Roll-to-roll production system with storage units for maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
In roll-to-roll manufacturing systems for electronic devices, interruptions in processing operations across different devices can lead to significant productivity losses due to the need for maintenance or quality control, causing the entire manufacturing line to stop, especially when different processing steps have varying interruption timing and duration requirements.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing system with an upper level control device and storage units between processing devices, allowing for temporary suspension of operations in specific processing devices for maintenance or replenishment, while other devices continue processing, using storage units to manage substrate length and tension to minimize line stoppages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If processing operations are interrupted for maintenance or quality control in individual processing devices, then device performance and quality are maintained, but the entire manufacturing line stops and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing line is segmented into multiple independent processing devices (first processing device, second processing device, etc.) with storage units positioned between them. This segmentation allows individual devices to be stopped for maintenance while others continue operating, preventing complete line stoppage and maintaining overall productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
Storage units are introduced as intermediary components between processing devices. These storage units temporarily hold substrates, acting as buffers that decouple the operation of adjacent processing devices. When one device stops for maintenance, the storage unit supplies substrates to keep other devices running, thus maintaining manufacturing continuity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the manufacturing line is constituted by multiple processing devices with different interruption timing and duration requirements, then diverse processing capabilities are achieved, but the possibility of entire line stoppage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the manufacturing line into independently controllable processing devices, each capable of different processing operations (film forming, patterning, wet processing). Storage units between devices allow each to operate independently with different interruption schedules, maintaining diverse processing capabilities while preventing system-wide stoppages.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device dynamically adjusts operating parameters including substrate conveyance speed and storage unit capacity allocation based on the specific interruption requirements of each processing device. This allows the system to adapt to varying maintenance schedules and processing needs of different devices while maintaining overall operational reliability.
3Productivity
If storage units are used to manage substrate length and tension between processing devices, then continuous operation is enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Storage units serve as intermediary components that manage substrate storage, tension control, and length regulation between processing devices. While these add physical complexity to the system configuration, they enable continuous manufacturing by decoupling device operations and allowing independent maintenance without line stoppage.
Solution Approach 2:
The storage units perform multiple functions simultaneously: substrate storage, tension management, length control, and operation decoupling. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components for each function, thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity while achieving continuous manufacturing capability.
Data Source
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AI summary
This production system (10), in which a long flexible sheet substrate (P) is transported in a length direction and processing is continuously performed on the sheet substrate by means of a plurality of processing devices (PR), is provided with: a storage unit (BF1) that is provided between a first processing device (PR2) and adjacent second processing device (PR3) from among a plurality of processing devices (PR); and a control device (14,18) that, when processing of the sheet substrate (P) or transport of the sheet substrate (P) is temporarily stopped in the first processing device (PR2), determines whether or not the storage state of the sheet substrate (P) in the storage unit (BF1) satisfies a required storage state that is decided according to the expected stopping time of the first processing device (PR2).