Drying device and drying condition search system

Abstract

Provided is a drying device capable of drying a substrate under various drying conditions. This drying device is used for process informatics and dries a material C1 applied to a substrate C2, said drying device comprising: a plurality of drying furnaces 5 that dry the material C1 applied to the substrate C2; a conveyance mechanism 7 that sequentially conveys the substrate C2 to the plurality of drying furnaces 5; and a drying condition setting unit 82 that sets, for each of the plurality of drying furnaces 5, a drying condition including a stay period during which the conveyance mechanism 7 causes the substrate C2 to stay in the drying furnace 5.

Description

Drying Apparatus and Drying Condition Search System

[0001] The present invention relates to a drying apparatus and a drying condition search system.

[0002] Conventionally, as a method for searching for optimal manufacturing conditions when producing a sample, there is process informatics that uses machine learning or the like to analyze manufacturing conditions for producing a sample and search for optimal manufacturing conditions.

[0003] Examples where attempts have been made to apply process informatics include, for example, as shown in Non-Patent Document 1, searching for optimal drying conditions for drying a material using a sample constituted by a base material coated with the material.

[0004] In Non-Patent Document 1, optimal drying conditions are searched for by repeating evaluation of a material, such as the crack rate of the material, for example. Specifically, a material composed of solid particles and a liquid is dropped onto a base material, drying temperature and drying time in a drying furnace are set as drying conditions, and the drying furnace heats the sample based on the drying conditions. After heating the sample, the material under the drying conditions is evaluated, machine learning is used to predict the relationship between the drying conditions and the material, and the next drying conditions are set. This method makes it possible to reduce the number of repetitions of material evaluation compared to conventional methods until reaching optimal drying conditions.

[0005] Kohei Nagai, 7 other authors, "Sample-efficient parameter exploration of the powder film drying process using experiment-based Bayesian optimization", online, February 8, 2022, Scientific Reports

[0006] By the way, in the heating of a sample under the drying conditions described above, since one drying furnace dries the material, drying conditions composed of heating temperature and heating time are only set for one drying furnace. In this case, since it is difficult to dry a material under various drying conditions, it takes time to search for optimal drying conditions.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its main objective is to provide a drying apparatus capable of drying substrates under a variety of drying conditions.

[0008] In other words, the drying apparatus of the present invention is used in process informatics and dries a material applied to a substrate, and is characterized by comprising: a plurality of drying ovens for heating the material applied to the substrate; a conveying mechanism for sequentially conveying the substrate to the plurality of drying ovens; and a drying condition setting unit for setting drying conditions for each of the plurality of drying ovens, including a stay period during which the conveying mechanism keeps the substrate in the drying oven.

[0009] With this type of drying apparatus, the drying condition setting unit sets the drying conditions for each of the multiple drying ovens, allowing for drying materials under a wider variety of conditions compared to setting the drying conditions for only one oven. As a result, the optimal drying conditions can be found in a short time. In addition, since the drying conditions include the period during which the substrate stays in the drying oven, if the substrates are transported individually, the stay period in each drying oven can be set independently of the other drying ovens. As a result, the degree of freedom in setting the drying conditions increases, allowing for an even wider variety of drying conditions to be set.

[0010] The process informatics described above uses a plurality of substrates to which the material has been coated, and the drying condition setting unit sets the drying conditions for each of the plurality of drying ovens for each of the plurality of substrates. With this configuration, since the drying condition setting unit sets the drying conditions for each of the plurality of drying ovens for each of the plurality of substrates, a variety of drying conditions can be used.

[0011] In a roll-to-roll system, where a wound sheet-like substrate is transported by a roll, extending the stay period requires increasing the size of the drying ovens because the stay period cannot be set for each individual drying oven. Therefore, it is preferable that the transport mechanism transports the substrate so that the stay period for each of the multiple drying ovens is the stay period set by the drying condition setting unit. With this configuration, the transport mechanism transports the substrate in a so-called single-sheet manner, so the stay period for each of the multiple drying ovens can be set for each individual drying oven. Consequently, the drying apparatus of the present invention can extend the stay period simply by extending the stay period set in the drying time setting unit, and does not require changing the size of the drying ovens, thus contributing to energy saving and miniaturization compared to the roll-to-roll system.

[0012] It is preferable that the number of drying ovens be three or more. With this configuration, by having three or more drying ovens, it is possible to set an even wider variety of drying conditions.

[0013] A drying condition search system for searching for optimal drying conditions, which are the optimal drying conditions for drying the aforementioned material, comprising: a drying apparatus; a physical property measurement unit for measuring the physical properties of the material under the drying conditions set by the drying condition setting unit; and a drying condition search unit that searches for the optimal drying conditions based on the measurement results of the measurement unit and outputs the optimal drying conditions to the drying condition setting unit.

[0014] With this configuration, the same effects and benefits as the drying apparatus described above can be obtained.

[0015] According to the present invention, a drying apparatus capable of drying substrates under a variety of drying conditions can be provided.

[0016] A schematic diagram showing a drying condition search system in one embodiment of the present invention. A schematic diagram showing a drying oven in the same embodiment. A diagram showing the functional blocks of the information processing device in the same embodiment. A flowchart showing the drying condition search method in the same embodiment.

[0017] The following describes a drying condition search system according to one embodiment of the present invention, with reference to the drawings. Note that, for the sake of clarity, the following drawings may be simplified or exaggerated for illustrative purposes. The same reference numerals are used for identical components, and their descriptions are omitted as appropriate.

[0018] <System Configuration> The drying condition search system 100 in this embodiment searches for the optimal drying conditions, which are the optimal drying conditions for material C1, using a sample C consisting of a substrate C2 coated with material C1. Specifically, the drying condition search system 100 searches for the optimal drying conditions using process informatics with multiple samples C.

[0019] Sample C is, for example, a component of a fuel cell. Material C1 is composed of solid particles and liquid, and is, for example, a catalyst ink made by mixing platinum-supported carbon, a polymer and a solvent. Substrate C2 is a flexible sheet, and in this embodiment, is, for example, a resin such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

[0020] Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, the drying condition search system 100 includes a stocker 3 that accommodates a plurality of holding frames 2, a material coating unit 4 that prepares a sample C by coating a substrate C2 with material C1, a drying oven 5 that dries the material C1, a physical property measurement unit 6 that measures the physical properties of material C1 in the sample C after heating, a transport mechanism 7 that transports the sample C in the order of material coating unit 4, drying oven 5 and physical property measurement unit 6, and an information processing device 8 that processes information from the drying oven 5 and / or physical property measurement unit 6.

[0021] The following describes the composition of each part. In the following, of the surfaces constituting the base material C2, the surface to which material C1 is applied will be referred to as the front surface of the base material C2, and the surface opposite to the surface to which material C1 is applied will be referred to as the back surface of the base material C2.

[0022] The holding frame 2 is frame-shaped and holds the base material C2 or sample C with its opening covered by the base material C2. In this embodiment, the holding frame 2 is composed of an inner frame and an outer frame (not shown), and the inner frame and the outer frame sandwich both sides of the base material C2, thereby holding the base material C2 in a state where it is stretched over the opening of the holding frame 2.

[0023] The material application unit 4 applies material C1 to the surface of the substrate C2. Specifically, the material application unit 4 applies material C1 to the surface of the substrate C2 by dispensing material C1 onto the substrate C2 while the substrate C2 is in a horizontal position. More specifically, as shown in Figure 1, the material application unit 4 includes a dispenser 41 that dispenses material C1 onto the surface of the substrate C2, and an adsorption stage 42 that adheres to the back surface of the substrate C2 when the dispenser 41 dispenses material C1. The dispenser 41 is connected via a flow path to a storage unit (not shown) that stores material C1, and dispenses material C1 by controlling the volume flow rate of the material C1 being dispensed.

[0024] The adsorption stage 42 is located below the dispenser 41 and opposite to the dispenser 41, and is configured to be movable up and down relative to the dispenser 41. When the substrate C2 is positioned on the adsorption stage 42, the adsorption stage 42 moves toward the back surface of the substrate C2 and adsorbs onto the back surface of the substrate C2. The adsorption stage 42 is composed of, for example, a suction port and a suction pump (not shown).

[0025] The drying oven 5 has a drying space 5S in which a holding frame 2 holding the sample C is arranged. The drying space 5S is formed inside the casing 50. Specifically, the drying oven 5 dries the sample C by heating a gas such as air and injecting the heated gas onto the sample C. More specifically, as shown in Figure 2, the drying oven 5 includes a nozzle 51 for injecting gas onto the sample C, a heater 52 for heating the gas injected from the nozzle 51, and a fluid control device 53 for controlling the flow rate of the gas injected onto the sample C.

[0026] The nozzle 51 is connected to the fluid control device 53 via a flow path and injects gas onto the sample C at a flow rate controlled by the fluid control device 53. In this embodiment, the sample C is placed on a stage 55 inside the drying oven 5, and the nozzle 51 injects gas toward the sample C placed on the stage 55. As shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, one nozzle 51 is provided inside the casing 50, facing the front and back surfaces of the substrate C2, respectively.

[0027] The heater 52 is provided on the nozzle 51 and heats the gas sprayed from the nozzle 51 based on the drying conditions set by the drying condition setting unit 82, which will be described later. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, one heater 52 is provided on the front surface and one on the back surface of the substrate C2, facing each other.

[0028] As shown in Figure 2, the heater 52 is provided with a heater temperature measuring unit HT for measuring the temperature of the heater 52 and / or the gas heated by the heater 52. The heater temperature measuring unit HT is, for example, a thermocouple, but may also be other thermometers such as a thermistor and / or a resistance thermometer. In this embodiment, the heater temperature measuring unit HT is provided on each of the two heaters 52, which are provided facing each other on the front and back surfaces of the substrate C2, respectively.

[0029] The fluid control device 53 is, for example, a mass flow controller, and controls the mass flow rate of the gas based on the drying conditions set by the drying condition setting unit 82, which will be described later. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, one fluid control device 53 is provided for each of the two nozzles 51 that are provided opposite each other on the front and back surfaces of the substrate C2, but it may be common to both nozzles 51. Note that the fluid control device 53 is not limited to a mass flow controller, but is not particularly limited to any device that controls the flow rate of gas.

[0030] Furthermore, the drying oven 5 is provided with a heating temperature measuring unit T for measuring the temperature of the drying space 5S. The heating temperature measuring unit T is, for example, a thermocouple, but may also be other thermometers such as a thermistor and / or resistance thermometer.

[0031] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the heating temperature measuring unit T includes a first temperature measuring unit T1 provided facing the surface of the substrate C2, a second temperature measuring unit T2 provided facing the back surface of the substrate C2, and a third temperature measuring unit T3 provided between the first temperature measuring unit T1 and the second temperature measuring unit T2. The first temperature measuring unit T1 measures the temperature of the drying space 5S on the surface side of the substrate C2. The second temperature measuring unit T2 measures the temperature of the drying space 5S on the back surface side of the substrate C2. The third temperature measuring unit T3 is located on the surface side of the substrate C2 than the first temperature measuring unit T1 and measures the temperature of the drying space 5S on the surface side of the substrate C2.

[0032] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the drying oven 5 has an outlet 54 for discharging the gas from the drying space 5S. The outlet 54 is equipped with an outlet temperature measuring unit OT for measuring the temperature of the gas discharged from the outlet 54. The outlet temperature measuring unit OT is, for example, a thermocouple, but may also be other thermometers such as a thermistor and / or resistance thermometer.

[0033] In this embodiment, the drying condition search system 100 is provided with a plurality of the drying ovens 5 as shown in Figure 1. The plurality of drying ovens 5 in this embodiment have independent drying spaces 5S separated by a casing 50. The transport mechanism 7, which will be described later, transports the sample C to the plurality of drying ovens 5 in sequence, so that the plurality of drying ovens 5 heat the sample C in sequence. In this embodiment, the plurality of drying ovens 5 consists of four ovens: a first drying oven 5a, a second drying oven 5b, a third drying oven 5c, and a fourth drying oven 5d, and the drying conditions of the drying condition setting unit 82, which will be described later, are set independently for each of the first drying oven 5a, the second drying oven 5b, the third drying oven 5c, and the fourth drying oven 5d. It is preferable that there be three or more dry ovens 5, but there may be two.

[0034] In this embodiment, from the time the material C1 is brought into the first drying oven 5a until it is removed from the fourth drying oven 5d, the material C1 is dried in the following order: (1) Preheating the material C1. (2) Heating the surface of the material C1 to form an evaporation suppression layer on the surface of the material C1 to suppress the evaporation of the liquid contained in the material C1. (3) After the evaporation suppression layer has been formed, heating the sample C to disperse the solid particles contained in the material C1. (4) With the solid particles dispersed, heating the material C1 inside the evaporation suppression layer to evaporate the liquid contained in the material C1.

[0035] The first drying oven 5a performs a drying process on the material C1 based on first drying conditions set in the drying condition setting unit 82, which will be described later, for example, to preheat the material C1. Specifically, the heater 52 of the first drying oven 5a heats the gas injected from the nozzle 51 of the first drying oven 5a, and the fluid control device 53 of the first drying oven 5a controls the mass flow rate of the gas, thereby injecting the heated gas onto the material C1 in the drying space 5S of the first drying oven 5a.

[0036] The second drying furnace 5b performs a drying process on the material C1 based on second drying conditions set in the drying condition setting unit 82, which will be described later, for example, to form an evaporation suppression layer. Specifically, the heater 52 of the second drying furnace 5b heats the gas injected from the nozzle 51 of the second drying furnace 5b, and the fluid control device 53 of the second drying furnace 5b controls the mass flow rate of the gas, thereby injecting the heated gas onto the material C1 in the drying space 5S of the second drying furnace 5b.

[0037] The third drying furnace 5c performs a drying process on the material C1 based on third drying conditions set in the drying condition setting unit 82, which will be described later, for example, to disperse solid particles contained in the material C1. Specifically, the heater 52 of the third drying furnace 5c heats the gas injected from the nozzle 51 of the third drying furnace 5c, and the fluid control device 53 of the third drying furnace 5c controls the mass flow rate of the gas, thereby injecting the heated gas onto the material C1 in the drying space 5S of the third drying furnace 5c.

[0038] The fourth drying furnace 5d performs a drying process on the material C1 based on the fourth drying conditions set in the drying condition setting unit 82, which will be described later, for example, to evaporate the liquid contained in the material C1. The heater 52 of the fourth drying furnace 5d heats the gas injected from the nozzle 51 of the fourth drying furnace 5d, and the fluid control device 53 of the fourth drying furnace 5d controls the mass flow rate of the gas, thereby injecting the heated gas onto the material C1 in the drying space 5S of the fourth drying furnace 5d.

[0039] The physical property measurement unit 6 measures physical properties of material C1 in sample C, different from the temperature of material C1, after the sample C has been removed from the multiple drying ovens 5. Specifically, the physical property measurement unit 6 is a non-contact measuring instrument that measures the physical properties of material C1 while at a distance from the material C1. In this embodiment, the physical property measurement unit 6 measures cracks on the surface of material C1 and the surface roughness of material C1 without contacting material C1. Note that the physical property measurement unit 6 may be a contact measuring instrument that measures electrochemical properties such as the impedance of material C1.

[0040] Specifically, the physical property measurement unit 6 includes a crack measurement unit 61 that measures cracks on the surface of material C1 based on an image of material C1 taken from a distance, and a surface roughness measurement unit 62 that measures the surface roughness of material C1 from a distance. The physical property measurement unit 6 may include at least one of the crack measurement unit 61 and the surface roughness measurement unit 62, or it may include other non-contact measuring instruments.

[0041] The crack measurement unit 61 measures the crack rate of material C1 using an image of material C1 captured by an imaging unit, such as a high dynamic range camera. Specifically, the crack measurement unit 61 calculates the surface area of ​​material C1 and the crack area of ​​material C1 from the image captured by the imaging unit (not shown), and calculates the crack rate as the ratio of these areas. Note that in the image captured by the imaging unit, the brightness of the crack locations on the surface of material C1 is greater than the brightness of the surface of material C1, so the crack measurement unit 61 calculates the surface area of ​​material C1 and the crack area of ​​material C1 based on the brightness.

[0042] The surface roughness measuring section 62 measures the surface roughness of the material C1 in a non-contact manner. The surface roughness referred to herein is, for example, arithmetic average roughness, maximum height roughness, maximum peak height, maximum valley depth and / or root mean square roughness, etc. In the present embodiment, the surface roughness measuring section 62 measures the surface roughness of the material C1 after the measurement by the crack measuring section 61, but it may also measure the surface roughness of the material C1 before the measurement by the crack measuring section 61.

[0043] The conveyance mechanism 7 moves the holding frame 2 holding the sample C in three axial directions of XYZ axes. Specifically, the conveyance mechanism 7 moves on a rail 71 extending across the material applying section 4, the drying furnace 5 and the physical property measuring section 6 while holding the holding frame 2 holding the sample C. The conveyance mechanism 7 may be an articulated robot such as a 6-axis robot, for example.

[0044] In the present embodiment, the conveyance mechanism 7 is a so-called sheet-fed type that conveys a predetermined number of base materials C2 and / or samples C at a time. Specifically, the conveyance mechanism 7 conveys the samples C such that the staying period in each of the plurality of drying furnaces 5 becomes the staying period set by a drying condition setting section 82 described later. The staying period referred to herein is the period from when the conveyance mechanism 7 carries the sample C into the drying furnace 5 to when the conveyance mechanism 7 carries the sample C out of the drying furnace 5, and more specifically, it is the period during which the sample C is positioned at the drying position P1 set in the drying space 5S of the drying furnace 5.

[0045] More specifically, under one drying condition, the conveyance mechanism 7 conveys the samples C one by one in the order of the first drying furnace 5a, the second drying furnace 5b, the third drying furnace 5c and the fourth drying furnace 5d. In the present embodiment, the conveyance mechanism 7 causes the sample C to stay in each of the first drying furnace 5a, the second drying furnace 5b, the third drying furnace 5c and the fourth drying furnace 5d such that the staying period becomes the one set by the drying condition setting section 82 described later.

[0046] The information processing device 8 is a general-purpose or special-purpose computer provided with a CPU, memory, AD converter, DA converter, and the like. As shown in FIG. 3, when the CPU and / or its peripheral devices cooperate in accordance with an image display program stored in a predetermined area of the memory, the information processing device 8 includes at least a measurement result receiving unit 81, a drying condition setting unit 82, a drying condition searching unit 83, a conveying mechanism control unit 84, and a drying furnace control unit 85. As shown in FIG. 1, information processed by the information processing device 8 is displayed on a display unit such as a display D, for example. Each unit constituting the information processing device 8 will be described below.

[0047] The measurement result receiving unit 81 receives measurement results from the physical property measurement unit 6. Specifically, the measurement result receiving unit 81 receives a crack rate and / or surface roughness from the crack measurement unit 61 and / or the surface roughness measurement unit 62, respectively. The measurement result receiving unit 81 outputs these measurement results to the drying condition searching unit 83.

[0048] The drying condition setting unit 82 sets drying conditions for when the drying furnace 5 heats the sample C. Here, the drying conditions are conditions for the temperature indicated by the heater temperature measurement unit HT to reach a predetermined temperature, and specifically include temperature conditions of the drying space 5S such as the flow rate ejected from the nozzle 51 or the temperature of the heater 52, and / or a staying period during which the conveying mechanism 7 causes the sample C to stay in the drying furnace 5. Note that the drying condition setting unit 82 may receive drying conditions set by a user or a computer, or may receive optimal drying conditions described later from the drying condition searching unit 83. The drying condition setting unit 82 outputs the drying conditions for when the drying furnace 5 heats the sample C to the conveying mechanism control unit 84 and the drying furnace control unit 85.

[0049] In the present embodiment, the drying condition setting unit 82 sets at least the staying period for each of the plurality of drying furnaces 5. Specifically, the drying condition setting unit 82 sets independent staying periods for the first drying furnace 5a, the second drying furnace 5b, the third drying furnace 5c, and the fourth drying furnace 5d, respectively. Note that the drying condition setting unit 82 may also set drying conditions other than the staying period, such as the temperature condition of the drying space 5S, for each of the plurality of drying furnaces 5.

[0050] The drying condition search unit 83 searches for the optimal drying conditions for material C1 based on the measurement results of the physical property measurement unit 6. Specifically, the drying condition search unit 83 proposes drying conditions for the next measurement based on the measurement results of the physical property measurement unit 6 and outputs the proposed drying conditions to the drying condition setting unit 82. After all measurements are completed, the drying condition search unit 83 determines the optimal drying conditions from the multiple proposed drying conditions. The drying condition search unit 83 searches for the optimal drying conditions using, for example, artificial intelligence (AI) or Bayesian optimization.

[0051] In this embodiment, the optimal drying conditions refer to the drying conditions under which the material C1 dries when the sample C is heated, and the measurement results of the physical property measurement unit 6 are best. "The measurement results of the physical property measurement unit 6 are best" means, for example, that the impedance of the material C1 is the lowest and / or the cracking rate of the material C1 is the lowest.

[0052] In this embodiment, the drying conditions proposed by the drying condition search unit 83 include the drying conditions for the first drying oven 5a, the second drying oven 5b, the third drying oven 5c, and the fourth drying oven 5d. The drying condition search unit 83 proposes the drying conditions for each of the drying ovens 5 for the next measurement so that the material C1 is dried and the measurement results of the physical property measurement unit 6 are as good as possible, and outputs them to the drying condition setting unit 82.

[0053] The transport mechanism control unit 84 controls the transport mechanism 7 so that it transports the sample C in the order of material coating unit 4, drying oven 5, and physical property measurement unit 6. In this embodiment, the transport mechanism 7 keeps the sample C in the drying oven 5 by controlling the transport mechanism 7 based on the stay period for each of the multiple drying ovens 5 set by the drying condition setting unit 82.

[0054] The drying oven control unit 85 controls each of the multiple drying ovens 5 based on the temperature conditions for each drying oven 5 set by the drying condition setting unit 82. Specifically, the drying oven control unit 85 controls the flow rate of gas injected from the nozzle 51 of each drying oven 5, and / or the temperature of the heater 52 of each drying oven 5, based on the temperature conditions for each of the multiple drying ovens 5 set by the drying condition setting unit 82.

[0055] <Method for Searching Drying Conditions> The method for searching for drying conditions using the drying condition search system 100 of this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figure 4.

[0056] First, the user or computer sets initial drying conditions for each of the drying ovens 5, and the drying condition setting unit 82 accepts these drying conditions (S1). The drying conditions set here may be those that the user deems optimal based on their knowledge, or, if the sample C has already been measured and drying conditions have been proposed, the drying conditions may be those proposed by the drying condition search unit 83.

[0057] Next, the transport mechanism 7 transports the holding frame 2, which holds the base material C2, from the stocker 3 to the material application section 4. When the base material C2 is positioned at the material application position, the transport mechanism 7 temporarily stops transporting the base material C2. Then, the material application section 4 applies material C1 to the surface of the base material C2 (S2). The material application position is the position where material C1 is applied to the surface of the base material C2, and specifically, it is the position facing the dispenser 41 of the material application section 4. Note that the transport mechanism 7 may transport the base material C2 to the material application section 4 before setting the drying conditions.

[0058] Once the material C1 is applied to the surface of the base material C2 to produce the sample C, the transport mechanism 7 transports the holding frame 2 holding the sample C from the material application section 4 to the first drying oven 5a. When the sample C is positioned at the drying position P1 in the first drying oven 5a, the transport mechanism 7 keeps the sample C inside the first drying oven 5a based on the stay period set in the drying condition setting section 82.

[0059] Next, the first drying oven 5a performs a drying process on the material C1 based on the first drying conditions. Specifically, the drying oven control unit 85 controls the fluid control device 53 and the heater 52 of the first drying oven 5a, thereby preheating the sample C (S3).

[0060] Next, when the preheating of the sample C is completed according to the temperature conditions of the first drying oven 5a set by the drying condition setting unit 82, the transport mechanism 7 transports the sample C from the first drying oven 5a to the second drying oven 5b. When the sample C is positioned at the drying position P1 in the second drying oven 5b, the transport mechanism 7 keeps the sample C inside the second drying oven 5b based on the stay period in the second drying oven 5b set by the drying condition setting unit 82.

[0061] Next, the second drying furnace 5b performs a drying process on the material C1 based on the second drying conditions. Specifically, based on the temperature conditions of the second drying furnace 5b, the drying furnace control unit 85 controls the fluid control device 53 and the heater 52 of the second drying furnace 5b, causing the second drying furnace 5b to heat the surface of the material C1 and form an evaporation suppression layer on the surface of the material C1 (S4).

[0062] Next, once the formation of the evaporation suppression layer is complete according to the temperature conditions of the second drying furnace 5b set by the drying condition setting unit 82, the transport mechanism 7 transports the sample C from the second drying furnace 5b to the third drying furnace 5c. When the sample C is positioned at the drying position P1 in the third drying furnace 5c, the transport mechanism 7 keeps the sample C inside the third drying furnace 5c based on the stay period in the third drying furnace 5c set by the drying condition setting unit 82.

[0063] Next, the third drying furnace 5c performs a drying process on the material C1 based on the third drying conditions. Specifically, based on the temperature conditions of the third drying furnace 5c, the drying furnace control unit 85 controls the fluid control device 53 and the heater 52 of the third drying furnace 5c, causing the third drying furnace 5c to heat the material C1 and disperse the solid particles contained in the material C1 (S5).

[0064] Next, with the solid particles dispersed, the transport mechanism 7 transports the sample C from the third drying oven 5c to the fourth drying oven 5d. Once the sample C is positioned at the drying position P1 in the fourth drying oven 5d, the transport mechanism 7 keeps the sample C inside the fourth drying oven 5d based on the stay period set in the drying condition setting unit 82.

[0065] Next, the fourth drying furnace 5d performs a drying process on the material C1 based on the fourth drying conditions. Specifically, based on the temperature conditions of the fourth drying furnace 5d, the drying furnace control unit 85 controls the fluid control device 53 and the heater 52 of the fourth drying furnace 5d so that the fourth drying furnace 5d heats the material C1 inside the evaporation suppression layer, causing the liquid contained in the material C1 to evaporate (S6).

[0066] Once the drying of material C1 in the fourth drying oven 5d is complete, the transport mechanism 7 transports the sample C from the fourth drying oven 5d to the physical property measurement unit 6.

[0067] The physical property measurement unit 6 measures the physical properties of material C1 (S7). Specifically, the transport mechanism 7 transports the sample C to the crack measurement unit 61 and then to the surface roughness measurement unit 62, thereby measuring the physical properties of material C1 in the order of crack rate and surface roughness.

[0068] First, once sample C is positioned at the crack measurement location, the imaging unit captures an image of material C1, and the crack measurement unit 61 measures the crack rate of material C1 based on the image of material C1. The crack rate of material C1 is output to the measurement result receiving unit 81.

[0069] Once the crack rate measurement is complete, the transport mechanism 7 transports the sample C from the crack measurement unit 61 to the surface roughness measurement unit 62. When the sample C is positioned at the surface roughness measurement position, the surface roughness measurement unit 62 measures the surface roughness of material C1. The surface roughness of material C1 is output to the measurement result receiving unit 81.

[0070] Once the surface roughness measurement is complete, the drying condition search unit 83 obtains the measurement results from the measurement result reception unit 81 and proposes drying conditions for the next measurement based on the measurement results of material C1 (S8). The drying condition search unit 83 outputs the drying conditions for the next measurement for each of the multiple drying ovens 5 to the drying condition setting unit 82 and returns to S1. The transport mechanism 7 then transports the next sample C to the multiple drying ovens 5, and based on the drying conditions for each of the multiple drying ovens 5 proposed by the drying condition search unit 83, the multiple drying ovens 5 dry the next material C1 and measure the physical properties of material C1. If all measurements have been completed, the drying condition search unit 83 determines the optimal drying conditions from the multiple proposed drying conditions.

[0071] <Effects of this embodiment> According to the drying condition search system 100 of this embodiment, the drying condition setting unit 82 sets the drying conditions for each of the multiple drying ovens 5, so that the material can be dried under a variety of drying conditions compared to the case where the drying conditions are set for only one drying oven 5. As a result, the optimal drying conditions can be searched for in a short time. In addition, since the drying conditions include the period during which the substrate C2 stays in the drying oven 5, if the substrate C2 is transported individually, the period of stay in each drying oven 5 can be set independently from the other drying ovens 5. As a result, the degree of freedom when setting the drying conditions is increased, so that even more diverse drying conditions can be set. Furthermore, in the actual manufacturing process of drying material C1 to produce sample C, multiple drying ovens are used to dry material C1, but according to the drying condition search system 100 of this embodiment, since there are multiple drying ovens 5, the actual manufacturing process can be reproduced in process informatics. Furthermore, while conventional methods require time to change the temperature of a single drying oven to set drying conditions for each measurement, the drying condition search system 100 of this embodiment has multiple drying ovens 5, allowing for quicker temperature changes for each measurement.

[0072] <Other Embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above.

[0073] In the above embodiment, the transport mechanism 7 transported the sample C in the order of the first drying oven 5a, the second drying oven 5b, the third drying oven 5c, and the fourth drying oven 5d. However, depending on the drying conditions explored, the order in which the sample is transported to the multiple drying ovens 5 may be changed.

[0074] In the above embodiment, the transport mechanism 7 transported the next sample C to the drying oven 5 after the search for the optimal drying conditions was completed. However, the transport mechanism 7 may transport the next sample C to the multiple drying ovens 5 after drying in the multiple drying ovens 5 has been completed.

[0075] In the above embodiment, the nozzle 51 and the heater 52 were provided facing the front surface and the back surface of the base material C2, but they may also be provided facing at least one of the front surface or the back surface of the base material C2.

[0076] In the above embodiment, the drying oven 5 was equipped with a nozzle 51, a heater 52, and a fluid control device 53. However, if the sole purpose is to heat the sample C, it is sufficient to have at least a heater 52. Also, although the number and arrangement of equipment were the same in the multiple drying ovens 5, the number and arrangement of equipment may differ among the multiple drying ovens 5.

[0077] In the above embodiment, the heating temperature measuring unit T measured the temperature of the drying space 5S of the drying oven 5, but the measurement results of the heating temperature measuring unit T may also be used to search for optimal drying conditions.

[0078] In the above embodiment, the drying oven 5 dried the material C1 by heating a gas and spraying the heated gas onto the sample C, but the configuration for drying the material C1 is not limited to this. For example, the drying oven 5 may dry the material C1 by spraying a gas at room temperature or a temperature lower than room temperature onto the sample C.

[0079] In the above embodiment, the information processing device 8 included a measurement result receiving unit 81, a drying condition setting unit 82, a drying condition search unit 83, a transport mechanism control unit 84, and a drying oven control unit 85. However, the transport mechanism control unit 84 and the drying oven control unit 85 may be provided in a computer separate from the information processing device 8.

[0080] In the above embodiment, the drying apparatus used in process informatics comprises a plurality of drying ovens 5, a transport mechanism 7, and a drying condition setting unit 82, and this drying apparatus may be retrofitted to an existing drying condition search system.

[0081] Furthermore, the present invention can be modified in various ways, as long as it does not contradict its spirit.

[0082] According to the present invention, a drying apparatus capable of drying substrates under a variety of drying conditions can be provided.

[0083] 100... Drying condition search system 2... Holding frame 3... Stocker 4... Material coating section 5... Drying oven 5a... First drying oven 5b... Second drying oven 5c... Third drying oven 5d... Fourth drying oven 51... Nozzle 52... Heater 53... Fluid control equipment 6... Physical property measurement section 7... Conveying mechanism 8... Information processing device 81... Measurement result receiving section 82... Drying condition setting section 83... Drying condition search section 84... Conveying mechanism control section 85... Drying oven control section C... Sample C1... Material C2... Substrate T... Heating temperature measurement section T1... First temperature measurement section T2... Second temperature measurement section T3... Third temperature measurement section HT... Heater temperature measurement section

Claims

1. A drying apparatus used in process informatics for drying a material applied to a substrate, comprising: a plurality of drying ovens for drying the material applied to the substrate; a conveying mechanism for sequentially conveying the substrate to the plurality of drying ovens; and a drying condition setting unit for setting drying conditions for each of the plurality of drying ovens, including a stay period during which the conveying mechanism keeps the substrate in the drying oven.

2. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the process informatics uses a plurality of substrates coated with the material, and the drying condition setting unit sets the drying conditions for each of the plurality of drying ovens for each of the plurality of substrates.

3. The drying apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the conveying mechanism conveys the substrate so that the stay period of each of the plurality of drying ovens is the stay period set by the drying condition setting unit.

4. The drying apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the number of drying ovens is three or more.

5. A drying condition search system for searching for optimal drying conditions, which are the optimal drying conditions for drying the material, comprising: a drying apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4; a physical property measurement unit for measuring the physical properties of the material under the drying conditions set by the drying condition setting unit; and a drying condition search unit for searching for the optimal drying conditions based on the measurement results of the measurement unit and outputting the optimal drying conditions to the drying condition setting unit.

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