Movable Mold Tools for Multi-Material Encapsulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current molding technologies for encapsulating electronic chips are inefficient and costly, as they require multiple apparatuses and complex processes to achieve desired performance, reliability, and cost-effectiveness, especially when combining different material properties like electrical insulation, thermal conductivity, and optical transparency.
Innovation Solution
A flexible molding apparatus using two movable mold tools and a supply unit to adjust the mold volume dimensions, allowing for the simultaneous use of multiple mold materials with different properties in a single molding process, enabling the creation of packages with adjustable shapes and dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple mold materials are supplied to the mold volume, then the package can achieve desired performance with different material properties (electrical insulation, thermal conductivity, optical transparency), but the manufacturing process becomes more complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The mold tools are designed with movable parts that can dynamically adjust the mold volume dimensions during the molding process. This dynamic capability allows the same mold tool to accommodate different package sizes and shapes by moving specific portions (such as insert molds or cavity walls) to different positions, eliminating the need for multiple fixed mold tools for different package configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The mold tool is designed as a universal device that can produce multiple different package types and sizes using a single mold tool. By incorporating movable portions that can be positioned in different configurations, the mold tool serves multiple functions - producing packages with different dimensions, shapes, and material combinations without requiring tool changes or multiple dedicated mold tools.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the mold volume dimension is adjusted by moving mold tool portions, then packages with adjustable shape and dimension can be produced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mold tool is divided into separate movable portions (such as insert molds, movable cavity walls, or adjustable mold halves) that can independently move to different positions. This segmentation allows each portion to be controlled separately to achieve the desired mold volume configuration, making the complexity manageable by breaking down the adjustment mechanism into discrete, controllable segments rather than requiring complete mold tool reconfiguration.
3Productivity
If a single mold tool is used for multiple package types, then manufacturing efficiency and throughput improve, but the mold tool design becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The mold tool incorporates dynamic elements such as movable insert molds, adjustable cavity walls, or reconfigurable mold halves that can be quickly repositioned between different package production runs. This dynamic design allows the single mold tool to adapt to different package types without requiring physical tool changes, maintaining high productivity while managing complexity through automated or semi-automated positioning mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for molding a physical body comprising at least two mold materials, wherein the apparatus comprises a first mold tool and a second mold tool configured for defining a mold volume in between in which the physical body is moldable by supplying the at least two mold materials, and a supply unit configured for separately supplying the at least two mold materials to the mold volume, wherein at least part of at least one of the first mold tool and the second mold tool is movable to thereby increase the dimension of the mold volume after having supplied the first mold material to the mold volume and before and/or during supplying the second mold material to the mold volume.