Casting Paper Texturing via Printed Release Coating

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for producing casting papers with customized patterns are economically prohibitive due to the high cost of embossing drums and the limited flexibility in changing patterns, making it difficult to produce a wide variety of customized casting papers.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a base sheet coated with a release coating, followed by a printed release coating applied using flexographic, offset, or rotary screen printing techniques, allowing for the formation of customized patterns with elevated and valley areas, which can withstand heat and pressure, enabling the creation of a texturized surface on substrates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If embossing drums are used to form patterns on casting paper, then heat resistance and pattern formation are achieved, but the cost of production increases significantly and pattern customization becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat resistanceVSAvoidproduction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces expensive embossing drums with inexpensive printed images that are transferred onto the release coating. The printed image serves as a copy or representation of the desired pattern, eliminating the need for costly physical drums while maintaining pattern formation capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent substitutes the mechanical embossing drum system with a printing system. Instead of using mechanical pressure and physical contact with a drum, the invention uses printing technology to deposit patterned material directly onto the release coating, achieving pattern formation through a different physical mechanism

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If embossing drums are used to create customized patterns, then pattern variety can be achieved, but the complexity and cost of changing patterns increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepattern customizationVSAvoidpattern changing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamic flexibility by replacing fixed physical embossing drums with printable patterns. The system can dynamically change patterns by simply printing different designs onto the release coating, allowing rapid adaptation without physical reconfiguration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the fundamental parameter of pattern creation from mechanical (drum geometry) to chemical/printing (deposited material patterns). This allows pattern variety to be achieved by changing printing parameters rather than physical drum parameters, greatly simplifying customization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If polymethylpentene is used as the release coating, then heat resistance is improved, but the cost of material increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat resistanceVSAvoidmaterial cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses composite materials for the release coating, combining polymethylpentene with other polymers or additives. This allows the release coating to maintain heat resistance while reducing dependence on expensive polymethylpentene, thereby lowering material cost

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach allows for the cost-effective and flexible production of customized casting papers, enabling a wider range of designs while maintaining heat resistance and durability, thus overcoming the limitations of traditional methods.

Implementation Method 1

coating a first surface of a base sheet with a release coating such that the release coating covers the entire first surface of the base sheet and then curing the release coating if needed

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCuring: Photopolymerisation

Implementation Method 2

A printed release coating is then applied (e.g., flexographically printed, offset printed, rotary screen printed, etc.) on a portion of the cured release coating, and is dried and cured as needed

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentUS9745701B2Casting papers and their methods of formation and use

Publication Date: 2017.08.29 NEENAH INC

AI summary

Methods are generally disclosed for forming and using a casting paper. In one embodiment, the casting paper can be made by coating a first surface of a base sheet with a release coating such that the release coating covers the entire first surface of the base sheet. A printed release coating is then applied on a portion of the first release coating, and is dried or cured as needed to form the casting paper having a textured surface defined by elevated areas corresponding to the printed release coating and valley areas corresponding to exposed areas of the printed release coating. In another embodiment, the casting paper can be made by first printing a base sheet with a patterned, structured coating, then coating over the patterned, structured coating with a release coating such that the release coating covers at least the unprinted areas of the base sheet. The casting paper can be used to form a texturized surface in a substrate.