Pattern-Printed Thick Film Roll Winding with Through-Hole Masking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thick film printing methods, such as screen printing, suffer from issues like ink blotting, misalignment, material loss, and damage during winding due to protruding areas with pattern-printed thick film layers, leading to defective products and inefficiencies in tension control.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a laminate of a printing substrate film and a masking film with through-holes is used to form a pattern-printed thick film layer, which is then wound into a roll, eliminating gaps and frames that cause defects and allowing for uniform tension control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If screen printing is used to form a pattern-printed thick film layer, then the functional layer can be formed on the substrate film, but ink blotting and misalignment occur due to the screen mesh and gaps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the screen mesh and frame structure from the printing system. Instead of using a traditional screen plate with openings, the invention uses a stencil film with cut-out portions that directly define the print pattern. This extraction of the mesh structure eliminates the source of ink blotting and misalignment, allowing clean edge definition without the complexity of screen mesh support structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The printing system is segmented into separate functional components: a reusable frame structure and a disposable stencil film. The stencil film is divided into a base film portion and a pattern-defining portion with cut-outs. This segmentation allows the pattern-defining element to be changed independently without replacing the entire screen plate, improving precision while reducing overall system complexity.
2Productivity
If a screen plate with frame is used for printing, then the printing process can be performed, but material loss occurs due to unprintable areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the frame structure that creates unprintable border areas. By using a stencil film that can be cut to exact dimensions and applied only to the printable area, the system removes the wasted space around the print pattern, maximizing material utilization efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If the substrate film is wound into a roll with protruding pattern-printed areas, then the printed product can be formed, but the roll cannot easily allow tension control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the printed pattern from the substrate film using a stencil film that can be easily removed. This allows the substrate film to be wound without the protruding pattern areas that cause tension control problems. The pattern is applied and then the stencil is stripped, leaving a flat surface suitable for uniform rolling and tension control.
4Reliability
If the pattern-printed thick film layer is formed with protruding areas, then the pattern can be printed, but the layer is more likely to be peeled off or damaged during winding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the pattern definition function from a thick protruding film layer and replaces it with a thin stencil film that is cut to pattern shape. The actual functional layer is then deposited only in the pattern areas through the stencil openings, creating a flat, integrated structure without protruding edges that would peel or damage during handling and winding.
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 defective products and material loss by minimizing ink misalignment, preventing damage, and enabling uniform tension control during winding, thus improving the manufacturing process efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
drying the ink film to form a pattern-printed thick film layer
Implementation Method 2
a masking film... being bonded to a surface of the printing substrate film
Data Source
AI summary
A pattern-printed thick film roll and a method for manufacturing the pattern-printed thick film roll can reduce defective products and material loss. The method for manufacturing a pattern-printed thick film roll (5) includes preparing a laminate of a printing substrate film (1) being elongated and comprising resin and a masking film (2) being elongated, comprising resin, having multiple through-holes (2a), and being bonded to a surface of the printing substrate film (1), filling, with ink (32), the through-holes (2a) in the masking film (2) in the laminate of the printing substrate film (1) and the masking film (2) to form an ink film (31), drying the ink film (31) to form a pattern-printed thick film layer (3) having a thickness of 10 to 400 μm, and winding a stack (4) including the printing substrate film (1), the masking film (2), and the pattern-printed thick film layer (3) into a roll.