Resistive Heating Plate Layout for Uniform Rapid Thermal Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thermal processing methods for printed functional structures, such as electronic and optical structures, are inefficient due to slow convection heating, limiting throughput and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A thermal processing device with a support plate featuring a layer stack of resistive heating strips oriented in different axes, driven by independent power sources, allowing for precise temperature control and rapid heating, and a cooling unit for efficient curing and cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If convection heating is used for thermal processing, then the heating method is simple and easy to implement, but the heating speed is slow which limits throughput and efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical convection heating system with an electromagnetic resistive heating system. The support plate incorporates resistive heating elements that convert electrical energy directly into thermal energy through Joule heating, eliminating the need for mechanical convection currents and achieving rapid heating speeds while maintaining ease of control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental heating parameter from convective heat transfer to resistive electrical heating. By applying electrical voltage across resistive heating strips embedded in the support plate, the system achieves controlled rapid heating at specific temperature parameters (e.g., 120-150°C for 10-20 minutes) that dramatically improves processing speed and throughput.
2Productivity
If rapid heating is implemented to improve throughput, then processing time is reduced, but temperature uniformity and control become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The support plate is segmented into multiple independent resistive heating strips arranged in a grid pattern. Each strip can be controlled independently by separate power sources, allowing localized temperature adjustment. This segmentation enables the system to achieve rapid overall heating while maintaining uniform temperature distribution across different regions of the substrate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality control by providing independent power sources for each heating strip, allowing different regions of the support plate to be heated to different temperatures or at different rates. This enables precise temperature uniformity control across the substrate surface while maintaining rapid processing speeds, as each zone can be optimized independently.
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
Enables time-efficient and well-controlled thermal processing of printed functional structures with uniform temperature distribution, enhancing production efficiency and reducing processing time.
Implementation Method 1
The first resistive heating layer comprises a first plurality of mutually electrically insulated resistive heating strips... The second resistive heating layer comprises a second plurality of mutually electrically insulated resistive heating strips... Each of the resistive heating strips of the first plurality and each of the resistive heating strips of the second plurality is configured to be driven by a respective electric power source.
Data Source
AI summary
A thermal processing device is disclosed herein for thermally processing material on a substrate. The thermal processing device includes a support plate which at a first main side is provided with a layer stack having a free surface for supporting the substrate, wherein the free surface defines a reference plane and which layer stack includes a first resistive heating layer, a second resistive heating layer, and an electrical insulator layer between the first resistive heating layer and the second resistive heating layer. The resistive heating layer each comprise a respective plurality of mutually electrically insulated resistive heating strips that extend in a mutually different directions. Respective pairs of a resistive heating strip of the first plurality and a resistive heating strip of the second plurality overlap in respective areas.