viscosity information indicating viscosity of a coating agent containing a solid component and a volatile component; a stable region information acquisition part for acquiring stable region information, from a storage part for storing stable region information indicating a stable region which is stably subjected to coating treatment, in a region indicated by an operation state of a coating device for applying the coating agent to a base material and viscosity of the coating agent; a calculation part for calculating at least one of the operation state of the coating device and the viscosity as a control condition, on the basis of the viscosity information acquired by the viscosity information acquisition part and the stable region information acquired by the stable region information acquisition part; and a control part for controlling at least one of an operation state of the coating device, and a supply state by a supply device for preparing the solid component and the volatile component and supplying the coating agent to the coating device, on the basis of the control condition calculated by the calculation part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control device, a simulation method, and a method for manufacturing a laminate. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a coating method in which a coating film is formed on a thin substrate such as a film to produce a laminate of the substrate and the coating film (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2014-188410 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In order to obtain a stable coating film in the above-mentioned coating method, it is required to maintain the coating conditions within a certain range. However, with conventional techniques, it was difficult to maintain constantly changing coating conditions within a certain range.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has an objective of providing a control device, a simulation method, and a method for manufacturing a laminate that can maintain coating conditions that change from moment to moment within a certain range. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure is a control device including: a viscosity information acquisition unit that acquires viscosity information indicating a viscosity of a coating agent containing a solid component and a volatile component; a stability region information acquisition unit that acquires stability region information from a memory unit that stores stability region information indicating a stable region in which a coating process is stably performed among a region indicated by an operating state of a coating device that applies the coating agent to a substrate and the viscosity of the coating agent; a calculation unit that calculates at least one of the operating state of the coating device and the viscosity as control conditions based on the viscosity information acquired by the viscosity information acquisition unit and the stable region information acquired by the stability region information acquisition unit; and a control unit that controls at least one of the operating state of the coating device and a supply state of a supply device that mixes the solid component and the volatile component and supplies the coating agent to the coating device based on the control condition calculated by the calculation unit.

[0007] One aspect of the present disclosure is a simulation method including: presenting a stable region for a predetermined type of substrate and coating agent based on stability region information indicating a stable region in which a coating process is stably performed among regions indicated by an operating state of a coating device that applies a coating agent containing a solid component and a volatile component to a substrate and a viscosity of the coating agent, for each type of substrate and each type of coating agent; selecting an operating state of the coating device such that the stable region falls within the presented stability region; selecting a control range of the viscosity such that the viscosity falls within the stability region in the selected operating state of the coating device; and generating control information for a supply device that mixes the solid component and the volatile component and supplies the coating agent to the coating device based on the selected operating state of the coating device and the control range of the viscosity.

[0008] One aspect of the present disclosure is a control device comprising: a stability region information acquisition unit that acquires the control information generated based on the above-mentioned simulation method as stability region information indicating a stability region in which a coating process is performed stably; a viscosity information acquisition unit that acquires viscosity information indicating the viscosity of a coating agent containing a solid component and a volatile component; and a control unit that controls the supply state by the supply device based on the viscosity information acquired by the viscosity information acquisition unit and the stable region information acquired by the stability region information acquisition unit.

[0009] One aspect of the present disclosure is a method for producing a laminate in which a coating agent containing a solid component and a volatile component is formed on a resin film, the method comprising at least controlling the mixing ratio by the supply device using a control device described in any one of claims 1 to 3. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the control device, simulation method, and laminate manufacturing method of the present disclosure, coating conditions that change from moment to moment can be kept within a certain range. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a coating system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between temperature and vapor pressure for ethyl acetate. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the number of capillaries and coating unevenness. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 shows an example of the relationship between the capillary numbers of three axes and the stable and defective regions. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of stable region information based on viscosity. [Figure 6] 5 is a diagram showing an example of a flow of advance preparation operations of the control device 10 of the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a flow of control operations of the control device 10 of the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a coating system 1 according to this embodiment. The coating system 1 is a system that applies a coating agent 70 to a film 60 to form a coating film on the surface of the film 60. The film 60 is transported in a certain direction (direction D1) by, for example, a roll-to-roll method. In this figure, the delivery roll and take-up roll of the film 60 are omitted. The film 60 is an example of a substrate to be coated by the coating system 1. Substrates include a wide range of materials that can be coated with the coating agent 70 to form a laminate, such as film, paper, metal foil, steel plate, fiber, and cloth. In the following description, the speed at which the film 60 (substrate) is transported in the direction D1 by the roll-to-roll method is also referred to as the running speed of the film 60.

[0013] The coating system 1 of this embodiment applies the coating agent 70 onto the surface of the film 60 by a so-called gravure reverse coater method (hereinafter also referred to as the reverse coater method or simply the reverse method). The coating system 1 is not limited to a reverse coater system. For example, the coating system 1 may be another open system such as a kiss reverse coater system, or a closed system such as a die coater system.

[0014] [Overview of Coating System 1] An overview of a coating system 1 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0015] (Environmental influences) The coating agent 70 is composed of a non-volatile solid component 32 (eg, a polymer, optionally containing additives) and a volatile component 42 (diluent).

[0016] The polymer constituting the solid component 32 can be appropriately selected. As a specific example, the polymer constituting the solid component 32 may be at least one selected from the group consisting of shellacs, rosins, rosin-modified maleic acid resins, rosin-modified phenolic resins, nitrocellulose, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetyl propionate, cellulose acetyl butyrate, chlorinated rubber, cyclized rubber, polyamide resins, vinyl acetate resins such as ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers and vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymers, polyester resins, polyvinylidene chloride resins, ketone resins, butyral resins, chlorinated polypropylene resins, chlorinated polyethylene resins, chlorinated ethylene vinyl acetate resins, ethylene vinyl acetate resins, acrylic resins, methacrylic resins, urethane resins, styrene-maleic acid resins, casein, alkyd resins, acrylic emulsions, urethane emulsions, polyvinyl alcohol resins, ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers, chlorotrifluoroethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers, silicone resins, and tetrafluoroethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers.

[0017] As a specific example, the polymer constituting the solid component 32 may be an acrylic urethane coating composition or a methacrylic urethane coating composition containing an acrylic polyol resin or a methacrylic polyol resin and an isocyanate-based curing agent. As an example, the isocyanate-based curing agent used in this embodiment acts as a crosslinking agent for the above-mentioned acrylic polyol resin or methacrylic polyol resin, and may be a polyisocyanate compound having at least two isocyanate groups in one molecule.

[0018] When the solid component 32 contains an additive, the additive can be appropriately selected. As a specific example, the additives contained in the solid component 32 include an organic pigment, an inorganic pigment, an antistatic agent, a thickener, a flame retardant, an antifoaming agent, a dispersant, a pH adjuster, and the like. Examples of organic pigments (organic coloring pigments) as additives contained in solid component 32 include azo-based, naphthol-based, pyrazolone-based, anthraquinone-based, perylene-based, quinacridone-based, disazo-based, isoindolinone-based, benzimidazole-based, phthalocyanine-based, quinophthalone-based, etc. Examples of inorganic pigments as additives contained in the solid component 32 include barium titanate, strontium titanate, potassium titanate, magnesium titanate, lead titanate, titanium dioxide, barium zirconate, calcium zirconate, and zircon. Examples of inorganic color pigments as additives contained in the solid component 32 include titanium oxide, carbon black, ferric oxide (red oxide), yellow iron oxide, ochre, ultramarine blue, and cobalt green. An example of the additive contained in the solid component 32 may be hollow particles made of acrylic resins such as acrylic resin, methacrylic resin, and acrylonitrile resin, or synthetic resins such as polystyrene resin. In addition, inorganic hollow particles may be those made mainly of industrially obtained silica, alumina, etc., or natural products such as volcanic silt balloons. Hydrophilic or hydrophobic hollow particles may also be used.

[0019] If solid component 32 includes an additive, the additive may include an antistatic agent. For example, the additive includes at least one antistatic agent selected from the group consisting of conductive polymers and conductive metal oxides. A conductive polymer is a polymer in which electrons move and diffuse along the polymer skeleton. Examples of conductive polymers include polyaniline-based polymers, polyacetylene-based polymers, polyparaphenylene-based polymers, polypyrrole-based polymers, polythiophene-based polymers, and polyvinylcarbazole-based polymers. The weight average molecular weight of the conductive polymer is preferably 20,000 to 500,000, and particularly preferably 40,000 to 200,000. If the weight average molecular weight of the conductive polymer is outside the above range (i.e., less than 20,000 or more than 500,000), the dispersion stability of the conductive polymer in water may decrease. The weight average molecular weight is measured, for example, by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) using a Waters Ultrahydrogel 500 column or the like. Examples of conductive metal oxides include tin-doped indium oxide, antimony-doped tin oxide, phosphorus-doped tin oxide, zinc antimonate, and antimony oxide. One type of antistatic agent may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in combination. As the antistatic agent, polyaniline-based polymers, polypyrrole-based polymers, and polythiophene-based polymers are preferable in terms of excellent heat resistance and conductivity.

[0020] If solid component 32 includes an additive, the additive may include a dispersant. Examples of dispersants as additives contained in solid component 32 include polymer dispersants such as alkanolamine salts of acrylic acid and / or methacrylic acid copolymers, N-vinylpyrrolidone-N,N-dialkylaminoalkyl acrylate copolymers, dialkyl sulfates of N-vinylpyrrolidone-N,N-dialkylaminoalkyl acrylate copolymers, N-vinylpyrrolidone-vinyl acetate copolymers, polyvinyl butyral, and methyl vinyl ether-dialkyl maleate copolymers.

[0021] Moreover, the volatile component 42 (diluent) can be appropriately selected. As a specific example, the diluent is preferably an organic solvent, and examples thereof include ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, methyl ethyl ketone, and alcohol.

[0022] In order to obtain a stable coating by coating the film 60, the viscosity of the coating agent 70 containing the volatile component 42 must be constant (eg, not change over time). For example, when so-called ink is used as the coating agent 70, the ink is exposed to the outside air during the coating process. This causes the volatile components 42 contained in the ink to volatilize, increasing the viscosity of the ink. When such a change in viscosity occurs, the coating film formed on the film 60 suffers from quality degradation, such as defects.

[0023] In order to stabilize the non-uniformity of the coating film formed on the film 60 (i.e., coating unevenness), it is important to grasp and manage the parameters that change every moment per unit time. The state of volatilization of the volatile component 42 can be expressed by the evaporation rate of a solid or liquid when the transport resistance due to different components in the gas phase and the like can be ignored. Specifically, the molecular evaporation rate is given by, for example, equation (1).

[0024]

number

[0025] Where: Ts …Evaporation surface temperature ps … Saturation vapor pressure at Ts m ... mass of one molecule k …Boltzmann constant α … The ratio of the number of molecules that collide with the surface and are captured by the surface p …Partial pressure of vaporized component in the gas phase It is.

[0026] Of these, the factors that are most likely to change per unit time are Ts (evaporation surface temperature), ps (saturated vapor pressure at Ts), and α.

[0027] α is generally called the accommodation coefficient. α is also called the evaporation coefficient because it focuses on the evaporation phenomenon, and its value varies depending on the type of evaporating material and its temperature. In particular, when α=1 and p=0, N is the ultimate movement speed at temperature Ts and is called the maximum evaporation rate.

[0028] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between temperature and vapor pressure for ethyl acetate. The evaporation is affected by the temperature Ts and the saturated vapor pressure p at that time, and the vapor pressure differs for each substance. For example, the correspondence between the temperature Ts and the saturated vapor pressure p at that time for ethyl acetate is as shown in Figure 2.

[0029] The main factors that fluctuate per unit time are the number of molecules that actually collide with the surface (Shore), and because the temperature is different between the surface and the inside, the temperature, saturated vapor pressure, and α. α functions as a coefficient and is a variable factor that differs depending on the actual experiment and manufacturing site. This α is constantly fluctuating and can be a factor in the non-constant change in viscosity. Factors that cause α to vary include the amount of coating agent 70 added by adjusting the discharge rate of the pump used to circulate the coating agent 70, and the state of the circulation path being open to the atmosphere (for example, how the lid of the circulation tank is attached).

[0030] (Effects of coating additives) In the coating process, additives with particles may be added to the coating agent 70. Examples of additives include ultraviolet absorbing agents, pigments, and silica. The additives differ in particle size and shape, and when dispersed in the coating agent 70, attention must be paid to the effects of particle size distribution, molecular weight, solids concentration, and the like. This effect is expressed by the basic theoretical equation for low-concentration systems (Einstein's equation) (Equation (2)).

[0031]

number

[0032] however, ηs …suspension viscosity η0 …Solvent viscosity φ…Solid volume fraction of particles (volume concentration)

[0033] In this case, the value obtained by dividing the suspension viscosity ηs by the solvent viscosity η0 is an index that indicates how many times the viscosity of a suspension in which a solid is dispersed in a solvent will be compared to that of the original solvent, and is expressed by the specific viscosity formula (Mooney's formula) (Equation (3)).

[0034]

number

[0035] When applying to particle shapes other than spherical, formula (4) is also used.

[0036]

number

[0037] however, K E …Coefficients that depend on particle shape

[0038] At this time, the particle size and the concentration of the additive with respect to the solid volume fraction are expressed by the formula (5).

[0039]

number

[0040] This D depends on the solvent in the solution to be added. p Since the amount of the additive may change (swell), there may be a surface treatment to the additive.

[0041] (Effect of coating liquid film control) One factor that affects coating unevenness is the meniscus, where the liquid film splits. For example, in the case of the gravure reverse coating method, it is said that uneven coating will be smoothed out and eliminated if the following formula (6) is satisfied.

[0042]

number

[0043] however, dp / dx: Pressure gradient r…radius of curvature of meniscus N…rib wave number = 2π / wavelength Ca: Number of capillaries

[0044] Here, the capillary number Ca is given by equation (7).

[0045]

number

[0046] however, μ… Viscosity of coating agent U…Roll circumferential speed (U is the average roll circumferential speed) σ: Surface tension of coating agent

[0047] In order to prevent uneven coating, the right-hand side should be increased. Effective operations to achieve this include lowering the viscosity of the coating agent, lowering the roll speed, and increasing the roll gap (reducing r). On the other hand, for example, the viscosity is a guideline of 1 to 500 [mpa·s], with 100 [mPa·s] or less being preferable. In order to obtain a coating film without defects, it is preferable to keep it within this range. In this way, it is important to set a threshold value for the viscosity range in advance depending on the type of coating agent, etc. When the viscosity is outside the range, it is desirable to have a computer system that can automatically adjust how much solvent should be added based on the solid content calculation. The coating system 1 of this embodiment focuses on the viscosity μ of the coating agent 70 and automatically manages the viscosity within a process window based on the capillary number Ca. Returning to FIG. 1, a specific example of the configuration of the coating system 1 will now be described.

[0048] [Coating System 1 Configuration] The coating system 1 includes a control device 10 and a gravure reverse coater 50. The gravure reverse coater 50 includes a coating device 51 (applicator) and a supply device 52.

[0049] The coating device 51 includes a first roll 511 , a second roll 512 , a motor 513 , a doctor blade 514 , and an operation state detection sensor 515 . The first roll 511 is a so-called backup roll, which rotates in a direction D11 to move the film 60 in a direction D1. The second roll 512 is a so-called gravure roll, and rotates in a direction D12 opposite to the direction D1 in which the film 60 moves. The motor 513 drives the first roll 511 to rotate in a direction D11. The doctor blade 514 comes into contact with the surface of the coating agent 70 scooped up by the second roll 512, and adjusts the surface condition, application amount, and application thickness of the coating agent 70, thereby making the application condition of the coating agent 70 applied to the film 60 uniform.

[0050] The supply device 52 includes a liquid tank 521 , a coating agent tank 522 , a circulation pump 523 , a supply pipe 524 , and a recovery pipe 525 . The liquid tank 521 is a tank that stores the coating agent 70 and is also called an ink pan. The liquid tank 521 stores a predetermined amount of the coating agent 70 and supplies the stored coating agent 70 to the second roll 512.

[0051] The surface of the second roll 512 is processed with a predetermined pattern (gravure processing), and scoops up the coating agent 70 stored in the liquid tank 521 . The coating agent 70 thus picked up is leveled by a doctor blade 514 and applied to the film 60 at the application position between the second roll 512 and the first roll 511 while forming a meniscus 516 .

[0052] The coating agent tank 522 stores the coating agent 70 . The circulation pump 523 supplies the coating agent 70 stored in the coating agent tank 522 to the liquid tank 521 via the supply piping 524. A part of the coating agent 70 in the liquid tank 521 is applied to the film 60 via the second roll 512, and the other part is returned to the coating agent tank 522 via the recovery piping 525. That is, the supply device 52 of the present embodiment is configured as a circulating coating agent supply device that circulates the coating agent 70 between the coating agent tank 522 and the liquid tank 521.

[0053] The supply device 52 also includes a solid component tank 30 , a solid component valve 31 , a volatile component tank 40 , and a volatile component valve 41 . As described above, the coating agent 70 is composed of the solid component 32 and the volatile component 42 . The solid component tank 30 stores the solid component 32. The solid component valve 31 supplies the solid component 32 stored in the solid component tank 30 to the coating agent tank 522 based on the control of the control device 10. The volatile component tank 40 stores the volatile component 42. The volatile component valve 41 supplies the volatile component 42 stored in the volatile component tank 40 to the coating agent tank 522 based on the control of the control device 10.

[0054] The amount of coating agent 70 stored in the coating agent tank 522 decreases as it is applied to the film 60. The solid component 32 from the solid component tank 30 and the volatile component 42 from the volatile component tank 40 are each supplied to the coating agent tank 522, and mixed together in the coating agent tank 522 to produce a coating agent 70 with a predetermined viscosity. In other words, adjusting the opening degree of the solid component valve 31 and the opening degree of the volatile component valve 41 respectively is equivalent to controlling the mixing ratio of the solid components 32 and the volatile components 42 of the coating agent 70 stored in the coating agent tank 522.

[0055] Here, the viscosity of the coating agent 70 may increase due to the volatilization of the volatile component 42 into the atmosphere in the liquid tank 521, the coating agent tank 522, or the circulation path of the coating agent 70. If the viscosity of the coating agent 70 changes in this way, uneven application to the film 60 may occur. The control device 10 adjusts the viscosity of the coating agent 70 by controlling the mixing ratio of the solid component 32 supplied from the solid component tank 30 and the volatile component 42 supplied from the volatile component tank 40. The configuration of the control device 10 will be described in more detail.

[0056] (Functional configuration of the control device 10) The control device 10 is a so-called computer device, and operates based on programs and data stored in a storage unit 20 . The storage unit 20 may be a semiconductor memory or a hard disk device physically connected to the control device 10, or may be a cloud server device logically connected to the control device 10. The storage unit 20 stores various types of information. The control device 10 includes an information acquisition unit 110, a calculation unit 120, and a control unit 130. The information acquisition unit 110 is configured as a software function unit (or a hardware function unit) of a computer device, and includes an operation state acquisition unit 111, a viscosity information acquisition unit 112, and a stable region information acquisition unit 113.

[0057] The operating state acquisition unit 111 acquires the operating state of the coating device 51. As an example, the coating device 51 includes an operating state detection sensor 515 that detects the rotation speed of the first roll 511 (i.e., the feed speed of the film 60). In this example, the operating state detection sensor 515 may be an encoder that detects the rotation speed of the motor 513. The operation state acquisition unit 111 acquires the operation state of the coating device 51 from the operation state detection sensor 515 .

[0058] The viscosity information acquiring unit 112 acquires information indicating the viscosity of the coating agent 70 supplied by the supply device 52 (i.e., viscosity information). As an example, the supply device 52 includes a viscosity sensor 526 that detects the viscosity of the coating agent 70 flowing through the supply pipe 524. The viscosity sensor 526 detects the viscosity of the coating agent 70 by a known method (for example, a method of converting the vibration force generated when the coating agent 70 is vibrated into viscosity).

[0059] As described above, the coating agent 70 supplied by the supply device 52 contains the solid component 32 and the volatile component 42. That is, the viscosity information acquisition unit 112 acquires viscosity information indicating the viscosity of the coating agent 70 containing the solid component 32 and the volatile component 42.

[0060] The stable region information acquisition unit 113 acquires the stable region information 210 from the storage unit 20. The stable region information acquisition unit 113 is information indicating conditions (i.e., stable regions) that are less likely to cause coating unevenness among the coating conditions. The stable region information 210 will be described with reference to Figs. 3 to 5.

[0061] 3 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the capillary number Ca and coating unevenness. In the following description, coating unevenness of the coating agent 70 on the film 60 is also simply referred to as a "defect." The defects include a living defect, a cascade defect, and a sagging defect.

[0062] A ribbing defect refers to a periodic pattern that extends at a slight angle to the running direction of the film 60 (substrate) (i.e., direction D1) and occurs over the entire surface of the film 60 or on the edge of the film 60. One cause of the ribbing defect is that the running speed of the film 60 is faster than the peripheral speed of the second roll 512. In other words, when the running speed of the film 60 is faster than the peripheral speed of the second roll 512, a ribbing defect occurs. This is because the meniscus 516 undulates in the width direction of the film 60 when the running speed of the film 60 is faster than the peripheral speed of the second roll 512.

[0063] The cascade defect refers to the occurrence of a "ripple pattern" that extends perpendicularly to the running direction (i.e., direction D1) of the film 60 (substrate). One cause of the cascade defect is that the running speed of the film 60 is slower than the peripheral speed of the second roll 512. In other words, when the running speed of the film 60 is slower than the peripheral speed of the second roll 512, the cascade defect occurs.

[0064] The sagging defect refers to a part of the coating agent 70 constituting the meniscus 516 flowing in the direction of gravity. The cause of the sagging defect is that both the running speed of the film 60 and the peripheral speed of the second roll 512 are slower than appropriate speeds. In other words, when both the running speed of the film 60 and the peripheral speed of the second roll 512 are slower than appropriate speeds, the sagging defect occurs.

[0065] In the process of applying coating agent 70 to film 60, the capillary number Ca can explain whether a living defect, a cascade defect, or a sagging defect occurs, or whether none of these defects occur (i.e., stable application is achieved).

[0066] As shown in Fig. 3, the X-axis is the capillary number CaX based on the circumferential speed of the gravure roll, the Y-axis is the capillary number CaY based on the speed of the film 60 (substrate), and the Z-axis is the capillary number CaZ based on the viscosity of the coating agent 70. According to the capillary number Ca on these three axes, it is possible to show a stable region where no defects occur, a living defect region, a cascade defect region, and a sagging defect region.

[0067] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the correspondence relationship between the capillary number Ca of three axes and the stable region / defect region. In other words, by organizing the capillary number Ca, which has as parameters the running speed of the film 60, the circumferential speed of the second roll 512 (gravure roll), and the viscosity of the coating agent 70, it is possible to indicate whether stable coating is possible or not depending on whether the combination of three capillary numbers Ca is within a certain closed range (stable region).

[0068] 3 indicates a region where the capillary number CaX based on the running speed of the film 60 and the capillary number CaY based on the circumferential speed of the second roll 512 (gravure roll) are equal. If the running speed of the film 60 and the circumferential speed of the second roll 512 (gravure roll) are increased on this dashed line L1, the region moves from the sagging defect region to the stable coating region and then to the living defect region.

[0069] It has been experimentally determined that when the number of lines in the gravure cells of the second roll 512 is 70-110 [lines / inch], the groove depth is 68-158 [μm], and the blade thickness of the doctor blade 514 is within the range of 0.085-0.3 [mm], the boundary between the stable coating area and the area where living defects occur (straight line L2 in the same figure) and the boundary between the stable coating area and the area where cascade defects occur (straight line L3 in the same figure) do not depend on the shape of the gravure cells or the shape of the doctor blade 514.

[0070] In addition, as a result of other experiments, when the viscosity of coating agent 70 was as high as 1000 [mpa·s], patterns appeared in direction D1, which is the running direction of film 60, resulting in ribbing defects. This is thought to be due to the fact that the high viscosity of coating agent 70 caused resistance to film 60, making the coated surface unstable, and that meniscus 516 transferred to film 60, and after coating, it did not level, resulting in waviness. Furthermore, when the viscosity of the coating agent 70 was as low as 10 [mpa·s], cascade defects occurred. This was because the formation of the meniscus 516 was not stable, resulting in non-uniformity in the amount of coating.

[0071] The storage unit 20 of this embodiment may store the conditions of the stable region shown in Fig. 4 as the stable region information 210. Here, the conditions of the stable region shown in Fig. 4 are conditions shown on three axes of the capillary number CaX, the capillary number CaY, and the capillary number CaZ.

[0072] In other words, the operating state of the coating device 51 includes the rotational speed (e.g., circumferential speed, which may also be angular velocity) of the gravure roller that applies the coating agent 70 to the film 60 (substrate), and the substrate speed, which is the speed at which the film 60 (substrate) is moved relative to the application position of the gravure roller. In this case, the stable region information 210 is information indicating a stable region in a space having the capillary number CaX based on the rotation speed as the first axis, the capillary number CaY based on the substrate speed as the second axis, and the capillary number CaZ based on the viscosity of the coating agent 70 as the third axis.

[0073] On the other hand, when continuously coating the film 60 by the roll-to-roll method, if the running speed of the film 60 or the circumferential speed of the second roll 512 changes with time, the coating quality may vary. In this case, the viscosity of the coating agent 70 is controlled to stabilize the coating, assuming that the running speed of the film 60 and the circumferential speed of the second roll 512 are constant without changing with time. In this case, the storage unit 20 may store, as the stability region information 210, the conditions of the stable region based on the viscosity of the coating agent 70 (i.e., the conditions shown on one axis of the capillary number CaZ).

[0074] 5 is a diagram showing an example of the stability region information 210 based on viscosity. The lower limit A and the upper limit B are values ​​indicating the lower limit or upper limit of the boundary between the stability region and the defect region. The lower limit threshold A2 is a value larger than the lower limit A, and is a value indicating that the viscosity should be increased because the viscosity is approaching the lower limit A. The upper limit threshold B2 is a value smaller than the upper limit B, and is a value indicating that the viscosity should be decreased because the viscosity is approaching the upper limit B. In this case, the control device 10 controls the viscosity of the coating agent 70 so that the viscosity of the coating agent 70 falls between the lower threshold value A2 and the upper threshold value B2.

[0075] Returning to FIG. 1, the stable region information acquisition unit 113 acquires the stable region information 210 from the storage unit 20.

[0076] As described above, the stable region information 210 is information indicating a stable region in which the coating process is performed stably among the regions indicated by the operating state (e.g., the gravure roll circumferential speed and the running speed of the film 60) of the coating device 51 (applicator) that applies the coating agent 70 to the film 60 (substrate) and the viscosity of the coating agent 70. In other words, the stable region information acquisition unit 113 acquires the stable region information 210 from the memory unit 20, which stores the stable region information 210 indicating the stable region in which the coating process is performed stably among the region indicated by the operating state of the coating device 51 (applicator) that applies the coating agent 70 to the film 60 (substrate) and the viscosity of the coating agent 70.

[0077] The calculation unit 120 calculates the control conditions of the coating system 1 (that is, at least one of the rotation speed, the substrate speed, and the viscosity) as the control conditions based on the viscosity information and the stable region information 210.

[0078] In other words, the calculation unit 120 calculates at least one of the operating state and the viscosity of the coating device 51 (applicator) as a control condition based on the viscosity information acquired by the viscosity information acquisition unit 112 and the stability region information 210 acquired by the stability region information acquisition unit 113. Here, the operating state of the coating device 51 (applicator) refers to, for example, the peripheral speed of the gravure roll or the running speed of the film 60. Also, the viscosity refers to the viscosity of the coating agent 70 in the liquid tank 521.

[0079] In one example of this embodiment, the calculation unit 120 calculates the viscosity of the coating agent 70 as a control condition of the coating system 1. In this case, the calculation unit 120 calculates the supply amount of the solid component 32 or the volatile component 42 so that the viscosity of the coating agent 70 falls between the lower threshold A2 and the upper threshold B2 indicated by the stability region information 210.

[0080] In other words, based on the viscosity information acquired by the viscosity information acquisition unit 112 and the stability region information 210, the calculation unit 120 calculates, as a control condition, the viscosity of the stability region indicated by the stability region information 210 when the operating state of the coating device 51 (application device) is set as a given condition.

[0081] The control unit 130 controls the coating device 51 or the supply device 52 based on the control conditions calculated by the calculation unit 120 .

[0082] In other words, based on the control conditions calculated by the calculation unit 120, the control unit 130 controls at least one of the operating state of the coating device 51 (applicator) and the supply state of the supply device 52, which mixes the solid component 32 and the volatile component 42 and supplies the coating agent 70 to the coating device 51 (applicator).

[0083] As described above, in one example of the present embodiment, the calculation unit 120 calculates the supply amount of the solid component 32 or the volatile component 42 as a control condition of the coating system 1. In this case, the control unit 130 controls the opening degree of the solid component valve 31 and the volatile component valve 41 based on the calculated control condition, thereby controlling the viscosity of the coating agent 70 supplied to the liquid tank 521.

[0084] It can also be said that the control unit 130 controls the amount of coating agent 70 supplied from the supply device 52 to the coating device 51 (applicator) based on the viscosity indicated as a control condition. That is, the control unit 130 controls the opening degree of the solid component valve 31 and the opening degree of the volatile component valve 41, respectively, to control the amount of coating agent 70 supplied to the coating agent tank 522.

[0085] It can also be said that the control unit 130 controls the blending ratio of the solid component 32 and the volatile component 42 by the supply device 52 based on the viscosity indicated as a control condition. That is, the control unit 130 controls the blending ratio of the coating agent 70 supplied to the coating agent tank 522 by controlling the opening degree of the solid component valve 31 and the opening degree of the volatile component valve 41, respectively.

[0086] Although not shown, the coating agent tank 522 may be provided with a lid for adjusting viscosity. This lid opens the inside of the coating agent tank 522 to the atmosphere. The lid may also be an access hole for cleaning the inside of the coating agent tank 522. When the lid is opened, the volatile components 42 of the coating agent 70 stored in the coating agent tank 522 volatilize into the atmosphere, and the viscosity of the coating agent 70 increases. The coating agent tank 522 may include an opening adjustment motor (not shown) for adjusting the opening degree of the lid. In this case, the control unit 130 controls the opening degree of the lid by driving the opening adjustment motor.

[0087] That is, the control unit 130 may be configured to control the degree to which the volatile component 42 is volatilized in the supply device 52 based on the viscosity indicated as a control condition.

[0088] [Operation of the control device 10] Next, an example of the operation of the control device 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a flow of advance preparation operations of the control device 10 of the present embodiment. Note that the series of procedures shown in Fig. 6 may be executed by a computer device included in the control device 10, or may be executed by a computer device external to the control device 10.

[0089] [Advance preparation] (Step S10) The blending ratio is determined and the solid content is calculated. As an example, a case where a coating agent 70 in which a first paint PA, a second paint PB, and a diluent which is a volatile component 42 are blended is used will be described. In this case, the solid content of the first paint PA and the solid content of the second paint PB (ie, the solid component 32) are calculated by the following relational expression.

[0090] (Amount of paint PA x solids + amount of paint PB x solids) / (Amount of paint PA + amount of paint PB + amount of diluent)

[0091] (Step S20) The viscosity measurement results for each solid content are obtained. (Step S30) The coating amount is calculated using the following relational expression.

[0092] Coating amount = solid content x gravure cell area ratio x transfer rate

[0093] The transfer rate is a predetermined coefficient that is determined by a known method based on the running speed (line speed) of the film 60, the gravure peripheral speed ratio, the dynamic viscosity of the coating agent, and the like. The lower limit of the range of the application amount is determined as lower limit A, and the upper limit as upper limit B. Furthermore, thresholds (lower limit threshold A2, upper limit threshold B2) are determined to ensure that the range of lower limit A and upper limit B is not exceeded.

[0094] (Step S40) The determined lower limit value A, lower threshold value A2, upper threshold value B2, and upper limit value B are stored in the storage unit 20 as the stable region information 210.

[0095] The lower limit value A, the lower threshold value A2, the upper threshold value B2, and the upper limit value B in step S30 described above may be determined by the user in the following procedure. Note that steps S31 to S34 described below are not shown in the drawings.

[0096] (Step S31) The computer device presents a stable region for a predetermined type of film 60 (substrate) and coating agent 70. For example, if the computer device is equipped with a display device such as a liquid crystal display, it displays an image showing the stable region in the manner shown in FIG.

[0097] (Step S32) The computer device allows the user to select an operating state of the coating device 51 (applicator) so that the operating state falls within the presented stable region. For example, if the computer device is equipped with an input device such as a mouse or keyboard, the user is allowed to select the operating state by encircling the range of the operating state on the screen with straight lines or curves.

[0098] (Step S33) The computer device prompts the user to select a viscosity control range (e.g., lower threshold A2, upper threshold B2) so that the viscosity falls within a stable region in the operating state of the coating device 51 (applicator) selected in step S32.

[0099] (Step S34) The computer device generates control information (e.g., information for controlling the opening degree of the solid component valve 31 and the volatile component valve 41) for the supply device 52, which mixes the solid component 32 and the volatile component 42 and supplies the coating agent 70 to the coating device 51 (applicator), based on the operating state of the coating device 51 (applicator) selected in step S32 and the viscosity control range selected in step S33.

[0100] In the above case, the stable region information 210 indicates the stable region in which the coating process can be stably performed for each type of film 60 (substrate) and each type of coating agent 70. That is, the computer device provides a simulation method for allowing a user to determine the lower threshold A2 and the upper threshold B2 while presenting the stable region, the operating state, and the control range of the viscosity to the user.

[0101] [Control action] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the flow of control operations of the control device 10 of this embodiment. (Step S110) The stable region information acquiring unit 113 acquires the stable region information 210 from the storage unit 20. In this embodiment, the stable region information acquiring unit 113 acquires, as the stable region information 210, information on the viscosity of the coating agent 70 shown in FIG. 5 (the lower limit A, the lower threshold A2, the upper threshold B2, and the upper limit B).

[0102] In addition, when the stable region information 210 is generated based on the above-mentioned simulation method, the stable region information 210 here can be said to be control information generated based on the simulation method. In other words, the stable region information acquisition unit 113 acquires the control information generated based on the above-mentioned simulation method as the stable region information 210.

[0103] (Step S120) Operational state acquisition unit 111 acquires the peripheral speed of first roll 511 and the peripheral speed of second roll 512 detected by operational state detection sensor 515 as information indicating the operational state of coating device 51. Here, first roll 511 is a so-called backup roll, and controls the running speed of film 60. Therefore, the peripheral speed of first roll 511 indicates the running speed of film 60. Also, second roll 512 is a so-called gravure roll. In other words, operational state acquisition unit 111 acquires the running speed of film 60 and the peripheral speed of the gravure roll as the operational state of coating device 51.

[0104] (Step S130) The viscosity information acquiring unit 112 acquires viscosity information indicating the viscosity of the coating agent 70 detected by the viscosity sensor 526. As described above, the viscosity of the coating agent 70 varies due to, for example, the volatilization of the volatile components 42 contained in the coating agent 70. In other words, the viscosity of the coating agent 70 can always vary during the coating process of the film 60. In other words, the viscosity information acquiring unit 112 acquires the viscosity of the coating agent 70, which can always vary.

[0105] In other words, the viscosity information acquiring unit 112 acquires viscosity information indicating the viscosity of the coating agent 70 containing the solid component 32 and the volatile component 42 .

[0106] (Step S140) The calculation unit 120 determines whether or not the viscosity acquired in step S130 exceeds the upper threshold B2 indicated by the stable region information 210 acquired in step S110. If the calculation unit 120 determines that the viscosity exceeds the upper threshold B2 (step S140; YES), the process proceeds to step S150. On the other hand, if the calculation unit 120 determines that the viscosity does not exceed the upper threshold B2 (step S140; NO), the process proceeds to step S160.

[0107] (Step S150) The calculation unit 120 controls the mixing ratio of the solid component 32 and the volatile component 42 in a direction to decrease the viscosity. That is, the calculation unit 120 increases the amount of the volatile component 42 so that the amount of the volatile component 42 added is greater than the amount of the solid component 32 added.

[0108] (Step S160) The calculation unit 120 determines whether or not the viscosity acquired in step S130 is below the lower threshold A2 indicated by the stable region information 210 acquired in step S110. If the calculation unit 120 determines that the viscosity is below the lower threshold A2 (step S160; YES), the calculation unit 120 proceeds to step S170. On the other hand, if the calculation unit 120 determines that the viscosity is not below the lower threshold A2 (step S160; NO), the calculation unit 120 proceeds to step S180.

[0109] (Step S170) The calculation unit 120 controls the mixing ratio of the solid component 32 and the volatile component 42 in a direction in which the viscosity increases. That is, the calculation unit 120 increases the amount of the solid component 32 so that the amount of the solid component 32 added is greater than the amount of the volatile component 42 added.

[0110] (Step S180) The control unit 130 controls the opening degree of the solid component valve 31 and the opening degree of the volatile component valve 41 based on the calculation result of the calculation unit 120.

[0111] Here, the opening degree of the solid component valve 31 and the opening degree of the volatile component valve 41 are examples of the supply state by the supply device 52. In other words, the supply state by the supply device 52 is controlled based on the viscosity information acquired by the viscosity information acquisition unit 112 and the stable region information 210 acquired by the stable region information acquisition unit 113.

[0112] (Step S190) The control unit 130 determines whether or not the series of coating steps has been completed (for example, in the case of a roll-to-roll method, whether or not work for one roll has been completed). If the control unit 130 determines that the series of coating steps has been completed, it ends the control. If the control unit 130 determines that the series of coating steps has not been completed, it returns the process to step S120 and continues control.

[0113] The above-described series of steps can be said to be a method for producing a laminate in which a coating agent 70 containing a solid component 32 and a volatile component 42 is formed on a film 60 (e.g., a resin film), and the method for producing a laminate is performed by controlling at least the mixing ratio by the supply device 52 using the control device 10.

[0114] In the present embodiment, when continuously coating the film 60 by the roll-to-roll method, the running speed of the film 60 and the circumferential speed of the second roll 512 are fixed, and the viscosity of the coating agent 70 is controlled. In other words, in the present embodiment, the control conditions based on the capillary number CaX based on the running speed of the film 60 and the capillary number CaY based on the circumferential speed of the gravure roll are fixed, and the remaining one axis, the capillary number CaZ based on the viscosity of the coating agent 70, is used for control, but the present embodiment is not limited to this. The control device 10 may control all three axes, namely, the running speed of the film 60, the peripheral speed of the second roll 512, and the viscosity of the coating agent 70, or may control any two axes or any one axis.

[0115] [Summary of the embodiment] As described above, the coating system 1 of this embodiment controls the operating states of the coating device 51 and the supply device 52 based on the stable region information 210 and the capillary number Ca (e.g., the three-axis capillary number Ca). According to the coating system 1 configured in this manner, application unevenness (defects) of the coating agent 70 can be suppressed based on the automatic control of the control device 10, and the yield is improved, thereby enabling stable production of laminates.

[0116] In the above embodiment, the case where the control device 10 automatically controls based on the output of the viscosity sensor 526 has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the viscosity of the coating agent 70 may be measured manually using a so-called Zahn cup. In this case, the control device 10 may include a means for a user to input the manually measured viscosity value of the coating agent 70, and may perform the above-mentioned control based on the input viscosity value.

[0117] A program for implementing the functions of any of the components in any of the devices described above may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, and the program may be read into a computer system for execution. Note that the term "computer system" as used herein includes an operating system or hardware such as peripheral devices. Also, the term "computer-readable recording medium" may include a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk, a ROM, a CD (Compact Disc)-ROM (Read-Only Memory), etc. The term "computer-readable recording medium" refers to a portable medium such as a portable only memory (PDA), and a storage device such as a hard disk built into a computer system. Furthermore, "computer-readable recording medium" also includes a device that holds a program for a certain period of time, such as a volatile memory inside a computer system that serves as a server or client when a program is transmitted via a network such as the Internet or a communication line such as a telephone line. The volatile memory may be, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory). The recording medium may be, for example, a non-transitory recording medium.

[0118] The above-mentioned program may be transmitted from a computer system in which the program is stored in a storage device or the like to another computer system via a transmission medium, or by transmission waves in the transmission medium. Here, the "transmission medium" that transmits the program refers to a medium that has a function of transmitting information, such as a network such as the Internet or a communication line such as a telephone line. The above program may be for implementing some of the above functions. Furthermore, the above program may be a so-called differential file that can implement the above functions in combination with a program already recorded in the computer system. The differential file may be called a differential program.

[0119] In addition, the function of any of the components in any of the above-described devices may be realized by a processor. For example, each process in the embodiment may be realized by a processor that operates based on information such as a program and a computer-readable recording medium that stores information such as a program. Here, the processor may, for example, realize the functions of each unit with individual hardware, or may realize the functions of each unit with integrated hardware. For example, the processor may include hardware, and the hardware may include at least one of a circuit that processes digital signals and a circuit that processes analog signals. For example, the processor may be configured using one or more circuit devices mounted on a circuit board, or one or both of one or more circuit elements. An IC (Integrated Circuit) or the like may be used as the circuit device, and a resistor or a capacitor or the like may be used as the circuit element.

[0120] Here, the processor may be, for example, a CPU. However, the processor is not limited to a CPU, and various types of processors such as a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) or a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) may be used. In addition, the processor may be, for example, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The processor may be a hardware circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The processor may be, for example, composed of multiple CPUs, or may be composed of a hardware circuit such as an ASIC. The processor may be, for example, composed of a combination of multiple CPUs and a hardware circuit such as an ASIC. The processor may include, for example, one or more of an amplifier circuit or a filter circuit that processes an analog signal.

[0121] Although the embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and designs that do not deviate from the gist of this disclosure are also included. [Explanation of symbols]

[0122] 1...coating system, 10...control device, 20...memory unit, 30...solid component tank, 40...volatile component tank, 51...coating device, 52...supply device, 110...information acquisition unit, 111...operation state acquisition unit, 112...viscosity information acquisition unit, 113...stable region information acquisition unit, 120...calculation unit, 130...control unit

Claims

1. a viscosity information acquiring unit that acquires viscosity information indicating a viscosity of a coating agent including a solid component and a volatile component; a stable region information acquiring unit that acquires stable region information from a storage unit that stores stable region information indicating a stable region in which a coating process is stably performed among a region indicated by an operating state of a coating device that applies the coating agent to a substrate and a viscosity of the coating agent; a calculation unit that calculates at least one of an operating state of the coating apparatus and the viscosity as a control condition based on the viscosity information acquired by the viscosity information acquisition unit and the stable region information acquired by the stable region information acquisition unit; and a control unit that controls at least one of an operating state of the coating device and a supply state of a supply device that mixes the solid component and the volatile component and supplies the coating agent to the coating device, based on the control condition calculated by the calculation unit; and A control device comprising:

2. The coating device is a gravure reverse coater, The operating conditions include a rotation speed of a gravure roller that applies the coating agent to a substrate, and a substrate speed that is a speed at which the substrate is moved relative to a coating position of the gravure roller; The stable region information is information indicating the stable region in a space having a first axis representing the capillary number based on the rotation speed, a second axis representing the capillary number based on the base material speed, and a third axis representing the capillary number based on the viscosity of the coating agent, The calculation unit calculates at least one of the rotation speed, the base material speed, and the viscosity as a control condition. The control device according to claim 1 .

3. The calculation unit calculates, as the control condition, a viscosity of the stable region indicated by the stable region information when an operating state of the coating device is set under a given condition, based on the viscosity information acquired by the viscosity information acquisition unit and the stable region information. The control device according to claim 1 .

4. The control unit controls the amount of the coating agent supplied from the supply device to the application device based on the viscosity indicated as the control condition. The control device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The control unit controls the mixing ratio of the solid component and the volatile component by the supply device based on the viscosity indicated as the control condition. The control device according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The control unit controls a degree of volatilization of the volatile component in the supply device based on the viscosity indicated as the control condition. The control device according to claim 1 or 2.

7. A stable region in which a coating process is stably performed is determined based on stable region information indicating, for each type of substrate and each type of coating agent, an operating state of a coating device that applies a coating agent containing a solid component and a volatile component to a substrate and a viscosity of the coating agent, providing said stability region for a given variety of said substrate and said coating; selecting an operating state of the coating device so as to fall within the presented stable region; and selecting a control range of the viscosity such that the viscosity falls within the stable region in a selected operating state of the coating device; generating control information for a supply device that mixes the solid component and the volatile component and supplies the coating agent to the application device based on the selected operating state of the application device and the control range of the viscosity; A simulation method comprising:

8. a stability region information acquiring unit that acquires the control information generated based on the simulation method according to claim 7 as stability region information indicating a stability region in which a coating process is stably performed; a viscosity information acquiring unit that acquires viscosity information indicating a viscosity of a coating agent including a solid component and a volatile component; a control unit that controls a supply state of the supply device based on the viscosity information acquired by the viscosity information acquisition unit and the stable region information acquired by the stable region information acquisition unit; A control device comprising:

9. A method for producing a laminate in which a coating agent containing a solid component and a volatile component is formed on a resin film, comprising the steps of: The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 controls at least the blending ratio of the supply device, A method for producing a laminate.

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