Ceramic Printing Paste for Precise 3D Screen Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing inks or pastes used for two-dimensional screen printing are unsuitable for the layer-by-layer construction of three-dimensional workpieces due to smearing and printing inaccuracies, and thermal drying methods involve high equipment and energy costs with potential shrinkage issues.
Innovation Solution
A printing paste comprising a solid with a ceramic material and photoinitiator, along with rheology additives, allows for precise layer formation and curing with minimal thermal stress, enabling efficient production of three-dimensional workpieces through photopolymerization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional printing inks or pastes are used for two-dimensional screen printing, then simple screen printing can be achieved, but the paste becomes too fluid and causes smearing or printing inaccuracies when used for three-dimensional layer-by-layer construction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the rheological parameters of the printing paste by adding specific additives (rheology modifiers, dispersants, and thickening agents) to achieve optimal viscosity and flow characteristics. This allows the paste to maintain stability during three-dimensional printing while preventing smearing and printing inaccuracies, resolving the contradiction between adaptability for 3D printing and manufacturing precision
2Reliability
If thermal drying in separate drying ovens is used to achieve good drying properties, then drying can be accomplished, but equipment costs and energy consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal drying process with a chemical drying mechanism by incorporating reactive solvents and crosslinking agents in the printing paste formulation. The paste dries through chemical reactions (polymerization and crosslinking) rather than thermal evaporation, eliminating the need for energy-intensive drying ovens while maintaining reliable drying properties
Solution Approach 2:
The printing paste contains self-drying components (reactive solvents and crosslinking agents) that enable the paste to dry automatically after printing without requiring external drying equipment. The chemical reactions occur spontaneously or with minimal energy input, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating the need for separate drying ovens
3Reliability
If thermal drying in separate drying ovens is used, then drying can be achieved, but significant shrinkage occurs that must be accounted for in paste composition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thermal drying with chemical drying through polymerization and crosslinking reactions. This substitution eliminates the significant shrinkage associated with thermal drying, as the chemical process does not involve rapid solvent evaporation that causes dimensional changes. The paste maintains dimensional stability while achieving reliable drying properties
Solution Approach 2:
The printing paste is formulated as a composite material containing ceramic or metal particles suspended in a polymerizable binder matrix. This composite structure provides dimensional stability during drying, as the rigid particle framework prevents shrinkage while the polymer matrix undergoes chemical drying. The result is a paste that maintains precision while achieving reliable drying
4Ease of operation
If conventional printing paste is used, then simple screen printing can be performed, but smearing or significant printing inaccuracies occur after just two or three layers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the rheological parameters of the printing paste by adjusting viscosity, yield stress, and thixotropic characteristics through the addition of specific additives. These parameter changes enable the paste to maintain its shape after deposition and prevent smearing during the layer-by-layer printing process, while still allowing easy screen printing operation
Solution Approach 2:
The printing paste is formulated as a composite material with ceramic or metal particles in a polymerizable binder. This composite structure provides mechanical stability to prevent smearing and maintains printing accuracy over multiple layers, while the binder system ensures good flow characteristics during the screen printing process
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
The solution enables high-quality, precise, and efficient production of three-dimensional workpieces with reduced equipment requirements and energy consumption, minimizing shrinkage and improving mechanical properties.
Implementation Method 1
a photoinitiator allows the curing of a printed layer to be achieved with relatively low energy consumption and a relatively short process time
Implementation Method 2
a photoinitiator allows the curing of a printed layer to be achieved with relatively low energy consumption and a relatively short process time. In particular, a photoinitiator is a chemical compound that, upon absorption of light, particularly ultraviolet light, decomposes in a photolysis reaction, forming reactive species
Implementation Method 3
The rheology additive provided according to the invention also allows the rheological properties of the printing paste to be specifically influenced. In particular, the addition of a rheology additive can prevent undesirable flowing of the printing paste after printing, thus ensuring sufficiently high printing precision
Data Source
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AI summary
Printing paste, in particular for the production of three-dimensional screen-printed workpieces, comprising a solid, comprising at least one monomer, comprising a photoinitiator, comprising at least one rheology additive, wherein the solid consists of at least one ceramic material and/or non-metallic material and wherein the mass fraction of the solid is at least 50%.