Stepped Stencil Manufacturing via Layered Laser Ablation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of stepped stencils for industrial screen printing with varying thickness areas is laborious and difficult due to the need for precise fitting and removal of multiple materials, as seen in existing technologies.
Innovation Solution
A stepped stencil composed of alternately arranged plastic and metal layers, where each layer can be removed using distinct material treatments such as etching and laser irradiation, allowing for precise gradation and diverse depth realization without requiring numerous ablation methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple plastic films are glued together to create stepped areas, then multi-level depth variation is achieved, but the manufacturing process becomes laborious and fitting precision is difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The stencil is divided into multiple alternating layers of plastic and metal materials, each layer being processed independently. This segmentation allows each layer to be manufactured and treated separately, then assembled without requiring complex fitting of multiple identical materials, thus improving precision while managing manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite structure with alternating plastic and metal layers. Each material type responds differently to removal methods (plastic to laser, metal to etching), enabling precise depth control at each interface. This composite approach solves the fitting precision problem by creating distinct processing zones that assemble more easily than uniform multi-layer plastic structures.
2Manufacturing precision
If different ablation methods are used for each layer to achieve precise depth control, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stencil structure is segmented into alternating plastic and metal layers, each requiring different removal methods. This segmentation enables precise depth control because each material type can be selectively removed to the required depth, while the alternating pattern reduces overall process complexity by repeating the same two-method sequence rather than requiring unique methods for each individual layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameter (alternating between plastic and metal) to enable different removal methods. By controlling which material is present at each layer position, the patent achieves precise depth control through selective removal, while the systematic alternation of materials provides a manageable pattern that doesn't excessively increase device complexity.
3Productivity
If high-speed milling is used to create reduced thickness areas, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision and material versatility are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces mechanical milling with non-contact removal methods: laser irradiation for plastic layers and chemical etching for metal layers. This substitution maintains high productivity while achieving superior depth precision and enabling material versatility, as these methods can be controlled with high precision and work efficiently on different materials without mechanical tool wear or force limitations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the removal mechanism from mechanical to physical/chemical processes. Laser and etching methods offer better controllability of removal depth and rate, enabling higher precision while maintaining productivity. The alternating material structure allows each layer to be optimized for its specific removal method, further enhancing both precision and efficiency.
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 enables the precise and efficient manufacture of stepped stencils with multiple depth levels, facilitating the production of printed circuits and resistors with varying resistance values by allowing different layers to be removed using specific treatments, thereby simplifying the process and improving precision.
Implementation Method 1
the different physical treatment each consists of a laser irradiation
Implementation Method 2
the metal layer to be removed by etching
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
The stencil (10) has openings (14) and recesses (12) with less thickness. A base material comprises two layers (16, 18) lying one above the other. The layers have different physical and/or chemical characteristics. The layer is made of metal and the layer (18) is made of plastic. The openings are produced by a laser, and the recesses are produced by another laser i.e. UV laser, that has specific color and frequency, which are absorbed by the layer (18) and reflected by the layer (16), so as to selectively strip the layer (18).