Auxiliary Squeegees for Screen Printing Cream Solder Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
In screen printing apparatuses, a significant amount of cream solder leaks from the sides of the squeegee, leading to waste and environmental issues due to the presence of toxic metals and chemicals, with existing solutions failing to effectively recycle this material.
Innovation Solution
A screen printing apparatus with a main squeegee and auxiliary squeegees tilted at a predetermined angle, where the auxiliary squeegees are positioned to redirect leaked cream solder back onto the screen, allowing it to be reused, and enhanced adhesiveness is achieved through grooves and movable holding members to prevent thin film formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a main squeegee is used for screen printing, then printing function is achieved, but cream solder leaks from sides and is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The squeegee system is divided into a main squeegee for printing and auxiliary squeegees for material recovery. This segmentation allows different parts to perform specialized functions: the main squeegee focuses on printing while the auxiliary squeegees collect leaked cream solder, resolving the contradiction between printing efficiency and material waste.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding the cream solder that leaks from the main squeegee sides, the auxiliary squeegees recover this material by scraping it back onto the screen. This recovery process converts waste into reusable material, directly addressing the material loss problem while maintaining printing productivity.
2Loss of substance
If scraping members are added to retrieve leaked cream solder, then material recovery is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary squeegees are integrated with the main squeegee assembly, sharing common support structures and drive mechanisms. This merging approach allows material recovery functionality to be added without proportionally increasing overall device complexity, as multiple components work together within a unified structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The auxiliary squeegees serve multiple functions: they retrieve leaked cream solder, prevent material waste, and can be adjusted to accommodate different screen widths and printing requirements. This multi-functionality justifies the added structural elements by providing versatile capabilities beyond simple material recovery.
3Loss of substance
If auxiliary squeegees are added to redirect leaked material, then cream solder waste is reduced, but squeegee mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary squeegees are designed with adjustable positions and angles relative to the main squeegee, allowing dynamic optimization of material recovery. This adjustability enables the system to adapt to different printing conditions and screen configurations, reducing waste effectively while keeping the mechanism adaptable rather than overly complex.
Data Source
AI summary
A screen printing apparatus includes: a main squeegee that includes a pair of end portions in a width direction and prints, by sliding in a direction orthogonal to the width direction on an upper surface of a screen that is supplied with a paste-like material and on which a hole is formed, the paste-like material on an upper surface of a printing object provided on a lower surface side of the screen via the hole; and a pair of auxiliary squeegees each including a first end portion provided more on an outer side than the end portion in the width direction and a second end portion provided more on an inner side than the end portion in the width direction, the pair of auxiliary squeegees being tilted a predetermined angle with respect to the main squeegee on a rear side of the main squeegee in the sliding direction.