Gravure Offset Printing Groove Design for Bubble Expulsion

Solution Overview

Problem

In gravure offset printing, thin line patterns tend to retain bubbles, leading to pinhole defects in fine wiring patterns, particularly at the leading and trailing ends of elongated grooves on the printing plate.

Innovation Solution

A gravure offset printing method and apparatus utilizing a gravure plate with grooves having a leading end tapered forward and a trailing end split into branches, allowing the blanket to expel bubbles effectively, preventing pinhole defects by maintaining specific angle and width relationships.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the line width of the thin line pattern is increased, then the bubble escape ability improves, but the manufacturing precision of the fine wiring pattern deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebubble retentionVSAvoidfine wiring pattern accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The groove cross-section is designed with non-uniform properties: the lower part has a larger width for bubble escape, while the upper part maintains a smaller width for precise pattern formation. This local differentiation allows the groove to simultaneously achieve both bubble expulsion capability and fine wiring pattern accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The solution moves from considering only the horizontal width of the groove to incorporating the vertical dimension by creating a multi-level cross-sectional structure. The groove width varies through its depth, with different widths at different heights, enabling both bubble escape and precise patterning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of manufacture

If a conventional gravure plate with uniform groove width is used, then the ease of manufacture is maintained, but pinhole defects occur due to bubble retention

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegravure plate fabricationVSAvoidprint quality without pinholes

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The groove cross-section is designed with non-uniform properties: the lower part has a larger width for bubble escape, while the upper part maintains a smaller width for precise pattern formation. This local differentiation allows the groove to simultaneously achieve both bubble expulsion capability and fine wiring pattern accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The solution moves from considering only the horizontal width of the groove to incorporating the vertical dimension by creating a multi-level cross-sectional structure. The groove width varies through its depth, with different widths at different heights, enabling both bubble escape and precise patterning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Manufacturing precision

If the groove width is reduced for fine wiring patterns, then the manufacturing precision improves, but bubble escape becomes difficult causing pinhole defects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefine wiring pattern accuracyVSAvoidbubble retention

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The groove cross-section is designed with non-uniform properties: the lower part has a larger width for bubble escape, while the upper part maintains a smaller width for precise pattern formation. This local differentiation allows the groove to simultaneously achieve both bubble expulsion capability and fine wiring pattern accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The solution moves from considering only the horizontal width of the groove to incorporating the vertical dimension by creating a multi-level cross-sectional structure. The groove width varies through its depth, with different widths at different heights, enabling both bubble escape and precise patterning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 method and apparatus enable accurate printing of fine wiring patterns while preventing pinhole defects by ensuring the blanket can readily expel bubbles from the grooves, ensuring high-quality printed materials.

Implementation Method 1

an off step of offsetting the printing paste from the grooves to the surface of the blanket

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 2

the leading end (the end where printing starts) of the region in the print direction is tapered (decreases in width gradually) forward in the print direction. Thus, when the blanket is brought into contact with the gravure plate in the offset step, the blanket can readily expel bubbles present on the gravure plate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS9457558B2Gravure offset printing method, gravure offset printing device, and gravure plate

Publication Date: 2016.10.04 DIC CORP

AI summary

Provided are a gravure offset printing method, a gravure offset printing apparatus, and a gravure plate that allow a fine wiring pattern to be accurately printed on the material to be printed. A gravure offset printing method executed by a gravure offset printing apparatus includes a step of filling a groove on a gravure plate with a printing paste, a step of offsetting the printing paste from the groove on the gravure plate to the blanket, and a step of transferring the printing paste from the blanket to a substrate. The groove on the gravure plate includes a region having a width of 100 to 700 μm in a direction perpendicular to a print direction. The region has a leading end tapered forward in the print direction and a trailing end split into a pair of branches by a notch tapered forward in the print direction.