Textured Material Curing via Flexible Web Medium

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for imparting textured surfaces to materials are limited by the need for thin substrates that can withstand radiation, issues with release from embossed rolls, and problems with coating quality such as air entrapment and streaking, which restrict the variety and quality of finished products.

Innovation Solution

The use of a flexible web as a texturing medium allows for the curing of thicker substrates and reduces radiation exposure damage, enabling the production of a wider range of products with improved process control, including the use of substrates that would be damaged by radiation, by sandwiching the curable coating between the substrate and the texturing medium and curing through the texturing medium rather than the substrate.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If an engraved metal roll is used as the replicative surface, then the texture can be imparted to the coating, but release from the roll is problematic and coating quality issues such as air entrapment and streaking occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetexture fidelityVSAvoidrelease from embossed roll

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

A release coating is applied to the surface of the engraved metal roll to act as an intermediary layer between the roll and the curable coating. This release coating prevents direct adhesion between the curable coating and the metal roll surface, enabling easy release after curing while maintaining texture fidelity. The release coating composition is specifically designed to provide adequate release properties during the lamination and curing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The surface properties of the replicative surface are modified by applying a release coating with specific chemical composition and surface energy characteristics. This changes the adhesion parameters between the roll surface and the curable coating, allowing the coating to bond during lamination but release easily after curing, resolving the contradiction between texture fidelity and release ease.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If radiation is passed through the substrate to cure the coating, then the coating can be cured, but the substrate must be thin enough to be penetrated by radiation and capable of withstanding radiation treatment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoating curingVSAvoidsubstrate thickness and material selection

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of passing radiation through the substrate to cure the coating, the patent inverts the approach by passing radiation through the curable coating itself. The curable coating is made translucent or transparent to the curing radiation, allowing radiation to penetrate and cure the coating without requiring the substrate to be thin or radiation-resistant. This enables use of thicker, more diverse substrate materials.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The optical properties of the curable coating are specifically designed to be translucent or transparent to the curing radiation wavelength. This parameter change in the coating's optical transmission allows radiation to pass through the coating and cure it effectively, while the substrate can be any thickness or material type, greatly expanding adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If a thin substrate is used to allow radiation penetration, then coating curing is possible, but the substrate variety is limited to thin materials only

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoating curingVSAvoidsubstrate thickness range

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the traditional curing approach by curing the coating from the coating side rather than through the substrate. Radiation is directed through the curable coating which is made translucent to the radiation, allowing curing of thick substrates that would otherwise block radiation penetration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The curable coating is formulated with specific optical parameters to be translucent or transparent to the curing radiation. This enables radiation to penetrate the coating effectively regardless of substrate thickness, allowing use of thick substrates while maintaining reliable coating curing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 allows for the production of materials with high fidelity textured surfaces on thicker substrates, minimizing substrate damage and improving coating quality, enabling the production of a variety of finished products with consistent quality and reduced process control issues.

Implementation Method 1

the coating is cured while in contact with the roll by passing radiation through the web

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRadiation curing: Photopolymerisation

Data Source

PatentUS8192830B2Materials having a textured surface and methods for producing same

Publication Date: 2012.06.05 SAPPI NORTH AMERICA INC

AI summary

The present disclosure features processes and equipment for forming a variety of textured materials, including both release webs, and finished products such as flooring materials, wall coverings, textured laminates and the like. The processes described herein allow curing radiation to be passed through a texturing medium, rather than through the substrate to which the curable material is applied.