3D Screen Printing Drying Device Carrier Cooling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing three-dimensional screen printing systems face issues with excessive heating of workpiece carriers during the drying process, which can affect the quality and accuracy of screen printing workpieces, particularly after multiple passes through a drying device.

Innovation Solution

A device and method that incorporates a drying device capable of simultaneously drying screen printing workpieces and cooling workpiece carriers, preventing excessive heating by maintaining the carrier at a low temperature, thus improving process reliability and accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If workpiece carriers are passed through a drying device multiple times to dry layered screen-printed workpieces, then the drying effectiveness is improved, but the workpiece carrier temperature increases excessively compromising print layer quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprint layer qualityVSAvoidworkpiece carrier temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The drying device is divided into two independent functional zones: a drying section with heating elements for drying the screen-printed workpiece, and a cooling section with cooling elements for cooling the workpiece carrier. This segmentation allows simultaneous drying and cooling operations without thermal interference, resolving the contradiction between drying effectiveness and carrier temperature control

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different thermal treatments are applied to different parts of the system: the workpiece receives heating in the drying section while the workpiece carrier receives cooling in the cooling section. This local differentiation of thermal conditions allows the workpiece to be dried effectively while the carrier remains at acceptable temperature levels

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If continuous drying operations are performed on screen-printed workpieces, then productivity is improved, but workpiece carrier heating accumulates negatively impacting production accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction efficiencyVSAvoidproduction accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The workpiece carrier undergoes continuous cooling during its passage through the cooling section, ensuring that thermal accumulation is prevented even during continuous production operations. This continuous cooling action maintains manufacturing precision while allowing uninterrupted drying cycles

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The drying device merges two previously separate operations (drying and cooling) into a single integrated device where both functions occur simultaneously in different sections. This combination allows continuous operation without the need to separate drying and cooling steps, maintaining both productivity and precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

The solution ensures increased production accuracy and productivity by preventing undesirable heating of workpiece carriers and maintaining the quality of screen printing workpieces, allowing for continuous and efficient production without compromising the integrity of printed layers.

Implementation Method 1

a drying device which is designed for drying at least one screen-printed workpiece

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 2

for simultaneously cooling a workpiece carrier carrying the screen-printed workpiece to be dried

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCooling: Cooling

Data Source

PatentEP4431285A1Device for producing three-dimensional screen printing workpieces
Publication Date: 2024.09.18 EXENTIS KNOWLEDGE GMBH
  • EP4431285A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4431285A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4431285A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Device for the production of three-dimensional screen-printed workpieces, in particular a 3D screen-printing system, with a printing device for the layer-by-layer production of at least one screen-printed workpiece in several printing processes and with a drying device designed for drying at least one screen-printed workpiece and for simultaneously cooling a workpiece carrier supporting the screen-printed workpiece to be dried.