Roll Mold Cutting With Multi-Pass Depth Control to Suppress Burrs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing roll mold manufacturing methods result in burrs during cutting, which negatively affect the quality and optical performance of microlens arrays, particularly when the process height exceeds 20 μm, and there is a lack of technology for accurately cutting the same location multiple times to prevent burr formation.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a roll mold manufacturing apparatus with a rotating device and cutting tool stage, utilizing a rotary encoder and PZT stage to control the cutting blade's reciprocating motion, allowing for precise cutting at reduced depths over multiple passes to form holes with predetermined depths accurately.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the cutting depth is increased to reduce the number of cutting passes, then productivity is improved, but burrs are formed on the roll surface which deteriorates the quality of microlens arrays

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of cutting passesVSAvoidsurface quality of roll

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The total cutting depth is segmented into multiple smaller cutting passes, with each pass removing a portion of the required depth. The cutting depth is systematically reduced in subsequent passes (e.g., from 10μm to 5μm to 2μm to 1μm), allowing the material to be gradually removed without generating burrs while ultimately achieving the desired total depth.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If the cutting depth is decreased to prevent burr formation, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the number of cutting passes increases which reduces productivity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface quality of rollVSAvoidnumber of cutting passes

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting process is planned and executed in advance with predetermined cutting depths for each pass. The cutting depths are pre-calculated and systematically arranged (e.g., 10μm, 5μm, 2μm, 1μm) to optimize both burr prevention and efficiency, eliminating the need for trial-and-error adjustments during the actual cutting process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The cutting process is performed periodically with multiple passes, where each pass removes material at a predetermined depth. The periodic cutting cycles allow the system to systematically reduce the cutting depth in each subsequent pass, maintaining surface quality while progressively achieving the target depth.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Manufacturing precision

If the same cutting location is cut multiple times to prevent burrs, then manufacturing precision is improved, but positioning accuracy must be extremely high which increases device complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecutting accuracy at same locationVSAvoidpositioning system requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A feedback mechanism using a scale or encoder is integrated into the positioning system to continuously monitor and detect the position of the roll and cutting blade. This feedback information is used to adjust and correct positioning errors in real-time, ensuring that the cutting blade returns to the exact same location for each subsequent cutting pass, thereby maintaining high cutting accuracy without requiring overly complex positioning mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

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 effectively suppresses burr formation, ensuring high-quality microlens arrays with improved optical performance by accurately cutting the same location multiple times with decreasing cutting depths, resulting in a roll mold suitable for microlens array production.

Implementation Method 1

a rotating device for rotating the cylindrical or circular column-shaped roll in the circumferential direction, equipped with a rotary encoder for outputting a signal in accordance with a rotary position of the roll

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEncoder detection:

Implementation Method 2

a cutting tool stage, able to move in the radial direction of the roll, for holding a cutting blade that is able to reciprocate in the radial direction of the roll

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectReciprocating motion:

Data Source

PatentUS12515258B2Method for manufacturing roll mold, roll mold manufacturing apparatus, non-transitory computer readable medium, and roll mold

Publication Date: 2026.01.06 DEXERIALS CORP

AI summary

A method for manufacturing a roll mold by cutting a roll, includes generating a control waveform based on a signal corresponding to a rotary position of the roll, and making a plurality of cuts on a surface of the roll by, while the roll is rotated, reciprocating a cutting blade in a radial direction of the roll in accordance with the control waveform. Making the plurality of cuts includes at each of a plurality of predetermined locations, making a predetermined number of cuts of predetermined depth based on the control waveform. Generating the control waveform includes generating a control waveform dictating that, when multiple cuts are made at a predetermined location, each subsequent cut will have a smaller depth than a preceding cut.