Screen Printer Board Printing Guide Member for Protrusion Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional manufacturing lines require the exchange of board conveyance members between screen printers and mounters due to differences in pallet design, specifically the presence of positioning protrusions that interfere with the printing process when trying to apply solder paste onto boards loaded on pallets with such protrusions.
Innovation Solution
A screen printer design featuring a board printing guide member with an opening in its central position allows for the alignment and support of boards, enabling printing even when using pallets with positioning protrusions, thus eliminating the need for pallet exchange by raising the board from the conveyance member and positioning it under the stencil.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a pallet with positioning protrusions is used for conveying boards, then handling is easy and cost is low, but it is not possible to print solder paste onto the board because the positioning protrusions interfere with the printing process
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separate functional components: the pallet remains for conveyance while the board printing guide member is added specifically for printing. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its function without interference - the pallet maintains its simple positioning protrusions for easy handling, while the guide member provides the necessary printing surface compatibility
Solution Approach 2:
The board printing guide member acts as an intermediary between the pallet and the printing process. It is attached to the clamp device and provides a flat reference surface that enables solder paste printing, while the board is raised from the pallet to be printed on this intermediate surface rather than directly on the pallet with protrusions
2Manufacturing precision
If pallet exchange is required between screen printer and mounter, then printing can be performed, but productivity decreases due to pallet exchange time and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The board printing guide member is designed to be universally compatible with the clamp device, allowing the same clamp device to perform both clamping and printing guide functions. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate pallets for different processes, enabling continuous production without pallet exchange while maintaining printing quality
Solution Approach 2:
The board printing guide member is pre-attached to the clamp device before the printing process begins. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the board is clamped and raised, the printing surface is already in position, eliminating the need for pallet exchange and maintaining continuous production flow
3Adaptability or versatility
If the board is clamped directly without a pallet, then printing can be performed, but the board will warp when being clamped in a widthwise direction
Solution Approach 1:
The board printing guide member serves as an intermediary reference surface during printing. The board is raised from the pallet to be printed on this intermediate surface, allowing the board to maintain its flatness supported by the pallet during clamping, while still enabling precise printing through the guide member
Data Source
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AI summary
A screen printer including: a squeegee device (4) configured to spread from above solder paste on a stencil (9); a clamp device (5) configured to grip a board (10) conveyed to a position below the stencil by a board conveyance member (38) that is flat and provided with a board holding portion in a central opening portion, the clamp device (5) gripping the board (10) via the board conveyance member (38); a board supporting device (7) configured to support the board from below and move the board in a vertical direction inside the clamp device; and a raising and lowering device (8) configured to move the board supported inside the clamp device (5) in the vertical direction and position the board at a printing position, wherein the clamp device (5) is provided with a board printing guide member (37) configured to be removably attached to an upper end of a pair of clamp members (33) configured to sandwich the board conveyance member (38) in a widthwise direction, the board printing guide member being formed with an opening portion in a central position thereof and configured such that the board (10) raised from the board conveyance member (38) by the board supporting device (7) and arranged inside the opening portion is aligned with a top surface of the board printing guide member.