Textured Glass-Ceramic Sheet Separation

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for manufacturing glass-ceramic sheets face challenges in separating stacked sheets after the ceramming process without adding unnecessary process steps, as high temperatures cause strong adhesion, leading to breakage and increased production costs due to the use of barrier powders.

Innovation Solution

The method involves texturing one surface of a glass sheet and stacking it with another, allowing the textured surface to contact the second sheet, then heating and cooling to form glass-ceramic sheets, which can be easily separated without additional process steps.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If high temperature ceramming is used to reduce production time, then productivity is improved, but surface adhesion between stacked glass sheets increases causing breakage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction speedVSAvoidsurface adhesion

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The glass sheets are pre-textured before stacking and ceramming. This preliminary surface treatment creates a micro-roughness that prevents direct contact and fusion between sheets during the high-temperature ceramming process, allowing faster cycles without increased adhesion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The surface morphology parameter is changed from smooth to textured. This physical modification of the surface parameters allows the sheets to withstand higher ceramming temperatures and shorter cycles without fusing, as the textured surface reduces contact area and adhesion strength

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If barrier powders are applied to reduce surface adhesion, then ease of separation is improved, but device complexity and production cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of separationVSAvoidprocess complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The glass sheets themselves provide the separation function through their textured surfaces. The texture creates a self-release mechanism during ceramming where the surface morphology prevents fusion, eliminating the need for external barrier powders and their associated application and removal processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The barrier function previously provided by external barrier powders is extracted and integrated directly into the glass sheet surface structure. The textured surface itself becomes the barrier, removing the need for separate barrier materials and simplifying the overall process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Productivity

If more glass sheets are stacked to increase production capacity, then productivity is improved, but surface adhesion increases causing breakage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction capacityVSAvoidsurface adhesion

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

All glass sheets in the stack are pre-textured before stacking. This ensures that regardless of stack size, each interface between sheets has the adhesion-reducing texture, allowing increased stacking without proportional increase in breakage risk

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 minimizes surface adhesion between glass-ceramic sheets, allowing for efficient separation and reducing production costs by eliminating the need for barrier powders and additional process steps, while maintaining a shorter ceramming cycle.

Implementation Method 1

texturing at least one surface of a first glass sheet... The first glass sheet and the second glass sheet are stacked so that the textured surface of the first glass sheet contacts a surface of the second glass sheet

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurface roughness:

Implementation Method 2

The first and second glass sheets are heated

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 3

then cooled to form glass-ceramic sheets

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCooling: Cooling

Data Source

PatentUS9556055B2Method for reducing glass-ceramic surface adhesion, and pre-form for the same

Publication Date: 2017.01.31 CORNING INC

AI summary

Provided herein is a method for producing glass-ceramic sheets. The method includes texturing at least one surface of a first glass sheet, and stacking the first glass sheet and a second glass sheet. The first glass sheet and the second glass sheet are stacked so that the textured surface of the first glass sheet contacts a surface of the second glass sheet. The first and second glass sheets are cerammed. After cooling, the cerammed first and second glass sheets are separated. Also provided is a pre-form for producing glass-ceramic sheets. The pre-form includes a first glass sheet having a textured surface, and a second glass sheet contacting the first glass sheet. The textured surface of the first glass sheet is in contact with a surface of the second glass sheet.