Coating Roller Bearing Balls with Movable Substrate Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coating technologies are unsuitable for efficiently coating small, mass-produced parts like roller bearing balls due to complex assembly requirements and imperfections caused by jerky movements and impacts during the coating process.
Innovation Solution
A device with a substrate support that moves in a horizontal plane relative to the substrate holder, allowing for easy fitting and coating of substrates, and a method where the substrate support moves on a circular path to minimize defects, using a support ring and swash plate with substrate receptacles, and employing gas deposition methods like PVD and PECVD for uniform coating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a complex substrate holder assembly with multiple vertical cylindrical supports is used to hold the substrate, then the substrate can be securely held during coating, but the device complexity increases and loading with substrates becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate holder is divided into two functional segments: a substrate receptacle (cage) for holding the substrate and a separate substrate support for actual support. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each component and simplifies the overall assembly process while maintaining substrate holding stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The support function is extracted from the receptacle structure. The substrate support is taken out as a separate element that can be easily moved relative to the receptacle, eliminating the need for complex fixed assemblies while maintaining secure substrate holding during coating.
2Manufacturing precision
If the substrate is held stationary in the substrate holder, then the coating process can be controlled, but defects arise from jerky movements and impacts during production
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static substrate holder to a dynamic configuration where the substrate support can move continuously in the horizontal plane relative to the receptacle. This dynamic capability eliminates jerky movements and impacts by enabling smooth, controlled motion during the coating process.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable substrate support acts as an intermediary between the stationary receptacle and the coating process. It mediates the interaction by providing continuous horizontal movement, preventing direct impacts and jerky motions that would otherwise occur between the substrate and fixed structures.
3Productivity
If a linear contact edge is used between the substrate and substrate support, then the substrate obstruction is minimized, but the substrate movement control becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate support features a curved contact edge that matches the spherical shape of the substrate. This curvature enables the substrate to roll smoothly along the contact edge, minimizing obstruction while maintaining intuitive and controllable motion through simple rotational movements.
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
Enables simplified and defect-free coating of small, high-precision substrates like roller bearing balls by ensuring uniform contact and movement, achieving high uniformity and reducing rotation errors below 0.3 ppm.
Implementation Method 1
the substrate rolls on the substrate support along a linear contact edge
Implementation Method 2
the layer is produced by a gas deposition process
Implementation Method 3
employing gas deposition methods like PVD and PECVD for uniform coating
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c
Figure 1d
AI summary
Disclosed is a device for producing a layer of a layer material on a spherical substrate (29), comprising a source for the layer material, a substrate support (17), on which the substrate (29) lies, and a substrate holder (9), which loosely encloses the substrate (29) and restricts a movement of the substrate (29) in a horizontal plane. Also disclosed is a method for producing a layer of a layer material on a spherical substrate (29), which lies on a substrate support (17) and is loosely enclosed by a substrate holder (9), which restricts a movement of the substrate (29) in a horizontal plane. In order to make the coating of roller bearing balls easier, it is proposed to move the substrate support (17) in the horizontal plane in relation to the substrate holder (9).