LED Package Optical Structure via 3D Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high manufacturing costs and complexity of producing light emitting diode (LED) packages, particularly due to the need for precise optical structure formation and mold changes, hinder mass production and flexibility in design modifications.
Innovation Solution
A method involving 3D scanning to generate mounting and optical structure data, followed by 3D printing to stack layers of filaments with phosphor particles in various resins, allowing for the formation of optical structures like wavelength conversion layers, reflectors, and encapsulation bodies without a separate mold, enabling cost reduction and design flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional mold-based manufacturing is used for LED packages, then manufacturing precision can be maintained, but manufacturing costs and device complexity increase due to the need for multiple molds and mold changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical mold-based manufacturing system with a 3D printing system that uses digital models and additive manufacturing. This substitution eliminates the need for physical molds while achieving comparable or superior manufacturing precision through digital control of the printing process, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the manufacturing approach from subtractive/mold-based to additive/3D printing. This parameter change in the manufacturing process allows for direct digital fabrication of optical structures, eliminating mold costs and enabling flexible design modifications without requiring new molds, thus reducing both costs and complexity while maintaining precision.
2Productivity
If traditional manufacturing methods are used, then production stability can be maintained, but productivity decreases due to the time-consuming mold change process
Solution Approach 1:
By replacing the mechanical mold-based system with 3D printing, the patent eliminates the time-consuming mold change process. The digital manufacturing system can switch between different optical structure designs instantly by loading different digital models, significantly improving productivity while maintaining production stability through consistent digital fabrication processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic flexibility to the manufacturing process by enabling on-demand production and rapid design changes through digital model updates. This dynamic approach allows the manufacturing system to adapt quickly to different production requirements without the constraints of fixed molds, thereby improving productivity while maintaining stability through controlled digital processes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If fixed mold designs are used, then manufacturing consistency can be ensured, but adaptability decreases when design modifications are needed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the manufacturing paradigm from fixed mold designs to flexible 3D printing with digital models. This allows design parameters to be easily modified in the digital domain without affecting physical molds, enabling high adaptability while maintaining manufacturing precision through consistent digital fabrication processes and precise control of the 3D printing parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses digital 3D models as virtual copies of the optical structures, which can be replicated and modified without physical mold changes. These digital copies enable flexible design adaptations while maintaining precision through accurate digital-to-physical reproduction via 3D printing, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and consistency.
4Device complexity
If multiple separate manufacturing processes are used for optical structures, then each component quality can be optimized, but device complexity and manufacturing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate manufacturing processes into a single integrated 3D printing process. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate mold preparation, assembly, and finishing operations, thereby reducing device complexity and manufacturing time while maintaining optical structure quality through precise digital control of the integrated additive manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a universal 3D printing system that can manufacture multiple different optical structures (reflectors, lenses, diffusers, etc.) with a single device. This multi-functional approach reduces the overall manufacturing system complexity compared to having separate specialized processes for each component type, while maintaining quality through consistent digital fabrication standards.
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 approach reduces manufacturing costs and time by eliminating the need for molds and enabling flexible modifications, facilitating efficient production of high-quality LED packages with improved light extraction efficiency and external light extraction.
Implementation Method 1
scanning a light emitting diode chip mounted on a package substrate to acquire mounting image data
Implementation Method 2
forming the optical structure by sequentially stacking the plurality of layers on the package substrate in a direction perpendicular to the package substrate using the 3D image data
Implementation Method 3
a wavelength conversion layer disposed on an upper surface of the light emitting diode chip
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a light emitting diode package comprises steps of: scanning a light emitting diode chip mounted on a package substrate to acquire mounting image data; generating three dimensional (3D) image data by comparing the mounting image data with mounting reference data; and forming an optical structure including a plurality of layers on the package substrate on using the 3D image data.