Laser Sintering Head with Infrared Preheating for Glass Substrates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional laser sintering methods for OLED display devices result in cracks or splits due to rapid heating and cooling, which causes shrinkage stress in glass substrates and cement, limiting manufacturing efficiency and material choices.
Innovation Solution
A laser sintering device and method that includes a heating unit to preheat and postheat the material to be sintered, using an infrared generator to reduce temperature differences and cooling rates, thereby minimizing shrinkage stress, and a ventilation duct for controlled cooling after sintering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional laser sintering method is used to rapidly heat and cool glass cement, then sintering speed is improved, but shrinkage stress accumulates causing cracks or splits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary heating before laser sintering to gradually increase the temperature of the glass cement and surrounding substrates. This preheating process reduces the thermal shock and minimizes temperature gradients, preventing crack formation while maintaining high sintering speed. The heating unit activates before the laser beam to prepare the material for rapid sintering.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous heating during the entire sintering process rather than isolated heating cycles. The heating unit operates continuously alongside the laser sintering, maintaining a sustained temperature profile that prevents thermal stress accumulation. This continuous thermal action ensures uniform heating and cooling, eliminating the intermittent thermal shocks that cause cracking.
2Reliability
If laser sintering speed is reduced to minimize shrinkage stress, then cracks and splits are prevented, but manufacturing efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By preheating the glass cement and substrates before laser sintering, the material reaches a temperature state where it can withstand rapid heating without cracking. This preliminary preparation allows the laser to operate at high speed while the thermal buffer prevents stress accumulation, maintaining both integrity and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
Continuous heating during sintering maintains optimal temperature conditions throughout the process, allowing high-speed laser operation without interruption for stress relief. The sustained thermal field enables rapid sintering while preventing the cyclic thermal stress that would require slower processing speeds.
3Reliability
If thermal expansion coefficients of glass substrates and cement are reduced, then shrinkage stress is minimized, but material selection becomes limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter profile during sintering by implementing preheating and continuous heating. Instead of modifying material properties, the process parameters are adjusted to create a controlled thermal environment. This allows the use of various glass substrates and cements with different thermal expansion coefficients while maintaining low shrinkage stress through optimized heating curves.
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 effectively reduces shrinkage stress in glass substrates and cement, preventing cracks and splits, and allows for more flexible material choices and mass production compatibility.
Implementation Method 1
a heating unit configured to, prior to and/or subsequent to sintering the material with the laser sintering head, heating the material to be sintered and/or the sintered material
Implementation Method 2
a laser sintering head configured to output a laser beam toward a material to be sintered on a device to be sintered, so as to sinter the material to be sintered
Implementation Method 3
the ventilation duct is arranged at a position corresponding to a region where the material to be sintered is located and configured to, after the sintering with the laser sintering head has been completed, supply a gas at a predetermined temperature to the region so as to cool the region
Data Source
AI summary
The laser sintering device includes a laser sintering head configured to output a laser beam toward a material to be sintered on a device to be sintered, so as to sinter the material to be sintered, and a heating unit configured to, prior to and/or subsequent to sintering the material with the laser sintering head, heating the material to be sintered and/or the sintered material. The material to be sintered is preheated by the heating unit prior to sintering the material to be sintered, and/or the sintered material is annealed by the heating unit subsequent to sintering the material to be sintered, so as to reduce a difference between a temperature before the sintering and a temperature during the sintering, and/or reduce a cooling rate after the sintering, thereby to reduce a shrinkage stress applied to the material to be sintered and the device to be sintered.