Memory Card Molding with Perpendicular Injection and Pre-cut Substrates
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional manufacturing processes for flash memory cards are inefficient and costly due to the need for dicing and subsequent washing and drying after molding, which complicates the singulation and inspection of small, fragile components.
Innovation Solution
A molding system with a molding plate and cavity plate that pre-forms memory card devices by introducing molding material perpendicular to the substrate, allowing for individual punching of memory cards without further dicing, using pre-cut substrates and vacuum suction to secure and shape the components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If block molding is used to mold multiple dice together, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but additional dicing and washing steps are required which increase process complexity and time
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is pre-cut into the final memory card shape with carrier pads and tie-bars before molding. This preliminary action eliminates the need for post-molding dicing and washing steps, as the profile is already formed. The pre-cutting is done when the substrate is still rigid and easier to handle, avoiding damage to fragile molded dice.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate is segmented into individual carrier pads connected by thin tie-bars, allowing each memory card to be individually separated after molding by simply breaking the tie-bars. This segmentation enables easy singulation without complex dicing processes.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional dicing is used to separate individual memory cards from molded blocks, then singulation is achieved, but processing time increases and quality may be compromised due to fragile components
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate profile and carrier pad shapes are pre-cut before molding, so that after molding, individual cards can be separated by simply breaking the thin tie-bars rather than requiring slow, careful dicing of fragile molded components. This preliminary action dramatically reduces singulation time while maintaining quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The tie-bars are designed as thin, easily breakable connectors that can be removed by simple pulling or breaking actions. This extraction method is much faster and less complex than conventional dicing, as it requires no specialized cutting equipment or washing steps.
3Volume of moving object
If memory cards are made smaller to meet compact device requirements, then product size is reduced, but maintaining singulation quality becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is pre-cut into the final small memory card shape with precisely defined carrier pads and tie-bars before molding. This preliminary precision cutting is performed on the rigid substrate material, which is easier to handle and cut accurately than fragile molded dice. The pre-formed profile ensures high singulation quality even for very small memory cards.
Solution Approach 2:
The tie-bars are designed with locally optimized properties - thin and easily breakable at the separation points while providing sufficient support during molding. This local quality adjustment enables easy separation of small, fragile memory cards without compromising the integrity of the components during the molding process.
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 method reduces processing time and costs by enabling direct molding of memory card profiles and subsequent easy separation, eliminating the need for dicing and associated steps, thus improving singulation quality and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a molding plate configured to receive a substrate comprising a plurality of individual carriers
Data Source
AI summary
A molding system for provided which is configured for molding a substrate comprising a plurality of individual carriers each of which is pre-cut into a shape of a memory card device and connected to a frame of the substrate by narrow tie bars. A molding plate is configured to receive the substrate, and a cavity plate configured to be clamped to the molding plate further comprises a plurality of molding cavities each constructed in the shape of the said carriers. The cavities are operative to create molded packages onto the carrier conforming to a shape of the memory card device without need for further forming of the molded compound after molding. Additionally, a nozzle on the surface of each cavity is operative to introduce molding material into the cavity in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to a plane of the substrate placed on the molding plate.