Screen Printing Squeegee Clearance Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing screen printing machines for forming paste prints on boards become complex and costly due to the need for precise control of the filling squeegee's clearance from the mask plate, which is essential for maintaining print quality but increases machine complexity and cost.
Innovation Solution
A screen printing machine design that includes a filling squeegee held with a given clearance from the mask plate, urged by a spring to maintain this clearance, and a scraping squeegee that moves in tandem to remove excess paste, simplifying the configuration and reducing costs while maintaining high print quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a control device with reaction detector and drive shaft is used to adjust filling squeegee height, then print quality is maintained, but machine complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The filling squeegee is designed to automatically maintain the prescribed clearance from the mask plate through its own weight and elastic deformation of the sponge material, eliminating the need for external control devices, reaction detectors, and drive shafts. The squeegee structure itself provides the height adjustment function it needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex control device including reaction detector and drive shaft is completely removed from the system. The height adjustment function is extracted from the control system and integrated into the filling squeegee structure itself, which naturally maintains the required clearance through its physical properties.
2Manufacturing precision
If control device with reaction detector is used to adjust filling squeegee height, then print quality is maintained, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filling squeegee structure is designed to self-regulate its height relative to the mask plate through the elastic properties of the sponge material and gravitational force, eliminating the need for expensive control devices, sensors, and actuators. This significantly reduces manufacturing cost while maintaining print quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces expensive, complex control mechanisms with a simple, inexpensive filling squeegee structure that uses basic materials like sponge and frame. The simplified design is easier to manufacture and maintain at lower cost.
3Productivity
If filling squeegee is moved at high speed, then productivity increases, but sufficient paste supply to printing portions becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The filling squeegee is designed with a sponge material that can dynamically adapt its deformation during high-speed movement. The elastic properties allow the squeegee to maintain effective contact with the mask plate and pattern holes even during rapid squeegeeing operations, ensuring sufficient paste supply regardless of speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the filling squeegee by using a sponge material with specific elastic properties. This allows the squeegee to maintain optimal clearance and filling pressure across a range of operating speeds, enabling high-speed operation without compromising paste supply to printing portions.
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 design simplifies the machine configuration and reduces costs while ensuring high-quality paste prints by maintaining a consistent clearance and efficiently removing excess paste, even during high-speed operations.
Implementation Method 1
an urging member which urges the filling squeegee toward the mask plate such that at least the given clearance is maintained
Data Source
AI summary
A screen printing machine for forming a print of paste supplied to a mask plate having pattern holes, includes: a filling squeegee which is held to have a given clearance with respect to the mask plate, and which fills the pattern holes with the paste by moving the filling squeegee relative to the mask plate in a printing direction; and an urging member which urges the filling squeegee toward the mask plate such that at least the given clearance is maintained. The screen printing machine further includes a scraping squeegee which is held to maintain a given interval from the filling squeegee in the printing direction, and which scraps off paste remaining on the mask plate after passage of the filling squeegee by moving the scraping squeegee together with the filling squeegee in the printing direction.