Printing Machine Squeegee with Fabric Coating for Solder Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional printing machines for circuit boards require cumbersome and time-consuming operations to transfer cream solder, often resulting in shape deformation and attachment issues due to high wettability with polyurethane and Teflon squeegees, necessitating reshaping and frequent manual handling.
Innovation Solution
The printing machine incorporates a scraping squeegee and scooping squeegee that reciprocate and can be raised, equipped with fabric or sponge surfaces featuring recesses and protrusions to minimize solder attachment, allowing for simultaneous transfer and loading/unloading without shape deformation, and includes a mechanism to prevent interference during printing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional polyurethane or Teflon squeegees are used to transfer cream solder, then the solder can be moved from one mask to another, but the solder attaches to the squeegee surface due to high wettability, causing dripping and shape deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the surface properties of the squeegee by coating it with a low surface energy material (such as fluororesin or silicone oxide) to alter the wettability parameter. This creates a non-stick surface that prevents cream solder from adhering to the squeegee, thereby maintaining solder shape during transfer operations while reducing setup time.
2Productivity
If manual spatula transfer is used to move remaining solder to a new mask, then solder can be transferred between masks, but the operation becomes cumbersome and time-consuming requiring multiple steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the functions of the printing squeegee and solder transfer squeegee into a single integrated tool. The printing squeegee performs both the printing function and the solder transfer function in one operation, eliminating the need for separate spatula transfers and reducing setup time during mask replacements.
Solution Approach 2:
The printing squeegee is designed to automatically transfer remaining solder to the new mask during the mask replacement process itself, without requiring additional manual intervention. The squeegee uses its own movement to both print and transfer solder, making the system self-sufficient and reducing overall setup time.
3Ease of operation
If frequent manual handling and reshaping of solder is performed, then solder can be prepared for printing, but the operation becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs solder transfer to the new mask during the mask replacement process itself, before the printing operation begins. This preliminary action ensures that solder is already in position and properly shaped when printing starts, eliminating the need for subsequent reshaping operations and simplifying the overall procedure.
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 configuration significantly reduces setup time, prevents solder attachment, and allows for efficient reuse of tools by enabling quick and shape-preserving transfer of cream solder between masks, thereby shortening the overall solder rolling process.
Implementation Method 1
a fabric or a sponge having recesses and protrusions is attached to the scraping squeegee, so that the solder is less likely to attach to the scraping squeegee
Data Source
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AI summary
A printing machine 10 that reciprocates a squeegee unit 20 including a printing squeegee 24 in one direction on an upper surface of a mask 13 where a printed-circuit board A is disposed on a lower side thereof to move cream solder B thereby printing the cream solder B on the circuit board A, includes a scraping squeegee 31 and a scooping squeegee 33. The scraping squeegee 31 and the scooping squeegee 33 reciprocate together with the squeegee unit 20 in a direction of a printing operation and can relatively move toward and away from each other in the direction of the printing operation, in order to be capable of scooping the cream solder B on the upper surface of the mask 13. A covering portion 32, formed of a nonwoven fabric having recesses and protrusions, is attached to the scraping squeegee 31.