ID Code Printing on Glass Substrates via Rotating Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the manufacturing of liquid crystal displays, the existing ID code printing process for glass substrates is inefficient, requiring only two print operations per flow process, which limits the number of panels that can be identified and increases production costs as larger substrates are used, necessitating more frequent and costly printing operations.
Innovation Solution
An ID code printing apparatus and method that includes a platform, transmission mechanism, locating mechanism, ID code printing mechanism, rotating mechanism, and exposure mechanism to perform three ID code printing operations on a glass substrate within the same tact time, allowing for increased panel identification and reduced production costs by rotating the substrate and exposing edges between print cycles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the number of printing operations is increased to identify more panels from large-size glass substrates, then the number of identifiable panels increases, but the production cost increases and production efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a rotating mechanism that rotates the glass substrate by 90 degrees between printing operations, enabling the printing mechanism to access and print on different regions of the substrate in multiple passes. This dimensional change from single-direction printing to multi-directional printing through rotation allows three printing operations within the same tact time, increasing the number of identifiable panels without reducing production efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic printing operations where the substrate is conveyed forward, printed, rotated 90 degrees, conveyed back, printed again, rotated, and conveyed forward for a third printing operation. This periodic cycle of printing and rotating enables multiple printing operations to be completed within the same tact time as traditional single-pass printing, thereby increasing panel identification capacity without sacrificing production efficiency
2Quantity of substance
If the number of printing operations is increased to identify more panels from large-size glass substrates, then the number of identifiable panels increases, but the production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By utilizing the rotational dimension of the substrate through the rotating mechanism, the system enables three printing operations using the same printing mechanism and laser heads. This approach avoids the need to increase the number of printing mechanisms or laser heads, thereby increasing the number of identifiable panels without proportionally increasing production cost
Solution Approach 2:
The printing mechanism is designed to perform multiple printing operations on different regions of the substrate through coordinated rotation and conveyance. The same printing mechanism and laser heads are reused across three printing cycles, making the system multi-functional in terms of printing capacity without requiring additional expensive equipment, thus increasing panel identification capacity cost-effectively
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 solution enables three ID code printing operations per flow process, increasing the number of panels that can be identified from a single substrate, reducing production costs, and improving efficiency by accommodating more small-size panels and minimizing the need for additional laser heads.
Implementation Method 1
an ID code printing mechanism disposed above the platform, being adapted to print an ID code on the glass substrate
Implementation Method 2
an exposure mechanism, being adapted to expose the glass substrate to remove a photoresist from peripheral edges of the glass substrate
Data Source
AI summary
An identification (ID) code printing method for a glass substrate is disclosed, which comprises the following steps: loading a glass substrate onto a front end of a platform; aligning the glass substrate at the front end of the platform; printing an ID code on the glass substrate for three times in a process of moving the glass substrate from the front end of the platform to a back end of the platform, then from the back end of the platform to the front end of the platform and finally again from the front end of the platform to the back end of the platform. An ID code printing apparatus for a glass substrate is further disclosed. Thereby, an additional cycle of ID code printing operations can be carried out in the present disclosure as compared to the prior art, which can increase the number of times of ID code printing under the conventional tact time conditions and improve the utilization factor of the production line.