Support Sheet Tensioning for Printing and Drying Electronic Devices
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional printing and drying methods for electronic devices, such as multilayer ceramic capacitors, face issues with sheet delamination and stack deformation due to positional deviations and heat-induced shrinkage of support sheets, particularly when forming fine and thin electrode patterns.
Innovation Solution
A method and system where a support sheet is tensioned in both the printing and drying zones to prevent longitudinal shrinkage, using separate tensioning means to maintain stability and precision during the printing and drying process, allowing for consecutive printing and drying operations while minimizing positional deviations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the support sheet is heated in the drying chamber, then the solvent is evaporated and the printed pattern is dried, but the support sheet shrinks in the long direction causing positional deviation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by giving tension to the support sheet in the long direction before and during heating in the drying chamber. This pre-applied tension counteracts the shrinkage force that will occur during drying, preventing positional deviation of the printed pattern. The tension giving means is positioned to apply force before the support sheet enters the high-temperature zone, proactively compensating for the expected thermal contraction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the support sheet by controlling its tension parameter during the drying process. By adjusting the tension force applied to the support sheet in the long direction, the system compensates for thermal shrinkage. The tension is maintained within a specific range to prevent both excessive shrinkage and over-tensioning that could cause other defects, thereby maintaining printing precision throughout the drying process.
2Manufacturing precision
If separate tension giving means are used for printing and drying zones, then positional deviation is suppressed, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the tension control system into two distinct zones: a printing zone with first tension giving means and a drying zone with second tension giving means. Each zone has independently controlled tension application, allowing optimization for specific process requirements. The printing zone tension is optimized for stable pattern formation, while the drying zone tension is optimized for preventing shrinkage during heating, thereby maintaining high positional accuracy despite increased system complexity.
3Strength
If the carrier sheet is a drawn film, then it has good mechanical properties, but it shrinks when heated causing positional deviation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thermal parameter control by heating the support sheet to a temperature below the glass transition temperature of the polyethylene terephthalate carrier sheet material. This temperature control parameter change prevents the drawn film from entering the range where significant shrinkage occurs, while still providing sufficient heat to evaporate the solvent from the printed pattern. This allows the carrier sheet to maintain both its mechanical strength as a drawn film and its dimensional stability during drying.
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 effectively suppresses sheet delamination, stack deformation, and variations in electrostatic capacity, improving production yield and enabling the production of smaller and thinner electronic devices with reduced stacking deviations.
Implementation Method 1
the heat at the time of drying sometimes causes the polyethylene terephthalate forming the carrier sheet 20 to end up stretching along the long direction. This is probably because the carrier sheet 20 is a drawn film. The heat at the time of drying probably ends up causing shrinking along the long direction.
Implementation Method 2
in the drying zone, giving the support sheet printed with the predetermined patterns a second tension and in that state drying in a drying chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A printing and drying method comprising laying a support sheet 20 elongated in the long direction so as to bridge both a printing zone 42 and a drying zone 44, in the printing zone 42, giving the support sheet 20 a first tension F1, in that state, printing the support sheet 20 with predetermined patterns, then feeding the support sheet 20 toward the drying zone 44, in the drying zone 44, giving the support sheet 20 on which the predetermined patterns were printed a second tension F2, and in that state, drying it in a drying chamber 62. The first tension F1 and the second tension F2 are given by separate tension giving means, and the second tension F2 is tension given along the support sheet 20 in the long direction and able to prevent shrinkage of the support sheet 20 in the long direction while passing through the drying zone 44.